It’s not often that you get a new leader at the exact time that you need a new leader — at a perfect inflection point for your organization or your profession, when things are changing so radically and quickly that only a fresh perspective will do.

Yet that's exactly what the CPA profession has — new leadership for new times.

A few weeks ago, we introduced you to Christine Aspell, the new chair of the MACPA's Board of Directors.

This week, we take a closer look at the national level with our guest, Okorie Ramsey, chair of the American Institute of CPAs' 2023-24 Board of Directors.

Okorie, a CPA and CGMA who serves as vice president of Sarbanes-Oxley for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, says he plans to build upon the platform of his predecessor, Maryland's own Anoop Mehta, who ended his term as AICPA chair over the summer and who was focused on helping others grow personally and professionally, driving DEI, and preserving trust in the profession.

At the same time, Ramsey takes on his role at a moment when our profession faces a number of key challenges, including the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and other new technologies and our continuing talent challenges.

With all of that in mind, Ramsey has forged a three-pronged agenda:

• Innovation to advance the profession. "Ramsey hopes to capitalize on the advancements made by the profession over the past few years by embracing and leveraging technology to streamline processes, increase efficiency and drive greater value," the AICPA states. "He also urges the profession to evolve through lifelong learning, business model transformation, and the CPA Exam itself. 'Through CPA Evolution, we are on track for the January 2024 launch of the new CPA exam,' he said. 'There will be an increased focus on data and technology concepts in all exam sections.'”
• Instilling integrity and trust into sustainability. "Ramsey believes environmental, social and governance (or ESG) is an area where professional accountants can drive meaningful change," the AICPA says. "He will encourage the AICPA and the Association to work with stakeholders to integrate responsible and sustainable practices into their businesses and operating models. 'Our profession is more prepared than any other to drive strategic conversations on sustainability opportunities and risks,' he said. 'I believe this is a space where we can move from having a seat at the table to being at the head of the table.'”
• Supporting the next generation and giving them enhanced opportunities to succeed. "Ramsey supports working together with other professional organizations, state CPA societies, colleges, high schools as well as firms and employers to create a more inclusive accounting and finance profession," the AICPA says. "He cites collaboration as a key to improving diversity within the profession and getting students interested in the accounting field. He noted that while progress has been made, there is much more work to do. 'The profession needs you. And we need our young professionals to see you to understand the art of the possible,' Ramsey said."

I sat down with Ramsey recently to talk about those priorities in greater depth, as well as the challenges that our profession faces these days, the opportunities that exist, and what the future holds for CPAs and accounting and finance professionals. Here's what he had to say:

Resources

• Follow Okorie Ramsey on LinkedIn. 
• Follow the AICPA on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
• Read: New AICPA chair looks to foster innovation in the next generation 
• Read: ‘Seizing the moment’ starts with giving back to the profession 
• Read: Maryland’s Mehta brings tenure as AICPA chair to a close