Crystal Baze-Barney is a Certified Public Accountant with over 15 years of experience in accounting, nonprofit consulting, and fraud prevention. Her career began in Baltimore City, where she launched her bookkeeping and tax preparation business. She has since held roles as Accountant/Auditor, Accounting Manager, and Controller, gaining extensive expertise in financial operations, compliance, and governance. Crystal holds an Associate of Applied Science in Accounting from Baltimore City Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Towson University, and an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She has also completed graduate coursework in Fraud and Forensic Accounting at LaSalle University.
Crystal is the owner of Journey Business Accounting (JBA), a firm specializing in nonprofit accounting and consulting. As a Licensed Consultant for the Standards for Excellence Institute, a project of Maryland Nonprofits, she helps organizations strengthen their governance, operations, and management to meet the highest standards of accountability and transparency. Through her partnership with SOARS Nonprofit Network, she provides innovative services and training to equip nonprofits with the tools needed to achieve financial sustainability and operational excellence.
A passionate advocate for integrity and organizational impact, Crystal is dedicated to helping nonprofits navigate transformative challenges. She excels at fostering trust, rebuilding transparency, and ensuring organizations are positioned to fulfill their missions effectively. In both her professional and personal life, she is driven by a commitment to excellence, lifelong learning, and empowering others to achieve their goals.