It Starts With People.
A Kelly Buttram Story
Where It Started
When I sat down with Kelly Buttram, she did not begin with deadlines or spreadsheets. She began with the moments that make the work meaningful to her.
She talked about people.
About helping coworkers when they are stuck. About explaining a process until it finally clicks. About the quiet satisfaction of watching someone grow because you took the time to support them.
For Kelly, the most meaningful work happens when people feel seen, supported, and confident.
“Helping people… that's the best part. And there are so many hands behind every project. People don't realize how much goes on behind the scenes.”
Her path into Tribal Gaming was not planned.
“It chose me,” she laughed.
Kelly once pictured herself working in purchasing, nowhere near the world of accounting. But life has a way of moving you exactly where you’re meant to be.
Her journey took her from New Jersey to Virginia and eventually to Oklahoma with her husband, who served in the Navy. Along the way, she stepped into accounting one piece at a time, first in Accounts Payable, then Accounts Receivable, and eventually into General Ledger work.
It was during those years that F&C CPAs encouraged her to take a leap she hadn’t imagined for herself. That leap opened the door to Tribal Gaming, and today, Kelly serves as a Tribal Gaming Supervisor.
A big part of her growth came from the guidance of Lora Saldana, the Tribal Gaming Manager at F&C CPAs, who shaped those early years with patience and intention.
“Lora always answered every question. She explained everything. She wanted me to succeed,” Kelly said.
“And now I try to do that for other people.”
She gives the same advice she needed back then:
“Give it time. Give it a year. There is so much to learn, and I am still learning almost six years later.”
Deadlines are where she locks in the most. No distractions, no room for doubt, just focused work done with intention.
She wants to meet every one she can.
Because she knows what accuracy means.
“It feels good knowing the work supports programs the Tribe depends on,” she said.
“I want it to be right. I give the best I can, and when I make a mistake, I learn from it.”
Kelly sees the full picture and how every department affects every other one.
“Everything connects,” she said. “People do not always realize how much communication it takes to keep everything moving.”
When asked what motivates her personally, she smiles and answers right away.
“I work so I can go to Disney,” she said.
She goes once a year and is even preparing for the Disney 5K. She has been married for 22 years, has four kids, and carries the same determination at home that she brings to her work every day.
And when she talks about the impact she hopes to make, her purpose is clear:
“I want people to understand what we do and what every department does. Because all of it matters.”
At F&C, we are proud to work alongside professionals like Kelly,
people who care deeply, support their teams, and bring meaning to every detail.