News: FICPA Honors Kristen Brand, Alex Welsh with Women to Watch Awards
June 12, 2025
ORLANDO, Fla. – On Thursday, June 12, during MEGA 2025, the FICPA presented its annual Women to Watch Awards, honoring Experienced Leader Kristen Brand and Emerging Leader Alex Welsh.
The awards were hosted by the FICPA’s President & CEO, Shelly Weir, incoming Board Chair, Karen Lake, and Women-in-Leadership Committee Chair, Caroline Beasley.
“Each year, the Women to Watch Awards celebrate the remarkable leaders at the forefront of the profession in Florida,” Weir said. “I thank Kristen and Alex for the contributions they’ve made to the FICPA and congratulate them on this richly deserved honor.”
Brand is the Office Managing Partner of Baker Tilly in Tampa.
With nearly 20 years of public and private accounting experience, she has been instrumental in both growing her office and growing the superstars within it.
All the while, she’s been a trailblazer in the Client Advisory Services space, delivering new opportunities for her firm and stellar service to its clients.
The Experienced Leader Award is reserved for women who have risen to leadership positions after more than 10 years in the profession.
The 2025 nominees included: Bonnie Boyer (Sagent), Carolina Delgado (KPMG), Meg Hampton (Anglin Reichmann Armstrong), Gerri Lazarre (TriMerge), Carmen Llano-Gomez (HLB Gravier), Michelle Morris-Penn (Kaufman Rossin), Danay Ramirez (H&CO), Elena Ramos (HBK), Lizette Rodriguez (Veridian), Heidi Suarez (Kaufman Rossin), Cristine Torrefranca (Saltmarsh), Ying Wang (Thomas Howell Ferguson) and Orynthia Wildes (Withum).
Welsh is a Senior Manager of Service Delivery Operations at A-LIGN, where she has distinguished herself in cybersecurity audits.
She is a graduate of the FICPA Leadership Academy, a past recipient of an FICPA Horizon Award, former chair of the FICPA’s Young CPAs Committee and a current member of the FICPA Council.
The Emerging Leader Award recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the profession in the early stage of their careers.
The 2025 nominees included: Katey Exum (A-LIGN), Georgia Justus (PwC), Kelly Kidwell (Grant Thornton), Lauren Lamb (Withum), Danya Marhamo (Marhamo Tax Advisor), Katherine Puig (Sharf, Wittmer, Kurtz, Jackson & Diaz), Monica Reyes (PAAST), Alyssa Riley (Carr, Riggs & Ingram) and Catherine Stout (Thomas Howell Ferguson).
Nominations for the 2026 awards will open Dec. 1, 2025, with winners to be announced during MEGA 2026.