Voice of Experience: Lisa Sawicki, Partner, Assurance, PwC

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“Be proud of your accomplishments,” advised Lisa Sawicki, an assurance partner in PwC’s Charlotte office, and national diversity leader of the firm’s assurance practice.

“I still think we have a dynamic, even among successful women, to be less forthcoming with their accomplishments. Be confident and willing to talk about them!”

Career Path

Sawicki has been with PwC for her entire career – since she joined the firm’s New York office in 1989, straight out of college. Four years later, she transferred to the Dallas office, where she spent the next fourteen years, becoming partner in 2003.

“I think what’s interesting is that I had a flexible work arrangement from 1996 to 2003, and still made partner. A lot of women are concerned with how to balance everything,” she said.

She continued, “What I wish I had known when I started my career is that there is no one right path to take. There are many paths to success in this firm. You have to be flexible, you have to be agile, and you have to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.”

In 2006, Sawicki transferred to PwC’s Charlotte office, working in the firm’s assurance line of service, specializing in the financial services industry. She is currently the market team leader for the financial services practice for the Carolinas.

“This is an interesting and challenging time in banking and the capital markets,” she said. “There’s an unprecedented pace of regulatory activity with fairly pervasive impacts to client activities. It presents challenges and opportunities.”

Sawicki is a member of the assurance national leadership team, and she recently was named the assurance practice diversity leader.

“It’s very different from what I do on a day-to-day basis. Diversity is a topic I’ve always been personally passionate about. And now, going from a local role to the national level is really exciting. I’m working on more strategic things for the firm overall, as opposed to the direct client service I do on a daily basis.”

Advice for Professional Women

As for women new to the workforce, Sawicki advised, “Take advantage of every opportunity that you get, and learn everything possible with the opportunities that you are given.”

She added, “Public accounting can be a phenomenal career, and it’s also a phenomenal place to launch a career. There is a myriad of things you can do going forward.”

She feels that PwC works hard to accommodate the needs of its female workforce. “I honestly believe that the only barrier to being successful in this firm is women themselves. We have every structural support for women to be successful here,” she said. “Nevertheless, the reality is that the client service business can be demanding at times. We have all sorts of programs to be successful – but it doesn’t mean they make it easy.”

She explained, “Flex enabled me to be successful, but it was still challenging to balance my career and feel like I was operating at the highest level at work and at home. You have to set your priorities.”

She praised the firm’s flexible programs, explaining that even the programs themselves are flexible. “They’re not one-size-fits-all. They’re geared toward being adapted to particular circumstances and needs. For example, I used a flexible work arrangement, but there’s no one type of flexible work arrangement. They’re tailored to an individual’s needs and work obligations.”

“It was invaluable to me,” she continued. “Flex enabled me to meet my home and client needs. For others, a reduced time schedule might be better, or a condensed work week, or the ability to work from home.”

In Her Personal Time

“I have a husband and two boys, thirteen and fifteen,” she said. “They’re both very active in sports, so my main hobby is sitting on the sidelines and watching them play. I’m very passionate about that!”

Having recently visited South Africa, she added, “I also absolutely love to travel – any chance I get.”