For many accountants, the work centers on numbers, compliance, and reporting. For Lisa A. Gioia, CPA, the work has always meant something more. Across more than four decades in financial services, she has built a career around helping nonprofit organizations stay strong and ready to serve their communities.
Gioia says her commitment to service began early. “I started volunteering when I was in high school,” she recalls. “I would go to the junior high school and talk to a lot of these little kiddos who needed help with math.” That instinct to help others stayed with her through college and into her professional life.
From Public Accounting to Nonprofit Leadership
After earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting, international management, and French from Avila University, Gioia began her career in public accounting. She later expanded her knowledge with a Master of Public Administration in nonprofit management from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She built experience in audit management, education, and financial consulting.
When Gioia left an international accounting firm, her path became clearer. “I was doing a lot of volunteering for little nonprofit organizations,” she says. “That’s how a lot of those nonprofits wanted me to be their auditor.” That shift led her into self-employment and a long career serving nonprofit clients.
Over the years, Gioia worked with more than 40 organizations as an auditor and supported well over 150 nonprofits in different capacities. “I decided to be a part-time CFO for a lot of not-for-profits to help lift them up,” she says. Her role often included budgeting, cash flow, grants, financial statements, and staff training.
A Practical View of Nonprofit Success
Gioia believes strong nonprofits need balance. “I always look at three little things, like looking at a stool,” she says. “It has to have three legs.” In her view, nonprofit leaders cannot focus on only one part of the organization. “They should look at the program, administration and fundraising for the nonprofit,” she explains.
That framework reflects Gioia’s long experience as an accountant and adviser. She says the key questions are simple but important: “What are they doing for the program? What are they doing to help everybody? What are they doing for fundraising?” For Gioia, financial leadership is not separate from mission. It is part of making the mission possible.
Giving Back as a Way of Life
Service has remained central to Gioia’s professional and personal identity. “My parents taught me to give back to the community and so I’ve always done that,” she says. She adds, “I’ve been blessed and have tried to help others as a result.”
Now retired from active practice, Gioia continues to volunteer and support community work. Much of her focus today is on giving back, including donations to former clients and service through her church community. “I’ve been the treasurer of our Legion of Mary and the Altar & Rosary Society in the past,” she notes.
Uplifting Others Through Financial Guidance
When Gioia reflects on her success, she returns to one central idea: “Being uplifted and helping other people to be uplifted.” That outlook shaped her entire career, from her first volunteer efforts to her years advising nonprofit leaders.
For Gioia, accounting has never been just about the books. It has been about helping organizations do more good, serve more people, and stay strong for the future.
