Young CPAs hone leadership skills

Thirty-seven young CPAs participated in the 2016 AICPA Leadership Academy graduating class.

The graduates attended the four-day program to discuss issues facing the profession and participate in leadership development sessions with leaders in the profession, including Tim Christen, 2015—2016 AICPA chairman; Barry Melancon, AICPA president and CEO; and Mark Koziel, AICPA executive vice president—Firm Services.

The AICPA Leadership Academy was established to inspire and empower the next generation of CPA leaders through training, access to well-connected professional networks, and opportunities to exercise leadership within the profession.

Participants were selected from candidates recommended by employers, state CPA societies, or both and come from public accounting firms of all sizes, business and industry, education, and government. Candidates submitted résumés, statements explaining why participating in the Leadership Academy would be important to them personally, and essays responding to the question, “What leadership competencies and characteristics will be essential to successfully lead and advance the CPA profession in 2030?”

The full 2016 class is listed below in alphabetical order:

Vincent Accardi, PwC, Tampa, Fla.

Gil Adler, Luke’s Lobster, New York City

Amanda Barrett-Brough, Squire & Co., Orem, Utah

Rosie Brammer, Perkins & Co., Portland, Ore.

Melyssa A. Brown, Meyers Brothers Kalicka PC, Holyoke, Mass.

Martrice Caldwell, OneGoal, Chicago

Aaron Clayton, Eide Bailly LLP, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Ayanna Coleman, Friedman LLP, New York City

Ashley Cooper, HoganTaylor LLP, Oklahoma City

Alan Duncan, RCP Companies Inc., Huntsville, Ala.

Brittany Dunn, Eide Bailly LLP, Fargo, N.D.

Mike Ferkovic, BDO USA LLP, University Heights, Ohio

Dana Fogle, PriceRomine PLLC, Shepherdstown, W.Va.

Brent Forbush, Forbush & Associates, Reno, Nev.

Ivannia Graber, Insight Accounting Group PC, Goshen, Ind.

Byron Hamlett, Grant Thornton LLP, Charlotte, N.C.

Rich Hassinger, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, N.J.

Holly Hawk, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.

Jessica Iennarella, Epps Forensic Consulting PLLC, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Elsa Jacobs, Asurion, Nashville, Tenn.

Steven Kurinsky, DeLeon & Stang, CPAs & Advisors, Gaithersburg, Md.

Lori Liddell, Horne LLP, Ridgeland, Miss.

James Matthis, Waters & Matthis, CPAs PLLC, Wallace, N.C.

Michelle McVetty, Crane & Bell PLLC, Lancaster, N.H.

Charles Mondesir, Prudential Financial Inc., Newark, N.J.

Matt Morey, Entergy Services Inc., New Orleans

Philip Nathan, FTI Consulting, Washington

Tim O’Neill, Mueller Prost LC, St. Louis

Givenson Piard, Jason Industries Inc., Richmond, Ind.

Paul Preziotti, Johnson Lambert LLP, Vienna, Va.

John Rainone, DiSanto Priest & Co., Warwick, R.I.

Erin Roche, Elliott CPA Group Inc., Santa Rosa, Calif.

Kathryn Rogers, Independent Case Management Inc., Little Rock, Ark.

Austin Schuerg, Simms Fishing Products, Bozeman, Mont.

Krystal Siebrandt, HBE Becker Meyer Love LLP, Lincoln, Neb.

Marie Stiegel, Plante & Moran PLLC, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Richard Ward, Capital Configuration LLC, Pittsburgh