Sonia Kessler
Sonia Lynn Kessler, CPA, CFE, CICA
Director | Sikich LLC
Sonia Lynn Kessler, CPA, CFE, CICA, has excelled as an audit and accounting professional for three decades, applying her expertise in accounting and federal financial management at Sikich LLC, formerly Cotton & Company, since 2004. She joined the global technology company as a staff member and senior auditor in 2004, then still known as Cotton, a role she held for three years before climbing the ranks to become supervisory senior auditor from 2008 to 2015, and ultimately manager of the company from 2016 to 2022. She was active as senior manager when Sikich acquired Cotton and has served as its director since 2025.
In her directorial position, Ms. Kessler manages two consulting teams and is integral in supporting a departmental agency to ensure that its new financial system operates effectively. In addition, she handles any necessary adjustments and guides the agency through the implementation process, performs myriad financial reporting tasks, and prepares financial statements in accordance with the department’s guidance. Within the company, she has applied OMB, GAO, and AICPA methodologies to financial statement audits of the Department of Justice, American Train Dispatchers Association, and—most recently—Department of Defense federal agencies.
Ms. Kessler regards her most significant professional achievement to be her participation in the DoD’s first financial audit, its focus being the U.S. Navy. Her expertise in consulting within the financial management sector played a major role in this success, taking pride in helping agencies ensure the work supports the numbers reported in their financial statements and that all transactions are properly documented for both external and internal auditors.
Crediting much of her success to her partners and supervisors over the years, providing her with numerous opportunities to learn and develop a strong understanding of the federal environment, she laid the foundation of her career with the earning of a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics from George Mason University in 1999. From there, she launched her career as a legal assistant and billing coordinator at the firm Thompson O’Donnell LLP, where she remained until 2004. In subsequent years, she bolstered her credentials with coursework in accounting and finance at Northern Virginia Community College and certifications as a public accountant through the Virginia Board of Accountancy, as an internal controls auditor through the United Latino Students Association, and as a fraud examiner through the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
Outside of her primary endeavors, Ms. Kessler has long been passionate about civic participation, being a lifetime member and volunteer with the Girl Scouts and a volunteer across numerous events for the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Association of Government Accountants. In 2024, she was even recognized with a Volunteer of the Year Award. She has also held memberships with numerous professional organizations connected to her field, including the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Inc. since 2017 and the Institute for Internal Controls, Inc. since 2016.
In the future, Ms. Keslser plans to publish her work and become more engaged in the community. More personally, she looks forward to seeing her son, Harper, graduate from high school and witnessing the young man he’ll become and what career path he will take.
Press Release
Marquis Who’s Who Honors Sonia Lynn Kessler, CPA, CFE, CICA, for Expertise in Accounting Services and Federal Financial Management
Sonia Lynn Kessler, CPA, CFE, CICA, is recognized for her contributions to the financial services industry
ALEXANDRIA, VA, November 3, 2025, Sonia Lynn Kessler, CPA, CFE, CICA, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Ms. Kessler, born in Raleigh, has established a distinguished career in financial management and federal financial statement audits. Ms. Kessler had worked at Sikich (formally Cotton & Company) since 2004 and has risen through the ranks from staff to director because of her technical expertise, dedication to customer service, and leadership capabilities. Currently, as director, she manages two consulting teams and plays a pivotal role in supporting a departmental agency to ensure the effective operation of its new financial system while assisting another agency in preparing its monthly financial reports and its quarterly and annual financial statements and related disclosures. Throughout her career, Ms. Kessler has supported multiple federal agencies, ranging in size and complexities, with a wide variety of federal financial management and internal control tasks. Throughout her career, Ms. Kessler has managed audit engagements, assisted government agencies in implementing new systems and remediating deficient or inadequate business processes, providing support to ensure those systems and processes support internal control objectives and are audit-ready, and aided agency management in meeting federal financial reporting requirements and standards.
Currently, her responsibilities include making necessary adjustments, guiding the agency through implementation processes, performing financial reporting tasks, and preparing financial statements in accordance with departmental guidelines and federal financial standards. Ms. Kessler’s expertise in consulting within the financial management sector is evident in her commitment to ensuring that agency financial statements are accurately reported, that transactions recorded are fully supported, and all transactions are properly documented for both external and internal auditors. Among her most significant achievements while at Sikich is her participation in the initial audit of the United States Navy, marking a historic milestone for the Department of Defense as it undertook its first financial statement audits. This accomplishment stands as a testament to Ms. Kessler’s dedication to advancing transparency and accountability within federal agencies.
Ms. Kessler began her professional journey as a legal assistant and billing coordinator at Thompson O’Donnell from 1999 to 2004, where she developed essential organizational and analytical skills that would later support her transition into accounting and finance.
Her professional affiliations reflect her commitment to ongoing development within her field. Since 2017, Ms. Kessler has been a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. She has also been involved with The Institute for Internal Controls since 2016. From 2019 to 2025, she served as secretary and newsletter editor for a local chapter of the AGA (formerly the Association of Government Accountants), contributing to knowledge sharing and professional engagement within the industry.
Ms. Kessler’s academic background includes coursework in accounting and finance at Northern Virginia Community College, completed in 2005, which provided her with a strong technical foundation for her career in auditing and consulting. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics from George Mason University in 1999, equipping her with analytical skills essential for success in complex financial environments.
Her professional credentials include being a certified public accountant through the Virginia Board of Accountancy, a certified fraud examiner through the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and a certified internal controls auditor through The Institute for Internal Controls. These certifications underscore her expertise and commitment to maintaining high standards within her profession.
Ms. Kessler attributes much of her success to excellent partners, principals, and managers who offered numerous opportunities for learning and growth within the federal environment. Their mentorship enabled her to develop a comprehensive understanding of government operations and best practices.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Ms. Kessler is actively engaged in civic activities. In addition to volunteering at community service events organized by the Northern Virginia Chapter of AGA, she is a lifetime member and volunteer with Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast Council, her home council within Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA). In recognition of her dedication to service to AGA and to her local chapter, Ms. Kessler received the AGA Chapter Volunteer of the Year Award and her chapter’s President’s Award in 2024.
In her personal life, Ms. Kessler enjoys watching crime dramas, crocheting, and raising her son. She also takes an active interest in learning about chess tournaments for him. Looking ahead, Ms. Kessler wishes to publish one day and become more engaged in the community. Her personal goal is to see her son graduate from high school and witness his growth into adulthood, as well as his chosen career path.
Ms. Kessler’s career reflects a steadfast commitment to excellence in federal financial management, continuous professional development, and meaningful community involvement.
