Partner Profile – Candace Huie-Raffa
Apr
Candace Huie-Raffa, CPA, MS, CVA began her career in public accounting in 1990 when she joined White Nelson Diehl Evans LLP as an intern. She earned her CPA designation in 1993. She worked her way up the ranks and was named partner in 2007. Currently, she is a member of WNDE’s Executive Committee and serves as Director of Tax and Advisory Department.
Candace’s area of expertise is in tax planning and compliance, with a focus on real estate partnerships, small businesses and non-profits. She serves large and middle-market companies.
When asked what she loves about working at WNDE, Candace replied, “The best thing about WNDE is the team of wonderful people with which I get to work.” She continues to say, “Everyone is genuine, hard-working, diligent, and kind. The members of the firm feel like a second family to me.”
Although accounting wasn’t Candace’s first career choice—she initially wanted to be an English teacher—she quickly recognized that she liked numbers more than she liked classic literature. She went on from there to receive her BA in Accounting from Cal State-Fullerton and later received her MS in Taxation.
One of the ways that Candace sees her way through the craziness of tax season is that she plans a trip. “I love to travel,” she shared. “I always plan my vacations in advance of tax season; it gives me something to look forward to as we push through the long, rough days.” This year, she is traveling to Italy.
In addition to her role at WNDE, Candace is active as a professor and in a leadership role at Irvine Valley College (IVC). She’s also conducted numerous training classes and speaking engagements in the areas of taxation and non-profit board fiscal responsibilities. She is a huge believer in the value of education. In fact, when asked what she wishes that she knew more about, she replied, “Everything! Life is an education, always.”
Born and raised in Whittier, California, Candace now resides in Corona, California with Richard, her husband. She has three adult sons—Jacob Huie, 24, who is a paramedic and training to become a fire medic, Josh Huie, 20, an accounting major at Cal State Fullerton, who is currently doing his audit internship at WNDE, and Luke Raffa, 18, an honor-roll student at Santiago High School. All three live in Corona. Even though her sons are grown, Candace still values her role as a mother. One of her greatest joys in life is celebrating Mother’s Day with her sons. Each year, they gather and plant a garden together. She says about the yearly ritual, “After our garden is planted, we get to watch it grow and enjoy the bounty it produces!”
Outside of work, Candace volunteers her time at several non-profit agencies and serves as an advisor to the Santiago High School Boosters Board of Directors. In addition, she loves country music, especially Lee Brice. Her favorite book is A Tale of Two Cities. But her true passion is baking. “I love the joy it brings to someone when I whip up a yummy batch of cookies,” she shared. “As my son Josh always says, ‘Love is the secret ingredient.’”
