Patti’s career began far removed from both accounting and technology. She received a B.A. degree in Chinese Language and Literature and International Spanish for the Professions from the University of Colorado at Boulder, which has since been transformed into a party trick when frequently asked to recite memorized narratives in Chinese as proof of her studies. Upon graduation, she worked as a receptionist for a family-owned Arabian horse business where she tripped upon her love for business, and for accounting in particular, which changed the course of her professional career forever. Patti gravitated to the accounting department and quickly advanced from accounts payable clerk to assistant controller as she concurrently earned two Masters degrees, one in Business Administration (MBA) and one in Accounting, from the University of Colorado at Denver. For fun, she taught herself how to build Access databases and developed a computerized HR system to make her job more organized, streamlined, and efficient since there was nothing on the market that was currently available for use by small businesses. If you wanted a solution, you had to create it yourself. So she did that. A lot. After receiving her graduate degrees in 1998, Patti decided to advance her technical skills by moving on to work in the tax department of one of the largest public accounting firms in Denver. Since that time, she has continued to expand her knowledge through work in both public and private industry and with companies ranging from one employee to thousands. She has been self-employed since 2006 and has dedicated that time to specializing in addressing the tax and accounting needs of small and mid-sized businesses and their owners. And although she likes that work, she absolutely loves designing effective accounting systems using technology. She brings that passion with her to Catching Clouds LLC. Patti is now committed to advancing the artistry of accounting through the use of technology. She proudly holds the following certifications, and as much as possible, associates with others who share her passion.