AAFCPAs Honors 2025 Team Member Award Recipients
AAFCPAs is proud to honor the outstanding achievements of our 2025 employee award recipients. The individuals honored this year reflect values that guide all of us. Their examples show how kindness steadies teams through change, how emerging leaders help colleagues grow, how a growth mindset opens new paths, and how inclusion, innovation, and character strengthen every relationship. Their work reminds us that progress is rarely the result of a single moment; it is built through daily choices, careful listening, and a willingness to help someone else move forward.
We hope these stories offer a glimpse into the values that shape our work and the relationships we build. Perhaps you’ll see echoes of your own experience with AAFCPAs or discover something new about the people behind your engagements.
Mary Scaduto
The Kindness Award
Mary Scaduto is the deserving recipient of AAFCPAs’ 2025 peer-nominated Michael Oliveira Kindness Award, presented annually since 2022 in memory of a remarkable colleague who inspired others with his selfless care and positivity. Mary embodies Michael’s spirit of unconditional care and concern for others and selfless kindness.
Mary’s colleagues describe her as a steady source of support and positivity during a time of significant change. She is “always willing to help out with anything and responds timely.” During our audit methodology transition, Mary “was extremely helpful,” pairing patience with precision as she “worked hard to help my team with financial statements and footnote presentations, going above and beyond to meet these deadlines.” Just as important, her presence elevated team morale: “She is a welcoming person and has been a great source of joy during a massive transition period.”
Joseph D. Santese III
Joseph Santese III
The Emerging Leader Award
Joseph Santese III is the 2025 recipient of the Emerging Leader Award, recognized for his leadership qualities in areas of client service, technical competency, strategic thinking, recruitment, developing others, inclusion or innovation.
Joseph is widely seen as a leader in practice as well as in title; teammates say, “he already has all the skills and abilities of a great leader.” Even with a heavy client slate, he invests in others. “He has taken on a lot this year and still takes the time to train others,” and he strengthens understanding by “always taking the time to help me understand the ‘why’ behind what I’m doing.” The result is a culture that people feel proud to be part of: “His leadership skills are truly admirable. He lifts his team up and creates a collaborative environment.”
Hui-Ting Grady
The Growth Mindset Award
Hui-Ting Grady has been awarded the 2025 Growth Mindset Award, celebrating her commitment to seeking collaborators, embracing challenges, and proactively looking for opportunities to learn, grow, and improve. Hui-Ting demonstrates a commitment to support the firm’s strategic pillars of people, culture, and profitable growth. She joins past recipients who are also innovators and risk takers.
Hui-Ting’s colleagues describe a leader whose impact will resonate well beyond this season. “She has created endless guidance for audit teams to use to assist them with audit work going forward,” one teammate shared, noting that her contributions include not only detailed documentation but also countless hours of training. Her leadership during our new audit technology implementation has been “outstanding,” setting a tone of clarity and collaboration. Hui-Ting also “opened her mind this year to re-interpret the accounting standards,” bridging the gap between past practices and the new audit methodology approach. Tireless in her commitment, she ensures “our audit files have the best documentation that meets all the audit standards,” raising the bar for quality across the board.
Erin Cann
The Innovation Award
Erin Cann is the 2025 recipient of the Innovation Award, honoring her proactive approach to identifying opportunities for efficiency and automation. She has taken the lead in projects to improve processes and workflows that benefit the firm and the client experience.
Erin’s colleagues describe someone who is always looking ahead. “She is constantly thinking about how we can improve our current processes as well as ensuring that the work we are doing is correct under the new guidance,” one teammate shared. Her influence has been felt across the firm as “an integral part of the education niche as well as the audit methodology change leadership team this season.” Erin’s proactive approach stands out—“she has brought up numerous challenges and solutions, which has helped us enhance our audit methodology change overall.” Her ability to combine critical thinking with collaboration has made her a driving force for progress.
Shannon Veilleux
Inclusion and Belonging (I&B) Award
Shannon Veilleux is the deserving recipient of the 2025 Inclusion and Belonging (I&B) Award. This award recognizes Shannon’s genuine desire to build a work environment that exemplifies I&B through her own actions, education of others, and communication of what I&B means to AAFCPAs. As a leader and representative who champions the ideologies of I&B in our firm, Shannon not only advances these principles amongst her peers but also shows our clients the commitment AAFCPAs has to this very important tenet of our culture.
Shannon’s colleagues describe her as the heart of the firm’s Inclusion & Belonging efforts. “She is an invaluable member of the I&B Council and routinely steps in to run events, ask good questions, and champion actual inclusion and belonging every day,” one teammate shared. Her impact goes beyond committee work—“she is so many things—kind, smart, committed to her work, and also committed to I&B.” Conversations about Shannon are “always filled with positive enthusiasm,” reflecting how deeply she cares about supporting others. Those who work with her see an active listener who is “open-minded, conscientious, and warm,” and many say, “I am honored to work with her and believe she embodies and exemplifies I&B just by being herself.” Her colleagues call her “a passionate and dedicated advocate for Inclusion & Belonging,” someone “deeply committed to strengthening the firm’s I&B culture, ensuring that it remains visible, valued, and a vital part of who we are.” Through her efforts, Shannon makes a meaningful difference in fostering a workplace where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and included.
Shannon (Triebwasser) Veilleux
Patrick Downes
The Exceptional CPA Achievement Award
Patrick Downes is the proud recipient of AAFCPAs’ inaugural 2025 Exceptional CPA Achievement Award, which recognizes outstanding success on the CPA exam by a Zip2CPA participant. Zip2CPA is AAFCPAs’ structured program that combines hands-on accounting experience, personalized coaching, and exam support to help team members earn their CPA credential efficiently. The award is presented to a team member(s) in recognition of achieving exceptional performance by passing all four sections of the CPA exam on the first attempt and with a final score on each of the four parts of at least a 90 or higher.
“Patrick’s achievement is nothing short of remarkable, demonstrating exceptional dedication and mastery across all areas of the CPA exam,” said Jeff Mead, CPA, CGMA, AAFCPAs Assurance Partner and former Executive-Faculty-in-Residence and Adjunct Professor of Accounting at UMASS Lowell. “Patrick wowed us with scores of: FAR 94, REG 96, AUD 93, and Information Systems and Controls (ISC) 99 with an average score of 95.5.”
Patrick’s colleagues say his commitment to excellence “exemplifies the spirit of the Zip2CPA program and sets a high bar for future candidates.” Beyond his academic success, Patrick is known for his approachable and supportive nature. As his study partner, Alex Mellen, shared: “He is very friendly, always willing to help, and is a dog lover!” This combination of professional rigor and personal warmth makes Patrick a standout contributor and a role model for others pursuing their CPA journey.
Honoring Efforts That Strengthen Our Culture
“At AAFCPAs, we are fortunate to work with team members who approach each day with purpose and a commitment to high standards,” explained AAFCPAs’ Managing Partner Carla McCall, CPA, CGMA. “Their dedication to learning, their discipline in keeping commitments, and their care for colleagues and communities strengthen the foundation our clients rely on. These awards recognize individuals whose work advances our values and supports the experience we aim to deliver for every organization we serve.”