Speakers
Rebecca Bloch, Fairfield University
Experiential and Service Learning
Friday, March 6, 2020, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Rebecca Bloch, PhD, CPA, is Department Chair and Associate Professor of Accounting at Fairfield University. She joined the Fairfield faculty in 2013 and has received awards for excellence in both teaching and research. Rebecca specializes in governmental and nonprofit accounting research, and she teaches a service learning course in nonprofit accounting at Fairfield. Prior to her academic career, Rebecca worked as an auditor specializing in nonprofit and governmental entities, and as an Accounting Manager for a nonprofit organization, which fueled her interest in this area of research. Her research has been published in the Journal of Governmental an Nonprofit Accounting, Advances in Public Interest Accounting, the Municipal Finance Journal, Current Issues in Auditing, among others. Rebecca serves on the Executive Committee of the Governmental and Nonprofit Section of the American Accounting Association, and is currently the Education Committee Chair.
Beth Colle, EY
Healthcare
Friday, March 6, 2020, 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm
Beth is an Assurance Partner at Ernst & Young LLP with more than 16 years experience serving public companies, not-for-profit and for-profit healthcare organizations, governmental healthcare organizations, and biotechnology and medical device companies in the EY Houston office. Beth assists clients on industry and financial accounting and reporting issues, including revenue recognition, accounts receivable and allowances, leases, consolidation issues, and equity accounting. She serves on the EY Health Care Audit Quality Review team and is a member of EY’s Leases Expert Network representing the Health sector.
Beth earned her BA from Rice University in Houston, Texas, and her MS in accounting from University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. Beth is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Texas and is a member of the TSCPA, the AICPA, and HFMA. Beth serves on the Board of Directors of The Immunization Partnership, the Advisory Board of Medical Bridges, and the Roundtable Advisory Board of Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship.
Edward M. Emmett, Rice University
Lunch
Friday, March 6, 2020, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Edward M. Emmett is a professor in the practice at Rice University with a focus on public policy. In addition, he is a senior fellow at Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research and a fellow at Rice University’s Doerr Institute for New Leaders.
In addition to his duties at Rice University, Emmett is the owner of The Emmett Company, a consulting firm advising public and private entities in transportation policy, emergency management, international marketing and strategic development.
From 2007 until 2019, Emmett served as county judge of Harris County, Texas. In this position, Emmett was also the director of homeland security and emergency management, a role which established him as a national leader in emergency response and community resilience.
A member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987, Emmett was chairman of the Committee on Energy, a member of the Transportation Committee, and represented the state on numerous national committees relating to energy and transportation policy.
In 1989, President George H. W. Bush nominated Emmett as a commissioner at the Interstate Commerce Commission. After being confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate, Emmett served on the commission for three years.
Emmett has received international recognition for his work in transportation and logistics policy. He was named Transportation Person of the Year by Transportation Clubs International and one of the Top 20 Logistics Professionals by Logistics Forum.
Emmett attended Bellaire High School in the greater Houston (Texas) region. He graduated from Rice University in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and from the University of Texas at Austin in 1974 with a Master of Public Affairs degree.
Dana Forgione, The University of Texas at San Antonio
The Future of Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting Research
Friday, March 6, 2020, 10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Dana A. Forgione, Ph.D., CPA, CMA, CFE is a Professor of Accounting at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the Department of Pediatrics, and in the School of Public Health, as well as a faculty member in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Translational Science Ph.D.program, all at the University of Texas Health. Dr. Forgione previously served as advisor to the MBA in Healthcare Management program at the University of Baltimore, and held a joint appointment in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Maryland, where he taught in the Doctor of Pharmacy program.
He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Morningside Ministries Senior Care—an award-winning three-campus nonprofit long-term healthcare organization, successfully completing nearly $100 million in new external financing, including a $50 million Fitch-rated, tax-exempt public bond issue, with a second bond issue currently in progress.
