Millennium Magazine_20th Ed

55 Millennium - Twentieth Edition BUSINESS, FINANCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Bhama Cairns is an experienced auditor and financial manager with over 40 years of experience to her credit. Currently, she is serving as the fiscal consultant for the Cuyahoga County Board of Health in Ohio. Born in Malaysia and raised in Sri Lanka, Ms. Cairns had initially hoped to become a pilot but was encouraged by her family to pursue accounting. In her current position, she is responsible for improving processes for budgeting, grant management and purchasing, as well as establishing SOPs, internal controls and a financial ERP system that meets the needs of the diverse community it serves. Ms. Cairns originally began her career in 1978 as an auditor for Ernst & Young, where she recognized her talent for auditing and accounting. In the late 1990s, she entered the public sector, spending two years as an internal auditor for Kent County. Between 2000 and 2004, she operated as a financial analyst for The Reformed Church in America before returning to municipal government as deputy treasurer for the City of Rockwood. She then worked with the City of Wayland as a deputy city manager, finance director and treasurer from 2008 until 2012, and became the controller for the City of Hamtramck from 2013 to 2017. From 2017 to 2024, she was the deputy finance director for the City of Kentwood, a position she retained until accepting her current role. As part of her vocational journey, Ms. Cairns earned a BBA and a BS in accounting at Calvin University. She subsequently continued her studies during the early stages of her career, ultimately achieving an MPA in local government administration at Western Michigan University in 2005. In addition to her academic credentials, she is a chartered global management accountant, a chartered management accountant and a certified public accountant, demonstrating her professional excellence at an international level. Outside of her work in local government, Ms. Cairns is a volunteer piano player for local senior centers. Recently, she was selected to participate in the Michigan Municipal Women’s League Women’s Manager Leadership Program, where she hopes to help empower other women in government positions. BHAMA CAIRNS FISCAL CONSULTANT Cuyahoga County Board of Health Parma, OH

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQ5NDA2