Instructor
Rebekah (Brown) Olson, CPA, is the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs and an influential figure in the accounting profession, recognized as one of Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting for 2022.
Joining the MACPA in 2012, Rebekah assumed the position of Manager of Membership Development and Engagement in 2014. In 2018, she was appointed Director of Development, where she served on the leadership team steering the association through the complex challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the departure of longstanding CEO Tom Hood.
Passionate about the future of the accounting profession, Rebekah is a sought-after speaker who frequently shares her insights on professional trends and opportunities. As a certified facilitator, she has guided numerous organizations, both in the United States and Canada, in the strategic planning process.
Rebekah's contributions have garnered recognition from various prestigious entities. CPA Practice Advisor recognized her as a top thought leader under 40 in the CPA profession in 2017, 2019, and 2020. In 2019, she was honored with the President's Award by the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) Baltimore Chapter for her community service. Additionally, Rebekah was named a Maryland Daily Record Leading Women Honoree in 2020.
Rebekah holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, dual specializing in Accounting and Sports Management, from The Max M. Fisher School of Business at The Ohio State University, which she earned in 2009. She obtained her CPA designation in 2011. After gaining invaluable experience at a Top 100 firm, Rebekah decided to leave public accounting and leverage her talents and experiences to work on behalf of the profession at the Maryland Association of CPAs.
Instructor
Bill Sheridan is a knowledge hunter, content curator and lifelong learner. As chief communications officer for the Maryland Association of CPAs, he created and co-authors the association’s acclaimed blog; he created and hosts the MACPA’s weekly “Future-Proof” podcast; and he manages the association’s member communications and numerous social networks. He was named one of Accounting Today’s “100 Most Influential People in Accounting” for 2016.
Join us for this MACPA all member update. We will host these monthly to bring you the latest in what impacts you and the CPA profession. Please see this page for upcoming townhall dates.
This month's guest speaker is Dr. Lowell Wightman, CEO, 360 Mindset. Dr. Lowell Wightman, often referred to as Coach, has dedicated over 30 years to the study of defining positive mindset mental wellness while applying practical methods to improve leadership style. On May 10th will present "Wellness - Engage the Solution".
Dr. Lowell Wightman, often referred to as Coach, has dedicated over 30 years to the study of defining positive mindset mental wellness while applying practical methods to improve leadership style. Dr. Wightman works with all forms of business but focuses on sports and entertainment providing mental performance coaching. His PhD is in Educational Leadership & Human Development, and over the years, he established relationships with like-minded scholars such as Stephen Covey, Deepak Chopra, Mark Victor Hansen, and Dennis Waitley, discovering that a focus on positive processes is far more effective than just the end results.
Today, Coach Wightman uses his experience with elite athletes, talented entertainers, and producers of feature films as sources for performance strategies. Dr. Wightman is working on a book “Coach Me Up” to be released fall 2024. Dr. Wightman is an active board member for Bal Swan Children’s Center, Bal Swan Building Fund, Boys and Girls Clubs of Colorado, and past board member to Denver Film.
Currently Dr. Wightman produces and hosts his podcast 360 Performance which may be found on Spotify or your favorite streaming site.
Dr. Wightman’s favorite quote summarizes his philosophy and passion for discovering the best path to performance excellence, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” –Albert Einstein
Experience in the accounting profession
CPAs who want to stay current on what is happening in the Profession.
