Jacqueline Cardello, CPA

Biography

Jackie Cardello, CPA, is President and Managing Partner of GRF CPAs & Advisors, a leading CPA firm with international reach headquartered in metropolitan Washington, D.C. Ms. Cardello focuses on strategies that elevate GRF as a premier provider of accounting, assurance, tax, and advisory services to nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and individuals. She also spearheads initiatives that focus on recruiting and mentoring young CPAs and programs that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

An auditor by trade, Ms. Cardello’s experience includes advising a variety of nonprofit organizations including 501(c)(3) charitable entities, associations, and other charitable institutions. Ms. Cardello also launched the firm’s employee benefit plan audit.

Ms. Cardello is a past chair of CPAmerica, a national association of CPA firms in the United States, a member of the Audit Committee for the Maryland Association of CPAs, and a member of the Risk Management Committee of CAMICO, a professional liability insurance company for CPAs. She is Practice Advisory Group Chair of the G400 for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and serves on the AIA Smith Advisory Council in addition to being a member of the Advisory Board of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. Ms. Cardello was named Accounting Today’s 2020 Managing Partner (MP) Elite and received the Greater Washington Society of CPAs Emerging Leader Women to Watch Award in 2013. In 2023, she also received GWSCPA’s Champion of Women Award at their annual women’s leadership conference. Ms. Cardello’s contributions to the community and accounting profession were recognized with the Suzanne D. Hillman Award from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. She also received the prestigious Tyser Gottwals Award from the University of Maryland Alumni Association.

As Managing Partner, Ms. Cardello is deeply committed to leadership development and mentoring the next generation of professionals in the accounting field. Her activities reflect a strong focus on empowering future leaders, advancing women’s leadership, and supporting philanthropic efforts through GRF Gives, the firm’s charitable initiative. She actively participates in volunteer work and community engagement centered on supporting students and the profession through education and mentorship. Ms. Cardello is a graduate of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland where she is also part of the Maryland Women’s Society. Ms. Cardello is a member of AICPA, MACPA, GWSCPA.