Kim joined us at Hawthorne & Co. CPAs in March 2020 as our Firm Administrator. After nearly 30 years as a Registered Nurse, and experience as the Director of School Nurses for Highline Public Schools system, she was ready for the opportunity to bring her leadership skills to the family business.

Kim came to Hawthorne & Co. CPAs excited to help organize and coordinate the HR and business aspects of running an accounting firm because it appealed to her desire to push and challenge herself in a new way.

One of Kim’s favorite parts of working at Hawthorne & Co. CPAs is the ability to work with family members in a professional capacity. She says collaborating with family as colleagues has enabled her to see a whole other side of them that she would not have otherwise been able to experience. She jokes that she enjoys getting to be the boss at home and at work now.

Kim also very much enjoys that the firm size really supports a closer-knit family feeling with all of the staff and many of our clients.

With her experience in professional settings, Kim has come to learn that communication is one of the most valuable skills you can have. Her advice to young professionals would be to develop and hone their communication skills.

“It’s so important to ask thoughtful questions to help you grow as a professional, and to connect with colleagues and clients to form trusting relationships that help others know they can rely on and respect the work you do. 

It’s also important to understand that a significant part of communication is listening – listening to understand rather than to respond. Communication is the key that will unlock many doors!”

Kim’s favorite things to do in her free time are spending time with family, and cooking and enjoying good food. She also loves to travel, when she can, to sunny, warm, tropical climates. 

Many people don’t know this about her, but Kim was born in Vietnam and is half Vietnamese, although she can not speak the language. She hasn’t been to Vietnam since she was a baby, but it’s on her bucket list of places to visit.

Learn more about Kim and the rest of our staff by visiting our staff page.