Rebekah J. Brown, CPA, a 10-year veteran of the MACPA’s staff who most recently served as the association’s director of development, has been chosen by the MACPA’s Board of Directors as the organization’s next president and CEO.
Brown succeeds Jackie Brown, who will be retiring on June 30 following a 42-year career with the association.
“As a passionate CPA in the great state of Maryland and a proud product of the MACPA’s vast community of leaders, I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to continue work with our members, partners, and team as we, together, build an even better, future-ready profession,” Rebekah Brown said. “I believe in this profession and in this community. The MACPA’s mission, vision, and values — co-created in collaboration with the MACPA team and volunteer leaders — inspire me every day.”
“Rebekah’s passion for our profession, her long history of service to Maryland CPAs, and her forward-thinking leadership are perfect fits for the MACPA, which is considered one of the most progressive and future-focused associations in the country,” said Lexy Kessler, a partner with Aronson and chair of the MACPA’s Board of Directors. “She’s a catalyst for innovation who has a demonstrated ability to adapt to changing and complex environments — characteristics that will serve her well in her new role. We’re thrilled to have her and eager to see what she brings to the table.”
As a CPA and the MACPA’s former director of development, Brown has strong ties to the profession — not just in Maryland, but throughout the country. She is a recognized thought leader who represents the MACPA and its members on a broader national scale, and she has a wealth of experience as a strategic facilitator with an eye toward future-focused leadership.
As important, she has a decade of direct experience with the MACPA’s leadership team and its members, which ultimately will mean stability and continuity at the association’s highest levels.
“The MACPA will continue to be a lookout post for our members,” Brown said. “We will continue to innovate and be at the forefront of the profession while creating more intimate and collaborative relationships with and among our members and all stakeholders in our profession.
“Our member promise — our purpose, values, and focus, co-created by our board and team, is the vision and the unchanging why of the MACPA,” she added. “In an environment in which an inclusive culture and community are critical, we have a rock-solid foundation, strong volunteer leaders, and a tenured and passionate team poised to lead the MACPA into the future.”
Brown joined the MACPA staff in 2012, and in 2014 was named the organization’s manager of membership development and engagement. She became the director development in 2018 and helped lead the association through the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the departure of longtime CEO Tom Hood, and the sale of the Business Learning Institute to the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.
“After the very thorough work of our Search Committee, which interviewed candidates from across the country, we are proud to welcome Rebekah as the MACPA’s new CEO,” said Herbert Geary, CPA, a partner with UHY Advisors and incoming chair of the association’s board. “Her leadership skills are as impressive as her passion and commitment to the profession, and we are fortunate to have her.”
In 2020, Brown was named a Maryland “Leading Woman” by The Daily Record. She was included in CPA Practice Advisor’s annual list of 40 Under 40 Professionals in 2019 and 2020, and was awarded the 2019 President’s Award for Community Service by the Baltimore chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants.
Prior to joining the MACPA team, Brown served as a senior auditor with SC&H Group in Sparks, Md. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University.