Meet Emily McKenna, our Employee Spotlight this month! As a staff accountant, Emily is known for her meticulous attention to detail and commitment to quality. With a background in Corporate Accounting, she has expertise in bank reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable, expense reporting, and data entry. Emily's dedication to process improvement highlights her critical thinking and focus on efficient, effective accounting practices. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from California State University, Fullerton. Join us as we delve into 10 insightful questions to get to know Emily better!

1. What initially drew you to Optima and the industry?

What initially drew me to Optima was how open they were about their flexibility for their employees and how much they prioritize making sure we are happy, which in turn contributes to the client’s happiness. As far as the industry, accounting was an easy choice for me during my time at university; however, consulting was something brand new to me, and so the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and grow differently is what brought me to my decision.

2. What does a perfect day for you look like?

Spending time with my dad, sister, fiancé, and my two dogs out in the backyard, just listening to music, talking, and enjoying something my dad smoked in the Traeger!

3. How do you balance your career with your personal life?

Setting boundaries. It is easy to get swallowed up in work – and working a lot is okay. But burnout is real – and setting healthy boundaries for yourself, not overworking, and prioritizing other activities in your life is key.

4. What's your favorite quote?

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

     Colossians 3:12

5. What advice would you give to someone starting in your field?

Trust the process. Especially starting in this field straight out of college, consulting can start slow or may seem difficult to manage your time. However, once you get over those initial hurdles, the organizations you end up working with and the amount you learn make it worth it.

6. What was your dream job as a child?

Elementary School Teacher.

7. If you won $1 million, what would you do with it?

I would tithe ten percent of it, and gift some to my dad and sister. Then I would invest/save some & buy a house that could fit the 25 dogs I would buy or rescue. 😊

8. What is one skill every person should have?

Patience. I think if we all worked on developing greater patience, it would make us more kind to one another.

9. What makes you feel most fulfilled?

My faith.

10. What do you feel is the most important trend or development in the accounting industry right now?

I think AI is becoming a lot more talked about within the accounting industry and how its use can make business processes more efficient.