The 2023 Rising Stars of the Profession: Kimberly Ratto

Kimberly Ratto, a Managing Director with StoneTurn, is experienced in providing forensic accounting and dispute consulting services. Assisting attorneys and corporations, Kimberly has work with clients on a variety of corporate investigations related to fraud and embezzlement, improper revenue recognition, improper application of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and various other types of financial statement manipulation. Kimberly also has experience in providing support to counsel in complex litigation matters, including breach of contract and post-acquisition disputes. Her litigation experience includes quantifying economic damages, contributing in the preparation of expert reports and pre-trial analysis. Kimberly has worked with clients in various industries, including financial services, consumer businesses, medical devices and the public sector. She is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

What would you say has been the biggest factor in your success so far?

The biggest factor of my success thus far has been the mentorship of key individuals who exemplify a strong work ethic and diverse values that I strive to live up to. Learning by example and having an open and transparent dialogue with my mentors throughout my career has put me in the right mindset to not only excel professionally on an individual level, but has helped me model my own management style and has allowed me to now be able to mentor others. I have worked to build my own "brand" within my career and found that relationship building has been key to my personal brand recognition. I truly love to invest my time in others and I have been grateful that my career in consulting has allowed me to take on leadership roles not only in the consulting work itself, but also in initiatives that enhance company culture and have a broader impact on the people I work with.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

The dynamic projects and clients I get to work with. I enjoy that every engagement offers unique challenges and has a distinct set of facts that make every day a new adventure. This industry contains people with a breadth of experience in different fields, industries and backgrounds which gives me the opportunity to constantly learn and expand my own career development. I enjoy problem-solving and working with teams of diverse and talented individuals to put forth meaningful work and really make an impact for our clients.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

I am incredibly proud to see individuals that I have had a hand in mentoring through various projects or as their advisor/manager thrive in the firm and in the industry as a whole. I put a lot of value into developing people, working with them to identify next steps in their career trajectory and obtaining their goals. I feel a great sense of accomplishment in seeing those I have supported succeed and make strides in the industry. I am grateful for the opportunity to mentor such talented professionals. Having this people first mentality has helped me develop a more well-rounded management style, work seamlessly to serve our clients and had enhanced my career in consulting immensely.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

Some of the best advice I have received has been to always keep learning and embrace new experiences and opportunities. This advice has been critical in my career development. It has allowed me to view mistakes as opportunities to learn and further enhance my skillset and knowledge, in addition to providing me with tools to teach others. Taking on new opportunities has opened the door to so many interesting clients and cases, and has provided the opportunity to work with many different service lines and with a variety of leaders in the industry.

What does this recognition mean to you?

For the significant efforts I have put in to be a well-rounded professional in the consulting space to be recognized would be an incredible accomplishment and will continue to fuel my career development. The leadership aspect of my career has been critical in my trajectory. I have learned, and continue to learn, from great leaders in this field and I have the privilege, as a leader and mentor, to shape the careers and leadership skills in others. I look forward to continued growth as a leader and investing in the future leaders of our industry