Introducing Apereo’s New Controller and Accountant

Introducing Phyllis Dobbs, Apereo's new Controller and Laura Graves who joins Apereo as our new accountant.

 

Phyllis A Dobbs, CPA

Phyllis holds a BS in Accountancy from Clemson University and an MBA from Duke University, and is a licensed CPA in the state of Illinois.

Phyllis began her career in public accounting providing tax, audit, payroll, and bookkeeping support for a variety of local nonprofits, businesses, and individuals. Phyllis spent most of the next 15 years progressing through education publishing companies including supplemental (Tribune Education), K-6 (Pearson Scott Foresman), and Higher Ed (McGraw-Hill Education). Phyllis worked directly with Ed Tech groups to develop and manage revenue and expense budgets for growing online platforms and products.

In 2015, after spending the last two years as Controller for the Higher Ed group, Phyllis refocused her career on providing accounting, budgeting, tax, payroll, and other services to small nonprofits including a small college, an affordable housing nonprofit, and a local symphony. In 2017, Phyllis became part-time Controller for the Python Software Foundation and later, in 2018, Open Source Initiative. The last 4 and a half years were spent helping these open source 501(c)(3)s improve transparency to the Board, fiscal sponsors, and donors/members/sponsors; and develop compliance with accounting, IRS, local governance, and charitable solicitation. In addition to refining processes, procedures, and documentation, she has implemented new payroll systems, employee handbooks, and provided guidance on avoiding taxable income in addition to preparing for Python’s first external audit. Phyllis’s extensive training and experience in the nonprofit accounting industry has given her an institutional knowledge about a wide array of topics. This allows her to identify potential problems before they arise, and present creative and cost-effective solutions in a timely manner.

In her spare time, Phyllis is the Treasurer and Trustee for the Cook Memorial Public Library and volunteers in the Spring as a tax preparer for the IRS/AARP program supporting low-income and senior taxpayers.

 

 

Laura Graves

Laura holds a BS and Masters in Accountancy from the University of Alabama.

Laura began her career with two seasons in public accounting, before redirecting her focus to internal accounting for small businesses. She has nine years of accounting experience, mainly focused on accounts payable and expense management, and streamlining and enhancing business processes.

Laura began working for Python Software Foundation in 2019 as part-time Financial Analyst reporting to Phyllis Dobbs. In this role, she has spent a great deal of time creating and revising documentation and streamlining processes across all accounting functions for the PSF. She has an excellent eye for detail, while maintaining an empathetic view of the needs of external vendors, volunteers, and community members. Laura is efficient and thinks critically about every single task she takes on.

In her spare time, Laura manages the books for businesses of several family and friends. She is passionate about child welfare, and has volunteered with an advocacy group, providing a voice in the courtroom for children in foster care.

Please join us in welcoming both Phyllis and Laura to the Apereo community.