NJCPA Convention & Expo (E2506010)

Jim is an information security and risk executive with over 25 years of experience spanning mid-size to some of the largest companies in the world. He is a virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) for multiple organizations across various business sectors at CompassMSP. Previously, Jim was the head of Technology Risk for Consumer Lending and Digital Banking at a top U.S. bank, responsible for implementing the Front-Line Risk function. He also worked at global consulting firms for 20 years as a technology risk and information security professional; served as the managing director for a national cybersecurity practice that he started; and worked on many high-profile cybersecurity projects, including assisting NYPD with a global internet crime, leading a well-publicized mega-breach investigation and establishing global information security, governance and control functions across leading companies. Jim has also been an adjunct professor at New York University and has held leadership positions in several professional organizations, including being a past president of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) Metro New York Chapter.

Rachel is the founder and chief executive officer of Matters of Management, LLC and has held executive roles in marketing, business development and human capital for mid-size and large professional services firms. She has spent her career working alongside business owners and managing partners carrying out firm missions, acquiring talent and providing coaching to executives, management and staff. Consulting engagements have consisted of organizational redesign of operations and infrastructure, personnel programming, senior talent acquisition, total benefit and rewards systems, policy and procedure manuals, and providing business development coaching training. She is certified in human resources, has a Masters Degree in organizational behavior from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an undergraduate degree in forensic psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Ron started his CPA career in 1984 with KPMG’s Private Business Advisory Services in San Francisco. Today, he is the founder of VeraSage Institute — the leading think tank dedicated to educating professionals internationally — and a radio talk-show host on the Voice America show: The Soul of Enterprise: Business in the Knowledge Economy. In addition, Ron has been an instructor with the California CPA Education Foundation since 1995 and has authored over twenty courses for them. He is also the author of seven best-selling books and has been named on Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in the profession from 2001 to 2007 and 2011 to 2021; voted among the Top Ten Most Influential People in the profession in 2012 — 2021; selected as one of LinkedIn’s Influencers; inducted into the CPA Practice Advisor's Hall of Fame in 2018; and received the 2003 Award for Instructor Excellence from the California CPA Education Foundation. In addition, he is a faculty member of the Professional Pricing Society.

Nick is the co-owner of Boscia & Boscia PC, where he modernized his family’s accounting firm by integrating cutting-edge technology and operational efficiencies. Known professionally as "The Balanced CPA," Nick is passionate about helping accountants build thriving businesses while maintaining personal fulfillment. With more than a decade of experience in tax and advisory services, he has become a sought-after speaker, sharing actionable strategies on tech adoption, workflow optimization and how to balance work-life demands. Nick serves on Intuit’s Tax Council and ADP’s Accountant Advisory Board, contributing thought leadership on the future of the profession. His mission is clear: redefine success for accounting professionals by proving that business growth and personal well-being can go hand-in-hand.

Frank is an emeritus partner of Withum with over 35 years of accounting and auditing experience. He is licensed in New York and New Jersey, and has significant experience working with SEC registrants and small and large private entities in various industries, including working with hedge funds, private equity funds and finance companies. Frank is a member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and was a former member of the AICPA Peer Review Board, which is the senior technical committee that established and conducted a program for AICPA member firms engaged in the practice of accounting and auditing. He was a past president of the NJCPA, and was a former Treasurer, chair of the NJCA Peer Review Executive Committee, and chair of the NJCPA Accounting & Auditing Standards Interest Group. Frank is a frequent lecturer on accounting and auditing and is a co-author of three accounting books.

Scott joined Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in 1990, and has held a variety of investment roles at the firm over the past 34 years. His career began in international equities, where he was an analyst and portfolio manager of European and Asian equities, working out of the firm’s New York and London offices. He since broadened his responsibilities into domestic equity management and research, and managed the New York office of the firm’s Private Wealth Management business. In 2010 he was appointed Chief Investment Strategist, and is today one of the firm’s primary writers and speakers on topics related to the economy, financial markets and investing. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst, and a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and the CFA Institute. Scott serves on the boards of the Morgan Library and the Grolier Club in New York City, as well as the board of the Research Corporation for Science and the Journal of the History of Ideas.

