Debra Gerhard, CPA, Director

Debra Gerhard has more than 30 years of hands-on experience in accounting, finance, technology, strategic planning, business leadership, and collaboration with board of directors, banks, attorneys, CPAs, and investment brokers. She has a proven track record of delivering improved business results in non-profit, start-up, and for-profit companies through the creation and implementation of strong internal controls and collaborative financial management. Her non-profit proficiency includes serving as chief financial officer and chief operations officer for Camp Boggy Creek, a flagship member of the SeriousFun Children’s Network of Camps.

Debra brings the additional perspective of having experience in leading the financial operations of a start-up technology company and worked for more than 7 years in finance and accounting roles including overseeing the accounting function with an IBM subsidiary.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS :American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

EDUCATION: B.A., Accounting, University of Central Florida

Bis Dhar, CPA, Managing Director

Bis is a Managing Director and one of the nonprofit leaders in BDO’s Accounting Advisory & Outsourcing (AAO) group. As Managing Director, Bis specializes in the nonprofit industry (Associations, charitable, educational, religious organizations, social welfare organizations, charter schools, and foundations). He and his team provide outsourced accounting, financial, and advisory services. They provide support to the leadership team of nonprofit organizations, including helping with their strategic planning and execution. He draws on deep industry experience to become a trusted advisor to the executive team. He provides clear, simplified options, which inform client decisions in meeting current needs and achieving long-term goals.

Bis has over 35 years of Finance & Accounting experience, working with BDO since 2005. He serves as an outsourced CFO to several nonprofit clients in the Washington metro area and has provided audit, accounting, and other consulting services in the past. He has prior audit experience with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Bis received his Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Finance from St. Xavier’s College in Calcutta, India and is a member of the Advisory Board for Accounting at Elon University in North Carolina.

Rob Williamson, MBA, Senior Manager

Rob supports BDO nonprofit clients in the metro NY and MidAtlantic regions with high-level strategic financial support, principally by functioning as an interim CFO. Rob and his team provide outsourced accounting, financial, and advisory services. He draws on deep industry experience to become a trusted advisor to the executive team, specializing in “translating” finance issues to non-finance leaders and Board members.

Rob has worked with BDO, supporting nonprofits, since 2021.  Previously, as Senior Managing Director for an automotive group including its nonprofit road safety foundation, he led a finance team of 50, including ownership of all finance functions (board reporting, accounting, FP&A, ERP migrations, treasury, accounts payable, taxes, and risk management). 

Earlier in his career, Rob worked in audit at KPMG, first in London and then in Philadelphia. He later held Internal Audit leadership roles at blue chip technology and insurance companies. He has also worked with a large food services company, where he had broad finance responsibility for the twelve countries in the international division, including support over several Olympics and World Cup contracts. 

Rob has also been an entrepreneur, as a co-founder of an artisanal coffee roasting business in Philadelphia.  He also has deep nonprofit volunteer experience as the Treasurer of numerous organizations.

Rob is a Chartered Accountant (UK), a CPA (license inactive), and has an MBA (West Chester University of Pennsylvania) and an BSc (Econ.) from Bristol University (UK).

Gina McDonald, CPA, Managing Director

Prior to joining BDO FMA, Gina spent 17 years in public accounting experience, including 10 years focused on nonprofit accounting and financial reporting.

Gina currently works closely with a variety of nonprofits organizations to assist in building their internal fiscal capacity. Some current projects include evaluating the effectiveness and operations of internal controls and financial policies and developing and conducting trainings for clients and staff on a variety of technical accounting matters relative to nonprofits.

Gina is Board Treasurer of the Rhode Island College Foundation and the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and was a 2013 Providence Business News 40 Under Forty honoree.

Gillian Gorra, Experienced Manager

Gillian is an experienced nonprofit professional skilled in fiscal management, strategic planning, human resources and facility oversight, and she is deeply committed to empowering organizations and professionals to do their best work.

Gillian brings nearly two decades of management experience in both nonprofit and specialty retail. Most recently, she spent over ten years as General Manager then Managing Director of the acclaimed theater in Chicago. While in those roles, she established and oversaw all financial and HR systems and led the annual budget development and monitoring processes. Among other accomplishments there, she was integral in establishing a partnership with the Chicago Public Schools Real Estate department and worked to formalize the organization’s first donor acknowledgement and stewardship plan.

Gillian graduated with a B.A. in Musical Theater from Baldwin Wallace University and holds a Masters of Management in Nonprofit Management from North Park University in Chicago.