Going Above and Beyond
Category: Alumni
Tamika L. Tremaglio, MBA '95
"What can I do to be memorable? To be better than good?" are questions that Tamika L. Tremaglio, MBA '95, has always asked herself. Early on, her mother and aunt taught Tremaglio to strive to be amazing, which she defines as "going above and beyond what is expected." As Deloitte’s Greater Washington managing principal, Tremaglio has done just that. She leads the largest accounting, tax, consulting and audit operation in the D.C. region, overseeing 10,000 tax professionals. In addition, she continues to perform forensic analysis and work with clients.
"I remember to pause for a moment and enjoy the journey. Know that you deserve to be there, that you belong and deserve a seat at the table."
"There is no typical work day," she says. "I can be in Brazil one day and Iowa the next. I like to be where our clients are." Tremaglio notes that her work requires agility. "Deloitte is a professional services firm. We need to be ahead of the curve so that we can serve clients in the best way possible. We need to be responsive and proactive—it's a rapid pace."
Tremaglio has wanted to be a lawyer since she was five years old. "Even then my father said I had negotiation skills," she says. She also has a consuming interest in business. And because she was passionate about both pursuits, she obtained her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law and her MBA from the University of Baltimore simultaneously. "UB was willing to help figure out the logistics so I could achieve both," she says. "They could have been closed-minded, but they were supportive and welcoming. I had the best professors and learned so much. Of course, I didn't sleep much."
Even now, with an accomplished career, a husband and two teenage boys, striving for balance can be challenging. "I take life in chapters," she says. "There are times when work takes priority, and other times when family does. I remind myself to be present where I am, and deliberate."
Mentorship is something Tremaglio makes time for. "It's a priority for me," she says. She looks for opportunities to support individuals and groups and is grateful to those who have reached out to her. "I've had both women of color and white males mentor me. Great mentors don’t need to look like you. It’s about having like characteristics."
Tremaglio believes that success stems from identifying a passion, whether in art or business. It requires becoming an expert and stretching yourself. She also urges her peers to work on conquering the self-doubt that plagues many successful people. "I remember to pause for a moment and enjoy the journey," she says. "Know that you deserve to be there, that you belong and deserve a seat at the table."
Tamika L. Tremaglio, M.B.A. '95, in Deloitte's Rosslyn, VA office; photography: Christopher Myers
