The organisers of the 37th Annual Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean Conference have added Kimberly Ellison-Taylor to their impressive list of speakers, which already includes international best-selling author, Stephen MR Covey as the event’s keynote speaker. The conference is slated for June 20 to 22 at Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, under the theme ‘Navigating Global Disruption: Creating Opportunities’.

Ellison-Taylor, the global accounting strategy director for Oracle Corporation — the California-based American multinational software and technology powerhouse — is one of the most powerful names in accounting in the continental United States. She has had a distinguished and outstanding career, including as the first African American chairperson for the near century-plus-old American Institute of CPAs (AICPA).

She is also a past chairman of the Association of Certified Professional Accountants, the world’s largest accountancy body of more than 670,000 members in over 180 countries.

From the streets of inner-city Baltimore to the top of the accounting and finance profession, Ellison-Taylor’s story is one of inspiration detailing the importance of what she calls life’s “ABCs” — attitude; belief in one’s self; and courage to act with compassion, take chances, and to be different.

“My path is a testament to the power of high expectations,” said Ellison-Taylor, who exhorts her colleague accounting professionals to always demand more from themselves, no matter their achievements.”

Ellison-Taylor, who was named one of the most powerful women in accounting in 2018 by the reputable publication, Accounting Today, earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Maryland, a master ofbusiness administration (MBA) at Loyola University, and a master’s in information technology at Carnegie Mellon University.

Asked what advice she would give to female college students about the opportunities for women in the accounting profession, Ellison-Taylor answered:

“There is no ‘box’. Let’s dream big and reimagine our future. In order to leverage and maximise the many opportunities that are available, we must refute stereotypes and ‘can’t’ from our thinking. In locations throughout the United States and around the world, in organisations of all sizes and in every industry, CPAs and CGMAs are mission-critical. There is a seat for all of us. Please be sure to own your own truth, say ‘yes’ to roles and opportunities that will increase your skills and visibility, and seek a personal board of directors that includes mentors, coaches, and sponsors.”

She is a past chair of the Maryland Association of CPAs and has served on many of its committees, including the New Young Professional Network and Tomorrow’s CPA.

Ellison-Taylor is currently a global strategy leader in the Cloud Business Group for Oracle America, a leader in cloud solutions and enterprise technology. In this capacity, she provides insight to help drive innovation in this important domain, particularly as the computing paradigm shifts to Cloud and SaaS.

Previously, she served as the Oracle executive director and global practice team leader for health and human services, working with teams worldwide where she developed and executed strategies on cloud, big data, security, fraud prevention/detection, customer experience, and modernisation.

Prior to Oracle, Ellison-Taylor worked in leadership roles at numerous other major companies and organisations, including the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; Motorola; KPMG; and Prince George’s County Government, where she served as chief information technology officer.

The impact of climate change and natural disasters on the region is among the key topics for discussion during the upcoming 37th Annual Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean Conference in Jamaica.

More than 600 participants —comprising accountants, finance managers, entrepreneurs and accounting professionals across the Caribbean, as well as policymakers in Jamaica — are expected to attend the two-day event.