Accounting Forensics

Kristin Orr '11 is forensic accountant at TD Bank in Connecticut

Kristin Orr ’11 is using her MBS accounting degree to detect, deter and fight financial crimes as a Corporate Security Investigator at TD Bank in Glastonbury, Conn.

“I am passionate about helping those who have been victimized and about bringing fraudsters to justice,” says Orr who earned a master’s degree in forensic accounting after graduating from MBS.

As a senior investigator in the global security investigations-U.S. group, Orr is responsible for investigating various types of fraud. She reviews security footage, conducts internal investigations and interviews, works with law enforcement agencies, and attends meetings of the International Association of Finance Crimes Investigators and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners to share and gather intelligence on recent fraud strings.

“I enjoy the opportunity to use my accounting background in a nontraditional way,” she says.

After graduating from MBS, Orr, a native of West Bath, Maine, worked as a cost accountant at TD Bank in South Portland, Maine. Three and a half years later she changed roles and took a job as an accountant for New Market and Low Income Housing tax credit portfolios.

In 2016 she earned an MBA in forensic accounting from Southern New Hampshire University.

“I decided on forensic accounting because I could pursue numerous avenues including becoming a certified fraud examiner, an investigator, or an expert witness,” she says. “The forensic accounting specialty is growing in popularity as financial problems become more complex and white-collar crimes are increasingly in the public eye.”

Orr gained a deeper awareness and appreciation of crimes and threats to national security when she participated in the FBI Citizen’s Academy at the FBI field office in Boston during spring 2016. A mentor at TD Bank nominated her for the community outreach program which is taught by special agents and other FBI experts and aims to give individuals an up close and personal look at how the bureau operates.

After graduating from the Citizen’s Academy, she was able to join the FBI Citizen’s Academy Alumni Association which offers additional classes and behind-the-scenes tour. Last August she visited Quantico and FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. For her, the highlights of the trip were meeting the FBI director and listening to a behavior analyst discuss criminal profiling.

Orr now has set her sights on earning her Certified Fraud Examiner credential, which denotes proven expertise in fraud prevention, detection and deterrence. Trained to identify the warning signs of fraud and fraud risk, CFEs must pass exams in fraud prevention and deterrence, financial transactions and fraud schemes, investigation and law.

MBS gave her a great foundation to jumpstart her career, she says. “I learned there is not one right way to apply a degree and that I can be creative with my career goals. Also thanks to MBS I came to understand the importance of networking.

I made it a point to meet with individuals in a variety of positions and industries to figure out exactly which areas interested me. I have found that there are very few people who are not willing to offer advice or provide help.

“I consider myself fortunate to have found my passion so early in my career.”