Jamila Abston Mayfield, CPA, has forged a formidable and distinguished career in accounting, finance, and risk management, culminating within the walls of the firm she founded in 2024—The Jamila Mayfield Group, LLC, where she is the chief executive officer. At her Matthews, North Carolina-based business, her many responsibilities include acting as an outsourced deputy chief risk officer for a regional bank, ensuring client compliance with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, and writing articles for publication, as well as providing regulatory, compliance, and risk management expertise to financial services firms, offering compliance assessments, and serving as an outsourced risk and compliance executive.
Ms. Mayfield’s firm focuses on financial regulation consulting, financial inclusion, and leadership consulting while assisting clients with compliance, regulations, and risk matters, particularly in the financial services sector. She also works with underserved communities to develop inclusive strategies and products and provides leadership coaching and speaking engagements for new and aspiring leaders.
Ms. Mayfield is a certified public accountant (CPA) in North Carolina, New York, and Georgia. Additionally, she holds a certification in financial forensics from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and is a certified fraud examiner through the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. She earned a Master of Business Administration in asset management from Yale University in 2017, a master’s degree in accountancy from the University of Virginia in 2004, and a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in 2003. To stay active in her industry, Ms. Mayfield is a member of key professional organizations, including the North Carolina Association of CPAs, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the National Association of Black Accountants, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Ms. Mayfield’s professional journey includes significant roles with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Ernst & Young (EY). At the SEC, she was assistant regional director from 2015 to 2016, senior risk strategist from 2013 to 2015, and securities compliance examiner from 2008 to 2013). At EY, she ascended from manager to partner. In addition to her primary professional roles, Ms. Mayfield has been a member of the SEC Investor Advisory Committee since 2020 and a member of the North Carolina Association of CPAs since 2022. Moreover, her civic roles include serving as an alumni member of the Yale School of Management’s Council for Anti-Racism and Equity (CARE) from 2020 to 2022, as a board member and development committee co-chair at Sanctuary for Families since 2018, and as a corporate partner and member of the New York chapter of NABA Inc. since 2017.
Ms. Mayfield’s achievements have been widely recognized. She was listed on Forbes 2024 America’s Top CPAs and received the 2023 Top Women Leaders in New York Award and the 30 BlackStars Leadership Award in 2023. Other accolades include the Yale SOM Inaugural Donald H. Ogilvie CARE Colloquium Recognition in 2022, the DCIIA DEI Leadership Award in 2021, and the Yale University Alumni Association Leadership Award in 2019. She was named to Crain’s Notable Women in Accounting and Consulting in 2019 and received the Harlem Black Achievers in Industry Award in 2018. Further, Ms. Mayfield’s academic excellence was recognized early on her path with the Florida A&M University Accounting Student of the Year Award in 2003. Among her many achievements, she considers becoming a partner at EY at age 35 her most notable and significant accomplishment professionally and personally. Getting married at 38 and having her first child slightly later in life led her to seek more flexibility and inspired her to start her own firm.
Ms. Mayfield credits her success to the strong foundation provided by her parents. She regards discipline as a critical skill that has carried her through significant projects and challenges. She also believes in the transformative power of small daily habits, such as making one’s bed, working out, and journaling. In the next five years, she aims to establish The Jamila Mayfield Group as a leading firm known for outstanding client service and a positive work culture. Her goal is to grow her business while creating a positive impact and a supportive work environment for her team. Ms. Mayfield emphasizes the importance of mentorship and collaboration, encouraging others to seek mentors and to support worthy new organizations. She believes that networking and collaboration are crucial for success, rather than trying to navigate challenges alone.