HERstory in Portraits: Troy

Leading with Empathy, Strengthening the Numbers in Texas

Women are driving change across Texas in ways that don’t always make headlines. In boardrooms, classrooms, and local businesses, they are leading with expertise and heart. HERstory in Portraits exists to make that leadership visible – to honor the women who build, advise, innovate, and serve with purpose.

Troylynn Johnson-Brewster (known to most simply as Troy) is one of those women. An audit principal at Tange Mann & Garza, Troy has spent the past two decades providing attestation services – that is, performing audits, reviews, and related engagements that ensure organizations are operating with integrity and accountability. Her work may center on financial statements and internal controls, but at its core, it is about trust.

In an industry often perceived as numbers-driven and rigid, Troy’s leadership is defined by something deeply human. “I have learned that my superpower is empathy, and that is what drives me in providing my professional services,” she says.

Starting BIG (Four)

Troy began her career at PwC, one of the “Big Four” accounting firms. She spent five formative years there, immersed in rigorous standards, complex clients, and a culture of excellence.

“I worked with ultimate professionals at all the firms I’ve been with. I received excellent tutelage and learned so much.”

Those early years sharpened her technical expertise in accounting, exposed her to new accounting pronouncements, and strengthened her advisory skills around internal controls. As her career progressed, she followed a path familiar to many seasoned accountants: starting at a global firm and, over time, moving to smaller firms where relationships could be deeper and her impact, more direct.

After PwC, she joined a firm that focused on nonprofits, where she spent 13 years refining her craft and expanding her leadership. The experience not only broadened her technical knowledge, but also connected her to mission-driven organizations working to serve communities.

Choosing Flexibility, Creating Impact

Eventually, Troy felt the pull toward something different. “I wanted to do things I wanted to do, and have more flexibility in what work looked like and what type of clientele to work with,” she says.

She found she especially loved working with small to medium size businesses, because she feels she can have more a “direct effect” with them. While her services are always impactful, she explains that small to medium business don’t have as many resources - they’re full of good people but perhaps not the number of people that they might need. 

“I feel like I can be more effective and impactful filling in their gaps with my expertise.”

By stepping in with technical knowledge and strategic insight, Troy provides more than compliance. She offers clarity, stability, and confidence. Her work ensures organizations meet regulatory and stakeholder expectations while empowering leaders to make informed decisions and grow sustainably.

A Changing Landscape for Women in Finance

Over the past 20 years, Troy has witnessed meaningful change for women in accounting and finance.

When she first entered the field, she says firms were often about half female and half male at entry levels, but notes there were very few female partners or senior managers. Leadership looked different then.

At one of her previous firms, she experienced a striking contrast: it was founded by two women from Big Four firms, and had almost all female partners. Today, in many spaces, women are not just present, but leading.

The profession has evolved. Representation has grown. And women like Troy have helped redefine what leadership looks like – not by abandoning diligence, but by expanding it to include balance.

Governance, Innovation, and Expanding Impact

Troy’s commitment to service extends beyond Texas and beyond client work. She serves as a board member and audit committee chair for Activate, a Bay Area-based nonprofit incubator supporting scientists working to commercialize their climate-focused inventions.

She was introduced to the organization through her previous firm, and her involvement deepened over time. She now helps ensure the organization remains compliant with governance rules and financial oversight standards.

Activate describes its mission: “Activate is the nonprofit where scientists become leaders of world-changing ventures.”

Through her governance work, Troy helps safeguard that impact. It’s another expression of her belief that strong systems enable meaningful change.

Strength, Inside and Out

Outside of the office and boardroom, Troy prioritizes her own well-being. She enjoys working out, especially resistance training – a practice that mirrors her professional philosophy. Strength is built over time. Consistency matters. Small, disciplined efforts compound into powerful results.

HERstory in Portraits celebrates women who invest in themselves as intentionally as they invest in others. Troy embodies that balance. She has built a career grounded in technical excellence, shaped by mentorship, and driven by empathy. She has navigated a shifting industry, carved out flexibility on her own terms, and chosen work where her expertise can make a direct difference.

Her story reminds us that leadership doesn’t always come with fanfare. Sometimes, it looks like strengthening the foundations that allow businesses, nonprofits, and innovators to thrive.

By shining a light on women like Troy, we honor not only their credentials and accomplishments, but the values that sustain them.

That’s HERstory. And it’s worth celebrating.