2026-2027 Ernst & Young Innovation in Accounting Education Award Committee

Thank you to the Ernst & Young Foundation* for generously sponsoring this award!
 

Nominations Deadline: January 31 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time


To volunteer for this committee, please click HERE.

Charge

Carry out all activities to select recipients of the Ernst & Young Innovation in Accounting Education Award which is presented at the AAA Global Connect. Specifically:

  • Actively seek and submit nominations.
  • Chair holds a short meeting before nominations are read/considered by the committee to discuss the criteria and how the process will work; perhaps include discussion of use of ratings, rankings and inherent tradeoffs across the criteria.
  • Review and evaluate nominations and select award recipient(s) based on the award criteria.
  • The Board of Directors Liaison may attend committee meetings but may not vote in the committee's deliberations.
  • The Chair writes a thank you email to the award sponsor representative for their support of the award.
  • The Chair must submit at least one report per year to the Board of Directors. This report should include accomplishments and suggested modifications and should be sent to the AAA President, the Committee's Board of Directors Liaison, and Professional Staff Liaison, Barbara Gutierrez at barbara.gutierrez@aaahq.org.
  • The Chair and award sponsor representative present the award(s) at the AAA Global Connect.
  • The Chair moderates a 90-minute concurrent session of the AAA Global Connect during which recipients of the award present their innovation.
  • If the Chair has any questions about the charge or responsibilities of this committee, s/he should contact the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or the Committee's Board of Directors Liaison.

*While the Ernst & Young Foundation is a proud sponsor of the Ernst & Young Innovation in Accounting Education Award, the Ernst & Young Foundation has no role in the selection of the award recipients.

Committee Composition/Required Knowledge and Expertise/Conflict of Interest Rules

  • Committee members plus a voting Chair are appointed annually prior to the AAA Global Connect by the Council Committee on Awards Committee.
  • The Committee consists of seven members, including a voting Chair.
  • For continuity, two Ernst & Young Innovation in Accounting Education Award Committee members (one as chair and one as a member) should serve consecutive years.
  • Care should be taken that the Committee include members with knowledge about unique approaches and innovations.
  • Committee members, as much as possible, should be selected to represent different types of educational institutions (e.g. 2-year; UG only; UG & G-masters; Ph.D.-granting).
  • Current Committee members who are nominated for the award will be asked to either recuse themselves from the Committee or remove their nomination from consideration.

Members

Name / Affiliation Contact Term Length Term Expires
Chair

Elizabeth Almer
Portland State University

ealmer@pdx.edu

 1

08/2027
Members

Kirsten Cook
Texas Tech University

kirsten.cook@ttu.edu

1

08/2027

Nick Fessler
Western Kentucky University

nicholas.fessler@wku.edu

1

08/2027

PJ Hoffman
Indiana University-Bloomington

phoffma@iu.edu

2

08/2027

Stacie Kelley
University of Wisconsin-Madison

stacie.laplante@wisc.edu

1

08/2027

James Long
Auburn University

jameslong@auburn.edu

1

08/2027

Scott Showalter
North Carolina State University

scott_showalter@ncsu.edu
 

1

08/2027
Board of Directors Liaison

Kimberly Church
Missouri State University
Vice President–Education (2026-2029)

kimberlychurch@missouristate.edu

3

08/2029

 

Committee Roles & Responsibilities Timeline

September - January 31 February - April 15 June August
  • Actively seek and submit nominations.
  • Review nominations, participate on virtual calls and email discussions, at the discretion of the Chair.
  • Chair is allowed to vote in the award committee's deliberations.
  • Select award recipient(s) based on award criteria.
  • Chair notifies the Professional Staff Liaison of the recipient(s) by April 15th at barbara.gutierrez@aaahq.org.
  • Chair writes a thank you email to the award sponsor representative for their support of the award.
  • By June 30, Chair must submit report to the Board  of Directors. This report should include accomplishments and suggested modifications and should be sent to the AAA President, the Committee's Board of Directors Liaison, and Professional Staff Liaison, Barbara Gutierrez at barbara.gutierrez@aaahq.org
  • Chair and award sponsor representative present the award(s) at the AAA Global Connect.
  • Chair moderates a 90-minute concurrent session of the AAA Global Connect during which recipients of the award present their innovation.