My mission is to shatter unseen barriers.
It’s not the obvious, visible barriers that trip us up most. Not the fence or the river washing out the trail.
It’s that which is hidden from us, what we don’t see and simply are not aware of that pose the greatest threat to our growth. Far too often, these unseens are a part of our internal systems and they can keep us from being able to break through.
Etienne Consulting exists to help us all break through to see and create what is beyond.
As a child growing up in an idyllic, intentional community, I have seen what is possible and what we are capable of when we release and rise. My work as a speaker, trainer and facilitator gives me and my audiences the opportunity to explore our own uniqueness and uncover the barriers that may be getting in our way and become more intentional about how we lead ourselves and others.
To intentionally create
Intentional creation starts with knowing what guides us. Etienne Consulting is grounded in a set of values and beliefs that shape how we approach our work, how we engage with others and the experiences we create.
Love
Be tender
Oneness
Difference is beautiful
Magic
It's there for you to find
Fairness
Everyone needs to be seen
Kindness
Be nice.
No seriously.
Jina Etienne, CPA, CGMA
CEO
(she/her)
Jina believes leadership starts with how we lead ourselves. She is passionate about helping professionals become more intentional, mindful and trusted leaders by exploring the very human side of
leadership – how we show up, communicate, build trust, navigate challenges and influence the people around us.
Her approach is shaped by more than three decades of experience as an entrepreneur, executive and organizational leader. Jina spent 17 years building and leading her own CPA firm before moving into national leadership roles, including serving as President & CEO of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), Director of Taxation at the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), and Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Grant Thornton. Across those roles, she has led teams, shaped strategy, navigated change and experienced leadership from very different perspectives.
Those experiences are the foundation of Jina’s ASCEND Leadership© framework and her belief that leadership is reflected in the trust we build, the choices we make, the way we respond when things get difficult and, ultimately, how others experience us. Yes, leadership frameworks, business strategies and effective policies are critical in every organization, but they are only as effective as the leaders who lead them.
A storyteller at heart, Jina brings that same perspective to the stage and the classroom. She keeps it real, drawing from her own experiences to connect leadership concepts to what they actually look like in everyday life. Her style is personal, practical and grounded in the reality that knowing what to do is one thing; actually doing it is another.
Jina is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). She has served on numerous boards and advisory groups throughout her career and continues to bring the perspective of an entrepreneur, executive and lifelong learner to her work.
In her spare time, she enjoys jigsaw puzzles and Sudoku, loves chocolate and appreciates a really good cup of coffee. She is a die-hard Arsenal FC fan (#COYG), a Peloton enthusiast (#Meeeschell on the leaderboard), and a Formula 1 fan. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with her husband and Doug, their American bulldog.