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| Shelby and Elizabeth |
Elizabeth Vlahos, the new Manager of General Accounting at UVA, is settling into her role with a fresh perspective and an eagerness to dive into the complexities of finance in higher education. Just three weeks into her new position, Vlahos is already embracing the challenge of learning UVA's unique systems and processes, all while unlearning the state lingo she became accustomed to over her 11 years at the Virginia Department of Accounts.
“I’m used to acronyms—just different ones!” Vlahos jokes.
Her career shift comes after years of focusing on state-wide financial oversight, where she was responsible for big-picture accounting across all State agencies. Now, at UVA, she’s excited to take a more focused approach, exploring the day-to-day intricacies of accounting at a Tier 3 institution.
“Higher ed is a very complicated environment,” she explains. “There’s so much more involved than I expected—all of the different divisions, so many people working toward a common goal. Even at the central finance level, we’re working closely with other units to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
While she still commutes from her home in Richmond, where she enjoys the vibrant downtown atmosphere, Vlahos is looking forward to exploring Charlottesville and UVA Grounds.
“I’m planning a field trip to tour Grounds with my husband and son this fall,” she shares.
For now, she enjoys the more neighborhood-like feel of Charlottesville and the supportive, team-oriented environment at UVA. “Everyone has been super friendly, happy to answer my questions and help me understand things. There’s a real sense of wanting to lift everyone up.”
Vlahos’s path to an accounting career wasn’t exactly linear. In fact, she admits that as a high schooler, she disliked accounting and math. Originally an international business major at Virginia Commonwealth University, she considered becoming a lawyer. However, after finding that VCU didn’t offer many of the classes she needed at night (necessary as she was working full-time), she switched her major to Business Administration. A job in accounts receivable introduced her to a mentor—an adjunct professor and CPA—who encouraged her to pursue a Certificate in accounting to qualify to take the CPA exam.
“I realized accounting wasn’t about 'difficult' math,” she says. “It’s more like fitting a puzzle together and telling a story with numbers, and that’s what I loved about it.”
Since earning her CPA, Vlahos has continued to grow in her career. Reflecting on her younger self, she laughs, “No one I grew up with would have expected accounting to be my chosen career path.”
Outside of work, Elizabeth loves to travel and enjoys the great outdoors. She and her husband, Brian, met at VCU and have a two-year-old son. Together, they love to camp, hike, and kayak, with Asheville being one of their favorite vacation spots. Rounding out their adventurous family is their four-year-old Rottweiler, Shelby.
As she looks ahead to her future at UVA, Elizabeth is excited about the opportunities ahead. “There’s a lot going on in Finance, and I really like the continuous improvement focus,” she says. “Everyone here wants to make things work better and more efficiently, and I’m excited to be a part of that.”