Dear San Francisco Chapter Members,

I’m excited to share a recap of some of the amazing events we’ve had over the past couple of months. One standout was our Scholarship & Honoree Night at the California Academy of Sciences, co-hosted with the CalCPA Peninsula Silicon Valley Chapter and the San Francisco Business Times. It was a night to remember—celebrating our scholarship recipients, new licensees, and Next Gen Awardees while surrounded by the wonders of the museum (including local celebrity, Claude, the albino alligator!). Our chapter awarded $40,000 to 24 standout students who demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, extracurricular involvement, and a desire to give back to the community – qualities that are essential to shaping the future of our profession.

A special thank you to CalCPA Chair Matthew Martin for traveling up to join us as our guest speaker. I truly enjoyed meeting so many of our scholarship winners and honorees, hearing their stories, and exploring the museum with colleagues after the main event. Moments like these remind us of the incredible future of our profession and the power of our CalCPA community.

Another major event this season was CPA Day at the Capitol—CalCPA’s annual advocacy day where members from across the state meet with legislators in Sacramento to discuss key issues affecting our profession and clients.

I know that the thought of meeting with legislators can feel intimidating. I can personally relate—I never imagined I would go out of my way to talk to legislators about issues affecting our profession. But here’s the thing: CalCPA makes it easy —everything is organized for you, from the morning briefing with talking points to being grouped with other members, always with someone who has attended CPA Day for many years. You don’t have to speak alone—it’s a team effort, and having multiple voices makes a huge impact. The most important part is showing up. Your presence, along with the sheer number of members that attend, sends a strong message that these issues matter to us.

I’ll also share this—the experience of meeting with legislators to talk about the issues that are important to me and that frustrate many of us as CPAs was truly empowering. It gave me a sense of purpose beyond the day-to-day grind at the office. It reminded me that, as professionals, we have a voice and the opportunity to make a real difference.

This year, we focused on:

• Modernizing CPA licensure requirements to remove barriers to entry while preserving the integrity of our designation. Most notably, advocating for the removal of the 150-unit requirement for CPA licensure and requiring just a baccalaureate degree with an accounting concentration, and then 2 years of general accounting experience with the option to substitute one of those years with a Masters degree or accounting certificate. Each legislator I met with asked whether removing the 150-hour requirement would “water down” the CPA license. My answer? This change would allow candidates to get licensed sooner, without having to spend time and money on courses that don’t directly relate to accounting, just to meet the requirement. We CPAs worked hard to earn our license and would not advocate for this change if we didn’t think the integrity of our license would still be maintained.

• Enhancing the CA PTET program, including extending its benefits beyond 2025 and increasing flexibility for taxpayers. As a tax practitioner, this one is near and dear to me, and I was excited about the opportunity to educate our legislators on how the CA PTET works and the benefits to their constituents if the program were to be extended and improved upon. An added bonus was being able to tell my clients who encountered roadblocks with the CA PTET that I would be going up to Sacramento to advocate on their behalf.

• Providing financial expertise to support victims of the LA fires in their rebuilding efforts.

• Offering strategic insights to legislators as they craft financial and tax-related policies.

Advocacy is a vital part of what we do as CPAs, ensuring that our voices are heard and that we continue shaping the future of our profession. If you haven’t participated in CPA Day before, I highly encourage you to join us next year—it’s an incredible opportunity to make an impact!

If you’re interested in learning more about what we discussed this year, go to https://www.calcpa.org/advocacy/cpa-day-at-the-capitol.

These events, and many others, are open to all members, and I encourage you to take advantage of them. Whether you're a seasoned professional or an emerging CPA, CalCPA is a welcoming community where you can meet new people, expand your network, and practice leadership skills. I know that networking can feel daunting at times, but I promise you, the more you engage, the easier it becomes—and the more you get out of it.

This is a space where we support each other, share knowledge, and grow together. If you’re unsure where to start, please reach out to our program manager, Rachael Fleming, to explore opportunities that align with your interests and goals.

Bookmark this page to stay up-to-date on and register for upcoming events.

A couple of exciting events coming up:

• SF/PSV YEP: Hiking Bonds at the Presidio in San Francisco on Saturday, May 17, 2025 from 10 – 11:30 a.m.

• SF/PSV ABC Mixer at Top Golf in Burlingame on Thursday, June 26, 2025 from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events and continuing to build a strong, connected community together!