Dr. Forgione has developed and taught a Doctoral Research Seminar in Government & Nonprofit Accounting, also a graduate-level Seminar in Medicare Regulation, as well as Legal & Tax Strategies for Healthcare Organizations, and Accounting for Healthcare Organizations. He has more than 158 professional publications, 51 editorial and reviewing roles, 178 instances of television debates, national radio network commentary and other news / media coverage to his credit. His books have been used in more than 75 colleges and universities throughout the U.S. that promote ethics, technology skills, and award winning creativity and innovation in the academic curriculum. He earned his BBA in accounting and information systems, MBA, MS in accounting, and Ph.D. in accounting all at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Laurie Hill Gutierrez, Blazek & Vetterling
Nonprofit
Friday, March 6, 2020, 3:15 pm – 4:00 pm
Laurie Hill Gutierrez, CPA is an audit partner at Blazek & Vetterling. In addition to client engagements, she serves as the recruiting and human resources partner. Laurie began her public accounting career with Ernst & Young primarily serving healthcare and not-for-profit clients for eight years. Subsequently spent six years in healthcare management. She develops and presents continuing professional education to employees, clients and others on topics of interest to not-for-profits. Additionally, she serves on the board of directors and finance committee of The Parish School and previously served on the board of directors of The Women’s Home and the Turner Syndrome Society. She was named Points of Light No. 5838 in September 2016 for her dedicated volunteer service to The Parish School.
Erica Harris, Florida International University
The Future of Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting Research
Friday, March 6, 2020, 10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Erica E. Harris, PhD, CPA is an Associate Professor of accounting at FIU’s School of Accounting. Prior to her appointment she was named the Andrew J. Melton Jr. Associate Professor of accounting at Villanova University and also served as an Assistant Professor of accounting at Rutgers University, Camden. She received her PhD from Temple University, MBA from the University of Miami, and BS from the University of Florida. Her research interests include nonprofit accounting and governance, with a specific focus on donor behaviors. She has published in leading accounting and nonprofit journals such as The Accounting Review, Contemporary Accounting Research, Review of Accounting Studies, and Nonprofit Voluntary Sector Quarterly. Professor Harris is on the editorial board of the Journal of Governmental and Non-profit Accounting Research and has been selected for an IRS Statistics of Income Joint Research Project. Professional honors include Temple University Best Dissertation Award, Sigma Tau Phi Graduate Award in Accounting, American Accounting Association Government and Nonprofit Section Best Paper Award, Rutgers University School of Business Camden Outstanding Research Award, and Villanova School of Business McDonough Family Faculty Research Award. Erica is also active in the American Accounting Association Government and Nonprofit Section serving as PhD liaison responsible for section grants and student/new faculty events.
William J. "Bill" Jackson, Harris County
Budgeting and Planning Issues Around Natural Disasters
Friday, March 6, 2020, 1:30 pm - 2:15 pm
Native Houstonian William J. “Bill” Jackson was appointed Harris County Budget Officer, Executive Director of Budget Management and the County’s Chief Investment Officer in 2011 after success in the public and private sectors.
An Eagle Scout and product of Houston public schools, Bill graduated from Texas A&M University in 1979 with a Bachelor in Business Administration (B.B.A.) with a Concentration in Accounting.
He worked five years at Deloitte Haskins & Sells, where he served as an auditor and management consultant and in the Emerging Business Group. He later formed a highly-successful CPA practice in Houston’s River Oaks and, in 1984, formed Jackson Company, Inc.—one of the first PC computer
and networking businesses in the city.
When former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels took office in 1995, he selected Bill to work for the County part-time as Financial Officer and technology policy adviser. In 1999, Bill joined the County full-time as Executive Director of the Tax Office, where he transformed the antiquated department into a more efficient and customer- friendly operation by championing the use of technology to get customers to use online systems instead of standng in line. Bill also spearheaded the effort to automate tax statements.
The work led to Bill being hired in 2004 to work in Management Services in the Budget Office. Bill reported to longtime County Budget Director Dr. Dick Raycraft and was named Director of the E-Business Results Team, which worked on special projects aimed at making Harris County government more efficient and responsive.
Upon the retirement of Dr. Raycraft, Commissioners Court appointed Bill to his current posts. He now oversees the areas of budget, debt, banking, investments, court coordination, budget support services, Human Resources & Risk Management, parking and utilities, and any special projects
assigned by Commissioners Court.
On Bill’s watch, the County has modernized budget management practices, strengthened the County’s bond rating, put the County in a position to quickly respond to disasters, like Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and developed policies that turned County departments into savers of the taxpayers’
money. All of this was accomplished in one of the fastest growing counties in the nation.
