May 02 Sax Employee Spotlight: Lisa DiNozzi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sax would like to shine our Employee Spotlight on Lisa DiNozzi, Associate at the firm, who has greatly impressed the firm since the beginning of her journey here. Lisa started as a Tax Intern at The Hunter Group, which Sax merged with in November 2017, and was offered a full-time job because of the notable work ethic she put forth. George Charne, Senior Manager at Sax, works closely with Lisa and has praised her efforts by expressing how much of a pleasure it is to work with her. He has always been able to rely on Lisa to get any job done accurately and on time, and admires her for quickly picking up new skills.

 

As a recent college graduate, Lisa has already begun working towards advancing her professional career by obtaining her CPA certification immediately after graduation. Lisa has thrived in her short career already and knows the future is bright. Outside of Sax, she is on the Scholarship Committee for the Bergen Chapter of NJCPA, and helps guide students on their post-grad journey by giving them advice from her personal experience. Although Lisa understands her career is just getting started, she exudes positivity about her future which is shared by those around her.

 

Get to know more about Lisa with our Q&A:

 

What college did you attend? What was your major?

I attended Ramapo College, and majored in Accounting. I graduated in 2016.

Any continued education?  Credentials?

No continued education just yet, but I recently received my CPA license in January of 2018.

When did you start working at Sax? What is your current title?

I started working at The Hunter Group as an intern during tax season of my senior year of college. I was then hired full-time as an Associate, and started in the fall of 2016. Exactly a year after I started, we officially merged and became Sax LLP.

What do you think about Sax since the acquisition?

It’s been a little overwhelming but it’s very exciting to see our firm grow into something so much bigger than what we were used to. It’s a big change but I can already tell the culture here is highly valued. I love all the firm events that go on during the year because it really shows that there is a sense of community and family within the firm.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities at Sax? 

I’m in the A&A department, but I do a little bit of everything from audits to tax returns. I enjoy having my hands in a lot of different areas because I feel that is how I learn more about the industry as a whole. During tax season, I would go to the audits during the day and come back at night to work on the tax returns for our client base.

What have you learned since graduating college and getting a full-time job?

The main thing I have learned is responsibility and allowing people to put their trust in me. In college, my work was only a reflection of myself, but here at Sax and in my career, my work is a representation of my team and the entire firm. I have most importantly learned to step up to the plate and do even more than what is asked of me in order to grow and thrive.

Explain some of your biggest achievements while working at Sax, or in your career.

In my short career so far, I would say that my biggest achievement personally has been passing the CPA exam and becoming licensed. I chose to take this on immediately after college, and studying for and passing the exam was one of the harder things I’ve done. For about six months, I barely left my basement where I studied, but it’s worth it now that I’ve obtained my CPA certification early on and I can now focus on furthering my career in other ways.

What is your vision/goal for your career?

As of right now, my goal is to learn as much as I can and continue to grow within the firm. I’m still so young but I am eager to figure out what I want my future to look like. I do know that it will involve accounting, and my intention is to take advantage of every opportunity I can to experience different areas of the business, and by doing so, determining what direction I want to take.

What volunteer work and/or charities do you participate in?

I am currently on the Scholarship Committee for the Bergen Chapter of the NJCPA. I was lucky enough to receive two scholarships from the Bergen Chapter when I was in college. Last year, I was invited to the NJCPA’s annual awards night to speak about my experience with the scholarships and beginning my career in the field of accounting. I felt lucky to be able to share my experiences with students who are in a similar position as I was, and hopefully give them guidance as they finish up college and begin their post-grad journeys. I’m grateful for the organization’s support and it is rewarding to be part of the process to pay it forward to others during their schooling.

Are there any other interesting facts about you outside of your work life?

I have always loved learning and being exposed to new things, both in my career and personal life, so I try to do what I can to discover new ideas. I find this manifests in many ways, from reading to watching different kinds of shows, and sometimes by just binge watching Netflix. If it sounds fun, interesting and includes a bit of learning, I’m always willing to be involved.