NABA Columbus chapter president awarded for upholding mission

By Abigail Draper, OSCPA communication & engagement manager

The National Association of Black Accountants Columbus professional president, Aisha Watkins, CPA, has earned the Central Region president award for her dedication to chapter members.

The award recognizes a chapter president who is an example of NABA’s mission “to address the professional needs of its members and build leaders that shape the future of the accounting and finance professions with an unfaltering commitment to inspire the same in their successors,” and embodies the organization’s values of honesty, integrity, teamwork, excellence and innovation.

Watkins said she was surprised to learn about the award.

“The award is nomination-based, and my work is truly a labor of love – from my involvement with our ACAP program, which we have to pleasure of partnering with OSCPA and OSU, or our regional student conferences for our college chapters, as well as providing initiative programming for our professional chapter members. Sometimes it feels like a lot,” she said, “so to know that others noticed my efforts is amazing.”

The role of the chapter president is to provide leadership, direction and vision for the chapter that is consistent with the mission of the association. Watkins said her role also involves “whatever [her] chapter needs in any particular moment. A title doesn’t limit your involvement.”

“I just want to add how honored I am for this opportunity,” she said. “NABA has given me so much and I'm happy to be able to give a little back.”

Watkins first became Columbus chapter president in May 2017 and will go into her second two-year term in July.