Kelly Drakey

Kelly Drakey is a strategic finance executive and educator with over 20 years of expertise in technical accounting, audit, and financial transformation. At Rice Business, Kelly develops and delivers curriculum for undergraduates, Master of Accounting (MAcc), and Executive Education programs. Her courses focus on auditing, internal control systems, and the translation of complex accounting issues into actionable business strategy. In addition to her faculty role, she serves as the Senior Director of Operations at Arcus Advisors where she focuses on standardizing quality control and leading professional development for the consulting practice, while also serving consulting clients on technical accounting matters, back-office infrastructure, and audit readiness.

Prior to her leadership roles in consulting and academia, Kelly spent 14 years at PwC. As a top-rated Senior Manager, she served a diverse portfolio of clients ranging from private equity-backed high-growth companies to global public entities. Her tenure included a two-year tour in PwC’s National Quality Organization, where she served as a subject matter expert on AICPA audit methodology and US firm policy for private company audits. She also served as the Process Improvement Champion and Market Team Transformation Leader for the Houston Private Client Services practice.

Kelly holds a BS and Master’s degrees in Accounting from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University.  She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the American Accounting Association.

Teaching Interests: 

• Auditing
• Internal Controls
• Financial & Managerial Accounting
• Technical Accounting Research