Atisha N. Burks has thrived in the government sector for nearly 25 years, focusing her attention on financial management and reporting. Serving with a plethora of government agencies beginning in 2005, she first joined the staff of the U.S. Department of Commerce and completed the Federal Career Intern Program in 2006. Shortly thereafter, she excelled as the department’s financial reporting lead between 2006 and 2013 and the director of financial reporting and policy between 2013 and 2017. Subsequently, Ms. Burks joined the United States Coast Guard in 2017, where she was appointed as the deputy of financial reporting, policy, and property and then the chief of financial policy, reporting, and property until 2019.
In the latter stage of her career, Ms. Burks also served with the U.S. Navy as its senior accounting and finance leader from 2019 to 2020. Since departing from the U.S. Navy in 2020, she has been a member of the Federal Protective Service. From 2020 to 2022, she was the assistant director for resource management and financial operations. Since 2022, she has flourished in her appointment as the deputy director for financial and program management. Notably, Ms. Burks’ comprehensive experience prepared her for her present position, and she has leveraged her unique skillset to propel herself forward in the industry.
Ms. Burks attributes a great deal of her success to the support and influence of those around her. To wit, she states that she discovered her own path to success after realizing that her friends and family recognized her potential – an attribute she previously did not see in herself. Although her career has been punctuated by several significant milestones, Ms. Burks is particularly proud of making a substantial contribution to the growth and success of her peers’ career progression. She considers this to be among her most notable achievements.
To prepare for her career, Ms. Burks pursued a formal education at Old Dominion University, from which she received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in accounting and finance at its Strome College of Business in 2003. Subsequently, she received a Master of Business Administration from Saint Leo University in 2005. After amassing many years in her career, Ms. Burks also attended the Federal Executive Institute, completing the Leadership for a Democratic Society program in 2016. Three years later, she completed an executive fellowship at Washington University at Brookings in 2019.
To remain abreast of developments in her areas of interest, Ms. Burks has maintained an active affiliation with numerous organizations. In this regard, she has been a member of the Association of Government Accountants since 2003. Likewise, she is a member of the African American Federal Executive Association, the Senior Executives Association, and the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. Ms. Burks has also served as the mentoring co-chairperson of Executive Women in Government.
Throughout her career, Ms. Burks has been inspired by watching her colleagues grow in their personal and professional lives. She also emphasizes that her tenure as an executive leader in the government sector has instilled in her a sense of confidence, as she says that she does not lead solely for herself; rather, she is there to lead others to success. Moreover, she has learned that much of her success has stemmed from the knowledge she has gained from her profession during the past two decades, and she desires to leave an illuminated legacy for her peers through her contributions to other individuals. To this end, she acknowledges that she would not be in the position she is recognized in today were it not for the encouragement of her peers, who saw her potential early on. In light of this, Ms. Burks believes in the importance of paying it forward so the cycle of support can continue indefinitely. Looking toward the future, she endeavors to overhaul the Federal Protective Service’s business practices, train her successor, and facilitate their growth.
