Sara Gould is a Senior Associate and Director of Project Accounting and Systems at Kirksey. After six years of exceptional work and career success with Kirksey, the firm announced her new title during its 53rd-anniversary celebration.
Sara began as a sub-consultant in fire protection, where she got her first glimpse of the architecture side of the safety industry. She combined that interest with her accounting degree and work experience to begin a new career that now spans 20 years.
"My exposure to the architecture industry within that role drew me in," she said, "and I've never looked back."
From there, Sara fine-tuned her skills at architectural firms in Houston. She landed at Kirksey's Houston office in 2018 as an Accounting Manager.
Her experience in the industry includes technical accounting skills and working with people in many capacities, from leading teams to mentoring to training others in project financial management. Sara invests her time and energy into newer staff members, guiding them to find their long-term career success. This coaching mentality allowed her to fit easily into the Kirksey team and culture.
Kirksey's reputation as a dynamic and fun workplace drew Sara to the firm when she applied almost seven years ago. She knew Kirksey's leadership was well known for valuing people and culture and that the firm had held on to these essential characteristics through intense growth and challenging times.
"I always heard great things about both Kirksey's people and their culture, and to see a firm grow and maintain those traits is truly an accomplishment," she said. "I'm very proud of it."
Sara's specialized and advanced expertise in Deltek Systems, specifically in the architecture industry, is a key element of Kirksey's successful accounting department and embodies the firm's belief in individual professionalism and personal development.
As the Director of Project Accounting and Systems, Sara leverages her years of experience toward growing the business by engaging in project processes, enhancing the company's use of metrics, and encouraging software development. She synthesizes and applies all the data to business and process improvement across departments. Her unique role gives her insight into Kirksey's many interdisciplinary business segments.
When she looks at Kirksey's future, Sara is excited about the direction in which the firm is going. She has loved watching it grow and looks forward to the expansion of Kirksey's current offices and the potential of future locations. Keeping Kirksey on the cutting edge of technology is a crucial factor in the firm's growth, and she plays a pivotal role in how the firm adopts and integrates new technology.
"I'm excited to see where we can go with utilizing technology, and I look forward to collaborating with our departments and studios on automation and innovation," she said.
Outside of work, Sara applies her account and systems management skills as a sports mom, often found on the football field, baseball field, or basketball court. When not watching her kids play, she also enjoys cooking, entertaining, watching anything on Bravo TV, and keeping up with the British Royal family.
