Speakers

Anthony Aaron

Tony Aaron is currently serving as a Professor in the Leventhal School of Accounting at the University of Southern California. Professor Aaron has also been appointed as Director of the USC SEC and Financial Reporting Institute. He has spent over 40 years in financial analysis with the majority of his career taking place at Ernst & Young LLP. Prior to EY, he served as a securities analyst with a Southern California-based Registered Investment Advisory Firm. Tony has served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Appraisal Foundation, as well as in many other roles with the ASA, the AICPA and the Appraisal Foundation. He received his BS from USC and his MBA from UCLA.

Aaron Anderson

Aaron Anderson serves as the Chief Accounting Officer at Meta Platforms, Inc., where he leads a global team responsible for Accounting, Sourcing, Finance Operations, Payroll, and Transformation. With extensive experience in financial leadership, Aaron plays a critical role in overseeing and transforming Meta’s complex financial operations worldwide.

Before joining Meta, Aaron held key leadership roles at PayPal, including Senior Vice President and Treasurer from 2020 to 2022 and Chief Accounting Officer from 2015 to 2020. His career includes tenures at MasterCard, IBM, and Deloitte, where he developed deep expertise in accounting and finance. In addition to his executive roles, Aaron is a Board Member and Audit Committee Chair at ZeroHash LLC and a member of the Corporate Advisory Board of NABA.

Aaron holds a Master’s degree in Accounting and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) in Nebraska and Connecticut and is an active member of Financial Executives International (FEI).

Thomas Barbieri

Tom is the Deputy Chief Accountant leading the Financial Instruments Team of PwC's Accounting Services Group and has over 30 years of experience advising large financial services and multinational corporations on complex accounting issues. He is responsible for a team of accounting experts that specialize in advising on financial reporting issues relating to derivatives, loans, investment securities, preferred stock, leasing, securitizations, financial guarantees, and insurance.

During Tom's tenure in National, he has been at the forefront of emerging accounting issues and he has regular interactions with the Financial Accounting Standards Board, SEC and other nationally renowned accounting experts. Tom was recently a member of the AICPA's Insurance Expert Panel where during his tenure the Panel focused on issues relating to the Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) model and recently issued life insurance accounting models. During the credit crisis, Tom was PwC's member on key working groups established by the AICPA's Center for Audit Quality to provide advice to the SEC, FASB and banking regulators on emerging issues including those relating to fair value accounting, investment impairment models, consolidation of variable interest entities, structured investment vehicles, commercial paper conduits, money market funds "breaking the buck", and troubled debt restructurings. Tom recently returned to National after spending seven years in the Insurance Audit practice where he led in delivering audit services to property/casualty, life and mortgage guarantee clients. Tom has authored many articles on financial instruments, securitization and consolidation accounting and reporting matters.

Paul Beswick

Paul has extensive experience fostering high-quality reporting in the capital markets from his various leadership roles, both inside and outside of the firm. As the Chief Accountant at Ernst & Young LLP, Paul oversees consultations with clients and engagement teams in the US on complex accounting issues and development and issuance of firm publications on changes in accounting standards and other topics. Paul leverages his extensive experience as a standard setter and regulator to help clients and engagement teams produce high-quality financial statements for the use of investors in the capital markets. Previously, Paul served as the EY Americas IFRS Leader and Deputy Chief Accountant – Professional Practice. Earlier in his career, Paul spent seven years at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including serving as the Chief Accountant. Paul also spent two years as a fellow at the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

George Botic

George R. Botic was appointed as a Board Member of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board by the Securities and Exchange Commission in September 2023 and sworn in on October 25, 2023. His current term expires on October 24, 2028. Board Member Botic is a Certified Public Accountant who has been with the PCAOB since 2003. He served as Acting Chair of the PCAOB from July 2025 to February 2026. Prior to his swearing in as a Board Member, Board Member Botic was the Director of the PCAOB’s Division of Registration and Inspections (DRI), which includes the Global Network Firm, Non-Affiliate Firm, and Broker-Dealer Firm inspection programs, as well as the registration program. He oversaw the registration and inspection of all domestic and foreign accounting firms that audit public companies whose securities trade in the U.S., as well as all broker-dealer audits. Before being named DRI Director in 2018, Board Member Botic had served as Director of the PCAOB’s Office of International Affairs and as Special Advisor to former Chair James R. Doty. From 2003 to 2014, he held several roles within DRI, including as a Deputy Director. Earlier in his career, he was a senior manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Board Member Botic holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Shepherd University and received a Master of Accountancy from Virginia Tech.

