Shawn Kato is a Tax Principal in the Irvine office of Baker Tilly, where she advises public and privately held companies on complex corporate tax matters. A Certified Public Accountant with more than 30 years of experience in public accounting and private industry, Shawn has worked with organizations ranging from emerging businesses to large multinational corporations throughout her career. Prior to Baker Tilly, she held positions with Price Waterhouse, Rockwell International, Watson Pharmaceuticals, and James Hardie Building Products.
In addition to her client work, Shawn is committed to developing the next generation of business professionals through teaching and mentorship. She serves as a Tax Lecturer at the University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, where she teaches Advanced Income Tax to Master of Professional Accountancy students. She also actively mentors professionals within Baker Tilly and has contributed to professional education through published articles and continuing professional education coursework.
A longtime member of the Orange County business community, Shawn brings to the Leadership Circle a practitioner’s perspective shaped by decades of advising businesses, developing professionals, and navigating the financial and organizational challenges facing companies at different stages of growth. She is particularly passionate about creating opportunities for the next generation and helping emerging professionals navigate the opportunities and challenges of building meaningful careers.
Shawn earned her Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants.
