Q&A with Dessa Nalwood-Arrow, CFE

Dessa Nalwood-Arrow, CFE, of Arizona received her CFE credential this past fall by attending a virtual CFE Exam Review Course. Nalwood-Arrow says that earning the CFE credential offers the opportunity to expand one’s personal work and investigative experience. When Nalwood-Arrow is not working, she enjoys traveling.

Coach: When did you receive your CFE credential?

Nalwood-Arrow: I received my official congratulations for the CFE credential on December 2, 2020.

Coach: Please describe your experience of attending the four-day virtual CFE Exam Review Course, and what did you like most about the course?

Nalwood-Arrow: The four-day virtual CFE Exam Review Course was exactly what I needed to bridge my work experience and the conceptual expectations necessary for passing the CFE Exam. The format offered spoke best to my personal learning style, granting me the opportunity to lean in on audio, visual, and tactical inputs for better comprehension. What I enjoyed most about the course was the ability to traverse this learning experience with like-minded individuals across various fraud industries, and I especially loved the personal and real-life connections to the material created by our instructors.  

Coach:  Please describe your experience of taking the CFE Exam each day after class.

Nalwood-Arrow: I was incredibly impressed by the proctored experience for taking the CFE Exam. The system was straightforward and easy to use. As someone with exam anxiety, it was helpful to have control over when I took the exam with the same-day flexibility to test. I loved being able to jump immediately into the sections of the exam that I was most comfortable with, while still having the extra time after class to review my own notes for added comfort.

Coach: Did you review the CFE Exam Prep Course prior to attending the Review Course? If so, how often did you study?

Nalwood-Arrow: Yes, in the week prior to my scheduled virtual event, I strictly dedicated myself to achieving a passing score for each practice section of the exam. I worked on one section at a time until I passed, and then I moved on to the next section.

Coach: In what ways do you feel that your new CFE credential will be beneficial to you in your current profession?

Nalwood-Arrow: Similar to how the virtual event offered me exposure to a number of colleagues across various fraud industries, I believe that the CFE credential offers the opportunity to expand one’s personal work and investigative experience beyond whatever segment or industry they are already familiar with. While I have not directly worked in or contributed to the health care industry, for example, the tenets of the CFE credential provide me with a base understanding of the more specific applications that apply to this realm. One the greatest benefits realized upon returning to work after the Review Course was the direct and immediate improvement to my investigative approach by applying CFE-specific topics and/or techniques case by case. The best way I can describe it is that I have a whole new toolbox of powerful skills to fight fraud effectively.

Coach: Would you recommend the Review Course to your colleagues? 

Nalwood-Arrow: I would definitely recommend the Review Course to anyone who wants to achieve the CFE credential. The value in having a network of colleagues shooting toward the same goal and getting real-world applications of the concepts cannot be realized in a sole pursuit outside of this format.

Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

Nalwood-Arrow: At the root of it, I think the stark difference between those who commit fraud and those who fight it is who it benefits in the end. I live my life each day on purpose, both in my professional and personal realms. My ultimate goal is to leave a legacy where I will have created a ripple effect of positivity, influence, and good intention that is realized as a collective reward. Because of this, I think my passion for fighting fraud is centered on a value that is best framed by my company as “integrity without compromise,” fueled, of course, by my solution-oriented mindset and the general care and concern for the well-being of something—often someone—beyond myself. So I guess you could say that fighting fraud just happens to be a perfect intersection between who I am and what I can do for others.

Coach: Now that we know what you do professionally, what do you like to do for fun and what do you find enjoyable about it?

Nalwood-Arrow: I am definitely guilty of the perpetual strive for a well-rounded work-life balance, so I love vacation. Traveling is one of my favorite things to do, whether it’s a local site nearby or across the pond. I love being able to experience something outside of my frame of reference. While I’d never consider myself a history buff, it’s incredible to see how history has offered us the opportunity to witness our growth.

Coach: Do you have any study tips or suggestions for aspiring CFEs?

Nalwood-Arrow: Be kind to yourself. If you’re preparing to sit for the CFE Exam, you’ve got a great foundation to draw from. Use your strengths to overcome the elements that you are worried about or strike you as a little harder to easily digest and commit to conquering them as part of your study path. If you have to listen to something, then set that little robot voice to read the Fraud Examiners Manual to you in the background. If concepts are easier to digest visually, then map them out. And don’t forget to lean in on what you already know!