Melissa is the founder and managing member of MD Advisory, a boutique forensic firm. She has an extensive background in forensic accounting, data analytics and cash flow analyses, as well as in diagnosing and remediating business problems. Melissa has wide-ranging experience navigating her clients through investigations of fraud, financial statement anomalies and discrepancies, and the issues that rise in distress and dispute scenarios. She employs a "think-like-a-fraudster" mentality to exploit weaknesses in her client's existing financial frameworks, and designs and implements effective internal controls and enterprise safeguards. She is a member of several NJCPA interest groups, including the Cannabis Interest Group and the Emerging Leaders Council.

Nicole is the director of tax with SKC & Co, CPAs LLC, a Brand Ambassador at UWorld Accounting and has more than 15 years of public accounting experience, specializing in taxation for closely held businesses and individuals. In addition to working with clients in an array of industries, she was also an adjunct professor at Raritan Valley Community College where she taught Tax Accounting for Individuals for four years. Nicole is a member of the NJCPA Board of Trustees and active on several interest groups and committees, including the Content Advisory Board, Federal Taxation Interest Group and Emerging Leaders Interest Group. In 2015, she was awarded “30 Under 30” by the NJCPA. In 2019 she was awarded the “Women to Watch” Ovation Award which applauds the growth and success of female members. Nicole was also named a Forbes Top 200 CPA and was on NJBIZ’s Power 50 List for 2020 and 2021. In Nicole’s spare time, she teaches Zumba Fitness and is active in various charitable organizations, such as St. Jude's and the American Heart Association.

John, an award-winning author and people-centric leadership speaker, is on a mission to create better workplaces. What the two-time Emmy nominee may do best is champion the human side of professionals, consulting with organizations to develop more productive cultures while shining a light on people’s rich lives outside of work. Delivering inspiring keynotes and recording over 600 podcast episodes of What’s Your “And”? landed him on Accounting Today’s list of the top 100 most influential people in the profession. John received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a letterman jacket as a trombone player in the marching band. He went on to pass the CPA Exam and received his CPA license while working at PwC and performing stand-up comedy as a hobby. He’s been on stage over 2,000 times and tracks from his debut album, Outside the Box, can be heard on several channels on SiriusXM Satellite Radio and Pandora. He’s also been on The Bob & Tom Show, featured in the New York Times, opened for Louie Anderson at resort casinos, opened for the band Train, and has been invited to perform at several comedy festivals.

Aiysha (AJ) is the CEO and executive director of the New Jersey Society of CPAs (NJCPA). Previously, she 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, AJ worked for a range of associations including Vizient, the nation’s largest healthcare performance improvement company, where she supported members with complex benchmarking needs. She has more than 20 years of wide-ranging global experience working for nonprofits and professional and trade associations. AJ 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 2024), named on the NJBIZ Power 100 (2024) and its Accounting Power 50 lists (#1 2023 and 2024), and cited as one of its 2023 People to Watch in Finance. She was also named to ROI-NJ’s ROI Influencers: Accounting Power List (2024), Top 50 Women in Business (2024) and People of Color (2023). She served on the Alumni Board of the University of Chicago (2021-2023). 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.

Greg is a cartoonist, emcee, continuing professional education (CPE) presenter, standup comedian and a licensed CPA in Utah. He is the founder of Comedy CPE, where he presents National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) certified fraud and ethics CPE in a comedic format. Greg is the creator of Exposure Drafts (a cartoon series specifically for the accounting profession) and the co-host of the true crime podcast, "Oh My Fraud." He has shared the comedy stage with comedy legends, including Chris Kattan, Rob Schnieder and Weird Al Yankovic. He currently lives in Orem, Utah, with his girlfriend and their two cats. In his free time he enjoys smoking cigars, drinking whiskey and swearing.

