This week, we are proud to share Jessi Nicoll’s story.

Jessi joined Sendero as an Accounting & Finance Specialist in our Dallas office in 2013. She earned her Bachelor’s in Finance from the Texas A&M University and has more than ten years of accounting and finance experience.

We sat down with Jessi to ask her about her experience as a Senior Manager of Accounting & Finance.

What led you to Sendero?

I was working for a nonprofit organization that I loved, but had hit the ceiling of my growth potential there. I was contemplating going back to school or making a career move when a friend of mine (a consultant at Sendero) reached out about an accounting and finance position at Sendero. I loved everything I heard about the company and here I am eight years later!

What stands out to you about Sendero?

The people are truly what make Sendero different. Our leaders and executives embody our core values and lead by example every day. This trickles down to employees at every level and really brings out a culture of collaboration and shared success. I always feel that I can reach out for help or guidance to anyone at any time.

What is your favorite part of your role?

My favorite part of my job is helping to plan for the future of Sendero and to set us up for success as we grow. Because we are in such a rapid growth period, we are constantly evaluating our tools and processes to make sure they are efficient and scalable. Work plans and projects are often popping up and changing and it keeps me on my toes.

What is one task or responsibility you have that people outside your team might not know about?

I oversee our annual 401k audit. Once a 401k plan reaches a certain size, it must be audited annually to make sure it complies with regulatory standards. I have learned more about 401k plans than I ever thought I would know.

What is one skill you have gotten the opportunity to improve over the last year?

I have had the chance to learn Power BI, which I had no experience with prior. The opportunities to use this tool in our reporting methods are endless, and my team looks forward to leveraging its capabilities more in the future.

Have you worked on any committees or community rocks? What did that entail?

In my early days at Sendero I was a part of the wellness committee. Fitness and nutrition are two things I am very passionate about in my personal life, so having a chance to bring those concepts and ideas to Sendero was such a great experience. I have worked on a few community rocks as well and enjoyed them very much. The community rock program gives the internal team a great opportunity to see what kinds of things our consultants are doing on a daily basis. This is also how I got involved with one of the nonprofits I volunteer for, Our Friends Place. I am currently on the DEI committee which has been a great way for me to step out of my comfort zone and learn more about diversity, equity and inclusion, and how to celebrate those in the workplace.

If you go back and could tell yourself in college one piece of advice, what would it be?

Take advantage of every opportunity to meet new people and experience new cultures. One of the best parts of college is that there are so many unique people in one place. Get outside of your comfort zone and try new things.

What is the last book you read?

I love to read and like to jump from genre to genre. The last book I finished was Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. I am currently reading the Shining by Stephen King.

What is your favorite non-profit to support?

I have several nonprofits that I love to support. I worked for The Pines before coming to Sendero, so I still like to support them whenever possible. They are a nonprofit summer camp in East Texas. I am also on the Board of Directors for a small nonprofit called Bea’s Kids that helps to provide educational and personal development programs to children from low-income families to help them stay in school and break the cycle of poverty. Additionally, I am a member of the finance committee for Our Friends Place, which helps young women break generational cycles of abuse, neglect, poverty and homelessness. I cannot choose just one because these organizations all mean so much to me and they all do wonderful things in our community!