The Illinois CPA Society and CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois are excited to announce that their very own Kari L. Natale, CAE, has been honored with Association Forum’s Inspiring Leader Award — one of the association’s most prestigious awards bestowed upon leaders strengthening the association profession — and will be formally recognized at Association Forum’s
Honors Gala on June, 18, 2020 at the Chicago Marriott Downtown-Magnificent Mile.
The Inspiring Leader Award is presented to an individual who has established a culture leading to employee satisfaction, motivation, engagement, and achievement. As the Illinois CPA Society’s senior director of Planning & Governance, and the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois’ senior director, Natale has continually demonstrated support of employee development, offers herself as a mentor to all touched by the organizations, sustains employee morale during challenging times, and models leadership behavior and excellence. Natale has also been instrumental in the growth and development of the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois’ scholarship, development, and outreach programs, which have garnered national attention for their reach and impact on increasing diversity and inclusion in the CPA profession.
“Kari is an intelligent, strategic, and dependable association leader whom we hold in high regard. We are very proud of Kari and all she has accomplished,” says Illinois CPA Society President and CEO Todd Shapiro. “What great recognition from her colleagues in the association community.”
Natale, 37, currently a Chicago resident, is a native of Crete-Monee and an alumna of Eastern Illinois University (Bachelor’s of Arts, 2004) and DePaul University (Master’s in Nonprofit Management, 2015). She is a current member of Association Forum, American Society of Association Executives, and Association of Fundraising Professionals. Natale was also formerly named one of Association Forum’s “Forty Under 40” up-and-coming nonprofit professionals.
About the Illinois CPA Society
Founded in 1903, the Illinois CPA Society, with more than 23,200 members, is one of the largest state CPA societies in the nation. Its mission is dedicated to enhancing the value of the CPA profession through the strategic initiatives of advocacy, information, education, and connections.
About the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois
The CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1998 by Illinois CPA Society members. The Fund was created to ensure ongoing funding for scholarship and outreach programs. The programs are geared toward encouraging individuals to choose accounting as a career and achieve the CPA credential. Visit
www.icpas.org/endowment.
About Association Forum
Association Forum’s mission is to “advance the professional practice of association management.” Founded in 1916, Association Forum serves 47,000 association professionals whose efforts serve more than 37 million members and generate $22 billion in global annual expenditures. For more information, visit
www.associationforum.org.