2023 40 Under 40: Sabrena Shipley

Last edited 11:55 a.m., March 13, 2023

Sabrena Shipley decided in high school to become her family’s first college graduate and has been setting higher career goals since. After graduating in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, she quickly obtained a master’s degree and a CPA license.

“I had to work tirelessly to make those dreams a reality,” she says.

The hard work paid off, and since starting a career at Abacus CPAs, Shipley, 25, has been promoted twice, most recently to consultant, and received the inaugural Abacus Ownership Values Award. She then co-facilitated a firmwide retreat emphasizing the value and focus of ownership in the job. She also mentors Abacus employees studying for their CPA exams.

“We succeed when we work as a team,” she says. “I want to inspire young leaders; I want them to know they are capable of achieving anything they dedicate themselves to.”

To serve the community, she’s on the finance committee of the Girls on the Run nonprofit and a financial adviser to the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority at Missouri State University.

Your proudest moment? Graduating from college as a first-generation college student.

What about your job would shock people? You do not have to be good at math to be an accountant! Communication and leadership skills go a long way. We interpret and analyze data and client situations more often than is assumed.