I began my career with Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC) in Washington, D.C. straight out of college. After rising up the ranks at a “Big-Four” accounting firm, I did not envision myself pursuing my career in a large international firm as I felt driven by an entrepreneurial spirit. This led me to starting my own firm in 1982. The firm experienced rapid growth, which I partially contribute to the firm being one of the first-generation firms of ex Big-Four management, bringing the high quality that the big firms train you in, with the personal service and fee structure of a small firm. The firm attracted clients that wanted high-quality services but at smaller firm prices. The firm serviced clients including small family-owned businesses, nonprofit organizations, and even larger public-held companies. 

The firm grew in seven years to a Top 25 firm in the Washington D.C. area. My practice went through several mergers, once in 2008 with a larger regional firm in the Washington, D.C, area and again in 2015 with a large national firm. In 2018, I left the large national firm and started up LJH & Associates.

During this time, I  developed a nationally recognized forensic accounting and consulting practice, in addition to serving our traditional attest, tax and advisory clients. I have been involved in numerous high-profile cases as a consulting and testifying forensic accounting expert and consider myself a subject matter expert in the field of forensic accounting.

I have also always had a passion for teaching and mentoring. In 2015, I fulfilled this passion by becoming a professor at my undergraduate ala mater where I developed both an undergraduate and graduate program in forensic accounting, along with teaching auditing. In six short years, I was awarded the 2020 Educator of the Year award by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and the undergraduate program was rated # 1 in the U.S. by Accountg-degree.org. I taught some amazing young people who have gone on to have tremendous careers in the field of forensic accounting, public accounting, and private industry. A number of my ex-students have and continue to work with LJH & Associates.

During the 2015 through 2021 timeframe, I continued to teach and practice. Yes, I will admit to being a workaholic, but I love what I do. In 2021, due to the demands of my practice, I left teaching to pursue practicing full-time. I could not continue to do both and chose to continue and grow my practice with a number of my ex-students. My long-term goal is to build LJH & Associates and, one day down the road, pass it on to a younger generation, many of which may be some of my ex-students.

My passion has always been to work closely with small to medium size business owners and nonprofits. I understand the stresses and strains that owners and executive teams face. I know LJH & Associates can make a difference through the diverse services we offer and years of expertise to bring you peace of mind.

I love the work and challenges of our forensic accounting practice, whether it is conducting a fraud or internal investigation, serving as an expert or consultant in a civil or criminal litigation matter, or working with business owners to determine the value of their business, be it for buy-out or estate and gifting purposes. We work with many excellent legal service providers in this capacity.

I also enjoy training and mentoring young professionals, inspiring them to succeed in this profession. The profession has been very good to me, and I want to pass along my skills and knowledge to the next generation of CPAs and consultants.

These were the reasons that I relaunched my firm as LJH & Associates. As a boutique firm of  professionals and support personnel, I’m always personally involved to help you with the  professional services  our firm can offer