
CFO Weekly Greatest Hits: Building Learning Cultures in Finance with Jessica McClain, CFO at American Staffing Association
Mar 24, 2026
27:36
In this "Greatest Hits" episode of CFO Weekly, we revisit a standout conversation with Jessica McClain, a leader who has mastered the art of evolving from public accounting to high-impact executive strategy. At the time of this recording, Jessica served as the CFO of Girl Scouts Nation's Capital, where she steered the financial strategy for the country’s largest council, overseeing everything from the iconic cookie program to complex property management. Her trajectory has only climbed since; she now serves as the CFO of the American Staffing Association, continuing her legacy of excellence and strategic transformation in the professional association space.
Jessica’s insights are more relevant than ever, reflecting the same expertise that earned her titles such as the 2023 Nonprofit CFO of the Year and a 2024 Rising Star by the CFO Leadership Council. In this retrospective, she joins Megan Weis to explore why continuous learning is the bedrock of modern financial leadership and how she successfully navigated a decade in public accounting into the C-suite of mission-driven organizations. This episode serves as a masterclass for any finance professional looking to balance technical rigor with visionary leadership.
What You'll Learn:
- Why emotional intelligence is becoming the defining skill for modern CFOs
- How to foster a culture of continuous learning within finance teams
- The evolution from technical accounting to strategic storytelling
- Practical strategies for staying ahead of technological disruption
- Building communication skills that translate complex financial data into actionable insights
Learn more about Jessica:
- Jessica McClain on LinkedIn
- Girl Scouts Nation's Capital Website
- American Staffing Association Website
Episode resources:
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Previous guests include: Tom McDermott, CFO at Career Certified, Claire Bramley, CFO at Teradata, Chris Miles, Founder of Money Ripples, Ranil DeSilva, CFO & COO at CARE, Jordan Grumet, Financial Independence Expert & Host of Earn & Invest & William Washington, Global CFO at Baker McKenzie
Check out some of our most recent episodes:
- Driving Value Beyond Finance with Tom McDermott
- Why CFOs Are the Chief Everything Officers with Claire Bramley
- Why Traditional Financial Advice Fails and What To Do Instead with Chris Miles
- NGO Finance Secrets: CARE’s $900M Strategy with Ranil DeSilva
- What Lights You Up? with Jordan Grumet
- Become a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with William Washington
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