Adam Brown

Adam is skilled at working with large and small publicly traded companies from initial public offerings to assisting public companies in responding to comments from the SEC. As the firm’s National Managing Principal of Accounting, he advises clients on accounting for complex or unusual transactions and also represents BDO before regulators and accounting standard-setting organizations. In addition, Adam writes and presents technical training courses on financial accounting standards and SEC related subjects within BDO and for external audiences. Adam is also a past member of FinREC (formerly AcSEC), which is the senior AICPA technical committee that provides nonauthoritative guidance on financial reporting matters. FinREC influences the form and content of pronouncements of bodies having authority over financial reporting standards and identifies financial accounting issues for which guidance from these bodies is needed. Adam has completed a two-year Professional Accounting Fellowship in the Office of the Chief Accountant (OCA) at the SEC in Washington, DC. During his fellowship, Adam consulted with public companies in the application of financial accounting standards, monitored the development of accounting pronouncements at the FASB and the IASB, participated in the development of the Commission’s rule proposals, and authored and presented updates on current OCA initiatives and perspectives at professional seminars.

Matt Busch

Matthew is the Chief Accounting Officer and a member of the CFO senior leadership team at Amgen, where he leads the global corporate accounting organization. He brings more than 20 years of finance and accounting experience, combining broad financial leadership with deep technical accounting expertise. During his tenure at Amgen, Matthew has held roles of increasing responsibility across corporate finance, accounting operations, external reporting, global tax, and functional finance, providing him with a comprehensive perspective on the financial complexities of a global biotechnology company. Prior to joining Amgen, Matthew worked at Ernst & Young in the New York City office and earlier in his career at the Financial Accounting Standards Board. He holds a Master of Accountancy and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Brigham Young University.

Andrew Call

Andy Call is Dean of the Leventhal School of Accounting and the Alan Casden Dean’s Chair at the University of Southern California. Professor Call’s research focuses on the activities of Wall Street analysts and their impact on the capital markets, managers’ forward-looking earnings guidance, the role of the media in disseminating accounting information, and the involvement of employee whistleblowers in the discovery of financial misreporting. His research has been published in leading academic journals, including Journal of Accounting and Economics, Journal of Accounting Research, The Accounting Review, and Review of Accounting Studies, and has been featured in many prominent media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Bloomberg, CFO Magazine, The Motley Fool, and CNBC. Professor Call currently serves as an editor at The Accounting Review, has taught financial reporting topics to both undergraduate and graduate students, and has received numerous teaching and research awards. Prior to joining the Leventhal School of Accounting, Professor Call served as the Director of the School of Accountancy at Arizona State University and began his career as an assistant professor of accounting at the University of Georgia. He graduated with a PhD in accounting from the University of Washington, after earning his MAcc and BS degrees in accounting at Brigham Young University.

Jennifer Cavanaugh

Jennifer Cavanaugh is an Audit partner and Chief Auditor at Grant Thornton. In this role, she leads the Audit Methodology and Standards group within the Audit Quality and Risk group. Jennifer is responsible for the adoption, interpretation and application of U.S. and global auditing and attest standards. Prior to assuming the role of Chief Auditor, Jennifer served as the National Professional Practice Director (NPPD) for the Central-North region. In her capacity as the NPPD, she provided support and collaborated with local engagement teams and their clients on matters relating to accounting, auditing and rules and regulations of applicable regulatory agencies. She has worked extensively with multi-national public and privately-held companies in her role as NPPD and as a lead engagement partner. Jennifer has more than 30 years of experience serving clients in the manufacturing, distribution and professional services industries. She has worked with a broad range of public and private clients, including large and mid-size companies. She has also advised clients on mergers and acquisitions.

Brandon Coleman

Brandon has been the Chief Accountant in Deloitte's Professional Practice Network since 2024. In this role, he is responsible for a team of professionals that consult on transformative transactions and the most challenging technical accounting topics, as well as publish external and internal accounting publications. In addition, Brandon serves as a technical accounting advisor to some of Deloitte's largest and complex accounts, specializing in aerospace, investment management, and the financial services industry including banks, finance companies, investment funds, and broker dealers. Prior to becoming the Chief Accountant, Brandon was the Deputy Chief Accountant for 5 years. During his career, he has also been an auditor, Deloitte's deputy banking and industry professional practice director, and a Deputy Controller at a large bank.

