Michelle Hoffman, Volunteer Excellence Award
Corey Butler, MNCPA communications manager | October/November 2023 Footnote
Like many, Michelle Hoffman does good things for others because it's fulfilling.
"Most of us volunteer because we enjoy it and want to give back to our profession and the industries in which we work," said Michelle, a principal in the state and local government group at CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. "But it does feel good the MNCPA and others are recognizing our efforts. It is a bit of extra motivation to continue to volunteer when you see how much the society values its volunteers and needs us in order to be able to continue to offer the same level of programming, education and community connections."
Specifically, Michelle is recognized for her participation and contributions to the Government Accounting & Auditing School Quality Review Committee, for which she served as chair, and for the Audits of School Districts Conference Task Force. It's for these efforts that Michelle was named a recipient of the 2022-23 MNCPA Volunteer Excellence Award, which honors those who have volunteered with the MNCPA for at least five years and provided leadership or significant contributions.
"I have very much enjoyed the opportunity to get involved in trainings and committees specific to the industry I work in, knowing I am helping to advance the state and local government industry and the quality of the accounting and auditing for those entities across the state is something I have very much valued," Michelle said. "Getting the opportunity to connect with others in the industry has been a big part of why I keep coming back. I always enjoy the follow-up conversations and questions that inevitably happen as we go through the various topics and challenges at industry events and trainings."
In her contributions to the MNCPA, Michelle boasts perfect attendance, and she always comes prepped with topics and ideas for conferences and speakers. She has also demonstrated commitment to her fellow CPAs through her willingness to speak at several conferences.
As for other MNCPA members looking to start volunteering or increasing their efforts, Michelle said there's no time like the present to offer a higher commitment to the profession.
"I would just say to think about your skill set and what types of things interest you and from there connect with the society on how that can fit into their volunteer needs," she said. "There are a lot of different ways that you can volunteer with the MNCPA that can fit into your schedule, interests and what you are currently comfortable with. Start small and from there you might eventually find additional opportunities that interest you and ways you can challenge yourself a bit to grow and maybe get outside of that comfort zone a bit."
