Allison Kaspari has spent much of her decade in the accounting industry prioritizing connection and mentorship. While Kaspari, an Assurance senior manager, has always been eager to help others thrive — from being a buddy to new hires to becoming a career advisor to teammates —her approach to connection has evolved to embrace shifts in her life and career. This shift in mindset has helped her forge deeper relationships — and inspired others to prioritize their own development and well-being.
Empowering Others to Succeed
Kaspari believes that mentorship helps create both a support system and an environment of growth, where feedback is normalized and embraced. She began her mentorship journey early in her career as a buddy, helping to acclimate new hires to their roles. Since then, she has acted as a career coach, meeting with team members regularly to discuss career goals as well as chat about any professional or personal conflicts they may need help navigating.
Outside of BDO, Kaspari has mentored first-generation college students from the Mike Ilitch College of Business at Wayne State University. A first-generation college student herself, Kaspari felt she could offer the guidance and insights she didn’t have access to when in school. She has mentored several students over the years whom she remains in touch with today, meeting regularly to talk about their schoolwork, potential career paths and other timely topics.
A New Phase of Life
In 2024, Kaspari’s life changed when she became a mother. Beyond the significant personal transformation that comes with parenthood, she also saw a change in the way she viewed mentorship.
“Before becoming a parent, I was just trying to climb the corporate ladder as quickly as possible and find a mentor who could help me get there,” said Kaspari. “Now, my outlook and my goals have changed due to where I am in my life.”
She’s now seeking out connections with other working parents and, recently, helped to establish a Working Moms group in the Detroit office, meeting with other working moms across practices. These connections with those who understand the duality of having two high-responsibility roles at the same time offer an opportunity for group members to share insights into how they juggle career growth and parenting, as well as best practices that are working for them.
Adds Kaspari: “It really helps reduce guilt and the feeling of isolation knowing that others have and do feel the same way as I do — feeling the pressure of showing up in the workplace, but then also being a present parent at home.”
She also notes that this new phase of life and shift in mindset have helped her become a better mentor to other professionals, as she can now pay forward the support and advice she’s received and the new perspective she’s gained. Kaspari is focused on transparency in these relationships — mainly with other women — to show how she really manages her day-to-day work and life responsibilities.
Kaspari with her daughter.
Kaspari (left) with colleagues Kelsy Fay and Adrianna Touma at BDO event.