Dana Fedan, CPA
Dana Fedan, CPA is a finance executive specializing in private equity fund accounting and financial operations. She immigrated to the United States from Ukraine in 2014 in her twenties, coming alone to build a new life. Prior to relocating, she had already earned two degrees in Ukraine, an associate’s degree in hotel and restaurant management and a bachelor’s degree in applied linguistics. After moving to the U.S., those credentials were not easily transferable, requiring her to restart her academic and professional path. While rebuilding her career, she supported herself through a range of roles, including entry-level accounting and payroll positions, as well as work outside the field such as cleaning homes and babysitting, while pursuing her long-term goal of working in accounting.
She later earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Southern New Hampshire University in 2021 and went on to obtain her CPA license in 2023, passing all four exams on her first attempt within six months. She entered the private equity industry approximately five years ago and quickly developed a strong specialization in fund accounting. Through roles of increasing responsibility, she advanced from senior associate and manager positions into fund controller and leadership roles at firms including IQ-EQ and TPG, building deep expertise in financial reporting, compliance, forecasting, capital activity, and investor communications. Her performance and leadership trajectory led to her promotion in March to Senior Vice President at The Citco Group Limited, where she became the youngest SVP in the organization despite her relatively short tenure in private equity.
In her current role, Dana oversees four large private equity funds with $10 to $15 billion in commitments, managing full-cycle fund accounting, financial reporting, investment activity, capital calls, distributions, investor relations, compliance, and audited financial statements. She also supports two teams simultaneously due to staffing needs, demonstrating both operational depth and leadership capacity in high-pressure environments. In addition to her corporate responsibilities, she operates her own CPA practice, RI CPA Services, where she focuses primarily on consulting for private equity clients. She is known for her analytical approach, adaptability, and ability to operate effectively across complex, global financial structures.
• Certificate of Achievement
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
• Southern New Hampshire University - BS, Accounting
• Lviv Polytechnic National University - BS, Applied Linguistics
• Local Book Club
• Delta Mu Delta
• Alpha Sigma Lambda
• Advocacy & Policy Committee Member -
Women's Fund of Rhode Island
• Founder of
Financial Literacy for Immigrants in America
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the relationships and people I've built connections with throughout the years. I don't necessarily possess enough experience to be in my position, because 5 years in private equity is nothing, so I'm definitely the youngest SVP in my role in my company. I just attribute it to the people I met, people who took a chance on me, people who trusted me enough and saw something in me that they thought I would be capable of doing it. I've met such great people in this career. Every single boss I have, I always am scared that it's the best boss I've ever had and I will never meet a person like that, and then I go to the next role and meet my new boss even better than the previous one. So I'm just very, very lucky with the people I have met in my life.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is 'fake it till you make it,' but what I mean by that is you have to rise to the challenges and step out of your comfort zone. I've been put in positions where I'm not necessarily the most experienced in the room, and I'm an immigrant so I have an accent and I'm aware of that. Sometimes you can be really self-conscious about it and that can impact your confidence and your career. So when I say fake it till you make it, I mean you have to believe in yourself before other people do, first of all. And second of all, step out of your comfort zone. No pain, no gain. If it's difficult, it means you're going up, and just keep on doing it until you make it there, until you feel confident and you truly are the person you wanted to be in that role.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women entering my field to truly know and use your superpower as a woman. There are not many female executives in my field, so it is challenging to be performing on the same level when you have babies and you have to take care of your family. But women truly do possess a superpower - they can do it all and they're so good at multitasking. I would give the advice to young women to take that as an advantage, not a disadvantage. Use that superpower and be proud of that superpower, not something that sets you back. Being able to have a child, raise a family, be a wife and friend and daughter and all of those things, they just make you stronger as a professional, they don't necessarily set you back. When I went on maternity leave, I was really scared that it would be difficult for me to enter the field after a few months and how I was going to be performing professionally. But after, I realized that I have become a superhuman. Now I can operate on a few hours of sleep and take care of my baby and do all the things. So I would tell a young woman who's entering my field to truly know your superpower and believe in your superpower and your uniqueness, because every woman does possess one. They bring something exceptional to the table that no one else can bring. Just find your uniqueness, hold on to it, and stay loyal to it.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field right now is work-life balance. It's really difficult to achieve. As much as I appreciate being promoted so quickly in my roles and being trusted with those responsibilities, it comes with a downside - you can't really take much time off, or afford being sick, or spend enough time with your family. It's difficult, especially when you're a responsible person and take it close to your heart, as I always do. You can't really relax much or enjoy your weekends or do anything that a normal person should be able to do. Work-life balance definitely needs to be better in that field.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are definitely loyalty, fairness, and integrity. These go both ways, in both my professional and personal life. I'm an extremely loyal person, and unfairness triggers something in me that cannot be stopped. I value that, and that's how I try to raise my kids with those core values, and that's what I'm seeking in my professional environment. When I'm entering a new team, that's what I try to build within a team, and that's what I value in my teamwork - when people are honest, loyal, and staying true to who they are.