Let me take you back to January 31st of this year when we held one of our networking events. Caitlin was there with her manager. Not only was it her first event with Rotary, but it was her first networking happy hour, ever! While I must give thanks to her manager who urged her to come, it is Virginia McKenzie and Susie Roe, who we should give a round of applause to, as they proposed her to the club under the classification of Accounting. Caitlin fell in love with the Rotary --the people, the passion of the group to better the community and change the world, and her ability to be a part of it all.
Now here’s some quick trivia for you: what does (1) the biography of Cecil Beaton (an English fashion, portrait and war photographer), (2) a non-fiction investment book called Red Notice, (3) Catch 22, (4) the historical account of female killers, and (5) a True Crime podcast all have in common? Not much, except for that they are all being read or listened to currently by Caitlin. For those of you who weren’t mentally counting, that’s five different books and podcasts! At once! When I asked her why, she laughingly said, “because you never know what you’re going to be in the mood for.” We obviously only pick the best and brightest in Rotary, and Caitlin is no exception to the rule!
Originally born in Longview, Washington, Caitlin considers herself a Pacific Northwest gal. Migrating south to Portland for high school, she went on to Gonzaga University (GO ZAGS!) where she thought she would be getting her undergraduate degree in History, until she made the mistake of signing up for a business math class. Caitlin always liked numbers and decided to stay on the business track and took her first financial accounting class. The joy she got when her balance sheet balanced out for the first time was when she knew accounting was for her!
Caitlin now works as an auditor for BDO – an accounting firm that delivers assurance, tax and financial advisory services around the country and the globe. She loves working for an international office – in fact, because of it, she was able to live in London last summer while working for BDO UK. She also loves that her office of only 40 people is small enough so that she knows everyone she works with. I can tell the culture is good because she mentioned that she will put in 12 hours a day in an audit room and still want to go out to drinks with her co-workers after!
Outside of work, Caitlin loves to travel. Having grown up traveling with her family, she thinks she is now up to 32 countries and counting. She loves to throw themed parties, her most recent being “what do you want to be when you grow up?” And, she loves to get involved. Examples include initiating a sustainability program at Gonzaga, being on the Board of Trustees for Hearthstone which is a retirement home, and being a member of BDO’s National Early Career Council which works to promote gender equality and women’s leadership.
So, if you’re trying to find a good book, wanting to throw a themed party, looking to have a fun conversation, or simply wanting a new member for your committee, please come introduce yourself to Caitlin – you will be wowed just like I was!