Jay is a partner at Prager Metis, a member of Prager Metis International Group. He has more than 30 years of experience in the accounting profession, providing accounting, audit and advisory services to a variety of industries and sectors including family businesses, manufacturing, advertising, public relations and wholesale and distribution. Jay has particular expertise in all matters related to mergers and acquisitions, such as financial due diligence and budgeting for businesses. He helps provide his clients with peace of mind, often acting as a sounding board or confidant, and ensures that they achieve their goals, financial and otherwise. Jay has been involved in close to 200 transactions representing both buyers and sellers with a specific expertise in the transition planning process and due diligence. Prior to joining Prager Metis, he was a member of LFL Veritas LLC. Jay is the leader of the NJCPA's Accounting & Auditing Standards Interest Group. In his spare time, he enjoys playing a variety of sports including hockey, softball and golf.

Gene is a columnist, author and owner of the Marks Group PC, a provider of technology and consulting services to small and medium sized businesses. A past columnist for The New York Times and The Washington Post, he writes regularly for Forbes, The Hill, Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Guardian. Gene has written six books on business management, specifically geared towards small and medium sized companies. His most recent is Want More Cash?: 100+ Ideas and Strategies for Increasing Your Company's Cash Flow This Year. Gene frequently appears on FOX News, MSNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg and CNBC discussing matters affecting the business community. Prior to starting the Marks Group PC, he spent nine years in the entrepreneurial services arm of KPMG in Philadelphia.

Rich has over 20 years of experience helping leaders develop their teams more effectively, find simpler ways to engage employees, tap their wisdom to innovate operations and explore new business opportunities. He has more than 12,000 hours of facilitating change efforts, new leader assimilations, process improvement projects and innovation workshops. Rich specializes in the people development area: designing, developing and facilitating training workshops, coaching for performance improvement, experiential learning and engaging employees to innovate and evolve practices. He worked as an instructional designer, change management consultant, TQM training manager and an organization effectiveness manager at Accenture, Square D Company and Baxter Healthcare.

Thomas is a man of many facets. As an executive coach, he has 20 years of experience working with top tier global companies in the telecommunications, chemical, medical device and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industries. He has worked to facilitate change at the top level of global corporations, working with clients in North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Central Europe, the Middle East, Russia and Asia. Thomas is also a comedian, improviser, actor and writer. He studied acting in the William Esper Studio’s Two Year Meisner Training Program, completed the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch and improv programs, and was accepted into the advanced improv training curriculum there. He has also performed stand-up comedy at various top tier New York City comedy club showcases.

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.

Bob is currently serving as a CFO and chief people officer for a startup venture. A three-time national instructor of the year for KPMG, he has also authored multiple courses for Fortune 500 brands in leadership, strategy and accounting. Bob served terms on two advisory councils for The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and currently chairs the Environmental Roundtable. He is a nationally awarded educator for continuing professional education (CPE) training, a strategic planning facilitator and a fundraising and planned giving consultant. He lives in Memphis, Tennessee, with his wife and large family with multiple pets.

Brad is an assurance principal at CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP). He has significant experience in financial reporting, tax compliance and planning for closely held businesses, SEC registrants, nonprofit organizations and strategic business planning, and in industries, such as real estate, construction, architectural and engineering, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. Brad is a member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and the NJCPA, and was a former NJCPA president. He hosts its A&A Update with Brad Muniz, an IssuesWatch Podcast. In addition, Brad has served as an adjunct professor of accounting at William Paterson University and the College of Saint Elizabeth.

Caleb is editor-at-large at Gusto and co-host of the "Oh My Fraud" podcast. In 2009, he became the founding editor of Going Concern, the one-of-a-kind voice on the accounting profession, serving in the role for nine years. Prior to Going Concern, Caleb worked as a CPA for nearly six years in New York and Denver, and worked at KPMG and Spicer Jeffries LLP. Caleb was also an adjunct professor at the Community College of Denver. He is the vice chair of the Jefferson Symphony Orchestra in Colorado, having previously served as treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee. Caleb has frequently been named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting by Accounting Today. He lives in Denver with his wife, two daughters and two cats.

