u/Capital-Item4924

I’m currently transitioning toward CPA licensure in California while working as a COO in behavioral healthcare.

I recently emailed the California Board of Accountancy to get clarification on whether supervised experience can qualify if:
the supervising CPA reviews/evaluates the accounting work on a recurring basis,
but is not my direct employer, and/or
is technically subordinate to me in the organizational hierarchy.

The key issue I asked about was whether the CPA still having genuine oversight and evaluation authority over the accounting work would satisfy the spirit of the supervision requirement.
I’m waiting to hear back from the CBA, but I was curious if anyone here has dealt with a similar situation or received guidance from the board on this.

Especially interested in hearing from:
California CPAs, people who earned hours in industry/private accounting, anyone with unconventional supervision structures

Would appreciate any insight.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for guidance from CPAs regarding supervised experience requirements for CPA licensure in California, particularly from those who have supervised nontraditional candidates or made a transition into accounting later in their careers.

A little background on me:
MBA
Currently COO of a behavioral healthcare organization
Strong background in operations, systems management, budgeting, and organizational leadership
Returning to accounting coursework now with the long-term goal of earning my CPA and eventually moving into finance/CFO-level work
I’m currently exploring the best path for obtaining qualifying supervised experience and would appreciate insight from those familiar with California’s requirements.

The two routes I’m considering are:

Building qualifying experience internally through accounting/financial work tied to:
Budgeting
Reconciliations
Reporting
Payroll review
Expense analysis
Cash flow tracking
Financial operations

This route would likely involve hiring a CPA or fractional CFO with an active CPA license to review my work on an ongoing basis (weekly/monthly), provide oversight/mentorship, and potentially supervise/sign off on qualifying experience if appropriate.
Working part-time with a CPA or small accounting/tax firm while completing coursework and progressing toward the CPA exam.

I’d especially appreciate feedback from:

Solo CPAs
Small firm owners
Fractional CFO/accounting advisory firms
Anyone who has supervised or mentored a career-transition CPA candidate

Some questions I’ve been thinking through:

How realistic is the first route from a supervision/compliance standpoint in California?
What types of work are most valuable for building qualifying experience?
What makes someone a strong supervision candidate from a CPA’s perspective?
Is it realistic to start with bookkeeping/QBO cleanup/tax support and grow into broader accounting responsibilities

At this stage, I’m less focused on immediate compensation and more focused on:

Learning
Building legitimate accounting experience
Finding strong mentorship/supervision
Developing long-term competency in the field
Would genuinely appreciate any insight or advice.

Thank you.