IssuesWatch Live: Professional Issues Update (E2410004)

James M. Cox is the director of state regulation and legislation at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). In this role, he assists state CPA societies and state boards of accountancy on state-level policy issues impacting the accounting profession. Prior to joining the AICPA, James served as the director of state and local affairs for BOMA International, a commercial real estate trade association. Cox also launched the state government affairs program for Goodwill Industries International, tracked state tobacco policy for the National Conference of State Legislatures, and started his career as a policy analyst for the Florida House of Representatives. James received his Bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Florida State University and holds a Master’s of Jurisprudence from Seton Hall Law School.

Kerry is a supervisor with WilkinGuttenplan where she has worked since graduating Ramapo College of New Jersey. In this capacity, she specializes in various accounting services for clients in the real estate industry. Kerry has a concentration in yellow book audits for low-income housing tax credit projects as well as HUD subsidized properties. She is an active member of the NJCPA, including being a member of the Emerging Leaders Council as well as a chapter volunteer for the Bergen Chapter Board of Directors. She serves on numerous NJCPA interest groups, including the Emerging Leaders Interest Group, the Student Programs & Scholarships Committee and the Accounting & Auditing Standards Interest Group. In 2019, Kerry won the “Women to Watch” Ovation Award and in 2020, she attended the American Institute of CPA’s 2020 Leadership Academy.

Aiysha (AJ) Johnson, MA, IOM, is CEO and executive director of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA). Prior to joining the NJCPA in 2023, Johnson was executive director of BKR International’s Americas Region, where she was responsible for overseeing the implementation of all strategic efforts for BKR accounting and business advisory member firms in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to serving the accounting profession, she worked for a range of associations including Vizient, the nation’s largest healthcare performance improvement company, where she supported members with complex benchmarking needs. Johnson has more than 20 years of wide-ranging global experience working for nonprofits and professional and trade associations. She was elected to the boards of the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) in 2024 and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce in 2023. She was a member of BKR’s Center of Excellence Advisory Board and is on the boards of the Community Foundation of New Jersey, Together for Youth and Junior Achievement of New Jersey. In addition, she was recognized among the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting by Accounting Today (2023) and on the NJBIZ Power 100 list (2024) and has received numerous honors and awards including being named No. 1 on NJBIZ’s Accounting Power 50 list in 2023 and 2024 and one of its 2023 People to Watch in Finance. She was also named one of ROI-NJ’s ROI Influencers: People of Color 2023. She served on the Alumni Board of the University of Chicago (2021-2023), where she graduated with a Master’s in Administration and Policy. She also completed the Senior Management Program in Business Management at University of Chicago/IE School of Business and holds a certificate in Management Accounting for Leaders. She holds a B.S. from Western Illinois University. Johnson enjoys entrepreneurship, the arts, volunteering, writing, reading and travel. She is also a food and wine enthusiast and a member of Chaine des Rotisseurs. She resides in Hudson County.

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.

Marita was appointed the acting director of the New Jersey Division of Taxation, effective Sept. 25, 2023. She had been a deputy director since 2017 and started at the Treasury Department in 1987 as a technical assistant. She steps into her new role as the tax division takes on lawmakers’ overhaul of New Jersey’s corporate tax system and creation of StayNJ, a property tax relief program for senior citizens. Her goals include improving the customer experience, facilitating tax education with the public and engaging with employees.

June is a principal at WilkinGuttenplan and is the president of the NJCPA for the 2024/25 term. She has been a member of the NJCPA since 1995 and has served in a variety of capacities, including the Peer Review Executive Committee, Strategic Planning Committee and Volunteer Relations Committee, and was chair of the NJ-CPA-PAC Board of Trustees, chair of the Committee Operations Committee and vice leader of the Business Valuation, Forensic & Litigation Services Interest Group. She is also an active participant in the Accounting & Auditing Standards and Nonprofit interest groups. Before WilkinGuttenplan, June was the managing member of zbt Certified Public Accounting & Consulting, LLC. She is a former treasurer of Garwood Municipal Library; a recipient of NJCPA’s Volunteer Award in 2018 and its Women to Watch Award in 2019; one of New Jersey Monthly’s Leading Women in 2015 and one of NJBIZ Accounting Power 50 from 2020 to 2022.

Kait Zech, CPA, partner, PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP, has been a member of the NJCPA since 2010. She has served on the board of directors of the NJCPA Union Chapter since 2015. Kait has also served on the Emerging Leaders Council since 2014r. She champions networking for young professionals within her firm and other industry organizations. She is a graduate of Seton Hall University and resides in Cranford with her husband and two daughters. Kait enjoys reading, baking and watching the Mets win a handful of games every season.