Wendy Lewis
Partner
KPMG
New York, NY USA
“It’s always a challenge to know that you’re prepared, to know that you deserve something, and still not get it...You can let that bump in the road define you or you can let it make you stronger.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationWendy Lewis
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I grew up in a small town as the only child of teenage parents, but I always had the ambition to get out of my small town and experience more of the big city life.
I knew I wanted to go to college, I just didn’t know what I wanted my major to be.
To be safe, I decided I was going to major in business administration—during my sophomore year in high school, I took an accounting class and loved it.
Attended the HBCU Virginia Union University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in accounting.
My accounting advisor was Dr. Ruth Harris, the first black woman in Virginia to pass her CPA exam—she mentored me and helped grow my interest in accounting.
While still in college, I took my certified public accountant (CPA) exams and began interning in the field to perfect my resume.
Got my first job working at KPMG—my initial goal was to only stay for two years to get experience, but I kept sticking around, earning more and more promotions.
I have now worked at the firm for over 21 years and am now a partner in KPMG’s commercial audit practice.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Certification/License
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Career
Partner
I am a partner in commercial audit practice.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Business
Numbers
Accomplishing Goals
Day to Day
My days are never the same. As a partner, I show up to the client's site and everyone on the team gives an update for where they are in the audit process. My favorite part of the morning is getting to know my team on a more personal level. Then we go to the client and talk to them about the status of everything. We do team lunches in order to connect and work better together. I also typically have a few meetings that I go to.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
Get a foundation in business or accounting, but you don't necessarily need to do ONLY that. This field is growing and we need people with diverse backgrounds. With that you can segway into a variety of industries within accounting. It is really helpful to see and engage with people that look like you in the field that you are interested in. Seek out those mentors or advisors that can give you that guidance and support.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Certification/License
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"I'm going to leave. I need to do something different."
Challenges I Overcame
Raised By Young Parents
Racial and Gender Discrimination
Imposter Syndrome
