GMA welcomes Senior Nonprofit Accountant Mark Phan

In conversation with GMA’s Jenna McCarthy, Mark reflects on his career experience in accounting and how he’s come to call the nonprofit world home.

What led you to GMA Foundations?

I joined GMA Foundations with experience in accounting for both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Over time, I’ve realized that working for nonprofit clients is where I belong because their work gives meaning to my work.

Numbers have long been my comfort zone! In high school and college, I applied my quantitative skills as the treasurer for all the clubs I belonged to and excelled in my accounting coursework. This led me to pursue an accelerated master’s program at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth where I graduated in five years with a master’s degree in accounting. I’m the first in my family to graduate with an advanced degree.

After several jobs in accounting with increased responsibility, I am thrilled to be at GMA – working with nonprofit organizations is rewarding and fulfilling. Here I can apply my skills to help an organization or foundation that positively impacts its communities. That makes it all worth it, especially since staring at numbers all day is not always the most exciting thing.

What are you passionate about?

I am grateful to all the role models I’ve had in my life and now would like to set an example for younger people with experiences like mine.

I grew up in a low-income community and I looked up to the people in my community who were going to school, graduating, and getting their degrees. These role models shaped how I wanted my future to be as a first-generation Asian American immigrant. My parents came to America after the Vietnam War and never graduated from college. By watching others be the first in their families to graduate, I pushed myself to achieve the same thing. I hope to inspire people like me to go on and get their degrees.

What do you like about working at GMA?

The people! Everyone has been very welcoming and understanding since I started in August, and I enjoy the flexibility of the hybrid work model.

Additionally, everyone is passionate about the work they do, especially the top-notch service they provide to our clients, which motivates me to strive to do the same.

Finally, I also appreciate how GMA encourages professional development. For example, I recently had the opportunity to complete an introductory course in philanthropy, taught by Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy. It was a great experience, and I learned a lot!

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like spending time with my family and friends. I also like watching sports, golfing, and playing poker.

Fun Fact: I am an avid sneaker collector. I started collecting in high school and now have over 20 pairs.

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Jenna McCarthy, foundation assistant at GMA, led and abridged this conversation with her colleague. Find Mark Phan’s bio here.