Amy McPherson | CEO & Founding Partner
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I have worked in nonprofit finance for almost 25 years. I have an MBA from Columbia University.
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I love working with the folks on the front line of nonprofit organizations. It is very rewarding to help build capacity in organizations so they can focus on their mission feeling empowered and supported by their financial information.
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I feel fortunate to have such a shared sense of purpose with my AFC team members and our nonprofit partners which keeps me motivated every day.
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Sometimes it's a challenge to balance our four core values, all of which matter deeply. I think transparency is the key to making the other three values work. Transparency allows all stakeholders to understand the information they are seeing in a deeper way than just looking at numbers. At AFC, we have shifted our internal focus to transparency, which has made accomplishing the other three goals easier.
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When I'm not advising for change I'm playing outside. I am a member of an adult horse-back riding team and yoga-lover.
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Learn more about my professional experiences here.
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At AFC, we are building a model of a great place to work that also does great work.
Amy McPherson | CEO & Founding Partner
​
I have worked in nonprofit finance for almost 25 years. I have an MBA from Columbia University.
​
I love working with the folks on the front line of nonprofit organizations. It is very rewarding to help build capacity in organizations so they can focus on their mission feeling empowered and supported by their financial information.
​
I feel fortunate to have such a shared sense of purpose with my AFC team members and our nonprofit partners which keeps me motivated every day.
​
Sometimes it's a challenge to balance our four core values, all of which matter deeply. I think transparency is the key to making the other three values work. Transparency allows all stakeholders to understand the information they are seeing in a deeper way than just looking at numbers. At AFC, we have shifted our internal focus to transparency, which has made accomplishing the other three goals easier.
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When I'm not advising for change I'm playing outside. I am a member of an adult horse-back riding team and yoga-lover.
​
Learn more about my professional experiences here.
​
​
At AFC, we are building a model of a great place to work that also does great work.
Amy McPherson | CEO & Founding Partner
​
I have worked in nonprofit finance for almost 25 years. I have an MBA from Columbia University.
​
I love working with the folks on the front line of nonprofit organizations. It is very rewarding to help build capacity in organizations so they can focus on their mission feeling empowered and supported by their financial information.
​
I feel fortunate to have such a shared sense of purpose with my AFC team members and our nonprofit partners which keeps me motivated every day.
​
Sometimes it's a challenge to balance our four core values, all of which matter deeply. I think transparency is the key to making the other three values work. Transparency allows all stakeholders to understand the information they are seeing in a deeper way than just looking at numbers. At AFC, we have shifted our internal focus to transparency, which has made accomplishing the other three goals easier.
​
When I'm not advising for change I'm playing outside. I am a member of an adult horse-back riding team and yoga-lover.
​
Learn more about my professional experiences here.
​
​
At AFC, we are building a model of a great place to work that also does great work.
At AFC, we are building a model of a great place to work that also does great work.
Amy McPherson | CEO & Founding Partner
​
I have worked in nonprofit finance for almost 25 years. I have an MBA from Columbia University.
​
I love working with the folks on the front line of nonprofit organizations. It is very rewarding to help build capacity in organizations so they can focus on their mission feeling empowered and supported by their financial information.
​
I feel fortunate to have such a shared sense of purpose with my AFC team members and our nonprofit partners which keeps me motivated every day.
​
Sometimes it's a challenge to balance our four core values, all of which matter deeply. I think transparency is the key to making the other three values work. Transparency allows all stakeholders to understand the information they are seeing in a deeper way than just looking at numbers. At AFC, we have shifted our internal focus to transparency, which has made accomplishing the other three goals easier.
​
When I'm not advising for change I'm playing outside. I am a member of an adult horse-back riding team and yoga-lover.
​
Learn more about my professional experiences here.
​
​
At AFC, we are building a model of a great place to work that also does great work.
Amy McPherson | CEO & Founding Partner
​
I have worked in nonprofit finance for almost 25 years. I have an MBA from Columbia University.
​
I love working with the folks on the front line of nonprofit organizations. It is very rewarding to help build capacity in organizations so they can focus on their mission feeling empowered and supported by their financial information.
​
I feel fortunate to have such a shared sense of purpose with my AFC team members and our nonprofit partners which keeps me motivated every day.
​
Sometimes it's a challenge to balance our four core values, all of which matter deeply. I think transparency is the key to making the other three values work. Transparency allows all stakeholders to understand the information they are seeing in a deeper way than just looking at numbers. At AFC, we have shifted our internal focus to transparency, which has made accomplishing the other three goals easier.
