PICPA Volunteer Leadership 2020-2021
Officers
President
Jill E. Gilbert
RKL LLP
Audit Partner
Lancaster
Jill Gilbert is an audit partner with RKL LLP in Lancaster, Pa., specializing in audits of governmental entities, nonprofit entities, and employee benefit plans. As president of the PICPA, Gilbert plans to promote to students the increasing value of the accounting profession — particularly how CPAs are trusted advisers in times of economic crisis.
"Accounting professionals were deemed to be essential businesses by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf during this pandemic," Gilbert says. "It has become evident over the past months how important the accounting profession is, from guiding clients through the Payment Protection Program application and forgiveness calculation to just being there to listen and provide reassurance. We must go to schools and go back to our firms, businesses, friends, and family, encouraging people to enter the accounting profession."
Gilbert hopes that by communicating this value and inspiring more students to enter the profession, the demographics of the profession will shift in the right direction. “The average age of PICPA’s membership is 51,” Gilbert says. “Obtaining and retaining younger members is essential to the association’s and profession’s continued success.”
Gilbert is a member of PICPA’s Employee Benefits Plan, Government Accounting and Auditing, Budget Finance, and committees. She is also a board member of the Pennsylvania CPA Foundation and CPA-PAC. In addition to her volunteer leadership with the PICPA, Gilbert is president of the board of directors of Willow Valley Retirement Communities and serves on its audit and finance committee.