This week, the ACFE is proud to recognize more than 35,000 female anti-fraud professionals in honor of International Women's Day. This week, we’ll share blog posts, resources and exclusive profiles of the women who dedicate their time to fighting fraud. Then, on Sunday, March 8, we’ll make a special announcement here on the blog and on our social media channels.

Building a long-lasting, meaningful career takes effort, determination and perseverance. There are bumps and challenges, and often, many unexpected twists and turns. It never hurts to ask for a little help along the way.

Here’s some excellent career advice from fellow fraud fighters.

The opportunities in this field are endless. Be open to anything and keep learning. When I first got my accounting degree and sat for the CPA and CFE exams, I never anticipated I would work as a federal special agent chasing international terrorism funds after 9/11, support the director of a federal law enforcement agency in testimony to Congress, or identify the transactions that linked a suspect to a cold-case double homicide resulting in the subject’s conviction. Now, I’m one of the financial subject matter experts for cryptocurrency and national security investigations for NCIS. If you keep your options open, you can do anything.

Denise R. Harding CFE, CPA, Forensic Accountant, NCIS Headquarters

Always look for opportunities to further enhance your knowledge through work assignments, additional responsibilities, professional qualifications, training events and conferences. You never know what your next assignment will be like and what areas you might need to look at. Every single skill is an investment in yourself, which increases your value as a professional. Also, take some time to research things on your own, but don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand or if something is not clear. That often could save time and help to avoid possible re-work by your colleagues or managers in case work was not done correctly.

Anastasia Nazarova, CFE, Corporate Auditor, Chevron

Be prepared and have a plan for your career but always keep an open mind. Sometimes opportunities can be presented in the most unlikely places.

Remain humble and constantly seek out help from other professionals in your organization and outside. Associates, connections and acquaintances can be critical and sometimes an essential element in successful fraud examination and investigations.

Pursue learning throughout your career. You should always sharpen your skills and acquire new ones. The world around us is constantly changing and we need to keep pace with these changes.

Tasneem Kalolwala, CFE, CIA (Taz), Internal Audit Leader, Bridgestone

Get involved! Network and find a good mentor. Let people know what your goals are, and most professionals will try to help you find a way to achieve them. Be kind and pay it forward.

Isabel Cumming, CFE, Inspector General, City of Baltimore

Being an anti-fraud professional is not an exact science. Each project I’ve worked on has been unique. To be successful in this field, you have to be open to new approaches and not afraid to try new things. The emergence of data analytics and new technologies is transforming the way that anomalous behavior and other indicators of fraud are detected. As an anti-fraud professional, you need to be constantly in learning mode and continuously networking with your colleagues to share best practices.

I would encourage anyone that is considering a career in an anti-fraud related discipline to pursue a career in public service. Working as an anti-fraud professional in public service is a tremendous way to make a positive impact on the nation and your community. For me personally, it is extremely fulfilling to be a leader in the inspector general community where I am responsible for preventing and detecting fraud, waste and abuse on a daily basis.

Kim Benoit, CFE, CPA, Assistant Inspector General for Audits, NASA OIG

Thank you to each of these members and to all the female fraud fighters out there for your work and invaluable contributions to the global fight against fraud. ACFE membership is open to individuals of all job functions, industries and levels of experience who are interested in the prevention, detection and deterrence of fraud. Our mission is to support you by providing access to the knowledge, resources and training you need to do your job now and at every stage of your career.

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