Brian Croteau

Brian Croteau is a Partner and the US Chief Auditor and Auditing Services Leader in the National Office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP's Assurance practice. As part of this role, Brian oversees the establishment and maintenance of PwC's audit policies and practices and plays a key role in the monitoring and assessment of audit quality. He leads the National Office efforts to directly support the Firm's audit quality objectives, including related internal and external reporting, and the Firm's efforts related to its relationship with the PCAOB, including supporting all aspects of the PCAOB's inspection process. Brian currently serves as a member of the PCAOB's Standards and Emerging Issues Advisory Group (SEIAG) and the SEIAG's Emerging Issues in Auditing subcommittee. Prior to his role as US Chief Auditor, Brian served as the leader of the Firm's Regulatory Risk and Quality Control group, overseeing the monitoring of the regulatory environment, leading regulatory interactions, and advancing initiatives related to the firm's system of quality management for assurance services. In his roles since joining the Firm in 1993, he has managed the audits of public and private companies, performed consultations with engagement teams on complex and judgmental auditing and internal control matters, and supported the development and implementation of Firm audit policy and guidance. He also has participated in various Firm audit training initiatives and had active roles in the Firm's input to PCAOB, AICPA, and IAASB audit standard-setting activities. Additionally, he has been active on numerous task forces of the AICPA and the Center for Audit Quality. Prior to rejoining the Firm in 2017, he served for over six years as the Deputy Chief Accountant of the Professional Practice Group within the Office of the Chief Accountant (OCA) at the SEC in Washington, DC. Brian has also previously served as a Senior Associate Chief Accountant in the OCA from 2004 to 2007. In his work at the SEC, Brian played a key role in the Commission's oversight of the activities of the PCAOB, managed the resolution of auditor independence issues and ethical matters, and monitored audit and independence standard setting internationally. He also provided advice and developed positions on issues related to performance of audits, including auditor independence, and management and auditor assessments of internal control over financial reporting that were referred to the OCA due to their complexity or policy implications. Brian is a Certified Public Accountant and he is a member of the AICPA. Brian earned his B.B.A. in accounting from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He was named 2007 accounting alumnus of the year of the UMass-Amherst Isenberg School of Management.

Jackson Day

Jackson M. Day was appointed technical director of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) on July 1, 2024. In this role, he is responsible for managing the FASB’s standard-setting activities and research and technical staff. Prior to joining the FASB, Mr. Day was with Ernst & Young LLP (EY), the global accounting and professional services firm, where he was previously its chief accountant.

Mr. Day has spent most of his 38-year accounting career at EY, which he initially joined in 1986 on the audit staff in St. Louis, Missouri. Rising through the ranks of the EY network, his career path later took him to London, New York, and Munich serving in a variety of leadership roles in the United States and abroad including as global director for capital markets.

Mr. Day also served as the deputy chief accountant and, later, acting chief accountant, in the Office of the Chief Accountant at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC, from 2000 to 2003. He was an FASB practice fellow from 1997 to 1999 and has been a member of the Emerging Issues Task Force. He also is a former member of numerous leadership and advisory groups in the accounting profession. Mr. Day earned his undergraduate degree in business administration at Kansas State University.

Michal Dusza

Michal Dusza has over 25 years of experience in public accounting, standard setting, and regulation, with deep expertise in auditing standards, SEC reporting requirements, and internal control over financial reporting. He most recently served as an Audit Partner in KPMG’s Department of Professional Practice, where he led teams responsible for audit methodology, implementation of new PCAOB standards, and audit quality initiatives. Michal previously served as a Professional Accounting Fellow in OCA’s Professional Practice Group, focusing on independent audits, PCAOB oversight, and ICFR assessments.

Michael Dyno

Michael Dyno is a Managing Director - Tax Accounting Methods & Credit Services at KPMG.

Janette Gradney

As Regional Vice President, Janette leads specialized practices assisting Fortune 500 and PE-backed companies through complex transitions. A veteran operational leader with an MBA, she specializes in driving transformational growth, and deploying elite talent to achieve operational excellence.

Kurt Hohl

Kurt Hohl became the SEC's Chief Accountant in July 2025. He has nearly 40 years of accounting and auditing experience, most recently as the founder of Corallium Advisors, which helps businesses navigate the complexities of auditing, regulatory compliance, risk management, and initial public offerings. Mr. Hohl previously spent 26 years as a partner at Ernst & Young (EY) in a variety of roles. His final EY role was as global deputy vice chair of EY’s Global Assurance Professional Practice, where he was responsible for the operation and oversight of the technical, regulatory, risk, and quality oversight functions of EY’s global professional practice organization -- a team of more than 1,400 professionals. During his prior SEC service from 1989 to 1997, Mr. Hohl rose to the position of Associate Chief Accountant in the Division of Corporation Finance. He authored what became the Financial Reporting Manual, a primary guide for the SEC accounting staff and practitioners in the application of the federal securities laws. He began his professional career at Deloitte Haskins & Sells. Mr. Hohl received a bachelor of business studies degree in accounting from James Madison University and is a certified public accountant in Virginia.

