Overview
Mercedes (Merci) Bowie is a CPA with 20+ years supporting a wide variety of nonprofit organizations through financial statement audits*, compliance engagements, and advisory services. Her focus includes nonprofit reporting, federal and state required single audits, agreed-upon procedures, and donor/specified-element audits, with experience serving complex, multi-location organizations with domestic and global operations.
Experience
Merci has led engagements across university healthcare and hospital systems, physician groups, domestic and international charities, cultural institutions, social service agencies, and educational organizations. Her experience spans federal and state award audits under OMB Uniform Guidance and state and local requirements, as well as complex engagements involving merger and acquisition transactions, variable interest entity consolidations, donor-restricted and board-advised endowment portfolios, and alternative and hard-to-value investments.
She regularly presents to audit and finance committees and boards, tailoring content to address audit findings, internal control best practices, industry trends, and client-specific operational highlights.
Education & Affiliations
Merci holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and maintains CPA licensure in Maryland and Virginia. She also earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer and Information Science and Environmental Science, reflecting her commitment to bridging environmental stewardship with the rise of artificial intelligence.
She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA), the Greater Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants (GWSCPA), the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA), and the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).
Merci currently serves as Treasurer for Cliffside Arts, a ceramic and arts center advancing art and community through practice, collaboration, retreat, and exhibition. She previously served on the Board of Reading Partners – DC and as Chairperson of the Board of Aspire Counseling (now a resource of Sheppard Pratt).
*Aprio assurance, attest, and audit services provided by Aprio, LLP.