OSCPA member Yamila Pons, CPA, selected for the 2023 AICPA Leadership Academy

Yamila A. Pons, CPA, was one of only 36 CPAs honored by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) as a member of the Leadership Academy’s 15th graduating class. She was selected based on her exceptional leadership skills and professional experience.

Pons is an Audit Manager at Eide Bailly LLP. She has more than six years of experience providing assurance services to a variety of industries, including nonprofits, financial institutions, employee benefit plans, manufacturing, construction and government entities. She oversees audit teams from planning through completion of the engagement.

She is heavily involved in Eide Bailly’s outreach and recruiting, as well as internal office engagements. In 2021, Pons received Eide Bailly’s Rising Star Award for the Tulsa, Okla. office. The Rising Star Award recognizes top performers who consistently demonstrate behaviors beyond what is expected of them in their position and uphold the Eide Bailly culture.

Outside of work, Pons serves on the board of two nonprofit organizations in the Tulsa area. She joined the Tulsa Global District (TGD) in 2020 and Growing Together Tulsa (GTT) in 2022 and currently serves as a board member and board member/treasurer, respectively.

The AICPA Leadership Academy was designed to strengthen and expand the leadership skills of promising young professionals while they network with a peer group of talented and motivated CPAs.

The Leadership Academy features career development workshops and sessions with some of the accounting profession’s most prominent influencers. Participants were selected from public accounting firms of all sizes, business and industry, government and consulting firms.

The 2023 Leadership Academy attendees were recommended by their employers, state CPA societies and/or volunteer organizations. Candidates submitted resumes and a statement explaining how participating in the Leadership Academy would impact them personally and professionally.

To date, more than 480 CPAs have participated in the AICPA Leadership Academy, many of whom have gone on to take on leadership positions in their firms, businesses and volunteer organizations.

For more information about the AICPA Leadership Academy, visit AICPA.org/Leadership.