Her Story
About Jatoya
I started my accounting career in 2001 with a summer job as a bookkeeper at a daycare center, which sparked my passion for the field. That experience led me to Cedar Valley Community College where I took accounting courses to develop my skills further. Over the past 25 years, I've built a career that combines accounting expertise with management capabilities. I'm currently in my fourth year as Senior Accountant at the City of Duncanville, where I oversee the accounts payable and receivable clerks, ensuring bills are paid timely, managing bank reconciliations, and handling audits. We just completed a successful clean audit that we're looking forward to receiving an award for. I hold my investor certification and manage the city's investment portfolio, making sure we're investing properly and that the interest we receive is helping the city overall. Anyone in the city who has financial questions knows they can come to me, and I work closely with the assistant finance director and finance director on whatever they need. My assistant finance director, Tia Pettis, recently recommended me for the Emerging Finance Director class, which I'll complete next month. She mentored me over the past two years and really pushed me to learn more and not be stagnant in my career. Now that she's moved on, I'm preparing to interview for her position. My education includes an associate's in Business Management, a bachelor's in Business Management, a certified accountant credential, an associate's in Psychology from Dallas College, and I'll graduate with my master's in Management in May. I'm working toward getting certified through the GFOAT conference this year as well.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jatoya
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
First of all, you have to be serious about it, because it is very important when you're dealing with financials. If this is something that you want to do, I would say take it serious. Do what you have to do to learn as much as you can, whether it's going to trainings, whether it's just speaking to someone that has the knowledge of what it is you're trying to do. Just learn as much as you can, because it is a great field to be in, and it's a field to where you don't have to worry about job security, because everybody needs accounting. Most jobs need accounting. So I would say, just take it serious, and just learn as much as you can, and you'll be great at what you do.
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