Meet Cindy Cline Moore, CPA, sole proprietor in Gainesville

Where I started:
During my sophomore year at Reinhardt College in Waleska, Georgia, while pursuing an Associate of Arts degree, I took an introductory accounting course as an elective. At the time, I had no idea what accounting was really about, much less, what a CPA does. The teacher was very enthusiastic and full of energy. I found that the material came naturally to me. So I took the second accounting course she taught. Before I knew it, I had decided to major in accounting. In 1986, I earned my bachelor's of business administration degree with a major in accounting, graduating magna cum laude, from the University of Alaska.

I spent the next six years as an auditor for Ernst & Young, LLP, participating in audits, reviews, compilations and projects for companies in industry. Then as controller of Oliver H. Van Horn Company, I supervised the financial operations closely to ensure the most effective use of capital and an adequate profit margin. A year later, I took an offer from Entergy Services, Inc. where I served as a budget analyst, strategic planning analyst and controller of Entergy Integrated Solutions. During my employment at Entergy, I earned my master's of business administration degree at Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana, graduating summa cum laude.

What I do now:
Since November of 1998, I have been a self-employed CPA. I provide accounting, tax and advisory services for individual and business clients. I love the flexibility of being self-employed and working from home. There are so many opportunities in the metro DC area — plenty of work to be had. My challenge is finding rewarding work locally that does not require a commute into the city and fits into my current practice. I select the work I want to do and the hours I want to keep.

This gives me time to do things like teaching. I've been teaching at Strayer since July 2000.

Previously, I taught at Loyola University in New Orleans. I currently teach financial and management accounting principles. I've also taught management information systems and plan to teach taxation and advanced accounting in the near future. I find that teaching helps to keep me current and I truly enjoy the interaction with the students. It's rewarding to work with people who really want to learn.

Most valuable lesson:
The most valuable thing I learned in college was to play by the rules — even though the rules change. While each professor had their own approach to learning, the rules of how to succeed were always set out at the beginning. As long as you follow those rules — learning the assigned material and completing assignments on time — you will succeed.

Be flexible without compromising your high standards. You will often encounter circumstances that are not as you expected them to be or perhaps as you think they should be. Take a high-level view, remind yourself of the objective at hand and choose the best tactic to achieve that objective given the circumstances as they exist.

My grandmother gave me the best advice I've ever been given, just by the way she lived her life. She was a very caring person. I never remember seeing a negative emotion come from her.

Volunteer activities:
I volunteer some of my free time as a court appointed special advocate speaking up for the needs of abused and neglected children.

What may surprise you:
I lived in New Orleans for eight years and there I developed a love for jazz and R&B. Some of the artists I enjoy are Henry Butler, Corey Harris, Astral Project, the Subdudes and the Neville Brothers. I enjoy traveling, good fun and collecting modern art. It may surprise you that I tend to be on the liberal side of the political scale.