Every person navigates life according to their own principles. For Carol Cochran, one simple principle has guided her throughout her career: continuously improve and learn new things. With this mindset, she spent over 40 years as an accountant and recently embarked on a new chapter as an attorney.
Cochran started at the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management. At the time, she did not see accounting as her future career. She grew up with a CPA mother during a time when women were just starting to enter the field.
“I actually grew up doing bookkeeping and helping her from a pretty early age. Enough so that when I went to UNM, the last thing I wanted to major in was accounting,” said Cochran. “Then I went to Anderson and I actually found that I was good at accounting and I liked accounting. It all fell into place after that.”
This discovery led Cochran to pursue accounting. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting in 1984 and immediately began working as a senior accountant for Ernst and Young.
She moved to Hondo Oil and Gas Company, serving as corporate tax manager and assistant treasurer. Eventually, Cochran joined REDW, LLC. She worked there for 33 years. She left in 2023 as a principal who grew and developed the firm’s Human Resource consulting, business software, and retirement plan administration.
From Accounting to Law
While working at REDW, Cochran returned to UNM to earn her Executive MBA and further develop her leadership skills. During the program she sharpened her strategic thinking and decision-making abilities. Additionally, she embraced the philosophy of servant leadership, making it a guiding principle throughout her career.
“Your purpose as a leader is to create opportunities for the people you work with to excel and succeed, while also helping your clients achieve success. Leadership is not internally focused, it’s external,” Cochran said.
In 2022, she pursued a law degree, fulfilling a longstanding dream. She now works at Wiggins, Williams & Wesenberg, P.C. focusing on employment laws, Native American law, and Civil defense. Cochran adapted to the world of law as she transitioned into her new career. She has found that her comprehensive understanding of finances gives her an advantage in practicing law.
“Everything is changing so fast, that really learning how to change at the same time, how to reinvent yourself, how to continuously improve your skills, and broaden your areas of interest are a good thing,” she said.
Continuing to Serve UNM
Cochran remains an active member of the UNM community. She is an adjunct professor in the EMBA program, where she teaches financial reporting systems. She is also a current member of the UNM Foundation Board of Trustees.
Cochran champions student and faculty success at UNM. In addition to supporting the Presidential Scholarship Program,she established the Cochran Accounting Fund in 2023 to promote faculty research in accounting.
The school inducted Cochran into its Hall of Fame in 2010 for her professional achievements and community service.
Most recently, the New Mexico Society of CPAs honored Cochran with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025.