Switchbacks 01: From Single Mom to Signing Director: How Jen Craver Became an EA and Built a Big-Firm Career

In this first episode of our Switchbacks series, Elise sits down with her best friend and colleague, Jen Craver, to trace a career path that was anything but linear. Jen shares how she became a mom before finishing college, returned to school as a single parent, and ultimately built a thriving tax career that led to an Enrolled Agent credential and a principal-equivalent role at a national firm. Jen opens up about the emotional weight of stepping away from the traditional CPA path, the mentors who helped her carve out a new route as an Enrolled Agent (EA), and the skills she quietly built long before she had a formal leadership title—things like time management, process design, feedback, and inclusion. Along the way, she and Elise unpack what it really looks like to grow a career while honoring family priorities and personal limits. Whether you’re a student, an early-career professional, or a working parent wondering if you’ve “fallen behind,” Jen’s story is a powerful reminder that you can take a non-traditional route and still reach the top of the org chart. In this episode, you’ll hear: How Jen went from young mom to college grad to tax professional Why she chose the Enrolled Agent path instead of the traditional CPA route How she built leadership credibility through process improvements and internal relationships The time management and feedback habits that support both her clients and her family life Tune in to hear how career “switchbacks” can lead exactly where you’re meant to go.