Tamara Knight

Strategic finance, analytics, and business transformation leader with 15+ years of experience translating complex financial and operational data into actionable insights for executive decision-making. Proven background in forecasting, budgeting, performance analysis, revenue management, process optimization, ERP transformation, and cross-functional leadership across transportation, automotive manufacturing, utilities, education, hospitality, and consulting. Experienced in establishing reporting standards, improving data integrity and visibility, analyzing performance trends, and partnering with operational and technology stakeholders to implement scalable systems and processes.

MARIE & CO. BOOKKEEPING AND BEYOND LLC | Founder & CEO | Financial Strategy & Analytics Consultant | January 2023–Present | Montgomery, AL

• Advise schools, nonprofits, churches, and small businesses on financial strategy, forecasting, budgeting, operational performance, systems optimization, and data-driven decision-making.
• Develop multi-year budgets, cash-flow projections, financial models, scenario analyses, and management reporting that help leaders evaluate staffing, programs, funding needs, pricing, and growth opportunities.
• Design reporting structures and strengthen workflows that improve leadership visibility into revenue, expenditures, budget performance, cash flow, and operational trends.
• Lead accounting and financial-system setup, reconciliations, data cleanup, process redesign, reporting standardization, controls, and staff training across concurrent client engagements.
• Partner with executives and operational stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable financial processes, reporting structures, and decision-support tools.
• For XSTREAM Minds Academy, completed FY 2025–2026 reconciliation, developed three fiscal-year budgets, and established accounting software, procedures, controls, and reporting structure.

MACON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION | Accountant II | Accounting Manager | January 2007–January 2025 | Tuskegee, AL

• Managed budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, purchasing, reconciliations, contract administration, controls, and audit readiness in a complex public-sector environment.
• Supported annual budgets up to approximately $120M; analyzed variances and partnered with department and school leaders to align spending and resources with program priorities.
• Produced approximately $1.5M in savings through contract review, cost analysis, workflow redesign, and stronger controls.
• Implemented financial systems supporting approximately 2,000 users and trained staff on reporting, compliance, and standardized processes.

PS LOGISTICS | Senior Accounting Manager (Contract) | January 2021–January 2022 | Birmingham, AL

• Directed accounting and operational finance activities supporting an approximately $300M revenue portfolio, including revenue analysis, reporting, reconciliations, controls, collections visibility, and staff performance.
• Evaluated acquired operations, assessed and trained staff, strengthened procedures, supported recovery of significant outstanding balances, and improved management visibility into collection and process risks.

LEAR | LANCESOFT | Assistant Controller (Contract) | February 2020–February 2021 | Montgomery, AL

• Supported automotive manufacturing finance for Lear operations producing seating systems for Hyundai and Kia, connecting financial results with plant activity, inventory, production, and operating performance.
• Performed close, reporting, GL review, budgeting, forecasting, variance and cost analysis; maintained SOX documentation and supported audit testing, remediation, and process improvement.

ATRIUM HOSPITALITY | Controller | January 2016–January 2020 | Montgomery, AL

• Directed full-cycle accounting and financial operations including revenue recognition, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, controls, and executive reporting.
• Prepared multi-year budgets and variance analyses for senior leadership and supported Workday payroll implementation through requirements review, testing, training, and controlled transition.

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY | KELLOGG HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTER | Director of Enterprise Accounting and External Operations | January 2014–January 2016 | Tuskegee, AL

• Directed financial and business operations including revenue, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, collections, contracts, systems, and operating performance.
• Oversaw multimillion-dollar capital and operational initiatives and used revenue strategy, collections, cost analysis, and process improvement to help reverse an approximately $1M deficit and generate an approximately $2M profit within one year.

UTILITIES BOARD OF TUSKEGEE | Assistant Chief Financial Officer | January 2009–January 2014 | Tuskegee, AL

• Supported CFO-level leadership for a utility organization across budgeting, forecasting, cash management, financial statements, reconciliations, internal controls, and strategic planning.

Master of Science in Accountancy (MAcc), Purdue University Global

Bachelor of Science in English, Alabama State University