Matt Jacques

Matt returned to AlixPartners in 2022 after serving as the Chief Accountant for the Enforcement Division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where he played a crucial role in the Division's enforcement initiatives, focusing on financial accounting, disclosure, and auditing matters. He is an industry leader in forensic accounting as a seasoned professional specializing in guiding clients through complex financial reporting, regulatory, investigation, compliance, and litigation challenges. With a diverse background spanning roles as a regulator, forensic accountant, auditor, and accounting expert, Matt has earned a reputation as a trusted advisor to legal counsel, regulatory bodies, corporate management teams, audit committees and boards of directors. Matt holds an accounting degree from the University of Notre Dame and certifications as both a certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner. He regularly speaks to professional organizations and academic institutions on accounting and regulatory enforcement topics.

Rich Jones

Richard R. Jones began his term as the eighth chair of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) on July 1, 2020. In this role, Mr. Jones heads up the seven-member board that establishes generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for public companies, private companies and nongovernmental not-for-profit organizations in the United States. His term concludes on June 30, 2027.

Mr. Jones brings to his position with the FASB deep technical accounting experience obtained over more than three decades with Ernst & Young (EY). An experienced leader, he has a proven track record for driving consensus in the complex world of accounting standards and financial reporting.

Prior to his appointment to the FASB, Mr. Jones was a Partner at EY and served as the firm’s chief accountant, leading a large and diverse team of professional colleagues in the firm’s national office. In that role, he directed efforts to help the firm’s clients and engagement teams understand accounting requirements and developed the firm’s views on proposed accounting standards. Mr. Jones also oversaw EY’s accounting publication efforts across all sectors: public companies, private companies, not-for-profit organizations, employee benefit plans, and government entities. He also authored numerous EY technical publications.

During his career, Mr. Jones served on the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council (FASAC) from 2016 to 2018. He was also a member of the Accounting Standards Executive Committee of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) from 2003–2008. Mr. Jones graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the State University of New York, Binghamton, in 1987. He is a certified public accountant in the state of New York.

Jennifer Leete

Jennifer S. Leete is a member of the Investigations and Regulatory Enforcement Practice. She is a former Associate Director in the Division of Enforcement at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where she served for more than 20 years. Ms. Leete represents public and private companies, financial institutions, auditors, audit committees, boards of directors, executives and board members in connection with sensitive and complex investigations, enforcement and regulatory matters. She also conducts internal investigations on behalf of board committees and companies and advises clients on corporate governance and regulatory compliance issues.

Jim Logothetis

Demetrios (Jim) Logothetis was appointed as Chairman of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board by the Securities and Exchange Commission in January 2026 and sworn in on February 10, 2026. His current term expires on October 24, 2030. Prior to his appointment as PCAOB Chairman, Chairman Logothetis served on the board of The Republic Bank of Chicago, where he chaired the audit committee, and on the advisory council of CrossCountry Consulting, a privately owned consultancy firm. In 2019, he retired from Ernst and Young after 40 years with the firm, during which time held leadership roles that included Vice-Chair of Global Accounts, Managing Partner of the Midwest U.S assurance and advisory practices, and Chairman of the German Business Center in the United States. He also served as Senior Advisor in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of the Assistant Secretary and Chief Financial Officer, where he led the Audit Coordination Committee for Ginnie Mae. Chairman Logothetis holds an MBA degree in accounting, finance, and international business from The University of Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business and a B.S. degree in accountancy from De Paul University.

Gary Lu

Gary Lu Chief Financial Officer, ConsumerDirect, Inc. As Chief Financial Officer at ConsumerDirect, Gary leads financial strategy, investor relations, and treasury operations. A veteran CPA and business builder, he specializes in driving strategic finance initiatives, and helping organizations expand with resilience and purpose.

David Meniane

As Chief Executive Officer, David leads complex organizations through full-stack digital and operational transformations. A veteran executive, he specializes in scaling high-growth businesses, modernizing omnichannel supply chains, and driving AI-powered technology and marketing strategies.