Parag is a tax attorney with the Patel Law Offices in Iselin. His practice concentration is in tax, business transactions and estate planning. Parag is a board certified estate planning law specialist, a board certified elder law attorney and a frequent speaker on legal issues affecting tax, offshore tax planning and estate planning. He was named a New Jersey Super Lawyer by New Jersey Magazine for tax and estate planning. Parag has also received an AV rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating System, which is the highest professional rating possible among lawyers. He is the 2011/12 chairman of the Tax Law Committee of American Bar Association’s GP Solo and Small Firm Division. Parag also serves as a part-time municipal court judge for Edison Township. He is a member of the New Jersey State, New York State, Middlesex County and American Bar Associations.

Debbie operates her own tax controversy practice, specializing in partnership and S corporation tax law as well as IRS audits and procedures. She has been successful petitioning and resolving tax issues under the jurisdiction of the United States Tax Court. She is proficient in Section 199A provisions and computations as well as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. She prepares all types of tax returns and utilizes her forensic accounting skills for potential IRS criminal prosecution. Having spent more than 32 years at the IRS, Debbie retired from its Large Business and International Division, where she was a senior manager in the Flow-Through Issue Practice Group, which specialized in S corporation and partnership tax. She was the operations and technical assistant to the Deputy Commissioner International; the technical assistant to the Director of PFTG; a territory manager in the retail, food and pharmaceuticals industries; a team manager in the heavy manufacturing industry; and the IRC Section 263A Technical Advisor. Debbie taught accounting and taxation as an adjunct at Delaware State University, Wilmington College and Goldey-Beacom College. She has been a seminar presenter for over 24 years and a textbook author. She regularly receives the Surgent Outstanding Discussion Leader Award.

Renee is the CEO and managing member of Rampulla Advisory Services. She has more than 30 years of professional experience as well as writes and lectures on technical accounting and auditing issues for continuing professional education (CPE) classes. Her experience in the auditing of public and privately held entities ranges from manufacturing and service sectors to financial services. She previously was a partner in a regional accounting firm in the northeast in charge of the firm’s accounting and auditing practice and quality control group. While working for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), she performed professional ethics investigations; collaborated closely with senior technical committees; presented technical guidance before standard setters; and authored and updated several AICPA publications. She is a five-time recipient of the AICPA’s Outstanding Instructor Award and a recipient of the 2016 New Jersey Society of CPAs “Women of Note." Renee is a national standard setter, who currently serves as a member of the AICPA’s Auditing Standards Board (ASB). She also has served as vice president of Professional Issues for the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA), is a past member of the NYSSCPA Executive Committee and former NYSSCPA Director at Large board member. Renee also served as the chair of the NYSSCPA’s Professional Ethics Committee from 2015 – 2017, and in 2018 was the president of the NYSSCPA’s Staten Island Chapter. She was previously an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College.

Heather is vice president of Sales Operations for the ADP Accountant Channel. With a career spanning two decades, Heather steadily progressed through the global human resources and payroll company, moving from district sales manager and corporate sales trainer to her current position. Throughout her career with ADP, she has leveraged her expertise in roles that take advantage of her competencies in sales, human resources, benefits administration, talent management and talent acquisition. This encompasses internal associate and leader engagement to drive results, as well as well as a high level of interaction with the accountant community. Heather is sought after nationwide to lead speaking engagements such as interactive workshops to foster attendees’ personal and professional development. She has coached thousands of professionals on improving selling and overall communications skills. She is also a board member of the Hope for Children Foundation.

Sean is an expert and sought-after speaker, focusing on the intersection of financial services, blockchain and cryptocurrencies. He is a regular contributor to IBM’s Blockchain Unleashed website, analyzing applications for blockchain technology on business at large, as well as being a regular expert guest on China Global TV Network discussing blockchain and related applications. Sean is a member of the Advisory Board for the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance, which coordinates with the AICPA in developing standards and reporting frameworks in this emerging area. Sean continuously works with, and consults for, the AICPA and several professional training organizations in the creation and delivery of blockchain and cryptocurrency related content. He is currently under contract to publish two books focusing on blockchain applications for financial services and other industry sectors. Sean is the host of the NJCPA TechTalk Podcast, a past leader of the NJCPA Emerging Technologies Interest Group and a member of the NJCPA Board of Trustees. He is a professor at the City University of New York - Lehman College.

