BOSTON AND WEST HARTFORD – blumshapiro, the largest accounting, tax and business advisory firm based in New England with offices in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, announced today that Heather B. Bearfield has joined blum’s Advisory Services Group as a partner.  She will be based out of blum’s Boston, Massachusetts office beginning December 2019.

Bearfield has more than 15 years of experience in leadership roles managing risk and building information security management programs.  Heather has extensive experience in IT Risk Management Consulting, Information Security Governance, Corporate IT Audit and Corporate Operational Risk functions.  In her new role, she will serve as a blum Partner for Cyber and IT Risk Services.  She will be responsible for managing risk and building information security management programs for blum clients.

“We are pleased to have Heather join our Advisory Services team.  Heather brings a strategic, results-driven skillset and a proven track record in helping businesses enhance their risk capabilities.  She has been extremely successful in building best practice IT governance, risk and cybersecurity control management tools and processes and is fully committed to blum’s focus on enhancing client value,” said Joseph Kask, chief executive officer of blumshapiro.

“Joining blumshapiro is a wonderful opportunity for me to bring my extensive cyber and IT risk management skills to a firm focused on expanding its advisory services throughout the Northeast and beyond.  I look forward to working with forward-thinking, experienced professionals focused on providing clients with world-class expertise in the ever-growing area of global security and intelligence,” said Bearfield.

Prior to joining blumshapiro, Bearfield served as Principal of Cyber and IT Risk Services, National Service Line Leader at Marcum LLP based in Boston.  Bearfield has a record of performance, reliability and success at identifying process and control weaknesses, analyzing complex systems and working with clients to streamline operations.  A sought-after speaker for many industry events, Bearfield led global and nationwide IT assessments in numerous vertical markets inclusive of manufacturing, banks, financial services, colocation hosting facilities and application service providers.  She previously led a security practice involving the execution of Internal/External Vulnerability Assessments, Penetration Testing, Wireless Assessments and Social Engineering.

Bearfield’s professional affiliations include membership in the Information Systems Auditing and Control Association, the Institute of Internal Auditors, Cambridge’s Who’s Who, the Boston Chamber of Commerce Women’s Advisory Board and Nichols’ College Board.

Bearfield is also a national leader in diversity and inclusion programs and has helped develop the Women’s Initiative and Diversity Awareness, among others.

Bearfield received her Masters of Business Administration in 2001 from the University of Vermont (UVM) School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2000 from UVM.

She is resides in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.