Manju Patnaik

I serve our public sector clients with two areas of focus: single audits and public employer pension plans. As the firm’s single audit technical specialist, I assist a variety of public sector clients (with significant federal awards) with their accounting, auditing, and grants management needs. I also have extensive experience and training in the areas of governmental accounting and auditing, concentrating on public employer pension plans (including single employer plans, agent plans, and cost-sharing plans).

Additionally, I’m a member of our OMB grant reform task force and the firm’s professional standards team (PST). In my role as the single audit technical specialist for the PST, I’m responsible for quality control, implementing new regulations, performing engagement quality reviews, serving as a technical consultant to engagement teams, and developing in-house training seminars and federal audit programs for firmwide use.

While I like unraveling complex audit and compliance issues, what I enjoy most is the opportunity to coach and mentor staff. I’ve been with the firm more than a decade, and my greatest accomplishments are the relationships I’ve developed — with clients and colleagues. Having these long-term relationships has helped me become a better advisor to my clients and a better coach and mentor to staff at the firm.

I’ve had the opportunity to speak at various conferences hosted by the Michigan Association of CPAs (MICPA) as well as conferences held by the New York Government Officers Association and the Florida Government Officers Association. I’m an AICPA-certified single audit specialist, and I belong to the AICPA and the MICPA. I received my M.S. in accounting from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Beyond work, I have fun trying to play soccer in the backyard with my husband, kids, and the dog or I’m singing while the kids try to create music.