New Rotarian Kelly Stefanko always looks forward to Rotary Club of Norfolk lunch meetings and optional club activities. Being with Rotarians is a contrast to how Kelly, a certified public accountant, spends most of her weekdays -- working solo out of her Norfolk home office as an audit manager the Arlington-based National Science Foundation.

"Rotary has opened a whole new world of opportunity for me," Kelly says. It has let her "meet some fascinating people, make new friends and discover some really cool things happening in our community. The great soups at lunch have been a bonus."

Kelly grew up in Hampton participating in gymnastics and graduated from Hampton High School where she was on her high school gymnastics team. At James Madison University in Harrisonburg she earned a degree in accounting. While in college, she was the equipment manager for the football team when Rotarian John Searing played on the team.  Kelly remains a big JMU Dukes fan and is active in the JMU Alumni Association. A few years ago she represented JMU at the installation of the Thomas Nelson Community College president.

As an auditor, Kelly has worked in Washington, D.C. for the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice. She has audited weapons systems, acquisitions and financial statements in her quest to eliminate government fraud, waste and abuse. She worked for several years for the City of Norfolk as a deputy city auditor before rejoining the federal workforce five years ago as a civil servant with the National Science Foundation. Kelly's work has taken her as far as Antarctica where she bundled up and audited the health and safety of workers in the United States Antarctica Program.

Kelly is in her sixth year on the board of directors for the national Association of Government Accountants and chairs its professional certification board. Kelly starts most mornings in the gym and recently took a rowing class. She now is regularly crewing with the Hampton Roads Rowing Club. She is active at Blessed Sacrament Church and just joined a book club. Kelly's Rotary sponsor is fellow JMU Duke and accountant Angela Kerns. She serves on our club's House Committee and also volunteers with the Suds & Buds planning team.