For many in the UMBC community, “success is never final” has become a familiar motto. Kimberly Ellison-Taylor ’93, information systems management, epitomizes UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski’s familiar words by excelling in her work, while also creating opportunities for women and minorities in her field of technology and accounting.
“Kimberly shares UMBC’s mission of inclusive excellence,” says UMBC development officer Susie Lynch, who nominated Taylor for the award.
As the Global Strategy Director for the Financial and Professional Services Industries for Oracle America, Ellison-Taylor is an influential leader in the continually evolving fields of big data, cybersecurity, and assurance and advisory services. After graduating from UMBC, she went on to earn an an M.B.A. from Loyola University, an accounting certificate from the Community College of Baltimore County, and a Master’s of Science in Information Technology as well as chief information officer certificate from Carnegie Mellon University. Ellison-Taylor’s shared background in accounting and information systems management has led to leadership positions in a multitude of organizations, including the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; Motorola; KPMG; and Prince George’s County Government, where she served as Chief Information Technology Officer.
In 2016, Ellison-Taylor made history as the first African American Chairman of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The youngest ever to be appointed and first AICPA chair from the state of Maryland, Ellison-Taylor’s platform around Technology and Transformation and Next Generation Leadership guided the organization toward increased technology and globalization of the accounting field. She also served as the Chairman of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, an organization of more than 670,000 and in 184 countries. The recipient of numerous professional awards, she has been recognized by Accounting Today as a one of the 100 Most Influential People in Accounting annually over the past three years, and as one of the Most Powerful Women in Accounting by CPA Practice Advisor for 2016, 2017, and 2018. Ellison-Taylor also serves as a member of the Robert H. Smith School of Business Advisory Board and is a former member of the UMBC Alumni Association Board of Directors. A charter member of UMBC’s Sigma Gamma Rho, Ellison-Taylor remains active in the organization, serving in local, regional, and national levels over 28 years. She is also an active member of the Maryland Association of CPAs where she is a past Chairman. Ellison-Taylor is a lifetime member of the National Association of Black Accountants.
Ellison-Taylor is married to UMBC alumnus Darius Taylor ’92 Modern Languages & Linguistics, and is the dedicated mother of two sons, Darius II and Dominic.
— Amy Dalrymple
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See the full list of 2018 Alumni Award honorees here.
Tags: Alumni, Alumni Awards, Alumni Awards 2018
