Barbara Kaumeyer joined the Department of Community Health in Atlanta, Georgia, as the deputy finance director in 2023. In this role, she ensures compliance with regulations and policies set by the State of Georgia Accounting Policies and Procedures, governmental accounting standards, and the Secretary of State Fiscal Policies and Procedures.
Ms. Kaumeyer serves as a financial and compliance advisor to the department. Beyond her work at the Department of Community Health, she advocates for the importance of accounting and finance education.
She earned her accounting degree from Jacksonville State University in Alabama. In addition to her academic qualifications, she holds certifications as a fraud examiner and a government auditing professional. Prior to joining the Department of Community Health, Ms. Kaumeyer worked as a financial analyst and internal audit manager for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, and kayaking.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I start my day with coffee, and I prepare my son’s lunch. I do 20 minutes of yoga and 10 minutes of visualizations. I spend my day thinking through complex issues and collaborating with my teams on the best possible solutions. Its mostly spent in meetings, where we can collectively use our experiences and knowledge to leverage the best outcome.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I tend to outline my ideas and then bounce them off other people and gauge their reactions.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I’m excited about people living longer and healthier lives.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Getting a good night’s rest, at least eight hours.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus on the things that are easily fixable and then tackle the larger issues.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
That it’s more beneficial to be direct. I believe that meeting something head on is more beneficial than sidelining it.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
To travel and experience the world. I love talking to people. You can learn so much from people by asking questions and listening to them.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I try to be physically active. I’m a member of different groups that meet up around the city to cycle and roller-skate. For me, its all about community and shared experiences.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
People can be emotionally invested in processes and ideas. If you want to create change, you have to be able to see things from their point of view.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I stayed somewhere I wasn’t happy and I learned that money is not everything. Working with good supportive people is much more important. Empathy is key to success.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Document everything. Having solid documentation to reference will make communicating with others easier.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Excel. I couldn’t function without it.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Brené Brown, she delves into the concept of our shame and how it affects our decisions in life.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I’ve been watching the Sandman series. I enjoy science fiction.
Key learnings
• Communication is essential in business. It doesn’t come easy, and you have to work at it.
• Your attitude is everything. Education, experience… these things can only get you so far. You need the right kind of attitude to get the job!
• Your ethical values will define who you are.