Inside Liz DeMar’s Approach to Building Systems That Work for People
When Liz DeMar, CPA, MBA joined Marshall Jones two years ago, she wasn’t just looking for a job. After balancing motherhood and part-time roles for several years, she was searching for something more — a place where her skills, values, and life could all align. What she found was a firm that operates on systems, collaboration, and authenticity. A culture where she could make an impact without compromising who she is.
Today, as Senior Manager of Client Accounting Services (CAS), Liz is helping shape those very systems by designing the processes that make work smoother for her team and more valuable for clients.
From Journalism to Accounting
Accounting was not Liz’s first career plan. “I actually wanted to be a journalist,” she recalls with a laugh. Writing was her first love, but during college she discovered a talent for business. “I started taking business classes and realized I was good at it,” she says. “Other people were struggling, and I thought, ‘I can do this — and I kind of like it.’” Encouraged by her accountant father, she followed that strength and built a career that blends analytical skill with creative problem-solving.
Finding Purpose in Flexibility
When Liz joined Marshall Jones, her primary goal was to find balance. “This was my first time being full-time since having kids,” she explains. “I started part-time and went full-time this past January.” What began as a practical search for flexibility evolved into something more rewarding. “I thought I was just finding a flexible job, but it turned out I really liked the firm and the work,” she says. “It felt like the stars aligned.”
With four children ranging from elementary to high school, structure is essential in both her personal and professional life. “For me, systems are key,” she says. “I don’t want to feel stretched in my family life or my work life. So I’ve focused on creating a system that allows me to be fully present in both.” That structure includes mental clarity, organization, and support — both at home and within her team.
Leading Through Systems and Openness
Within the CAS department, Liz leads a team that collaborates across multiple clients and projects. Her leadership style emphasizes openness and collaboration. “In CAS we’ve implemented some procedural changes I recommended,” she explains. “It started as an idea I brought to Greg, and after a few iterations it became part of our monthly process.” For Liz, it’s proof that the culture at Marshall Jones embraces new ideas.
“Marshall Jones is a place where ideas are always welcome,” she says. “A lot of firms can be set in their ways, but here, everyone is open to growth and willing to consider new approaches.” That environment, she believes, is one of the firm’s greatest strengths and a key reason it continues to attract professionals who value both innovation and collaboration.
Her passion for systems thinking extends beyond the firm’s internal processes. Liz enjoys helping clients create better structure in their own businesses. “I really enjoy working with clients to get organized so things run more smoothly,” she says. “That’s what makes me excited to get back to work.”
Seeing the Big Picture in a Detail-Driven Profession
As a leader, Liz is intentional about mentoring younger accountants who are still developing their perspective. “We’re supposed to be detail-oriented, and that’s absolutely true,” she says. “But some people struggle to see the big picture. The key is learning how the small details connect to the overall process.”
She also emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence in client relationships. “Personalities matter a lot,” she explains. “Sometimes we even play a bit of a therapy role. Every client is different, and their personalities influence the work we do.” That awareness helps her build trust and empathy with clients, even in challenging situations. “Once you understand where someone’s coming from, you can appreciate them and their quirks,” she says. “It changes how you work together.”
A Grounded View of Technology
As technology evolves, Liz brings a balanced perspective to its role in accounting. “A year ago, people were saying AI would change everything, but I think it’s overhyped,” she says. “So much of what we do is relationship-based. Even if a program could generate perfect answers, that’s not really what clients want.” She sees technology as a support tool that can make processes more efficient, but not something that replaces the human side of the profession.
Her clients are primarily small and midsize businesses and nonprofits — organizations where trust and personal connection are central to success. “We’re usually working with companies that have one to three million in revenue or nonprofits in the two to five million range,” she says. “They’re smaller, so relationships matter even more.”
Balance Beyond the Office
Outside of work, Liz finds balance through movement and adventure. “I’m really into Olympic weightlifting,” she says, smiling. “It’s a very niche form of lifting — someone once called it a cult within a cult.” She’s also an avid hiker and traveler. “I took a women’s hiking trip to Utah a couple of summers ago and hiked Zion. It was incredible,” she says. “The desert is one of my favorite places.”
Travel is also how she connects with her children. “I love watching them play sports and exploring new destinations together,” she says. “Sometimes I travel with them, sometimes I take solo trips. It’s a good mix.” If she could pursue any career without limitations, she says she’d return to her first passion. “I’d be a travel writer,” she says. “Like Rick Steves — he has it made.”
Looking Ahead
As Marshall Jones continues to grow, Liz sees opportunity in structure and documentation. “We’re still small enough to pivot quickly,” she says. “But to scale effectively, we need to capture more of what we do so it’s not just knowledge that lives in people’s heads. That’s part of growing up as a firm.”
For Liz, leadership is a combination of organization, empathy, and design. She builds systems that make excellence repeatable and balance achievable. Her path from aspiring journalist to accounting leader reflects a consistent theme: success comes from understanding both people and process — and making them work well together.
