Business owners need financial information they can rely on—but that only happens when accounting is structured, consistent, and maintained with discipline.

Maria Ortega, Founder and Principal Accountant of Independent Accounting Services, brings nearly 30 years of experience helping service-based businesses restore clarity to their financial records and produce reliable financial reporting.

Maria began her professional accounting career in Mexicali, Mexico, working within a CPA firm’s Business Advisory department. There, she applied Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), supporting corporate accounting, financial reporting, and tax engagements.

Her early career included multi-entity accounting responsibilities and senior-level finance oversight at a full-service hotel, where she advanced to Assistant Controller before immigrating to the United States in 1993.

In the United States, Maria expanded her experience across agriculture, construction trades, petroleum retail operations, hospitality, and commercial cleaning services. She progressed into Accounting Manager roles with multi-entity oversight, improving financial systems, reporting accuracy, and management accountability.

Throughout her career, Maria has focused on strengthening accounting systems, improving reporting accuracy, and supporting service-based organizations ranging from $2M in annual revenue to multi-entity operations approaching $40M.

Maria holds the equivalent of a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting from La Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and earned the professional designation of Public Accountant.