FOCUS

Standing the Test of Time 

to become CPAs and Trailblazers. 

railblazers honors distinguished new CPAs who demonstrate innovation, dedication and community commitment early in their careers; but for Christie Littlefield, CPA, and Saunya Moore, CPA, becoming CPAs and Trailblazers rekindled a friendship established early on in their lives. Te two met when Moore transferred to Littlefield’s school halfway through their fifth-grade year. Tey occasionally had classes together from junior high through high school. “We didn’t spend a lot of time together outside of

T

school,” said Littlefield, managing partner with Ober & Littlefield, CPAs, PLLC in Miami, Oklahoma. “It wasn’t that we didn’t want to or didn’t like each other, life just had us in different places.” “We had mutual friends, but each of us had a

different core group of friends,” said Moore, chief financial officer with Parkside Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

After graduating from Pryor High School in 1988, Littlefield and Moore attended separate colleges and did not regenerate their friendship until 2012. “I applied to sit for the exam and noticed on

Facebook that Saunya had found out she passed one of [the sections],” Littlefield said. “So we reached out to each other, and that’s where it all started.” “Having already passed two of the exams, I wanted to offer study material and support to [Littlefield] if she needed it,” Moore said. “It was through our initial Facebook chats that we renewed our friendship and journeyed down the road to CPA certification together.” “After high school, our professional paths took

different routes, which allowed us individualized experiences and expertise that became invaluable during the exams,” Moore added. “Tere were areas and topics she was knowledgeable about due to her professional experience and some where I was more helpful because of my professional experience. We made a great team.” “[Moore] was a constant form of support and

motivation,” Littlefield said. “We studied hard together, we cheered each other on and we celebrated each win together.”

“Troughout the process, we had our ups and

downs and became whatever the situation dictated – a cheerleader, a sounding board, a study buddy, a shoulder to cry on,” Moore added. “She was the first person I called after taking each exam and when the results were released.” Littlefield and Moore took the final section of the exam in late 2013 and were both honored at the New CPA Ceremony at the Oklahoma State Capitol on May 31, 2014. “Our families provided so much support, but it was nice to be supported by someone who could understand what you were going through,” Littlefield said.

Moore added, “We truly went through a life-

altering process together.” Less than a year later, Littlefield and Moore were both honored as members of the 2015 Trailblazer class. “Being a Trailblazer with Christie was definitely a highlight of our friendship and professional careers, and I’m glad I had her to share it with,” Moore said. “I have found that we are a lot alike in that we are strong, driven and highly-motivated women, and both of us have had similar obstacles in our life we had to overcome.”

Littlefield and Moore have remained close friends and continue to share professional and personal accomplishments with one another. “Professionally, her firm provides accounting

services for a local nonprofit that I volunteer for, which provides opportunities for interaction,” Moore said. “On a personal level, we celebrate milestones in our lives – like the recent birth of my grandchild and the upcoming birth of her first grandchild. “Tough we are past the CPA exam and all it

entails, we have remained very good friends and share in life’s ups and downs.”

34 CPAFOCUS

March/April 2016

Then...

And now!