Forty Under 40: Sarah Langham

As assurance partner, Sarah Langham leads the microinnovation initiative for HoganTaylor. The initiative empowers staff to make small changes, try new things to solve problems and find solutions for clients and the firm. It boosts morale and productivity in the process. Its success is her greatest achievement.

“Public accounting has the reputation of wanting to do things the same as last year,” she said. “We tend to be risk-averse people. So, to be a dynamic culture that embraces change and is willing to fail forward, that’s pretty different from the stereotype.

“My goal is for that to be so ingrained in our culture that it’s like a reflex.”

Her father’s job moved the family to seven states before landing in Siloam Springs, where she graduated from high school. She knew she’d found her major when she excelled in an accounting class at the University of Arkansas. Langham graduated in 2005, completing her master’s in accounting in 2006.

Her career began with EY. Then she moved to HoganTaylor in 2007, being promoted from a staff position to management and to partner in January 2020.

Using her unique skills as an accountant, Langham assisted the LatinXNA mentoring program with its initiative to educate minority board members. She has volunteered at Peace at Home Family Shelter’s board for 12 years and has been a finance adviser and on the house corporation board for her Alpha Delta Pi sorority. Since 2011 Langham has served on the Dean’s Alumni Advisory Council at the University of Arkansas. She received the Walton College of Business Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2016 and is an alumnus of Leadership Fayetteville.

Sarah and her family enjoy the Buffalo River, where they like to hike and throw rocks into the water.