Lisa Wills, CPA, is a partner at Whittlesey and is the first woman leader of the firm’s largest niche, the nonprofit practice.
Wills was named a 2022 Connecticut Society of CPA’s (CTCPA) Women Distinguished Service Awardee and was the past chair of the CTCPA’s nonprofit committee. She co-founded and co-chairs the firm’s women’s leadership group and serves as a mentor and coach to young women professionals in the firm.
Before joining Whittlesey, she spent more than 20 years at KPMG, where she was elected partner in 2009 and was chair of the Hartford office chapter of the KPMG Network of Women. She has been an instructor on accounting and auditing topics at the local and national levels and has been a technical presenter on webinars and at industry conferences.
What have been your biggest professional accomplishments so far?
Being a partner and member of Whittlesey’s leadership group is my biggest accomplishment. I lead our firm’s nonprofit niche, which is our largest practice. I have the privilege of working with amazing nonprofit leaders as their trusted advisor, which has become increasingly important as nonprofits have navigated pandemic financial and operational challenges.
What’s the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally?
Being a role model for future women leaders of Whittlesey and in the accounting profession is a passion of mine. As co-leader of the Women of Whittlesey, I would like to help advance more women in their careers and to the partner level.
What’s one of the biggest professional challenges you’ve overcome?
Balancing my career while raising my family is a challenge. I had to learn to lean on others, to ask for help and to prioritize, professionally and personally. It took years to learn that I could be successful at both. Looking back, that challenge has also been one of my biggest rewards.
Who has been your most important mentor and why?
I’m fortunate to have had many mentors as I navigated the various phases of my career and work and life challenges evolved. I have also been fortunate to work with women leaders of many of my nonprofit clients over the years who have taught me a great deal about leadership.
