Her Story
About Dina
I have been in the accounting and consulting industry for about 10 years, working in the forensic accounting space since I graduated. My background includes a dual degree in accounting and information systems from the University of Maryland, plus a master's in data analytics. My work and focus has always been in forensic accounting, which is really about preventing, detecting, and investigating crime as it relates to money. When I first started in the industry, my focus was on third-party risk management. Since then, I've gotten to participate on a few different monitorships, gotten involved in export controls and tariff-related projects, and done resiliency and business continuity work. Every few years, I get to try something new. While I do still favor what I would consider the more proactive compliance side, which is helping companies think through how they build a culture of ethics and compliance and integrity, I have the ability to try out new things pretty consistently and be at the forefront of some of the new technologies that are out there and test them out. In addition to my consulting work, I teach as an adjunct at the University of Maryland, which has been a passion project. I've always really enjoyed teaching, and anytime I get to do events, presentations, and actually get the role as an adjunct, that's been very rewarding.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Dina
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I have tended to err on the side of ask for forgiveness, not permission, and I think that more women should do the same. Rather than asking for a seat at the table, just take the seat, and if somebody has a problem with it, then they will very quickly let you know. Given that I am a first-generation immigrant and came from Russia, I think I may have slight issues with authority. I've never felt like I can't raise my voice. Granted, you have to do it strategically. It's kind of getting over a little bit of that fear of just speaking up, because quite frankly, if someone was going to talk over you, then they're gonna talk over you either way, but at least someone will have hopefully heard you if you've said something, and then that way, it also gives you an avenue to repeat yourself and maybe have somebody listen a little bit closer in that moment. The advice I have is you need to really take the chances or the opportunities you're given, even if you're scared, and have a little faith that it's going to work out. I'm not somebody who knew what I wanted to do my whole life, so I'm a big proponent of just try things out. The more you try things, the more you learn what you like, what you don't like, and pretty much any role you have is a big optimization problem where you minimize the things that you don't enjoy and you try to maximize the things that excite you.
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