Stephanie Daniels, CPA, MAcc, recently elected president of the 2024-25 COCPA Educational Foundation Board of Trustees, knows first hand the life-changing impact that the Foundation’s scholarship program can have on those who are pursuing their accounting degree. 

While earning her degree at the University of Northern Colorado – as a nontraditional student and a single parent – Daniels received a COCPA Educational Foundation scholarship. “It’s really important for me to be able to give back to the [profession] and to help the next person in line coming up,” she says. 

Once she'd begun her career, Daniels, who has been a CPA since 2015, held accounting positions in various governmental and public organizations before beginning a second stint at RubinBrown in early 2021, where she remains today, currently as a senior audit associate. She provides client services in audits of nonprofit, governmental, and private organizations. 

Named a 2022 COCPA Everyday Heroine for her deep commitment to serving others, Daniels says that her personal experience as a first-generation, nontraditional student helps her relate to those who don’t follow the traditional college path. She “hopes to be that person who inspires a shared vision” for other nontraditional students.

Alongside Daniels in her role as 2024-25 Educational Foundation president, Alexandria Romero, CPA, MPAcc, who is director of finance for the City of Pueblo, will serve as vice president. Jeffrey Damm, CPA, director of operational accounting with SM Energy in Denver, will serve as treasurer, and Judy Thomas, CPA, MBA, is immediate past president. Thomas recently retired as chair of Regis University’s accounting department and continues as an affiliate member of Regis’ Anderson College of Business and Computing.

Serving as trustees on the 2024-25 Educational Foundation Board of Trustees are Laurie Corradino, CPA, Ph.D., Colorado State University – Pueblo; Alicia Gelinas, CPA, COCPA, Englewood; Todd Mihelich, CPA, CGMA, McPherson, Goodrich, Paolucci & Mihelich, PC, Pueblo; Matthew Ogaz, CPA, MAcc, CoBank, ACB, Englewood; Blaise Wabo, CPA, CISA, CITP, A-LIGN, Denver; and Karla Willschau, CPA, Wall, Smith, Bateman, Inc., Alamosa.

Click here to learn more about those serving on the COCPA Educational Foundation Board of Trustees. For more information on the Foundation and its scholarship program, contact Executive Director Abbey Aguirre.