On Tues, Mar. 22, I went to the Speak to Inspire event and listened to Ms. McCafferty talk about her profession.

Ms. McCafferty is a CPA, Entrepreneur, and Real Estate Investor and Developer. She was the former principal at Ebro Accounting and Consulting, a full-service accounting practice, and is a former Area Developer and Entrepreneur at Liberty Tax in Orange County.

Mrs. McCafferty is a graduate of the Cal State Fullerton School of Business and Economics. She currently serves as the Chief Finance Officer for real estate projects and businesses. She is now recognized as a leading entrepreneur in Orange County.

My friend, Alyssa Ramirez ’24, asked Ms. McCafferty questions about her journey through her job and how she got to the position she is at today.

Q: Why did you choose your major?

A: I didn’t know what I wanted to do in high school. I knew I wanted to be a professional. In high school, I took an accounting class and fell in love with the subject. It got me interested in my profession and eventually led me to where I am today.

Q: What were some struggles you faced? How did you overcome these struggles?

A: Being a woman and Latina, I knew it was going to be very hard for me to be useful in the financial world. Perseverance and overpreparing are some of the best I ways I faced my struggles, I worked very, very hard because being burnt out is not a good feeling. When your priorities are not in check, then that will ruin you work ethic.

Q: What do you love most about your career?

A: I have always loved public accounting and seeing the trends throughout the years. I liked how I got to see the economy and how it affects people’s lives. I’ve always been interested in that since I first started.

Q: If you could talk to your teenage self, what advice would you give her?

A: Have your priorities. Mine were God, my family, and then my job. I knew I had to live a life worth of God’s honor. I would also tell her to keep expanding her knowledge. Do good in life and keep doing that. Know that you can create your dream life despite all your obstacles. Dream big.

It was inspiring sitting down with Ms. McCafferty and listening to her experience with her job over the years and where that has taken her. Her advice and story was very influential to the other students who attended the event.

If you are a student, make sure you look out for the next Speak to Inspire.