Deborah Finlay, CPA, is a staff accountant at Allen, Green & Williamson with over four decades of experience in legal, financial, and governmental accounting roles. As a CPA staff accountant, Deborah brings deep insight into public sector financial reporting, school business operations, and auditing procedures. Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to fiscal transparency and organizational integrity.
Résumé of Debbie Finlay – Accounting Staff
Deborah E. Finlay, CPA (Inactive)
Staff Accountant
Allen, Green & Williamson, LLP
Deborah Finlay is an experienced accounting and financial management professional with a passion for serving government entities. She specializes in evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of business processes and procedures, bringing over four decades of diverse experience in both legal and financial roles.
Qualifications
Deborah has 44 years of business experience — 15 in legal and 29 in financial/accounting roles. She served as the lead business professional for the LaSalle Parish School Board for 26 years, working closely with the superintendent, school board, principals, teachers, and staff. Her unique perspective allows her to manage details while keeping broader organizational goals in view.
Work History
- 09/2021 – Present: Staff Accountant, Allen, Green & Williamson, LLP, Monroe, LA
- 07/1994 – 10/2020: Business Manager, LaSalle Parish School Board, Jena, LA – Responsible for all financial, business, and accounting functions of the school system
- 01/1991 – 06/1994: Self-Employed – Abstracting and paralegal services for attorneys, oil & gas, and various clients
- 02/1989 – 12/1990: Paralegal, Dan B. Cornett, LaSalle Parish District Attorney, Jena, LA
- 1979 – 1989: Paralegal and abstracting work with multiple legal firms in Monroe and Jena, LA
Education
- B.B.A. in Accounting, Northeast Louisiana University (1993) – Graduated Cum Laude
- High School: Caldwell Parish High School, Columbia, LA (1975)
Awards & Achievements
- Received the Cypress Award for Career Achievement (2018)
- Served 14 years on the Board of the Louisiana Association of School Business Officials in roles including President and Director of the Southeastern Association of School Business Officials
Professional Resources
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
- Society of Louisiana CPAs (LCPA)
- Louisiana Association of School Business Officials (LASBO)
- Southeastern Association of School Business Officials (SASBO)
- Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
- Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)
- U.S. GAO Yellow Book – Government Auditing Standards
- U.S. Department of Education – EDGAR Financial Guidelines
