Accounting Educators Workshop (E2209528)

Brigid is a licensed CPA and university professor at Saint Peter’s University, who teaches and advises students on the pathway to CPA licensure. She is also a passionate advocate for K through 12 education in New Jersey, having written a CPA fiscal literacy blog centered on public school funding and property tax for over 10 years at her website, Civic Parent. With expertise in both the K through 12 and higher education domains, Brigid has identified and helped promote a unique and data-driven approach towards addressing the accounting pipeline challenge between high school and college in New Jersey and beyond: using the federally Perkins-funded career and technical education (CTE) framework to strategically build awareness of the accounting profession at the high school level.

Richard Gallagher joined the AICPA Examinations team as Director of Content on December 1, 2014. Rich will be leading the Exam’s team of CPAs on the development and monitoring of the current Exam, as well as playing a key role in the Practice Analysis initiative, whose goal is to ensure that the next version of the CPA Exam assesses the knowledge and skills required of newly licensed CPAs. Rich has worked as a CPA for over 35 years. He retired from Ernst & Young’s New York based National Professional Practice Group in June 2014. In this role, Rich supported engagement teams and their clients in resolving complex accounting and auditing issues. He also served as Engagement Quality Review Partner on many of EYs New York and New Jersey based clients. Prior to National Office, Rich was a client handling partner based in the firm’s MetroPark New Jersey office. Rich also has been a frequent instructor focusing on new accounting pronouncements, evolving audit matters and IFRS. Rich began his career in Arthur Young’s Newark office in 1976. Rich attended Villanova University from 1972 through 1974 and graduated from St. Peter’s College in 1976. Rich also was an Adjunct Instructor in St. Peter’s Accountancy program in the 1980’s.

Joe is an assurance senior at CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP), primarily serving not-for-profits and small businesses. He takes pride in understanding how he can help any organization reach their goals and continue to serve those in the community. Joe has contributed to New Jersey CPA magazine and for the NJCPA website. He is the chair of the NJCPA Emerging Leaders Council and was a 2021 Emerging Leaders Ovation Award winner. Joe is also a member of the Finance Committee at The Salvation Army Morristown Chapter.

Don is the chief marketing officer of the NJCPA, responsible for setting the vision, strategy and direction for the organization’s marketing, communications and membership campaigns and for driving the success of a deep and broad swath of organizational initiatives. Functional areas of accountability include digital assets (web, social media, email), content and news distribution (including the organization’s flagship publication, New Jersey CPA), membership, media relations, public relations, next generation recruitment, executive communications and internal communications. He also oversees graphic design, market research, and advocacy and legislative communications. Don came to the NJCPA from the Craft & Hobby Association, where he was director of marketing and public relations.

Kathy is the CFO at the Matheny Medical and Educational Center, a licensed special hospital and school serving developmentally disabled individuals, and is the 2022/23 President of the NJCPA. In 2018, she was appointed to the Governor's Independent Developmental Disability Fee-for-Service Transition Oversight Board and the Governor's Independent Mental Health & Addiction Fee-for-Service Transition Oversight Board as a representative member of the NJCPA and continues to serve on these boards. Prior to working in the nonprofit space, Kathy worked in public accounting for 17 years, most recently as a senior manager for ParenteBeard, LLC, specializing in healthcare and nonprofit industries. Kathy is a member of several NJCPA interest groups including the Governmental Accounting & Auditing Interest Group, the Nonprofit Interest Group and the Education Foundation Board of Trustees.

Ralph is the CEO and executive director of the New Jersey Society of CPAs. He was appointed to AICPA’s National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion and the AICPA Foundation Board. Ralph is a former national and chapter president of the National Association of Black Accountants, was chair of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy’s State Society Relations Committee and is a member of the accounting advisory boards of Lehigh, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Montclair State, Felician and Thomas Edison universities and Middlesex County College. In January 2018, he was invited by Senate President Steve Sweeney to join his bipartisan Economic and Fiscal Policy Working Group. Additionally, Ralph was selected for the last eight years by Accounting Today as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting.”