2026 Accounting Educators Exchange

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.

Wait…he’s a CPA?!? Oh, you better believe it…and then some ;-) An entrepreneur, college professor, financial professional and author, this guy’s looking to start another Renaissance! Simply, whether in the boardroom, classroom, or locker room, his passion is to help others make better decisions by translating tedious technical topics into tangible intelligence useful for personal and professional success. And if you thought THAT was a mouthful, check out his personal formula for success: (Big 4 + Private equity + Franchising + Internet startups + Fraud Examiner + CFO Consulting + 18.5" Biceps) / (Humility + Faith + Family) = Accounting Badassery in motion. I mean, it's just math, right?!? Living his personal mantra of Integrate, Educate, Elevate...and Entertain, Dr. Tim Naddy abhors complacency and doesn’t believe in settling for less because a good day consists of helping folks understand their value (and yes, you're worth it). An alchemist of precision, professionalism, and panache, his secret sauce is using storytelling to mix all the things he loves…entertaining, speaking, writing, sumif functions, and jazz hands…into the wonderful world of Accounting and Phinance. Shadow Ops is his domain, but he ain’t shy of the spotlight either, so if you’re down to collab, he’s ready to rock n roll! Connect with him on LinkedIn and tune in to him on his Business Biceps & BS podcast (LI: Business Biceps & BS | IG: @bizbisnbs) #cpaevolved #respectthegrind

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.

As NCACPA Director of Advocacy, Robert works with our members to develop, implement, and communicate the association’s public policy agenda to legislators and regulators. He serves as staff liaison to several NCACPA Resource Groups, including Advocacy, Tax, Government, and Accounting & Attestation.

Robert has more than two decades of experience in government relations and executive management for professional associations. A native of Tennessee, he worked in Nashville and Atlanta before moving to Raleigh in 2013. He earned his Certified Association Executive credential in 2020, and he serves on the Board of Directors for Association Executives of North Carolina.

Emily Walker is vice president of advocacy & pipeline for the Virginia Society of CPAs (VSCPA). She has been with the VSCPA since 2003 and oversees and provides strategic direction for VSCPA government relations programs, including VSCPA legislative and regulatory activities, grassroots initiatives and the VSCPA Political Action Committee (VSCPA PAC). In addition, she provides oversight to the VSCPA’s CPA pipeline and academic relations activities.

Emily served as a member of the National Pipeline Advisory Group. She is a past chair of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Public Policy Committee and the Virginia Society of Association Executives (VSAE) Government Affairs Committee. She also previously served on the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) State Policy Priorities Task Force and the Tax Policy Committee of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Emily is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and a graduate of Nonprofit Learning Point’s Emerging Nonprofit Leaders Program. She also volunteers her time to provide administrative assistance to a local non-profit organization providing soccer training for female soccer players. Emily earned her B.S. in molecular biology from Juniata College and attended law school at the University of Richmond.

As the Program Director of EY’s US Academic Resource Center (EYARC), Joni leads and manages programs that support higher education through curriculum resources. She plays a key role in providing faculty with insights into leading edge issues impacting the accounting profession.

Joni’s 25 plus year career has been almost exclusively with EY. Previously, she served as EY’s US Campus Recruiting Solutions Leader, as well as a West Region campus recruiter and leader. She joined EY in October 1999 in the Salt Lake City Assurance practice.

Joni serves on both Brigham Young University’s and the University of Utah’s School of Accounting Board of Directors. As a former auditor, talent acquisition leader, and active board member in higher education, she brings deep knowledge of accounting education and the professional services field.

On a personal note, Joni is a devoted wife and mother with a deep appreciation for travel and cultural exploration. A lifelong dancer, she has performed in more than 65 countries, including appearances at the 2002 Winter Olympics and the World Cup.

Joni holds a Master’s of Accountancy and a BS from Brigham Young University.

Laura Schmidt is a Director at CliftonLarsonAllen with 10 years of experience in the Employee Benefit Plans industry, specializing in Multiple Employer Plans (MEPs) and Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs). She is passionate about developing future professionals and regularly speaks at high schools and colleges about careers in accounting. Laura brings a practical perspective on how internships and strong soft skills—such as communication, teamwork, and professionalism—play a critical role in long‑term career success.

Lisa is a Manager at Brown Edwards, one of the largest independent CPA firms in the region. She provides audit and assurance services as well as internal audit services to financial institutions in Virginia and West Virginia.

Lisa graduated in 2019 from James Madison University with a Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting. She is a licensed CPA in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a member of the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.

As Firm Administrator and Director of Operations at TRP Sumner PLLC, Tammy plays a pivotal leadership role in advancing the firm’s strategic vision. Working closely with the partners, she guides and facilitates long range planning initiatives that support the firm’s continued growth, operational excellence, and client focused service culture.

Tammy manages both client facing and internal responsibilities essential to a thriving firm. Client facing, she ensures efficient and consistent service processes that deliver premier, high-quality work for clients.  Internally, she leads critical functions across operations, HR, finance, IT, strategic planning, team development, and culture building, while also acting as counsel and trusted advisor to firm leadership. In her capacity as the Operations Service Line Director, she ensures efficient workflows, consistent processes, and the delivery of highquality work. By managing the essential infrastructure of the firm, Tammy enables CPAs and professional staff to stay focused on delivering exceptional service to clients.

Tammy’s impact extends beyond TRP Sumner. She serves on the national board of the CPA Firm Management Association (CPAFMA) as the Director of Professional Awareness, helping advance excellence and collaboration in accounting firm management nationwide. She also sits on the Environmental Scanning Council with the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM), where she helps identify emerging trends and strategic shifts shaping the accounting and advisory profession. She frequently speaks to professional groups on firm leadership, professional development, and operational best practices, sharing insights drawn from her diverse experience.

Her educational background is as accomplished as her professional expertise. Tammy earned her Bachelor of Arts from Keene State College, followed by Juris Doctor from Quinnipiac College School of Law and later an MBA with an accounting concentration from the University of Phoenix. Her career spans the legal, accounting, banking, and education sectors, equipping her with a uniquely comprehensive perspective that informs her leadership style and operational decision making.

An experienced professional and published author of both scholarly chapters and articles and fiction, Tammy brings exceptional insight, adaptability, and dedication to her role. Her broad background enables her to excel in the complex and evolving responsibilities of leading firm operations at TRP Sumner.

Outside the office, Tammy enjoys time with her three dogs—including a newly added, energetic puppy. She’s an avid runner with a love for adventure, and she’s currently training for a bucket list goal: completing the Loch Ness Marathon in Scotland.

For the last 13 years, Lisa has fostered innovation in Instructional Design at KPMG, in the US, and in Global L&D. Her recent work pioneering KPMG’s use of GenAI in Learning & Development is the latest of a long list of ways she has spurred innovation at the firm. We are fortunate to have her as an advisor and strategic partner in efforts to help the firm build the skills and knowledge they need to use AI responsibly and effectively.