Conference Chair

Deborah Adkins, CPA, CFF, CGMA

Over the course of her career as a senior financial team member, Deborah (Deb) Adkins has served in the for-profit (both public and private sectors) as well as the non-profit industries.  Ms. Adkins spent her first 18 years with a manufacturing facility that grew (both organically and using merger/acquisitions) from just over $1 Million annual revenue to just under $1 Billion, with 22 subsidiaries around the world.  She spent her next 7 years as a partner with a national professional services organization, serving organizations up to $1.5 Billion in annual revenue.

 

For all of 2007 – 2008, Ms. Adkins served as Partner in Forensic Accounting and Litigation services for a regional CPA firm with 4 offices (now BDO).  As the partner-in-charge of forensic and litigation support, she managed all aspects of this practice area for the firm.  For 2009-2016, Ms. Adkins served as a partner with a Florida statewide fractional CFO services firm until she accepted the invite from Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) to become their full-time CFO and Treasurer.  At CHS, she oversees the statewide business and financial management for the nonprofit, as well as the CHS Foundation.  CHS is the oldest and largest nonprofit in the state of Florida, having been founded in 1902 and has approximately 2,000 employees.

 

In March 2019, she was named as one of Central Florida’s “Women Who Mean Business” by the Orlando Business Journal.  From 2010 - 2015, Ms. Adkins served as a member of the Small Business Advisory Committee for FASB, having been appointed by then-Chairman, Robert Herz.  Ms. Adkins is also a frequent presenter at national conferences and seminars in topics including internal controls and fraud.  For five years, she also served as author and host of a monthly web audio accounting news digest.  Her published CPE courses in forensic accounting are available through Thomson-Reuters.

 

Ms. Adkins has been affiliated with the Central Florida FEI Chapter since 1997, having served in several Board positions, including President and Vice President/Programs.  She has two Bachelors degrees:  one in Education and the other in Business Admin, majoring in Accounting.  She earned her Masters of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Central FL (Orlando, FL).