NEW YORK – (Nov. 19, 2015) - Joanne S. Barry, CEO and executive director of the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA)—the nation’s first and third largest state organization for accounting professionals—has been named one of the profession’s “Most Powerful.”

Barry was one of 26 executives from across the United States honored today as 2015’s Most Powerful Women in Accounting by CPA Practice Advisor magazine.

“I am humbled to be one of this influential group of professionals,” Barry said. “Women continue to work hard to have their skills and talent recognized, and not just their gender.”

For the past five years, Barry has also been selected as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting by Accounting Today magazine.

The 28,000 members of the NYSSCPA reside or practice in New York state in all areas of public practice, including government, education, health care, real estate, technology and entertainment. The Society offers relevant industry insight on financial and tax issues, and provides on-going continuing education, career development and public service programs. Barry also serves as publisher of the organization’s magazines—The CPA Journal and NextGen—and its newspaper, The Trusted Professional, as well as director of its Foundation for Accounting Education.

The Union, N.J., resident is president-elect of the CPA Society Executives Association (CPA/SEA) Board of Directors and serves on the Montclair State University Accounting, Law and Taxation Advisory Board. She also serves on the Department of Accounting and Taxation Executive Advisory Board at St. John’s University’s Peter J. Tobin College of Business; the Accountants Forum Board of Directors; and on the board of the New York Society of Association Executives (NYSAE).

In addition, she is the former vice chair of the AICPA Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Barry is an alumna of Montclair State University and holds a master’s degree from The New School in New York City.