Her Story
About Aliona
I earned my MBA and MSA from Northeastern University, which brought me to Boston. I've always wanted to live where decisions are made, and Boston is where so many people come to study, get their degrees, and head out into life after. I was lucky enough to have this opportunity to be surrounded by good, smart, kind people. Before joining grad school, I worked as an activity assistant, where I was exposed to families dealing with Alzheimer's and really felt for them. That experience led me to become involved with the Alzheimer's Association, where I've been on the organizing committee for the walk in Cambridge for the past three years and serve as an advocate. My passion for accounting started when I first took a course and was immediately in love with it. The simplicity and balance gave me a sense of peace. I found that the structured, repetitive, deadline-heavy nature of accounting can become oddly calm and controlled when you approach it right, allowing me to plan my energy around it and live with the rhythm instead of constantly feeling behind.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Aliona
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to resilience - the ability to persevere regardless of circumstances. It's about having the strength to keep going and push through challenges no matter what situation you find yourself in. That resilience has been the foundation of everything I've been able to accomplish.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to do the job you want before you're given it. Promotions rarely come from doing your current job perfectly - they come from already operating at the next level. So if you want to lead, start acting like a leader before anyone else tells you to. That's how you stand out and show you're ready for the next step.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say speak up earlier than feels comfortable. A lot of smart women wait until they're 100% sure before contributing, meanwhile others are speaking up at 60% confidence. You don't need to be perfectly certain - just a well-reasoned point is enough. Your voice is part of your value, so don't wait until you feel completely ready to share it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is visibility and really taking the chance to understand what drives and differentiates someone who is successful from someone who may take longer to achieve their goals. Don't do invisible work forever. Being helpful is great, but if you're always the one organizing, fixing, and supporting without recognition, it can really stall you. You need to make sure your contributions are seen and valued, not just done behind the scenes.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity is most important to me. It's almost like your currency - if people trust your numbers and your judgment, you'll be pulled into bigger decisions, deals, and investor conversations. Once you lose that trust, it's very hard to recover. In accounting especially, that trust in your work and your integrity is everything.
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