CHICAGO – ORBA, one of the Midwest’s largest public accounting firms, recently announced that Kelly Buchheit, CPA, Director of Audit & Assurance Quality Control, and Michelle Lehmann, CPA, Director and Head of Audit & Assurance, have been recognized as Crain’s Chicago Business 2024 Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law.   

Only 88 members make up this elite group of leaders from firms and industries throughout the Chicagoland area. Kelly and Michelle join others who represent companies in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Kelly Buchheit has been an indispensable member of ORBA’s Audit & Assurance Group since 2011. Her journey began in the trenches of auditing, where she honed her expertise in a diverse array of sectors, notably non-profits. Her dedication to precision led her to her current position within the firm. As the Director of Quality Control, Kelly is well respected, offering technical advice on accounting and auditing standards, overseeing report reviews and firm inspections, and leading educational initiatives for the Audit & Assurance Group. Her expertise is further recognized through her ongoing service and contributions to the Illinois CPA Society, where she serves on both the Accounting Principles Committee and the Audit & Assurance Services Committee.

She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society, where she has been an Accounting Principles (AP) Committee member since 2022. Kelly was nominated to Vice Chair of the AP Committee for the 2024-25 service year and Chair for the 2025-26 service year.  Since 2023, she has served as a member of its Audit & Assurance Services Committee. In addition, Kelly has served as a mentor of the Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business Mentorship Program, which provides Quinlan students with an opportunity to learn about the world of business from experienced professionals.

“Kelly is an incredible resource for our firm and clients,” said Alison Fetzer, ORBA’s Accounting Services Group Supervisor. “She regularly creates the content for resource materials and presents technical trainings. In recent years Kelly has overseen several new complicated accounting standards that have greatly impacted our clients. Through her leadership and ability to effect change, she has successfully coached our firm and our clients to navigate the changes with as little disruption as possible. Our Audit & Assurance members also find her mentorship invaluable in resolving sophisticated client matters.” 

Michelle Lehmann brings more than 27 years of experience delivering professional services to middle market, private companies in a variety of industries. She plays a pivotal role in leading ORBA’s Audit Group, overseeing the day-to-day operations and strategies to drive growth, enhance service delivery and develop high performers.  She is a sought-after mentor and coach and has a passion for mentoring Audit & Assurance Group members so they can achieve both their professional and personal goals.

She is an Executive Board Member and Secretary of Anew, a not-for-profit organization that provides services for victims of domestic violence in the southern suburbs of Chicago. Michelle is also an accredited member of the European Mentoring & Coaching Council which develops and promotes the expectation of best practices in mentoring and coaching.  As a member of the Association of Change Management Professionals, she is dedicated to driving successful change for the realization of intended business results.

“Michelle and Kelly are committed, results-driven leaders who oversee strategies for process and operations improvements in order to provide our clients with high-quality service and timely results,” said Joseph A. Odzer, CPA, MST and CEO of ORBA. “They exemplify the professionalism, leadership and commitment to superior client and community service that we value in our ORBA team members.”

Crain’s Chicago Business is a prominent business news publication based in Chicago. It provides in-depth coverage of various sectors including professional services, healthcare, real estate, manufacturing, government and sports. The publication is known for its detailed analysis and information on business trends and developments in the Chicago metropolitan area.

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Ostrow Reisin Berk & Abrams, Ltd. (ORBA) is an independent, full-service accounting, tax and advisory firm located in Chicago, IL and Salt Lake City, UT, serving privately held companies, individuals and not-for-profit organizations. ORBA’s Certified Public Accountants have experience with accounting and assurance, business advisory services, financial and estate planning, fraud investigation, tax, litigation support, and mergers and acquisitions. The firm is consistently ranked as a Top 200 Public Accounting Firm by INSIDE Public Accounting, one of the Top 200 Firms to Watch by Accounting Today, an America’s Best Tax and Accounting Firm by Forbes and a Top Workplace by Energage and The Chicago Tribune. It is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA which provides further expertise to our team. For more information or to subscribe to our blogs, visit www.orba.com. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.