Member Spotlight: Dhara Bhatt, CFE, CPA

ACFE STAFF

Dhara Bhatt, CFE, CPA, is a manager of compliance and monitoring at Sage Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a biotechnology compliance professional, Bhatt strives to create a comprehensive compliance program that can navigate the intricacies of the industry. To do this, Bhatt relies on her love of problem-solving to come up with unique compliance solutions. Always with an eye toward the future, Bhatt looks forward to the work that each new day will bring.

The opinions expressed in this article are Dhara Bhatt’s and are not representative of Sage Therapeutics, Inc. 

How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

I grew up in South Brunswick, New Jersey — a small town near Princeton. I was a quiet kid, but I was focused and observant. My family always said that I had to know everything about my surroundings before I decided to engage in them. In high school and college, I discovered a passion for problem-solving and taking facts from different data sets and putting them together to create patterns or a story. This manifested in my course work as an accounting student, but also in real-life situations such as when I was a resident assistant in college or served in undergraduate government.

These traits from my childhood stayed with me into adulthood, and I am fortunate to have a career that complements them. My interest in this field stemmed from the skills it requires, but once I began client work, I saw how rewarding it was to play a part in protecting businesses and their customers. To me, fighting fraud means doing what is right. There are always the components of investigations and remediation, but my passion lies in preventing fraud in the first place. This entails understanding your landscape, supporting and listening to employees, engaging a positive tone at the top, and creating an environment where people are proud to show up and represent their company. 

What is one of the biggest lessons you have learned since becoming a CFE?

I chose this career path because of its evolving nature. Becoming a CFE has allowed me to learn and access foundational knowledge that has assisted me on a variety of projects. The biggest lesson I have learned since earning this credential is that it’s up to us fraud fighters to keep up with the rest of the world. Technology is advancing every day, and people are getting smarter. We always need to be prepared for the next step by reading the news, networking and consulting with experts or understanding new regulations. The ACFE offers many resources to assist members with doing this. It’s important to never stop learning. 

What does your current role at Sage Therapeutics entail?

I oversee field monitoring and compliance activities in the Northeast region, in addition to being a compliance business partner to our field teams. I work across diverse systems and data sets to identify real-world intersections of teams and behaviors, which then contributes to the overall risk-based model for our compliance program. 

What is a memorable case or project that you have worked on?

One of my most memorable projects was working with developers to create a compliance workflow tool. The tool, which is available to the entire company, allows users to obtain the proper approvals for proposed fee-for-service activities and sponsorships, and calculates fair market value payments. I manage development, create and provide trainings to the company, and complete reporting and monitoring based on built-in analytics and dashboards. This tool contributes to making compliance intuitive, has ease of use and overall will be essential as we continue to grow as a company.

How has earning the CFE credential impacted your career?

After graduating from Boston College, I quickly earned my CPA license. However, with my then-job as a forensic accountant, I wanted to develop my skill sets to open even more opportunities for my future. The CFE allowed me to expand on many more areas that were relevant in my career path, such as investigative interviewing, report writing and knowing applicable legal standards. The CFE credential, and the resources that the ACFE offers, has made me more confident that I have the necessary tools to navigate this extremely complex and ever-evolving world of fighting fraud. 

Further, the CFE credential was a preferred certification when applying to my current job and in many other job postings I have explored in the past. More companies are realizing the value of this certification and seeing the results of the professional development it offers in the workplace. 

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.