Michael is an International Coaching Federation (ICF) certified executive coach and facilitator with over 20 years’ experience building dynamic teams and leaders. A former executive in top-tier global corporations, he knows how to generate sustainable financial results while empowering resilient leaders. As a CPA and coach, Michael is well-versed in helping accountants improve performance, overcome burnout and drive stronger results. Some of the areas Michael has had his greatest impact include: guiding accountants' shift from analytical to leadership roles; building executive presence, resilience, and self-awareness; initiating proactive "busy season" planning to improve work-life balance and minimize burnout; transitioning successfully to new roles (including promotions); and overcoming imposter syndrome. By creating greater self-awareness and resilience, Michael guides his clients to reach new heights while staying true to their core values.

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.

Professor Miklos is the KPMG Distinguished Professor of Accounting Information Systems and serves as director of the Rutgers Accounting Research Center (RARC) and Rutgers Business School's Continuous Auditing & Reporting Lab (CAR Lab). He is credited with developing the original continuous audit application and is the leading researcher in this field. As the head of the CAR Lab at Rutgers, he works on projects for such leading companies as Siemens, KPMG, Procter & Gamble, AICPA, CA Technologies and Brazil’s Itau-Unibanco. Also, he leads the Rutgers and American Institute of CPAs' (AICPA) Data Analytics Research Initiative (RADAR) project supported by the 8 leading CPA firms and CPA Canada. He received his Ph.D. in Management Information Systems from UCLA, has published more than 200 journal articles and 20 books, and directed over 40 Ph.D. theses. He is the editor of the Artificial Intelligence in Accounting and Auditing series and the Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting.

Ryan leads the SKC Data Analyst service line as co-founder and president of FourZeroNine Solutions. As a problem solver and strategic thinker with a passion for technology and data driven solutions, he has helped countless business owners overcome operational obstacles by identifying and measuring key business metrics. Through integrating and streamlining data sources, Ryan and his team are able to create custom dashboards that give business owners real-time metrics in a clear visual format. The 2022 NJCPA Ovation Award recipient for Innovation continues to find creative technological solutions that support significant growth for businesses. Ryan was a 2024 NJBIZ Forty Under Forty Rising Stars Honoree.

Peter serves as an Accounting & Auditing training facilitator at Galasso Learning Solutions. His expertise in auditing healthcare companies, employee benefit plans and private companies with complex transactions has made him a key contributo to the development of technical accounting training programs. Before joining GLS, Peter worked at a Big Four, specializing in auditing healthcare companies in both public and private sectors. He later transitioned to an internal audit role at a Fortune 500 company before returning to public accounting at a national firm, where he focused on audits involving business combinations, asset acquisitions, GAAP to IFRS conversions, and technology implementations. Throughout his career, Peter worked closely with learning and development to design and facilitate training on both technical accounting and soft skills. He designed, oversaw and facilitated weeklong training programs and produced accounting podcasts eligible for CPE credit.

Ed is a partner with the firm of Thomas, Zollars & Lynch, Ltd, in Phoenix, Arizona, and specializes in tax issues for closely held businesses and individuals. He has served on committees with the American Institute of CPAs' (AICPA) Tax Section and currently serves on the Arizona Society of CPAs' (ASCPA) legislative tax liaison committee. Ed has published tax podcasts on tax matters and is currently producing the weekly audio and video for the Current Federal Tax Developments podcast on current tax matters for Kaplan Financial Education and the related blog with regular tax updates throughout the week. Along with writing, editing and presenting courses for the past 15 years, Ed has written articles published in Practical Tax Strategies and The Tax Adviser. He is a frequent contributor to a number of online professional tax discussion groups, including the NJCPA Member Open Forum.