Meet TSCPA Chair: Heather Batson, CPA
For Heather Batson, CPA, the most important part of her work in the accounting profession is fostering strong relationships. “As I've progressed through my career, I've certainly evolved professionally, and so has my passion for the accounting profession,” she says. “Today, what I find most enjoyable as an accounting professional is relationship building. Every step of this journey has given me the pleasure of meeting and building relationships with an incredibly diverse group of individuals.”
A native of Soddy Daisy, Batson’s relationship with TSCPA began at the start of her career. In her 18 years of society membership, she has served on many committees, held leadership positions in the Chattanooga Chapter, and served as a member of the TSCPA Council and the TSCPA Board of Directors. As she steps into her role as 2025-26 TSCPA Board Chair, Batson shares, “One of the most enriching aspects of my professional life has been the relationships and connections I've forged through TSCPA. I'm genuinely excited to continue fostering these relationships at the convention and chapter meetings.”
Although Batson’s passion for connecting with colleagues and clients is what drives her now, she originally decided on accounting as her major at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) for a different reason. “Perhaps I'm the quintessential accounting cliché, but I ultimately declared it as my major because I was good at math,” she says. “Little did I know then that most of the heavy lifting for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing would eventually be handled by a 10-key and Excel! However, from that very first accounting class, learning about debits and credits just clicked with my systematic way of thinking.”
Batson went on to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in accounting from UTC. After graduating in 2003, she joined Hazlett, Lewis & Bieter as an auditor. In 2013, the firm was acquired by Mauldin & Jenkins, where she still serves today in its Chattanooga office. Now a partner, Batson is driven to communicate the benefits of the accounting profession to the next generation. In addition to her work with TSCPA, she also serves on her alma mater’s accounting advisory board. Batson says, “History undeniably shows us that early exposure significantly increases opportunities for students to understand the limitless possibilities of an accounting career, thereby increasing their pursuit of it as a profession.”
During her term as chair, Batson is looking forward to furthering the society’s student initiatives as well as all the priority areas of the TSCPA 2025-28 Strategic Plan. She is particularly eager to advance TSCPA’s new priority area, “Innovation,” which Batson believes is one of the most important pillars of the plan and will help the society respond to the rapid technology changes the profession continues to face. “When I began my career, you needed a lot of trunk space for onsite client visits. Today, all you need for onsite fieldwork is a laptop and maybe a second monitor that fits easily into a backpack or shoulder bag – that is, if you even go into the field for a site visit,” she says. “We need to be proactive in leveraging technology within the society and in helping our members leverage it as well.”
While she underscores the importance of technology to the profession, Batson also believes that taking time to unplug is just as important. “In a world that constantly demands our attention, the act of unplugging is not a luxury; it's a strategic imperative for effective leadership,” she says. Outside of work, Batson enjoys attending concerts, gardening and walking her dogs to reflect and recharge. “This routine fosters mindfulness and helps me gain perspective,” she says. In an ever-changing profession, that balanced, grounded approach is sure to bring Batson success during her time as board chair and beyond.
This article was originally published in the July/August 2025 Tennessee CPA Journal.