Shelley Knight-Bourn, CPA, MBA, MSA, originally decided to pursue a career in business because of her passion for the field. She sought guidance from her counselor to determine what profession would suit her and was encouraged to consider accounting, as it plays a crucial role in the functioning of all businesses. Taking this advice to heart, Ms. Knight-Bourn enrolled in Kent State University, where she graduated with an Associate of Arts in 2001, a Bachelor of Science in accounting in 2003, and a Master of Science in accounting plus a Master of Business Administration in accounting in 2006. Further solidifying her stellar credentials, in 2023, she became a licensed certified public accountant.
Excelling as a senior internal auditor and legal senior specialist with the Toyota Boshoku Corporation, America, Ms. Knight-Bourn focuses on testing internal controls, making recommendations to management, and conducting operational financial audits. She ensures compliance with company policies and regulations by examining processes and internal controls. As a company based in Japan, Toyota Boshoku adheres to its country’s Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, informally known in Japan as J-SOX, which is modeled after the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the United States. Ms. Knight-Bourn leverages her experience from her time at Ernst & Young Global Limited, where she worked as an enterprise risk senior from 2021 to 2023, preparing her to thrive in her current role at the Toyota Boshoku Corporation, America. From 2020 to 2021, Ms. Knight-Bourn was a senior associate with the 415 Group, and from 2018 to 2020, she was an assistant auditor to the Ohio Auditor of State.
Ms. Knight-Bourn ascribes her professional success to her deep dedication and diligent work ethic. As a testament to her commitment to excellence, she has persevered through challenging circumstances and refuses to surrender to adversity. Among her accomplishments, she takes pride in one of the internal audits she conducted at a previous employer, where the company was incurring significant financial losses. Ms. Knight-Bourn worked to update the sales process, leading to a remarkable turnaround. Within a year of implementing her changes, the company’s financials improved tremendously, transforming millions of dollars in losses into millions of dollars in profits. Throughout her career, she has derived the greatest satisfaction from when her work tangibly and positively impacts others. As an extremely hardworking professional, she finds it difficult to decline tasks and always prefers to be involved, often making it hard to maintain a work-life balance. She is incredibly grateful for her husband, Zach, who has always been there to encourage and support her in her ambitions.
Active in her industry, Ms. Knight-Bourn maintains affiliations with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Internal Auditors, the Ohio Society of CPAs, and the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. She has been greatly involved with JCI USA, a network of young leaders, and has received multiple awards and honors from the organization. Some of Ms. Knight-Bourn’s recognitions include the President’s Award for the First and Third Trimester, the R. Bradley Trafton Award, the Family of the Year award, the Jaycee of the Month Award, and a certificate of recognition. In addition, she received the Shooting Star Award from the Junior League of Stark County and is a member of Beta Alpha Psi, an international honor for financial information students and professionals.
Looking to the future, Ms. Knight-Bourn hopes to pursue further professional accreditation in the coming decade, either by completing the certified information systems auditor examination or achieving a certified internal auditor designation. In the long term, she aims to start a nonprofit organization as she nears retirement age.