Susan DeRosa Jackson, CPA of South Glastonbury Receives CTCPA Women Distinguished Service Award
January 19, 2022
Susan DeRosa Jackson, CPA of South Glastonbury recently received the 2022 CTCPA Women Distinguished Service Award from the Connecticut Society of CPAs (CTCPA). Jackson, a Senior Audit Partner at KPMG Hartford, was one of seven women honored during the January virtual celebration recognizing excellence in leadership and management in the accounting profession.
Growing up in Hamden and following in her accountant father's footsteps, Jackson entered the field as an intern with a Big 8 firm in New Haven and never looked back, joining KPMG in 1993. “My first accounting teacher told me I was a natural at it,” she said. “The accounting profession can be challenging and overwhelming until you hit your groove. I developed a sense of self and learned to feel confident even if I was the youngest person in the room and often the only woman. I have enjoyed the variety of clients and learning different industries. No year is ever the same.”
While her 30-year career yielded the opportunity to serve clients in the insurance and healthcare industries all over the U.S. and abroad, Jackson has remained steadfast in keeping her home base in Connecticut and works tirelessly to recruit new talent from universities across the country to work here in Hartford. “I have enjoyed the travel this career has allowed me to experience. I have learned so much from gaining exposure to CEOs, CFOs, and board members early in my career, much earlier than I would have in most other jobs – learning life lessons, watching them lead, and getting to be in the room where it happens is motivating and exciting,” she said.
“Technology is changing the field in dramatic ways, and one of the positive aspects of this is professionals can focus more on the interesting aspects of technical accounting and auditing versus mundane tasks which are now automated,” said Jackson.
Thomas M. Daugherty, partner at KPMG Hartford who nominated Jackson, said “Sue has helped many women ascend to partner and continues to support their careers as working mothers.” Throughout her career she has been known to never miss her daughter's dance or school events. She ran the book fair, participated as a “class mom,” and served as treasurer on the Renbrook School Parent Association. She also served on the advisory board at Choate Rosemary Hall and often volunteered time at the school.
“I believe with my whole heart this profession has allowed me to be my best self not only in work, but it has allowed me to balance being a mom and individual person as well,” she said. “I hope we can all be together soon so new accountants can experience the social, teaming, travel, and collaborative part of this exciting field.”
For 20 years, Jackson has served on the Junior Achievement (JA) of Southern New England board, and as treasurer over the last decade, earning her 2020 JA Partners in Achievement Award. She volunteers in the classroom for JA and has helped the organization navigate, survive, and thrive during the 2008 U.S. financial crisis and the more recent COVID pandemic.
One of Jackson's talents is planning memorable and creative events of all kinds. “I am definitely a Martha Stewart ‘wanna be.' It gives me such joy to plan events for friends and family and go above and beyond expectations. Maybe when I retire, I will find a way to use my party planning skills more often!”
# # #