From FBI Aspirations to CFO of SAS

Matt Parson (MAC ‘98)

When Matt Parson started studying accounting, his sights weren’t set on the corporate world – they were on the FBI. “They told me the best ways to get in were either with an accounting or law degree,” he says. “Accounting because they deal with so much white-collar crime.” While his career ultimately took a different direction, the choice clicked. Parson found himself drawn to the profession, setting his sights on earning his CPA license and launching a career with the “Big Four” (the four largest professional services networks in the world: Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and KPMG). To reach those goals, he knew a MAC degree was essential.

“They told me the best ways to get in were either with an accounting or law degree.”

NC State was a natural fit. Already completing his undergraduate degree there, Parson valued the faculty, high CPA exam success rates and strong ties to Big Four firms in Raleigh. 

Today, Parson is in his newest role: chief financial officer at SAS. The position is both exciting and humbling. “SAS has NC State roots and has been a pillar of the community,” he says. “Data and analytics have never been more important – especially with the explosion of AI – and there’s massive opportunity for SAS to lead and grow in this space.” He’s already seen firsthand the company’s global impact, including a recent visit to Singapore where a client used SAS software to predict flooding and save lives.

“The program provided many opportunities to meet and network with other students, faculty, and professionals, which is as important as the work you do throughout your career.”

Looking back, Parson credits the Jenkins MAC program for shaping key career skills: learning how to learn, networking and passing the CPA exam. “The program provided many opportunities to meet and network with other students, faculty, and professionals, which is as important as the work you do throughout your career.”

“People think accounting is boring or only for nerds, but an accounting degree provides such a solid base with which you can do almost anything.”

He’s also quick to dispel the old stereotypes about accounting. “People think accounting is boring or only for nerds,” he says. “But an accounting degree provides such a solid base with which you can do almost anything.”

Cultivating Change Through Regenerative Farming

Rodney Machokoto (MAC ’12)

Not many people would associate a Master of Accounting degree with a farm in the Arizona desert. Yet for Rodney Machokoto, the Jenkins MAC program was the foundation that allowed him to launch a social enterprise dedicated to transforming food systems, improving community health and advocating for sustainability.

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Machokoto’s global journey began as a teenager, when he earned a scholarship to finish high school in the United Kingdom. Surrounded by peers from nearly 80 countries, he developed a passion for solving complex global challenges – particularly those facing Africa. “I could see that traditional aid had its limits,” he recalls. “I wanted to understand how business and finance could be part of a new model for change.”

That mindset carried him to the United States, where he initially studied financial economics and global studies at Methodist University. There, he discovered a love for accounting. “I realized accounting wasn’t just about numbers – it was about understanding the backbone of business. If I wanted to lead or create change, I needed that foundation.”

“I realized accounting wasn’t just about numbers – it was about understanding the backbone of business. If I wanted to lead or create change, I needed that foundation.”

His next step was the Jenkins MAC program at NC State, where he found the comprehensive, forward-looking curriculum he had been seeking. “Many master’s programs felt plain vanilla – just audit or tax. NC State was different. With enterprise risk management and exposure to Fortune 500 companies, I could see myself becoming a top executive. The faculty weren’t just academics – they were practitioners shaping the field, and they were incredibly accessible. Professors like Mark Beasley, Bonnie Hancock and Kathy Krawczyk were extremely impactful.”

“NC State was different. With enterprise risk management and exposure to Fortune 500 companies, I could see myself becoming a top executive.”

After graduating, Machokoto joined EY in Atlanta, where he gained rapid exposure to a wide range of industries and executives. He then pursued a Ph.D. at Arizona State University, focused on community development and social enterprises. Alongside his doctoral work, he and his wife launched a regenerative farm in Phoenix – starting as a backyard garden and growing into a thriving business supplying produce for food banks, Native American communities and statewide nutrition initiatives.

Today, Machokoto’s days are split between academic research and hands-on farming, but the throughline is clear: creating systemic change. His farm partners with city and state programs to improve access to fresh produce, pilot carbon farming techniques and advance food security. He also serves as a voice for farmers at the federal, state and local levels.

“Accounting opens doors. Every organization needs it, and it gives you insight into how businesses and systems really work. That foundation has allowed me to pivot, lead and build something that makes an impact.”

Through it all, he credits his MAC training for giving him the confidence and versatility to succeed. “Accounting opens doors. Every organization needs it, and it gives you insight into how businesses and systems really work. That foundation has allowed me to pivot, lead and build something that makes an impact.”

Using Accounting to Serve Others – and Chart a New Path

Molly Robinson (MAC ‘11)

For Molly Robinson, accounting has never been just about debits and credits – it’s been a way to serve. After starting her career at Ernst & Young, Robinson spent 13 years at Samaritan’s Purse, a global humanitarian organization. As assistant director of insurance and finance programs, she managed corporate insurance and risk management and supported the finances of major initiatives and international affiliate offices. Her work spanned budgeting, reporting, consolidations and presenting financials to leadership – skills she used to help ensure donor dollars were stewarded effectively and critical relief programs could reach people in need.

“Working in the nonprofit world let me pair my accounting expertise with something personally meaningful.”

“Working in the nonprofit world let me pair my accounting expertise with something personally meaningful.” She points to disaster response, medical programs in underserved areas and rapid-deployment relief efforts as some of the most impactful experiences of her tenure.

Her time at Samaritan’s Purse also gave Robinson a front-row seat to the variety of ways accounting intersects with strategy. Beyond financial reporting, she helped determine insurance coverage gaps, evaluated whether to self-insure or purchase policies, and analyzed financial exposure across programs. “It broadened my perspective far beyond traditional accounting roles.”

Now Robinson is taking that expertise into the private sector. She recently accepted a position with Lockton Brokers in alternative risk consulting. In her new role, she’ll advise organizations on risk mitigation strategies and captives, blending her deep knowledge of finance and insurance with her passion for problem-solving.

“It was rigorous, but it prepared me for the CPA exam, opened doors into the Big Four, and taught me perseverance and resilience. Those experiences launched me into everything I’ve done since.”

Robinson credits the Jenkins MAC program with giving her the foundation and credentials to move confidently between sectors. “It was rigorous,” she says. “But it prepared me for the CPA exam, opened doors into the Big Four, and taught me perseverance and resilience. Those experiences launched me into everything I’ve done since.”