Carla McCall, CPA, CGMA

Carla McCall, CPA, CGMA is Managing Partner of AAFCPAs, a preeminent, 270-person CPA and consulting firm based in New England. In 2020, Carla was named one of 2020’s Most Powerful Women in the Accounting Profession by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and CPA Practice Advisor Magazine. Her dynamic executive leadership, bold practicality, and enthusiasm to embrace change is setting the standard for mission driven, growth organizations. She leads and drives AAFCPAs’ strategic vision for the future, while ensuring day-to-day operations are keeping up with today’s urgent demands.

Carla has been an instrumental force in the evolution of AAFCPAs, responsible for driving the expansion of services for our sophisticated clients beyond the core audit and tax, such as managed accounting, wealth management, IT and process efficiency, risk reduction, and leveraging data. She thinks about the client in everything she does and puts AAFCPAs’ customers in the center, at the core of our business, in order to provide a positive experience and meet their evolving needs. Carla mobilized and leads the firm’s COVID-19 Response & Recovery Task Force dedicated to studying, interpreting, and advising clients on available federal & state stimulus initiatives. She provides critical guidance on overcoming challenges and navigating this uncharted situation that continues to evolve rapidly.

Carla recognizes the importance of setting an influential tone at the top to inspire AAFCPAs’ cultural environment and corporate values. In 2011 she launched AAFCPAs’ Women’s Opportunity Network (WON), which serves as a platform to ensure women have a clear path to leadership. In 2017, recognizing the need to achieve further diversity and inclusiveness as a fundamental part of living the firm’s core values, Carla launched the firm’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity initiative. In 2018, Carla established the firm’s Innovation Lab and Changemaker Challenge, where team members are encouraged to question the status quo and create new opportunities. “We can only grow by nurturing and embracing innovation that helps us work ‘smarter not harder,’” said Carla.

Carla commits a great deal of her personal time to mentoring young professionals and serving nonprofits so that both may benefit from her knowledge and experience in order to thrive. She leads with authenticity and her commitment to service, volunteerism, and purposeful work has a contagious effect on all. She shares her unique vantage point through close collaboration with clients, and this inspires new pathways to growth, sustainability, and excellence.

Education

• Bentley University – Bachelor of Science, Accounting

Awards

• Most Powerful Women in the Accounting Profession (2020) – The American Institute of CPAs and CPA Practice Advisor magazine
• National Managing Partner Elite List (2020) – Accounting Today
• Outstanding Women in Business (2018) – Worcester Business Journal
• Inaugural Harry C. Bentley Alumni Achievement Award (2017) – Bentley University
• ATHENA Leadership Award (2016) – United Way of Tri-County & MetroWest Chamber of Commerce
• Women Up Leadership Award (2013) – Boston Business Journal
• Women to Watch Leadership Award (2013) – Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants

Publications

• Accounting Today: How a Strong Firm Culture Keeps CPAs Focused in Difficult Times
• Boston Business Journal: Meet the BBJ’s 2021 Mentors for Mentoring Monday
• Forbes: Forbes 2021 Best Tax & Accounting Firms
• PrimeGlobal: Technology Insights: How Can Firms Take the Next Step?
• Journal of Accountancy: Take care of your staff’s mental health during COVID-19
• SumNews: Q&A with Carla McCall on AICPA Board Outlook
• Boston Business Journal Viewpoint: Nonprofits should stay vocal about transportation ‘tax’
• Worcester Business Journal: Outstanding Women in Business 2018: McCall grew her accounting firm 50%

Service

• Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) – Board of Directors
• SheGives Boston – Board Member and Treasurer
• AICPA Governing Council, Private Company Practice Section (PCPS) – Former Executive Committee Member
• Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants – Former Chair of the Board
• The Jordan Matthew Porco Memorial Foundation – Former Founding Board Member and Treasurer
• Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce – Former Women’s Network Advisory Board
• United Way – Former Chair of the Financial and Governance Allocation Committee
• Center for Women and Business at Bentley University – Former Leadership Mentor
• Strong Women, Strong Girls, Inc. – Former Founding Board and Finance Committee Member
• AAFCPAs Women’s Opportunity Network – Founder