Inside Cover D — October 21 - November 17, 2022 — Women in Business — Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal
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Women in Business
Spotlight on Jacqueline Abellera, Nina Chmura, Rebecca Machinga and Sara Palovick Withum Salutes Leading Women In Business Jacqueline Abellera, CPA Partner Nina Chmura, CPA Partner, Team Leader of Outsourced Accounting Services
WithumSmith+Brown, PC Years with company/firm: 26 Years in field: 26 Years in real estate industry: 22
WithumSmith+Brown, PC Years with company/firm: 18 Years in field: 19 Years in real estate industry: 19 Real estate organizations / affiliations: Corenet NJ
Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in: I started in public accounting in 1996, and worked in a number of industries. By 2000, I had settled in the real estate industry What is your current position? Partner in public accounting, providing real estate clients advisory, tax, and other compliance services. My clients are own- ers and investors of a variety of real estate asset classes. Why did you choose the field/profession you are in today? Like many involved in the industry, I find real estate to be almost a calling. Everything about it fascinates me. I not only work with clients in all aspects of real estate, I also own rental real estate, and invest in real estate. How do you manage the work/life balance? With help. Sometimes it’s easy and wonderful, being able to work a flexible schedule and volunteer at my chil - dren’s school. Sometimes it’s not easy, during deadline season when I’m working every waking moment. My husband and I take turns being the primary caregiver to our children, depending on which of us has the more pressing deadlines. And if we both have pressing deadlines, we call in reinforcements – our moms! Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career? When I joined the firm out of college, there was a young female manager who I watched very closely, and who mentored me. We worked in different industries, but she was instrumental in teaching me what I needed to know to succeed in public accounting. After she became a partner, she took several years off to raise chil- dren, and then returned to the firm in a leadership position showing me that this career can be as flexible as you want it to be.
Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in: I began my career in 2003, after graduating from Boston University at a small accounting firm in Massachusetts. After one busy season I realized I wanted to be closer to my family in NJ, moved, and began my career at Withum. What is your current position? I am currently the team leader of the OASyS (Outsourced Accounting Systems and Services) team. We are approximately 70 team members spread out amongst the offices of Withum. We provide back of- fice accounting support to our clients from accounts receivable/payable clerks to controller and CFO level services utilizing cloud technologies. Why did you choose the field/profession you are in today? My parents were business owners and I always knew I wanted to go to business school, but I was not sure in what area I wanted to concentrate. I went to a presentation in college that spoke about the opportunities in accounting and was drawn to the fact that every business in every industry needs accountants. To this day, I enjoy working with many different clients and businesses on any given day. How do you manage the work/life balance? I manage balance with a lot of help from my family and the ability to be flexible on a day to day basis. Communication and expectations setting is key both personally and professionally to maintaining balance. I realize I can’t always be everything to everyone but I try to be present where I am. I make sure I don’t only prioritize being at the big things but also being focused and attentive during the day to day with my family. What unique qualities and or personality do you feel makes you most successful in your profession? I often say I am never the smartest person
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Rebecca Machinga, CPA, CGMA Partner | Practice Leader, Real Estate Services Group WithumSmith+Brown, PC Years with company/firm: 30 Years in field: 30 Years in real estate industry: 30 Real estate organizations / affiliations:
Sara Palovick, CPA Partner
WithumSmith+Brown, PC Years with company/firm: 14 Years in field: 14 Years in real estate industry: 14 Real estate organizations / affiliations: ICSC
What is your current position? As our firm grew over the years to the 2,000 dedicated professionals we have today, we became more industry focused instead of geographically focused from a client service perspective. I was asked to lead the real estate industry group about 12 years ago. I was honored and flattered and wasn’t sure I was ready, but quickly changed my mindset to realize that if others thought I was the person that could grow this business line, then I would make sure I lived up to their expectations. Fast forward to today, the real estate industry group is the 4th largest in our firm, encompassing ~8% of our $410M in annual revenues. My responsibilities range from client service to strategy to business development to hiring, staffing, scheduling and coaching. Why did you choose the field/profession you are in today? In 7th grade, a family friend asked me what I wanted to do when I graduated from college. She was a banker and said that she thought I would make a good accountant and that public accounting was a great profession. She saw something in me that made it a fit in her mind. I signed up to take an introductory accounting class in my junior year of high school and in my senior year, while completing college applications, checked the box to be an accounting major and never looked back. Public accounting always appealed to me because of the diversity of work and never having the same day twice. CREW NJ, Princeton-Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce Real Estate Business Alliance, ICSC, HLB International Real Estate Committee
Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in: When I started out of college the first job I was put on was a real estate cli- ent that I still work on to this day. I knew little about the industry, but quickly found that it was where I wanted to spend my career. With the help of mentors and advocates, I was able direct my focus almost 100% in the real estate space which allows me to spend every day doing something I love. What is your current position? I am a tax partner in our real estate group Why did you choose the field/profession you are in today? I chose tax because it was the area of accounting that my mother worked in, and I was familiar with it. I got lucky that I loved it. What was your greatest professional accomplishment in 2022? My greatest professional accomplishment in 2022 was my promotion to partner. This promotion is the culmination of over a decade worth of effort. It is also the beginning of a new journey. I always have another goal in mind. Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career? So many people at different times. Early mentors that helped me find my way in what I wanted to do and made sure it happened. Partners that took chances on me and allowed me to fail safely. Each had influence at different times that shaped my career. Do you feel being a woman is an advantage, disadvantage or no ad- vantage in today’s business world? Why? Why not? I don’t feel that there is an advantage or disadvantage in being a woman. I don’t think there is
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