Senior Tax Manager Ashley Brand is a native of Odessa, Texas who joined ADKF in September of 2017. Ashley joined ADKF after finding her calling in public accounting through a series of drastic life changes.
Ashley was first introduced to the world of accounting in high school where she was a part time bookkeeper for her uncle. She recalls enjoying bookkeeping and really finding a niche for it; although she believed her true calling was music. Ashley attended University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) in hopes of being a music teacher one day. However, there was one significant issue, she hated performing in front of a crowd. She made it through two years of studying music until she decided to revert to her accounting roots. Ultimately, she graduated in 2006 with her Bachelor’s in Accounting from UTPB.
Almost immediately after switching her major to accounting she was approached by a longtime family friend, who also happened to be a CPA that worked in the building next door to her mom and was offered a job as a receptionist/ intern bookkeeper. The rest is history for Ashley. She began her journey of public accounting in 2003 and obtained her CPA license in 2016. She exclaims that she wouldn’t change a thing!
Since joining ADKF, Ashley has made her ability to juggle a perfect balance between her work and home life seem effortless. Her favorite thing to do with her family is to go down to North Padre with her blue Kayak in tow and kayak throughout the bay. You might even catch her pulling her daughter behind her in a tube!
With four years of experience at ADKF and a total of 18 years of experience in public accounting under her belt, Ashley advises anyone new to the industry to make sure that they love to learn. There are constant changes in this industry, and they must be willing to keep up with these changes. Another wise word of advice she shares for new public accountants is to make sure there is a willingness to grow and give back to the industry in your heart, you never know what someone may learn from you and what the value of your intelligence means to the people around you.
Name: Ashley Brand
Years at ADKF: 4 years
Title: Senior Tax Manager
What is your favorite restaurant at the moment? Rosario’s (specifically the downtown location)
What do you like to do in your free time? Try out new restaurants.
How do you destress after Tax season? Focus the entire first Friday off with my family. We will normally go to the zoo or make a day trip down to the coast.