Meet Mariah Tibbetts

People often describe Deloitte as a unique place to work. Can you share a bit about your (career) journey here?

When I started working as a summer intern, I saw a few small things the Audit department did. After several years of being an intern, the program had evolved and I got to participate in audit training, complete mock audits and meet other interns in the other Deloitte offices from all over the world. When I finished university and started working here full time in 2016, it was already a different journey than I imagined. My first few months were actually spent in the Financial Advisory department. I was helping out on a big project they were doing in a secondment role and then I transitioned back to Audit right before busy season started in January. In addition to being new to the working world and new to Financial Advisory, I was completing my last 2 CPA exams at the same time. After 2 years as an Audit Associate I was promoted to Audit Senior in 2018 and also obtained my CPA license at that time. As an Audit Senior, I started to be even more involved in the firm, joining committees like the Wellbeing and Community Ambassador committees, and I even got the opportunity to run the DEEP internship program one year which was one of my favorite experiences. Now, after 4 years at the firm, I have been promoted to Audit Manager and another new chapter is being written. The things that I’ve experienced and gotten to be a part of in the last 4 years are some that I would have never imagined. I’ve made some of my best friends here, gotten through some of my hardest times, as well as competed in a pageant and became Miss Cayman Islands Universe - all while working at Deloitte! 

Within Deloitte, you are quite active in internal and external community initiatives. Can you tell us more about your experience as a community ambassador within the firm?

As an intern, I got a glimpse into the community initiatives that Deloitte is involved in through our Intern Charity Day. I loved participating in that, and it showed me Deloitte’s commitment to giving back – I started to look forward to these Charity Days every year. When I started as a full time employee I was even more elated when I saw all the other community initiatives that they were involved in and I immediately got involved with a few of them. When the Community Ambassadors Team started a few years ago, I jumped at the opportunity to join. I have always naturally given back to the community in small ways and I can honestly say that working at Deloitte has given me the tools to make an even bigger impact. Through Deloitte I’ve learned about new charities and volunteer opportunities, I’ve participated in even more community events than I would have on my own, and I have connected with a network of like-minded individuals who value giving back. The Community Ambassador Team helps me feel fulfilled by giving me the opportunity to plan and participate in activities and causes that are important to me and reminds me of the type of company Deloitte is.

You have recently been named Miss Cayman Islands, and will be acting as local and international ambassador for the Cayman Islands - can you tell us about what this means for your community investment, and how you are looking to make an impact in this role?

This role means that I will get the opportunity to have a wider impact and invest even more in my community. However, I can truly say that I already have such a solid foundation built up from all the initiatives I have done through Deloitte over the years. My title is still fresh right now, but already someone has seen me as Miss Cayman Islands Universe and said that they remembered me from when I donated through Deloitte. That is a great feeling to know that my professional job has set up such a strong connection for me with the people and businesses in my community. I plan to continue participating in Deloitte’s community initiatives and I am hoping that through this new role I can now make double the impact! I also hope to shine a light on Deloitte’s community involvement and help showcase some of the numerous initiatives they participate in.

How has Deloitte supported you in your journey to becoming a Cayman Islands community ambassador? 

When I entered Miss Cayman Islands Universe, everyone in the firm was immediately supportive. The flyers and voting links were posted around the office and I got nothing but support and well wishes from everyone. It really made a world of difference to know that I work at a firm who supports me in both my professional and personal goals. Now that I have the title, I feel that working with Deloitte has created a strong foundation for all my community involvements over the last 4 years of working here, and given me exposure to so many local charities. My platform for my reign as Miss Cayman Islands Universe is cancer awareness and I am working with the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, who Deloitte already has a relationship with and has collaborated with for several years – I even participated in an intern Charity Day there when I was an intern.

Overall, how have you been inspired and encouraged to deliver value and make an impact that matters?

Seeing those above me give back really made a difference for me. It’s easy to feel like you are “too busy” or “don’t have enough time”, but I’ve had managers at Deloitte who encouraged me to take the afternoon off to attend a NextGen Cayman conference, I’ve seen almost our entire office shut down for a full day to participate in our annual Impact Day, and I’ve seen Partners take the time out to send a personal email voicing their support for local charities. Seeing that first hand showed me the value that Deloitte places on giving back to our community and made me comfortable to know that the people I work with share the same values as me. When I became involved in the Wellbeing and Community Ambassadors committees, then I really got an even deeper level of appreciation for how much the firm really gives back. The amount of charities and activities the firm supports keeps growing and I also got to learn how much effort the employees put in to make it all happen. 

What advice would you give to people wishing to join Deloitte? And those looking to make a difference in their communities/the Cayman community?

I would tell them that Deloitte is the place for people who are looking to work somewhere that is more than “just a job”. It is a support system for your goals as well as a network of individuals who care. There are so many opportunities to get involved that there is sure to be something for everyone. Even for the people who may feel like they don’t necessarily have the time to volunteer or give back, Deloitte makes it so easy by doing things like giving you the option to donate monetarily to different charities through the click of a button. Deloitte goes out of their way to make a difference, specifically in our local community, so if your goal is to work somewhere that genuinely cares about our people and our community, Deloitte is the place for you.