Jeannie Khaw, a CPA/CITP/CGMA, has been with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for more than 25 years and is currently the Deputy Director in the Finance Department, providing intellectual leadership, strategic vision, and managerial oversight of the work and staff of the Finance Department. Her oversight responsibilities include the IMF’s: (i) accounting activities, financial reporting, and external audit; (ii) administrative, compensation and benefits, and capital expenditures; and (iii) the IMF’s safeguards assessments policy (i.e., safeguards assessments of central banks to provide the IMF with reasonable assurance that central banks’ governance, legal structure, control, accounting, reporting, and auditing systems are adequate to ensure the integrity of their operations and ensure that IMF resources are used for the intended purposes). Jeannie brings extensive experience in financial policies, operations, reporting, systems, risk management, internal controls, as well as talent strategy, and held a range of leadership positions in Finance and Human Resources. Her previous roles included: Chief of Financial Operations and Reporting; Chief of Administrative Expenditures and Control; Head of the Control Unit, charged in fostering strong operational and system controls in Finance; As Project Manager led financial system implementation and upgrades, as well as spearheaded many implementations of financial policies and products. Jeannie became Finance’s Senior Personnel Manager, committed to strengthening people management and career development. She later led the IMF’s HR Strategy, aimed to enhance organizational performance through developing and empowering staff. At the IMF, she is also an advocate for Operational Resilience, Change and Innovation, Information Security, and Diversity and Inclusion.
Prior to the IMF, Jeannie was an Audit Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Cleveland, Ohio, where she worked on both public and private companies across many industries. Jeannie, a native of Penang, Malaysia is a graduate of the MBA and Accounting programs at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York.
What is your favorite RIT memory? It could be related to clubs, classes, professors, etc.
One of my favorite memories at RIT was the night we beat UC San Diego—longtime national champ—for the 3rd place in NCAA Division III. As the setter, I sensed the match was going to be a tactical duel. We had the upper hand in the first two sets as UCSD was not familiar with our play. By the third set, UCSD showed why there had been national champs. Every time we found a rhythm, they adjusted their blocks and defense, and we had to make adjustments. What made it unforgettable was having this opportunity as a senior and doing it with amazing teammates I’d played alongside for four years. We trusted each other to take risks—running quicks in transition, calling unexpected plays, pushing tempo when they didn’t expect it. In the deciding 5th set, I felt we played the best game as the “underdog”; we played our match freely as we have practiced hundreds of times and perhaps gave the performance of our career. When the final point dropped, it wasn’t just about beating a powerhouse—it was the culmination of years of trust, hard work, and shared belief. That match still defines what true teamwork feels like.
Was there a particular class, project, co-op or extracurricular activity that changed your perspective?
In Dr. Mattson’s Finance class during my freshman year, he gave me feedback that I don’t lay out how I got to the answers but just provided the answers. He said, while the answers are correct, he would hold me to providing the process to get full credit next time. I learned that real understanding comes from the problem-solving process he insisted on—slow down, define the issue, challenge assumptions, and think clearly through each step. His methodical approach shaped how I analyze problems even now.
What is your greatest professional accomplishment and briefly share how you reached this achievement? How did RIT contribute to this accomplishment?
Taking on the role of Deputy Director and Chief Accountant of the IMF is a tremendous privilege and opportunity to serve the IMF’s mission to promote global economic stability. If I have to point to a factor, I’d attribute this achievement to working across very different domains in accounting, finance, audit, operations, and HR, as well as IT, providing experiential learning while also satisfying my curiosity. It is also very humbling when you realized your own limited knowledge. That breadth of experience, combined with a disciplined problem-solving approach and deep collaboration within and across teams, allowed me to guide the institution’s financial operations and reporting deliverables.
RIT’s gave me a strong foundation technically and a sense of action-orientation. In short, don’t just understand the theory, apply. Do something with it.
How did RIT help to prepare you for success?
I will point out two examples. One, the co-op program really helped in providing a taste of real working life early. This definitely gives graduates a heads up in entering the workforce whether in networking or interviews. Second, business students have access to cutting edge technologies and IT resources, exposed early to a digital and face paced world.
What does being an RIT alumnus/a mean to you?
Very proud; Gave me a lot and would like to give back. Would like to see it nurture high impact future workers.