From Sky Room to Classroom: CPAs Can Share from the Heart & Have Lasting Impact

It was an event I’d helped organize for months with Carl Specht, president of the NJCPA Hudson Chapter, and Taina Cutler, director of the Saint Peter’s Career Center. For two hours, we brought these two groups together to talk about the CPA profession. When one of the speakers was unable to attend, I was asked to pinch hit last minute as a panelist.

Two Audiences, Two Messages

I spoke to the students about my journey: from the Big Four at Deloitte, to launching a fiscal literacy platform at Civic Parent, to teaching at Saint Peter’s University, to eventually running my own small consulting business. I wanted them to see that accounting isn’t a static career path — it’s a toolkit that can take you anywhere and be steeped in purpose.

And I spoke to the CPAs about the classrooms I’ve been visiting — especially in Career and Technical Education (CTE) high schools — where teachers are eager to connect their students to real-world professions like ours. These educators are doing incredible work, but they need more of us to walk through the door. They have federal grant funding and related mandates to make meaningful industry connections.

I shared pictures of thriving local CTE programs … like the Culinary classroom…

… and the Cosmetology classroom…

…and the A/V and broadcasting classroom…

Then I showed them the business classroom, which is really just…a typical classroom. Just imagine the possibilities if this school had more support from industry. The educators in this school are eager for our input; they are asking for help.

And now, a pitch for the CPAs and industry professionals reading this.

A Shared Time Crunch

For CPAs, the shortage is structural — there simply aren’t enough of us. The pipeline challenge that’s been brewing for years is now making headlines.

For K–12 educators, the shortage is also structural — the expectations on schools have ballooned, often extending beyond academics into social, career, and emotional development. Schools are staffed with psychologists, social workers, guidance counselors, and more, but teachers are often on the front lines – mission-critical, tip-of-the-spear professionals – and they need support. From all of us.

Both groups – CPAs and Educators -are trying to do something similar: help the next generation.

That’s why we need to meet — in classrooms, not just conference rooms. Not just on Zoom.

Call to Action: Show up for CTE Students

I wrote about CTE Education in a previous Civic CPA post and I also wrote about it for parents on Civic Parent (What is with the high school “majors”? (A Civic Parent Explainer))

CTE teachers have told me they want CPAs to come visit — not to lecture, but to show up. To explain what the profession looks like, how we use technology, and why integrity still matters more than ever.

You don’t need a fancy Power Point. You don’t to bullet list your resume. Your story is what matters. Don’t overthink it; don’t underestimate the impact you can have just by sharing your story.

My Ask

To my fellow CPAs: learn about your local CTE programs. If you need help finding your local CTE program, leave a comment below or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Ask how you can visit.

Show up.

You don’t need a PowerPoint — just your story.

Your presence matters more than your polish. And in that room, you might help someone discover a future they never knew existed.

This post is part of the Accounting Pipeline & CTE section of Civic Parent. The broader research examines how New Jersey’s Career and Technical Education system – including the Finance Career Cluster – connects to the accounting profession’s workforce development challenge.

Brigid D’Souza is a CPA, founder of Harborstead Advisory, and the author of Civic Parent. She serves as Vice President of the Hudson County Chapter of the NJ Society of CPAs and on the NJCPA Strategic Planning and Scholarships Committees. She was recognized as a 2026 Forbes Best-in-State CPA, New Jersey.