“WRC helps women get the resources they need to sustain a new life – my own mother didn’t have that option.”

Carmen Billups is Senior Tax Manager at KPMG. She began volunteering at WRC four years ago. She currently serves as Treasurer of our Board and Chair of our Finance Committee.

Carmen sums up her WHY she is involved in WRC.

“WRC is amazing in how they are helping women and the community. My mother suffered from financial abuse. WRC helps women get the resources they need to sustain a new life – my own mother didn’t have that option.”

On volunteering her time “As the sole provider for my family, I have a lot of help from my husband who is a stay-at-home dad; however, I have a demanding career and two small sons. Volunteering for an organization had to mean something because my time is precious and very limited.”

On her motivation for giving back “I was surprised when I learned about financial abuse and that I could connect it to my own story. During my childhood in Romania, my mother suffered from financial abuse from my father. While I couldn’t identify it, I realized that it was not how women should be treated. She was in a marriage she couldn’t leave – with three little kids, no real working skills and no support from family or church if she would divorce.

Financial abuse is often times coupled with emotional abuse: one is constantly told that she cannot make financial decisions, that she is not good enough to be trusted with the money, not responsible enough and she begins to think…maybe it’s true.

My parents learned how to work as a team after a lot of hardship, but my mother still struggles with the repercussions of those years. The WRC has resources to help women so they break free from abusive relationships. I feel privileged to know that by volunteering for WRC I can help other women who are suffering from financial abuse. My time makes a difference!”

Thank you, Carmen, for your deep commitment to WRC and to the community!