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Patricia A. Drolet, CPA, PFS

Senior Advisor

"Women are as smart and as capable as men and it's about time we all recognize that."

Patricia A. Drolet is a senior advisor at Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell (CBM). She served previously as the firm’s board chair and as an executive committee member and chair of the professional services committee.

Earlier in her career, Pat was managing partner of Drolet and Associates, PLLC, which she founded in 1997, after 10 years as a partner in another Washington, D.C.-based firm. Pat has served as the President of the Greater Washington Society of CPAs and as an elected Council Representative to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, representing the District of Columbia.

Pat works with a wide range of clients doing business in the DC metropolitan area. Her clients include attorneys and law firms, individuals, not-for-profit organizations, small businesses, and trusts and estates. She provides a variety of services, including, but not limited to, tax preparation and advice, compilations, reviews, audits (including Single Audits and ERISA audits) and management advisory services.

Most recently, Pat received the Ruth Coles Harris Advancing Diversity & Inclusion Award from the Virginia Society of CPAs. She earned that award for, partly, spearheading the firm’s diversity & inclusion group, CBM D-PATH (Diversity – Professional Accountants and Advisors Transforming the Horizon).

Professional Qualifications and Education

  • Certified Public Accountant, District of Columbia, State of Maryland, and the Commonwealth of Virginia
  • B.B.A. Accounting, Florida Atlantic University

Professional Associations and Activities

  • Greater Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants (GWSCPA)
    • Past President, Board of Governors
    • GWSCPA Management of an Accounting Practice Committee (chair 1995-96)
    • Not-for-Profit Committee
    • Tax Committee
    • Estate & Gift Tax Committee
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Member
    • Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) designation
    • Council Representative for the District of Columbia (2005-2007)
    • Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC), past member
  • Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, Member
  • Maryland Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Member

Awards & Recognition

On Mentoring Young Professionals…

“I believe it is incredibly important to have a mentoring program in place in our firm. Young professionals have many choices in where they decide to work. The smart employer/firm will provide guidance and a clear path towards professional development. It’s also a wonderful way to get to know someone and the relationship is actually both give and take. Everyone grows from it.”

Speaking Engagements:

  • August 20, 2020 – Not-for-Profits and Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness: What Happens Next
  • June 4, 2020 – Navigating the SBA’s New PPP Loan Forgiveness Application and the Not-for-Profit Industry
  • June 2, 2020 – Navigating the SBA’s New PPP Loan Forgiveness Application and Professional Services
  • April 30, 2020 – Q&A: The Small Business Administration, Relief Programs and Not-for-Profits in the COVID-19 Era
  • April 9, 2020 – The CARES Act and Not-for-Profit Organizations: What You Need to Know
  • May 9, 2019 – Life in the Fast Lane: Optimizing Your Firm’s High-Quality Approach to Employee Benefit Plan Audits (For the GWSPCA’s 6th Annual Employee Benefits Plan Conference)
  • January 18, 2019 – Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professionals Training Standards
  • January 16, 2019 – How to Control Your Retirement Destiny
  • February 27, 2018 – 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: The Impact of the New Tax Legislation on Professional Service Businesses and Individuals
  • February 1, 2018 – The Impact of the New Tax Legislation on Family Law and Business with an Overview of Cryptocurrencies
  • January 25, 2018 – Dissecting the New Flexible Financial Format for Not-for-Profit Organizations and the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

On Today’s Environment…

“Generally speaking, today’s environment can be described in one word: difficult. Our fast-paced society allows very little time to stop and take a breath. Most of my clients are juggling work/life balance issues. Many also worry about taking care of present-day needs while trying to save for retirement.”