The Allinial Global team is growing, and this week we are excited to share an interview with our newest addition: Natasha Schamberger, Regional Director, North America.
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Natasha Schamberger, and I am a CPA and a business athlete. Similar to a sports athlete, I strive to have a versatile set of skills, and I enjoy focusing on strategies that lead to big team wins. What excites me most about my new role is that I get to exercise my talents to support Allinial Global firms through enhanced commerce, connectivity, and future-fit solutions. I was never anywhere close to being a sports athlete, so luckily the business athlete concept is working for me!
What are you most excited about in joining the Allinial Global team?
Do you know the definition of a pacesetter? In a race the pacesetter is the one who is at the front determining how fast the other racers need to go. In other words, a pacesetter must intuitively know the correct pace for achieving future-ready excellence.
I am most excited to join an organization that I consider to be a pacesetter. First, I believe in Mark Koziel’s leadership style and his unique talent of focusing on the realities of today while setting his sights on the future and where we need to go. This equates to continuous momentum that determines the future growth and success of our firms, and for me personally, intensifies my purpose. Second, I believe in the power of the Allinial Global community. Not only am I impressed with how my team members pull together to take quick action in finding solutions for members, I’m also excited to work with and get to know all of our high-caliber firms.
You have a very impressive track record as a young CPA at a local firm who rose through the ranks at the AICPA and served most recently as the CEO and President of KSCPA. Reflecting on your career thus far, what are some key success factors, and what advice would you have for young CPAs who are just starting out?
My advice is to find your purpose and be the CEO of your own career. Lead yourself where you want to go. If others see you are taking charge, they will either follow you or find ways to help you succeed further.
As Simon Sinek says, “The goal is not simply for you to cross the finish line, but to see how many people you can inspire to run with you.”
I think a couple of ways to do this are:
- Be a leader at any stage of your career and focus on being a leader of significance. When you put the emphasis on being impactful for others, it will fuel your purpose, leaving you feeling fulfilled in your career.
- Don’t sit in the stands. Instead, get involved and be part of the team and actively participate in moving your firm forward. The saying, “The grass is greener where you water it,” comes to mind.
What are your thoughts on the accounting profession, where it’s headed, and future opportunities for AG firms?
We can probably all agree that it is a monumental time in our accounting profession! We are encountering a lot of hurdles these days—the combustion of old and new beliefs, the expansion of client needs and expectations, the evolution of new trends and uncertainties, and, last but not least, the shortage of talent and ongoing staffing woes.
I’ve recently learned that running hurdles is one of the most difficult forms of running because it requires the athlete to generate enough power to jump while keeping a fast pace with just enough efficient grace to clear the hurdle. To me, this is where we are. I see this concept directly correlating with our profession!
We have a special opportunity to prepare our organizations and train our teams in the same way. By enhancing how our talent management, capacity planning, and technology investments can work in tandem, we can generate enough velocity to easily clear any hurdle that comes our way while maintaining our stride and forward momentum.
What’s your vision of how AG can help with all of the above?
We are ready to ensure Allinial Global members cross the finish line by helping with:
The way we work
- We help firms promote a remote or blended workforce (Flex-Work Resource Center)
- We remove geographic barriers and improve commerce (Doing Business In (DBI) guides | Driving International Commerce Roundtable)
- We foster networking, collaboration, and community (AGConnect | )
The future-ready skills we enhance
- We train our future leaders (Leadership Progression (LP) program | AG Training Courses)
- We have an opportunity to help teams work alongside automation and perfect the skills needed to become trusted strategists and masters at capacity planning
- We help firms build a successful Client Accounting and Advisory Services practice (Client Advisory Services Roadmap Workshop)
The tools we use
- We hand-pick strategic technology partners and host technologists’ calls and roundtables
- We help you leverage the breadth of expertise and unique specialties of Allinial Global members so client needs are met A–Z (
At the end of the day, together we are better!
Tell us some fun facts about you, Natasha the human. Is there something about you that most people don’t know?
I love learning about nutrition and how our health destiny is determined by the food we eat. I’m such a nerd about it that I went through a 12-month training program to become an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach.
Anything else to add?
Keep being awesome, Allinial Global members! I can’t wait to see many of you at the Executive Team Conference (ETC). Let’s win the race together.
