Meet the women leading the profession forward.

CalCPA is proud to announce the 2026 Women to Watch Award winners, honoring CPAs who are shaping the future of accounting through leadership, service, mentorship and impact. These remarkable women represent what’s next for the profession: sharper ideas, stronger communities and the kind of leadership that moves us all forward.

Congratulations to this year’s honorees:

CPA Emerging Leader
Precious Opaleke, CPA, MSc
Lido Tax LLC

CPA Experienced Leader
Destiny Flood, CPA
AAFCPAs

CPA Trailblazer
Crystal Coleman, CPA
CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA)

Inspired by this year’s honorees? Keep the momentum going. Join us next year at Elevate: Women’s Leadership Forum 2027 and connect with the leaders, mentors and rising voices shaping the future of the profession. Register now and save.

CPA Emerging Leaders
2-8 years of Accounting industry experience
An emerging leader is an individual whose professional journey reflects ongoing and exceptional growth in contribution to the profession and increased levels of leadership, responsibility, and sphere of impact.

Qualifications include:

• Public and/or community service

• Demonstration of leadership

• Involvement with alma mater or other local colleges and universities

• Authorship of articles or industry-related written work

• Improvement to the workplace

• Awards of recognition

Apply for the CPA Emerging Leader category >

​​CPA Experienced Leaders
9-14 years of Accounting industry experience
​​​​An experienced leader is an individual who encourages strategic thinking, innovation, and action. They are self-aware, ethical and civic-minded. They prioritize personal development, and promote the development of their peers by way of guidance and mentoring.

Qualifications include:

• Public and/or community service

• Demonstration of leadership

• Involvement with alma mater or other local colleges and universities

• Authorship of articles or industry-related written work

• Improvement to the workplace

• Awards of recognition

Building on the previous category, additional qualifications include:

• Mentoring and/or coaching other professionals

• Creation and implementation of unique initiative(s) and/or affinity groups

Apply for the CPA Experienced Leader category >

CPA Trailblazers
15+ years of Accounting industry experience
​​​​​A trailblazer is a seasoned leader who has fought for change and overcome setbacks on their own path. A trailblazer promotes abstract, creative, intuitive and innovative modes of thinking. They embody strength, courage and resilience, and are the first or among the first to pave the way for changes and improvements, showing others that they are possible.

Qualifications include:

• Public and/or community service

• Demonstration of leadership

• Involvement with alma mater or other local colleges and universities

• Authorship of articles or industry-related written work

• Improvement to the workplace

• Awards of recognition

• Mentoring and/or coaching other professionals

• Creation and implementation of unique initiative(s) and/or affinity groups

Building on the previous category, additional qualifications include:

• Major or unique contribution to the Accounting profession

• Development of a new business department and/or team

• Contribution to company-wide decision-making (i.e. Board involvement)

Apply for the CPA Trailblazer category >