With the holidays right around the corner, we wanted to highlight our finance team by commending their accomplishments and appreciating the support they provide. There’s no denying that every team member has a tremendous impact on our organization.
So from all of us at Emburse—thank you so very much for your hard work, dedication, and integrity. We appreciate everything you do!
Several finance team members share their thoughts on careers in finance, the best work advice they ever received, favorite holiday traditions, and how life has changed since the pandemic. Here’s what each of them had to say …
"Work better together"
Erin Auger, Accountant II, celebrating six years at Emburse
What is one thing you wish you had known when beginning your career?
“The amount of skills and acumen I have gathered in the workplace has been immeasurable and incredibly valuable to my professional growth.”
What is the most valuable advice you received for working in Finance?
“Coworkers and managers are a tremendous resource for developing professionally, especially when it comes to Excel and/or ERP systems. We are always striving to be more efficient, ranging from shortcuts to crafting more informative reports.”
What is an activity you did pre-COVID that now feels distant?
“Enjoying finger foods at a party, or lining up at a buffet.”
Favorite holiday tradition?
“My husband and I have an annual gingerbread house decorating contest. Of course, I won 3 out of the last 5 years.”
"Maintain a positive attitude"
Nicholas Jordan, Senior Accounts Receivable Analyst, celebrating three years at Emburse
What is one thing you wish you had known when beginning your career?
“Change is inevitable, so embracing it can be powerful.”
What is the most valuable advice you received for working in Finance?
“Always maintain a positive attitude!”
What is an activity you did pre-COVID that now feels distant?
“Sharing a water bottle on the soccer pitch with teammates during halftime.”
Favorite holiday tradition?
“Watching Die Hard with my siblings around Christmas time is a treat. It always brings back memories of when we were kids.”
"Commit to a lifetime of learning"
Katie Gagnon, Senior Accountant, celebrating one year at Emburse
What is one thing you wish you had known when beginning your career?
“Finance can be bean-counting ... but it can also be the tool that drives operational decision-making and provides the needed push to get an important project or initiative over the line. Your perception of work-life and others’ perception of your department can be changed for the better knowing that you are building and influencing, not just counting beans.”
What is the most valuable advice you received for working in Finance?
“Learn. Keep learning all the time. Any opportunity you have to learn, take it.”
What is an activity you did pre-COVID that now feels distant?
“Going to concerts. My family and I are being cautious, but we miss experiencing the energy of live music, free of pandemic concerns.”
Favorite holiday tradition?
“We have an advent calendar for our kids which prompts us to do random acts of kindness instead of just eating chocolate. It has become a really fun way of getting into and sharing the holiday spirit.”
"Explore a diversity of ideas"
Danielle Camarata, Vice President & Corporate Controller, celebrating seven years at Emburse
What is one thing you wish you had known when beginning your career in finance?
“I wish I had known the variety of career path options in Finance. There are so many directions that you can take that I was not aware of right out of college. But I was very fortunate to find my path by chance early in my career.”
What is the most valuable advice you received for working in Finance?
“Always keep an open mind to other ideas and understand that being part of a shared services department sometimes means learning how to bridge the gap between your department’s needs and the needs of others.”
What is an activity you did pre-COVID that now feels distant?
“I love to entertain and host large get-togethers with friends and family.”
Favorite holiday tradition?
“Baking Christmas cookies with my family every year. I have fond memories of this as a kid, and I remember sharing many laughs when certain members of the family would ‘stop by’ and sneak a handful of cookies, despite their lack of baking enthusiasm.”
"Tackle one task at a time"
Tina Cote, Payroll Manager celebrating two years at Emburse
What is one thing you wish you had known when beginning your career in finance?
“That was so long ago...When I first started working in Finance, everything was on paper! How the times have changed in 35 years. My calculator paper roll would need changing daily. It would be fantastic to have a crystal ball and know what the future of technology holds.”
What is the most valuable advice you received for working in Finance?
“Take it one task at a time! Everything will get done eventually.”
What is an activity you did pre-COVID that now feels distant?
“Blowing out candles on a birthday cake.”
Favorite holiday tradition?
“I absolutely love Christmas decorations. Decorating the house makes me happy.”
"Get comfortable with change"
Morgan Kimball, Accounting Director, celebrating three years at Emburse
What is one thing you wish you had known when beginning your career in finance?
“I wish that Excel had been a required course or certification. Accounting spends so much time in Excel, it would have been nice to learn the functionality before starting my first job.”
What is the most valuable advice you received for working in Finance?
“Change is constant, so don't get too comfortable with how you are doing something.”
What is an activity you did pre-COVID that now feels distant?
“The experience of attending large events at crowded venues (concerts, restaurants, bars, etc.) is still not the same because of the pandemic.”
Favorite holiday tradition?
“I always look forward to my family holiday party. Around 30 of us get together every year and we pool money to donate to a good cause while we eat, drink, and open stockings.”
"Be accessible to others"
Sara Barreda, Accounting Manager, celebrating seven years at Emburse
What is one thing you wish you had known when beginning your career in finance?
“I wish I had known all the career options in Finance. At first, I focused on tax, but I realized that I didn't like consulting. That's when I decided to move into the business world.”
What is the most valuable advice you received for working in Finance?
“Be accessible to others and be open to change. You must have analytical skills and good stress control. Finance is a department at the service of the company, so you must focus on helping and supporting the rest of the company.”
What is an activity you did pre-COVID that now feels distant?
“There are so many things that I miss, like hugging and kissing my family and friends or sharing more moments with my people. I also miss the day-to-day experience of going to the office, eating together in the hall, coffee conversations in the corridors, etc.”
Favorite holiday tradition?
“I am delighted that this will be my first Christmas as a mom! I love decorating the Christmas tree, exchanging gifts with my family, and sharing happy moments together.”
Recognizing our MVPs of Finance
We deeply value the members of our finance team and all that they do to ensure Emburse continues to be a successful, industry-leading organization.
In order to recognize our MVPs of Finance, please consider nominating someone you think deserves more recognition. We’ll enter you in our raffle for a chance to win some great prizes!
You can enter yourself or nominate a colleague. If either of you is randomly selected during the raffle, you both win. Happy Finance Appreciation Week!