Natalie McHugh brings over 20 years of experience to her role of Tax Manager. Working directly with CK’s diverse client roster on full-service tax planning, compliance, and consulting, Natalie enjoys nothing more than defusing the “scary” moments–most often involving the IRS–when she knows her expertise can help resolve matters and take clients’ fear out of the equation.

Natalie found accounting a bit by accident when needing to declare a major prior to her freshman year at DePaul University. She soon found accounting to be her passion during her first internship when her love of numbers and people meshed in those very first assignments. Realizing accounting is not about figures but about individuals is something Natalie carries with her to this day, and can be felt in every interaction she has with a colleague or client.

Ask Natalie about her best days at Cray Kaiser and a common trend emerges: Education. Whether she is tackling a new tax legislation and challenging herself in the process, or she is explaining complex tax options to a client, Natalie excels as both student and teacher. She’d better–as a mother of two, learning is as important at home as it is at work.

Natalie earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy from DePaul University where she graduated with honors.

Community: Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and Illinois CPA Society; DuPage Estate Planning Council; Volunteer, Saint Symphorosa School Chicago