Deana Warner
Deana Warner is a finance executive and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with nearly 40 years of experience in finance, international accounting, manufacturing operations, and higher education financial leadership. Since beginning her career in 1985, she has built a reputation for delivering strategic financial insight, improving operational efficiency, and guiding organizations through complex financial and regulatory environments. Currently working as a Fractional CFO and Consultant, Deana supports multiple organizations through contract engagements while pursuing executive finance leadership opportunities, including Vice President Finance, Controller, and Chief Financial Officer roles. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Christian Brothers University and Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Memphis and holds professional certifications in CPA licensure and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Deana’s career began with determination and resilience. She received a full scholarship to Christian Brothers University, where she was part of the first group of women admitted to the college and the first graduating night student cohort. While completing her degree, she worked full-time from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and attended classes from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, plus Saturday classes, for four and a half years. During the final two years, she was also a single parent. Initially planning to pursue software, she chose finance to support her family, discovering a field that allowed her to engage across operations, engineering, and manufacturing, developing skills in areas such as bills of materials, production routing, and cost management at an engineering-level capacity. Throughout her career, Deana has held progressive leadership roles across multiple industries, including manufacturing, international accounting, and higher education. She began her professional journey at Coopers & Lybrand and later specialized in international accounting before transitioning to higher education finance, serving as Associate Vice Chancellor for Budgeting and Financial Analysis at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Deana also served as an adjunct professor for nearly 20 years, reflecting her belief that education is a bridge for social mobility and social equity. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she is a dedicated mother of three children—two sons and a daughter—and grandmother to two grandchildren. Her passions include writing poetry, attending the theater with her daughter, enjoying live music, reading, biking, rowing, and walks along the shoreline, demonstrating her commitment to creativity, wellness, and family.
• Certified Public Accountant
• Certified in International Financial Reporting Standards
• University of Memphis - MS
• Christian Brothers University - BS
• Leadership Fort Smith
• Rookie of the Year - Fourth Shift Corporation
• Nominated for Leadership award - UALR
• Nominated for Continuous Improvement award - UALR
• Quality Improvement Initiative award - Eaton Corporation
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants
• National Association of College and University Business Officers
• State Lead for Term Limits for US Congress
• Girl Scout Troop Leader
• Annual Thanksgiving soup kitchen for St. Mary's
• Annual Christmas toy drive for Bikers Against Child Abuse
What do you attribute your success to?
Grit. The truth of the matter is that we're all capable of achieving our goals. It's just a matter of how much you are willing to sacrifice to get there. High achievers are not necessarily more educated, more intelligent, or more capable, but they sacrificed their personal life, their fun, their time, their money, and their energy for a period of time in order to attain something. That is the key to everything in life.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received came later in my journey, and it has stayed with me ever since: to be still, be quiet, and listen. As a woman building a career in the South, I didn’t have much mentorship early on, so this guidance was invaluable. It taught me that observing, listening carefully, and understanding the dynamics around you often provides far more insight and influence than speaking first. By pausing, reflecting, and truly listening, I have been able to make more thoughtful decisions, build stronger relationships, and navigate complex situations with greater clarity and effectiveness.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
For young women entering the finance industry, I would encourage you to believe in your potential and remain steadfast in pursuing your goals. Focus on discovering who you are, building your career, and following your dreams before incorporating a partner into your life, so you can stand confidently in your independence and personal success. Throughout your journey, never take “no” as the final answer. Let it become motivation to prove what you are capable of achieving. When someone tells you that you cannot do something, treat it as fuel to push harder, work smarter, and show them what is possible through determination, preparation, and resilience. Your path may not always be easy, but persistence, confidence, and self-belief will carry you toward success.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
CPAs in particular are facing a declining number of qualified applicants. Fewer are applying to become CPAs and even fewer are passing the exams. Part of the issue is that the industry pays less than others. If you are capable of attaining a finance degree, you are likely also capable of attaining an engineering degree, which offers a higher starting salary. However, industry representatives from the various accounting societies are working to correct that. Other issues facing the finance industry center around the uncertainty of our economics due to the current political environment.
The biggest opportunity lies in Quant Finance at the moment. It's a new specialty using AI to track financial markets and securities.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Growth and ethics. I think that we need to continually grow, continually develop our skill sets, continually develop ourselves personally, and continually learn, because when you stop that movement, you stagnate. And I think ethics are something that we're sorely missing in every aspect of business these days.