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When I'm not advising for change I'm playing outside. I am a member of an adult horse-back riding team and yoga-lover.
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Learn more about my professional experiences here.
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Pinch me! Every day I get to work with passionate people who wake up to make a positive difference. This is my experience with our partners and AFC team!
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I value how AFC puts our partner's hands in the solution rather than handing solutions over that may not be relevant or able to be maintained. Our AFC team members treat each partner's mission as their own. I love that.
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When I'm not working I'm running. While I've never considered myself an athlete, I am currently training to complete an IRONMAN triathlon in 2020.
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When I'm not advising for change you can find me trotting around one of the many trails in Austin, or lounging at Barton Spring - right near our offices at WeWork.
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Learn more about my professional experiences here.
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Tristan Pierce | Partner
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I joined Advisors for Change in 2016. With an MA in Arts Management from George Mason University, I had the opportunity to study and practice each function of a nonprofit organization, which brings greater depth to understanding how finance can partner with program and fundraising initiatives.
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Putting transparency at the forefront of my work with our partners helps me check assumptions that might otherwise limit the accuracy, timeliness, and usefulness of financial reporting. Transparency is a strong building block for financial management and relationships.
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Taurean Barber | Associate
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I joined Advisors for Change in 2012. I am a Certified Bookkeeper with non-profit work experience in Administration, Finance & Accounting, and Project Management. There are so many organizations trying to make a positive impact in their communities and the world. Working for AFC is a way for me to be involved and help support their mission by ensuring they have the necessary financial information to support their operations.
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I am committed to accuracy. I love to organize and put things in order. I also love setting up systems that allow me to check the work and ensure things are balanced and correct.
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The people at AFC are my team members, not co-workers. We don't just show up for work, we show up for each other, and that makes a world of difference.
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I value how the entire AFC team has technical accounting skills and non-profit work experience.
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When I'm not advising for change I'm dancing. I’m a performing & teaching artist living in NYC. My ultimate goal is to perform on Broadway and work for a non-profit organization that brings the arts to under severed communities.
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Learn more about my professional experiences here.
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AFC is the nicest team of people I've ever worked with in my
25-year career.
Janet Butler Berry | Senior Associate
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I joined Advisors for Change in 2016. I failed in my first career as a teacher, which set me on the path to get an MBA at SMU in their arts administration program. That really was a pivotal moment, as It set me up for all the experiences that followed for me to help nonprofits succeed. AFC is very values-driven; we work best when our values support and strengthen our partners' values. We specialize in building the capacity of small & medium non-profits; both the tools we bring and our personal approach is meant to enhance, and not replace, the organization's own financial department.
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The value of usefulness resonates the most for me; I see the our other three values really feeding into usefulness. I work hard every day to ensure that all of our efforts - bill paying, monthly close, reporting - are useful to the managers, leadership and the Board.
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I love working for nonprofits and while I've worked in a variety of areas, financial management is the one in which I've most enjoyed and been able to make the most impact. At AFC I can do that and serve a variety of organizations with different missions.
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When I'm not advising for change I'm simply outside. I love the outdoors. My family and I have been traveling to our state and national parks every year. I volunteer with my daughter's Girl Scout troop as the Cookout/Camping adult advisor and have started training in lightweight camping and backpacking.
Learn more about my professional experiences here.
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Trust is what matters most.
Michael Curry | Director of Operations
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I joined Advisors for Change in 2015. From the management of production theater companies to developing annual production and project budgets of up to $27 million, I have seen it all. I promote a tight ship so that Advisors for Change is primed and ready when nonprofits turn to us for help.
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My experience managing complex performing arts facilities and the technical elements of over 300 productions has given me a keen sense to share what is available for or needed to run effective and efficient nonprofits
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I value transparency. It allows me to present to our partners new ways to deliver the financial solutions to all stakeholders, that make sense to the user.
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Our team meetings are always about making our good better and our better best!
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When I'm not advising for change I'm with my family. When Amy and I (we're married!) aren’t busy helping our two kids with homework and taking care of our other “kids” ( two dogs); we love Sunday football and family camping and vacation getaways.
Learn more about my professional experiences here.
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It's always a beautiful day for accounting! It's a pleasure to help our clients.
Lisa Hoelscher | Senior Associate
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I joined Advisors for Change in 2018. The University of Texas at Austin provided me with a Bachelor's of Business and a Master's in Professional Accounting, specializing in the audit track. Hook em' horns! My experience is over ten years worth of non-profit audit work with clients from large to small.
