Peabody resident Kaite Valliere was selected as a 2025 Women to Watch Award winner by the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MassCPAs), which is the professional association of certified public accountants that represents over 11,500 members.
According to MassCPAs, the awards recognize professionals who have made outstanding contributions to the accounting profession, their communities, their firms or companies – and to the development of women as leaders.
Valliere, audit manager at AAFCPAs, is one of six women selected to receive this award. She is being recognized in the Emerging Leader category, which is reserved for professionals with two to eight years of experience.
Valliere said she was “feeling really excited and really just honored to have been considered.” She added that there are “so many amazing women in this field, so the fact that I was even nominated is really incredible.”
Growing up, Valliere said she “had a really small understanding of what accounting actually was,” but she realized the career was “so much more than bookkeeping and data entry” when she got to college. She added that “when I found audits – specifically nonprofit audits – it really just aligned with a lot of my moral values and my beliefs to kind of have an impact with these organizations that help a lot of people.”
“MassCPAs is honored to celebrate these remarkable women for their achievements in accounting and their contributions to the broader community,” said Zach Donah, president and CEO of MassCPAs. “Kaite’s commitment, vision, and leadership continue to inspire the profession, and we’re thrilled to recognize her impact.”
Valliere leads financial statement audits for a wide range of nonprofit organizations, including community development corporations, affordable housing developers, and multiservice human and social service providers. Her expertise spans Uniform Guidance/single audits, government auditing standards, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program-specific audits.
Someone MassCPAs called “a leader in innovation,” Valliere co-developed a robotic process automation tool that cut Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) submission times, allowing teams to focus on higher value client work.
According to MassCPAs, Valliere is spearheading the launch of AAFCPAs’ Forensic Accounting Practice, expanding services to include fraud auditing, litigation support, cybersecurity, and valuations; she is also pursuing her CRFAC (Certified Forensic Accountant) designation.
She is an active member of MassCPAs’ Business Litigation and Valuation Community and is known within her firm for driving innovation, process improvement, and staff development.
According to MassCPAs, “Her leadership reflects both technical depth and a strong commitment to community impact. Beyond the office, she is a dedicated advocate for mental health, suicide prevention, and LGBTQ+ youth, supporting organizations such as Hope for the Day and BAGLY.”
AAFCPAs Partner Tom Muldoon said that “while Kaite has consistently demonstrated her technical expertise and strong client service skills, her commitment to developing team members is less visible but equally remarkable.”
He added, “She is often among the first to offer her time, energy, and effort to strengthen the firm’s bench. Coupled with her intellectual curiosity, drive for continuous improvement, and dedication to both our clients and the community, Kaite is an outstanding role model for anyone pursuing CPA licensure.”
Award recipients will be honored at MassCPAs’ Women’s Leadership Summit at the Marriott Newton on Oct. 28. To learn more about the 2025 Women to Watch Award winners, visit masscpas.org/winners2025.
