Kari Hipsak, CPA, CGMA
Principal, Director of Quality & Compliance
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Kari Hipsak, CPA, CGMA, is a Principal at GRF CPAs & Advisors and serves as the firm-wide Director of Quality & Compliance. In this role, she monitors technical developments in the accounting profession and oversees a range of quality and compliance initiatives. Kari follows standard-setting bodies and supports the development of comment letters on proposed standards and regulations that may impact the firm and its clients. Internally, she provides technical consultations and performs monitoring activities that reinforce the firm’s ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality services.
Kari began her public accounting career in South Dakota and later worked for a firm in New York City, serving a wide range of audit and assurance clients across various industries. Prior to joining GRF, Kari worked with the AICPA’s Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS), where she led the development of thought leadership content and facilitated conversations on emerging issues in the profession.
A long-time advocate for the accounting profession, she has been actively involved since her student days at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD. She previously served on the South Dakota CPA Society Young Professional Advisory Council, the North Carolina Association CPAs (NCACPA) Young CPA Cabinet and as a liaison to the NCACPA Foundation Board. In 2026, she served on the AICPA’s Rise2040 Advisory Board, a global initiative which explores the future of the profession.
Kari is a current member of the NCACPA’s Accounting & Attestation Resource Group.
Kari has been recognized as a member of CPA Practice Advisor’s “40 Under 40” program from 2020-2023 and a Forbes Best in State CPA in 2026. Enthusiastic about wellbeing, she is a vocal advocate for mental health and emotional intelligence. She is also committed to supporting individuals impacted by chronic illness or autism—causes that hold deep personal significance. In her free time, Kari volunteers with a local dog rescue, combining her love of animals with community service.