Daniel Murdock

Daniel C. Murdock serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller of Comcast Corporation. In this role, he leads the company’s financial reporting, accounting, and related internal controls functions. Since joining Comcast in 2015, Dan served as Vice President and Corporate Controller where he oversaw accounting policies and procedures, reporting controls, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Prior to Comcast, he was with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission where he served as the Deputy Chief Accountant in the agency’s Office of the Chief Accountant since 2013. Before that, he was Deloitte & Touche’s Audit/Industry Professional Practice Director for media and entertainment. Dan earned a BS in accounting from the University of South Florida. He is a certified public accountant and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Keith Pettus

Keith joined Crux as a managing director on the Tax Investor Coverage team, where he serves as a trusted advisor at every stage of a corporate tax team's tax credit strategy. Keith brings deep technical expertise on tax credit structures and mechanics, and we're thrilled to have him on the team.

Melissa Rocha

Melissa is a partner in KPMG’s Department of Professional Practice (DPP). She previously spent over 24 years at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) where she served as the Acting Chief Accountant and most recently held the role as the Deputy Chief Accountant in the SEC Office of the Chief Accountant (CFOCA) within the Division of Corporation Finance. In this role, Melissa oversaw the consultation process and engaged with registrants, investors, analysts, and trade groups on recommendations and rulemaking across a wide range of topics, including crypto assets, banking, and insurance. Prior to her position as Deputy Chief Accountant, Melissa held various leadership roles within the Division of Corporation Finance, where she developed and implemented the annual review program in various industry offices as well as contributed to the development and interpretation of accounting standards and policies. Her experience in both public and private sectors added to the depth of her understanding of financial reporting and regulatory compliance. Melissa earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Maryland and is a Certified Public Accountant in Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Sarrah Schoenewald

A senior executive and chief accounting officer, Sarrah Schoenewald drives organizational advancement by implementing robust financial control systems, business process improvements, and digital transformation technologies while developing financial analyses to propel the company forward. She is deeply committed to building and developing top-performing teams, ensuring compliance with regulations, and directing corporate transactions. She cultivates a positive culture centered on collaboration, trust, and support by leveraging a leadership style that fosters significant growth of managers and staff.

Chris Spraberry

Chris is a Partner within the Accounting & Reporting Solutions practice (“ARS”) and has worked in public accounting since 2011. He has served both public and private clients across numerous industries and sectors, including Consumer and Industrial Products, Real Estate, Retail, Oil and Gas, and Healthcare. Chris advises clients through accounting and finance transformation efforts, helping organizations improve processes, assess and implement technology, develop policies, and define service delivery model strategies. He has experience advising clients across multiple business domains, including plan to produce, order to cash, procure to pay, and record to report. Chris also brings deep experience in AI, automation, and digital enablement for accounting and finance functions. He has spent several years developing software applications and technology-enabled solutions designed to streamline finance processes, improve reporting, enhance controls, and support more efficient decision-making. His work combines accounting and reporting knowledge with practical technology experience to help clients modernize how finance work gets done.

Neil Stevens

As National Practice Director at Tatum by Randstad, Neil oversees the Technology, Media & Telecom practice nationwide. A veteran with a Disney and CPA background, he specializes in strategic transformation, interim leadership solutions, and partnering with CFOs to drive operational excellence.

John White

John W. White is a partner in Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP’s Corporate Department and is Chair of its Corporate Governance and Board Advisory Practice. From 2006 through 2008, he served as Director of the Division of Corporation Finance at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which oversees disclosure and reporting by public companies in the United States. During his over 30 years as a partner at Cravath, Mr. White has focused his practice on representing public companies in a wide variety of areas, including public reporting responsibilities, corporate governance matters, public financings and restatements and other financial crises. Mr. White is a member of the PCAOB’s Standards and Emerging Issues Advisory Group (SEIAG) and has served as a member of FASB’s Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council (FASAC). Mr. White also serves on the Board of Directors of Financial Executives International (FEI) and chairs the Advisory Council of USC’s SEC and Financial Reporting Institute.

Ryan Wolfe

Ryan Wolfe has served as the Chief Accountant of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement since September 2022. From January through early July 2025, he concurrently served as the Acting Chief Accountant of the Commission’s Office of the Chief Accountant, the principal adviser for all accounting and auditing matters arising in the administration of the federal securities laws. He previously served in the SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant from 2011 to 2020 in multiple roles, including as a liaison to the Division of Enforcement and in roles related to the Commission’s oversight of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. From January 2021 through August 2022, Mr. Wolfe was in private practice at an advisory firm focused on providing technical accounting, auditing, and financial reporting expertise related to internal and regulatory investigations and litigation. He began his career as a forensic accountant and litigation consultant.