Her Story
About Marie
I began my career as an accountant in Cameroon, where I was born, before moving to the United States. I never imagined I would transition into fraud investigation, but when the opportunity arose, I realized the role aligned perfectly with my core values - integrity, accountability, confidentiality, and objectivity. I love working with data, identifying patterns, and developing recommendations for next steps. Now, about a year and four months into my fraud investigation role, I work in a hybrid position, spending two days working from home and three days in the office with my colleagues. My typical day involves checking emails, handling immediate work, and attending meetings with managers and colleagues to ensure we're meeting our goals. The field of fraud is constantly evolving as people change tactics and strategies, which means I'm learning something new every day. It's challenging but rewarding work that keeps me actively engaged. I'm passionate about helping young professionals understand that fraud investigation and cybersecurity represent significant opportunities, especially as we move further into the IT world and AI continues to develop.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Marie
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say, believe... Dream big, believe in yourself, and you can achieve whatever you set your feet or your mind to. I started as an accountant and definitely did not think of a day where I would be in fraud, but the values aligned with my personal values. Coming into fraud was like a dream come true, because I never imagined the time I would get into it, but when I knew it was something I could do, it was something I tried to challenge myself with. I set the goal for it, and I got it. Whatever you set your mind to, you can achieve.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in fraud investigation is that fraud keeps evolving every day. People are constantly changing tactics and changing the way they play the game, so it requires constant learning. It's not a role where you can just sleep on it the next day, because the field will override you. We have to be actively on it every day and night, constantly learning and improving. On the opportunity side, I feel fraud investigation is a sea of opportunity because we are getting deeper into the IT world and AI is taking over. There's a lot going on with fraud, making fraud investigation and cybersecurity very big opportunities for young professionals right now, especially for those looking to pivot into a new role or get into the field. Because while we are evolving, the role is much needed.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are integrity, confidentiality, objectivity, and accountability. I'm the kind of person who is always accountable and full of integrity, and my company values align with my personal values - that's what I stand for. I love accountability and taking note of what went wrong, how I can fix it, and giving proper recommendations for the way forward. I love improving myself every day. These values were core to my work as an accountant and continue to guide me in fraud investigation.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Texas
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.