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Nonprofit entities play a vital role in building healthy communities. I enjoy working solely for nonprofits to understand processes, improve financial stability and strengthen operations in a positive environment. This heightens the voice of nonprofit leaders to speak up for the voice of the people they serve.
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The value of usefulness is something I think of constantly. Is the data we are processing objective, consistent, understandable, reliable and complete? Is what I am providing my client useful this month? Will it still be useful next month? What changes are occurring that may impact the future usefulness of this data, reporting, etc?
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The management approach and carefully selected employees make AFC positively unique. Management understands what engagements employees or AFC will perform well and accepts clients that fit well. Employees are kind and respectful to each other and clients.
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When I'm not advising for change I'm in the garden. I love to garden from landscaping to putting in raised plant beds with tropical plants and topiaries. Each morning I watch so many beautiful hibiscus flowers open stunningly to enjoy the day and then close for the evening.
Learn more about my professional experiences here.
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AFC is a professional oasis of hard-working and genuinely kind team members. It’s no surprise that our partners tend to fit that description as well. Combined, this makes for an extremely enjoyable and rewarding
working environment.
Cindy Popol | Operations Associate
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I joined Advisors for Change in 2018. Previous to my leap to Advisors for Change, I worked for 10 years as a public school counselor. Much like nonprofit work, we carefully and strategically stretched our limited resources to maximize our support of the personal, social and emotional health of our students and families, many of whom came from under-served communities.
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I am frequently awed by the scope and depth of the valuable work our partner organizations perform in our communities and around the world. As an AFC team member, my work to improve our partners’ financial management practices is a “behind the scenes” way to support their worthy missions.
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My work with our partners is extremely useful, in that I work on a wide range of tasks that are custom designed to meet the unique needs of our partner organizations.
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AFC is unique in its drive to help its partners become independent nonprofit financial systems managers. Our work is special in the personal care taken to make sure a job is not just “done” but “extremely well done”.
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When I'm not advising for change I'm with my family. I can often be found cheering on one of our three teenage daughters at a swim meet, softball game, horse show or musical theater performance. I also love to cook and play tennis.
Learn more about my professional experiences here.
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We believe in harnessing the power of a team, and everyone in an organization has a finance role whether they realize it or not. Building on the unique strengths of each organization and person on the staff contributes to good financial management and a system that everyone can own.
Robin S. Roelofs | Associate
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I joined Advisors for Change in 2018. I have over 20 years of experience with nonprofit accounting on multiple software applications. Nonprofit accounting is special, and I’m especially attracted to the complexities of grant management. I hold a Professional Certificate of Non-Profit Management from ASU and I’m an Excel University Graduate (in other words, a spreadsheet geek)!
I love mission-driven people and the goals that their organizations promote. Too often, finance staff work in isolation and mystery, then burn out. I hope to empower our clients’ finance staff to love their jobs and confidently support their co-workers’ financial tasks. That really maximizes the mission work.
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I love being useful! My work and volunteer experiences gave me insight to the multiple audiences in an organization and their different needs for financial information. A Program Director uses highly segmented reports while a Board Member uses highly summarized reports. I love it when a partner says they finally understand!
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When I'm not advising for change I'm exploring nature. My first career choice was ecosystem biology and scientific illustration. I still explore nature looking for clues to what the plants and wildlife are up to. I’m also frequently at Painting with a Twist trying to exercise a relaxed approach to making art.
Learn more about my professional experiences here.
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It's refreshing to work in the nonprofit realm. People are passionate about the work they do and appreciate the support we provide.
Becky Scherr | Senior Associate
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I joined Advisors for Change in 2015, having previously worked in a variety of audit & accounting roles. Learning is very important to me and the nature of the work we do provides continuous learning opportunities in accounting, people skills and technology. I'm proud to call myself an accounting geek!
Working with nonprofits is meaningful and more than "number crunching". Our clients are committed to their organization's mission. It's exciting and rewarding to work hand-in-hand with them and see the positive impact of their missions within the community.
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Our goal is to help partners set up an accounting systems and establish a monthly close process. Through my work with the partners, timely and accurate financial statements are produced for their Board meetings. Often, this is something the Board isn't accustomed to! It's a great feeling when everything clicks into place.
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AFC provides more than straight-up accounting and financial management services. We recognize that every nonprofit and the people working there are unique. Listening to our clients and cultivating relationships helps us understand how we can best serve them.
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When I'm not advising for change I'm outside! My husband, four children and I enjoy spending time exploring National Parks. I hope to visit all the parks and have stamps in my passport book to remember it by!
Learn more about my professional experiences here.
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