Saleha Khumawala, University of Houston
Experiential and Service Learning
Friday, March 6, 2020, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1978, Accounting. CPA (Texas), CGMA. She teaches and does research in the field of Government and NonProfit Accounting and Social Entrepreneurship and is the founding director of the SURE™ (Stimulating Urban Renewal through Entrepreneurship) Program. She has widely published in prestigious journals such as The Accounting Review, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance, Accounting Horizons, Advances in International Accounting, Journal of Public Budgeting Accountability and Financial Management and others and has made numerous presentations at national and international conferences. She has successfully led the Study Abroad Programs to India since 2002 for students, faculty and administrators at the University of Houston She is also the coauthor of Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting: Concepts and Practices, 7th edition, John Wiley & Sons, and is an active member of the American Accounting Association and served as the President of the Government and NonProfit Section in 2008. Dr. Khumawala is also an advisor to several nonprofit organizations in Houston and serves on the Board of directors for Pennies for Education and Health.
Dean Mead, GASB
GASB Update
Friday, March 6, 2020, 9:15 am - 10:30 am
The Future of Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting Research
Friday, March 6, 2020, 10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Dean Mead is Senior Research Manager of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), and Coordinator of the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC). Dean is the author of the GASB’s User Guide Series and other plain-language communications and is the GASB’s principal liaison to the academic community and financial statement user organizations.
Dean has been an adjunct member of the accounting faculty at Rutgers Business School, Rutgers University since 2008. Prior to joining the GASB, he was assistant director of research at the Citizens Budget Commission and an adjunct professor at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
Dean is a graduate of Cornell University and pursued his doctoral studies at New York University. He is a Certified Government Financial Manager.®
Linda Parsons, University of Alabama
The Furture of Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting Research
Friday, March 6, 2020, 10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Linda M. Parsons, the Joe Lane Endowed Professor at the University of Alabama, earned her Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Houston. Her research focuses on accounting for charitable organizations, specifically on whether and how accounting information plays a role in charitable giving decisions. Linda’s research has been published in journals such as the Accounting Review, Accounting Horizons, Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, Behavioral Research in Accounting, Journal of Accounting Auditing and Finance, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, and Journal of Accounting Literature. Linda is currently on the audit committee for United Way Worldwide, and represents the GNP section on the AAA Council. She previously served as the president of the GNP section, a member of the Not-for-Profit Advisory Committee (NAC) serving the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and as an associate editor for Accounting Horizons.
Terry Patton
The Future of Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting Research
Friday, March 6, 2020, 10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Terry Patton, Ph.D., CPA, CGMA, CGFM, is the Robert Madera Distinguished Professor of Accounting and Chair of the Accounting, MIS, and Legal Studies Department in the Dillard College of Business Administration at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, where he teaches governmental accounting and auditing courses. He is the author of numerous articles on governmental accounting; co-author of a governmental and nonprofit accounting textbook, Accounting for Governmental and Nonprofit Organizations, First Edition (Cambridge Business Publishers); and was co-author on PPC’s Guide to Governmental Financial Reporting Model: Implementing GASBS No. 34. Dr. Patton serves as a board member on the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board and as a member of the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council representing the AAA. He also serves on the United Regional Health Care System Board of Directors. Dr. Patton received his doctorate in accounting from Texas Tech University. Previously, Dr. Patton was the Research Manager at the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).
Susan Warren, KPMG
Overview of the Public Sector
Friday, March 6, 2020, 8:30 am - 9:15 am
Susan is a partner in the Public Sector practice for KPMG’s Austin office, with more than 29 years of audit experience serving not-for-profit clients, state and local governments, public employee retirement systems (PERS), and higher education institutions. She focuses on providing financial and single audit services and is a firm-designated single audit specialist who is responsible for the independent review of single audit reports and work papers.
Alfred Yebba, Binghamton University – SUNY
The Future of Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting Research
Friday, March 6, 2020, 10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Alfred is an assistant professor of accounting at Binghamton University. Fred received his PhD from Syracuse University. He received an MBA from Bentley University and a BS from Bridgewater State College. Fred is a certified public accountant and prior to entering academia, worked as an auditor for twelve years. He specializes in auditing topics, both in the classroom and research. His research has been published in Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory, Journal of Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting, and Issues in Accounting Education. He serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting and Issues in Accounting Education.