2024 Nonprofit Symposium

Alejandra Jensen

As an audit partner, Ms. Jensen manages all aspects of client engagements and relationships. Her nonprofit audit experience includes proficiency in technical accounting issues, the requirements of Uniform Guidance, and employee benefit plan audits. She presents regularly to clients and at industry conferences sharing her expertise on technical topics such as preparing for and implementing new accounting pronouncements. As a technology-savvy practitioner, Ms. Jensen helped GRF’s audit team implement AuditMiner to increase efficiency in employee benefit plan audit engagements and she serves as a champion for the implementation of artificial intelligence on audit engagements. She was instrumental in helping the firm adopt new accounting software platforms including PPC Smart, AdvanceFlow, Suralink, and MindBridge.

Andrew Deyhle

Andrew Deyhle is an Audit Manager with GRF CPAs & Advisors. He has been working in the firm’s audit department since 2014. He is responsible for managing staff and ensuring that his audits are completed accurately and in an efficient manner as well as drafting audit reports. Mr. Deyhle specializes in the auditing of nonprofit organizations and pension plans. Mr. Deyhle also works with US-based and international clients, and has performed field audits in Africa and Europe. While traveling for the firm’s international clients, Mr. Deyhle performs a variety of audit work and agreed-upon procedures to ensure the client’s internal controls are appropriate and compliant with donor requirements over the management of their funds.

Jessica Roper

Jess Roper is a Director and Outsourced CFO at Vault Consulting. She specializes in assisting tax-exempt organizations with prepation and anaysis of financial statements, compliance with GAAP, financial projections and cash management, and federal and non-federal grant reporting and compliance. She regularly prepares and presents financial information to board and committee members. Mentorship and personnel development are passions of hers.

Carolyn Mollen

Carolyn Mollen is the Vice President for Finance & Administration and Treasurer at Resources for the Future (RFF). In her role at RFF, she oversees finance, technology, building services, and human resources, ensuring RFF has efficient and effective operations that support the organization’s mission advancement. She specializes in nonprofit accounting and operations issues, with an emphasis on financial reporting, budgeting, and talent management.

Adam Proger

Adam is an institutional consultant, retirement plan consultant and financial advisor on our Institutional Consulting Team. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in government and politics from the University of Maryland and is a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder. Adam has worked with SPG Fiduciary Partners for the last 16 years in various capacities. His current responsibilities on the team include committee/board engagement and working with our clients on asset allocation strategy, investment policy design, risk assessment and investment reviews. Prior to joining Raymond James in 2019, Adam was a member of the UBS Institutional Consulting Advisory Council, a group of institutional consultants from around the country that help advise the firm on all aspects of the institutional business. Adam has been licensed for over 18 years (Current licenses include the Series 66, 31, 7 and SIE). Adam currently chairs the Finance Committee for an approximately $35 million non-profit organization and chairs the Finance Committee for his local synagogue. Adam has been a featured speaker at nonprofit industry conferences such as the Greater Washington Society of CPAs (GWSCPA) and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). This past year, Adam chaired the GWSCPA Non-Profit Symposium which brings together over 600 non-profit focused CPAs and other professionals. Adam and his wife, Kate, have three children and live in Rockville. Adam is an avid golfer and University of Maryland sports fan. One of Adam’s main passions is helping young children and proudly serves as a licensed foster care parent in Montgomery County, MD.

Raymond Ly

Ray is the DC Metro Practice Leader of KPMG’s Development and Exempt Organizations Tax Practice. He provides advisory, consulting, and compliance services on complex tax matters to clients in the higher education, humanitarian, healthcare, private foundation, pension trusts, and other not-for-profit sectors. He has more than 20 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector.

David Stark

David is a partner in KPMG’s Winston-Salem office. He leads KPMG Development and Exempt Organizations’ Compliance and Regulatory group in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Zerihun Haile-Selassie

Zerihun Haile-Selassie is a distinguished financial executive and a strategic leader in agile non-profit organizations through transformational leadership for long-term sustainable growth, diversified revenue, business continuity plan, and organizational risk management. Zerihun joined the Endocrine Society in August 2022.

Mr. Zerihun has over 18 years of experience leading organizational financial sustainability, corporate investment strategy, trade association, human capital management, and growth-oriented financial management. Recently, Zerihun has served as Chief Financial Officer of a non-profit healthcare professional certification organization at Inteleos. In this role, Zerihun executed strategies that drive innovation, financial sustainability, international market expansion, legal risk management, strategizing investment policy, and capital management. Zerihun also previously served as Chief Operating Officer (COO)- Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at a non-profit language association at ACTFL. In his role, he transformed the information technology footprint, advanced human capital management, and breakthrough business efficiency. He built and executed the strategy that drove two-fold growth by aligning technology and finance.

Before ACTFL, Zerihun was a member of the Finance leadership team at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, AIPAC; in this role, he actively engaged and managed planned-giving and endowment initiatives. Zerihun also brings multi-industry non-profit leadership experience through his work with lobbying organizations 501C (4), charity foundations and educational associations 501C (3), and trade associations 501C (6). He built a solid financial foundation for mission impact and led cross-functional initiatives driving profitable growth.

Zerihun was recognized for his exceptional financial executive expertise and was awarded CFO of The Year “2018 Rising Star” by the Non-Profit CFO industry. He was recognized for his leadership that transformed the organization’s revenue diversification and increased revenue by two folds and the long-term reserve investment portfolio by three folds.

Zerihun earned his Master’s degree in Accounting and Information Technology from the University of Maryland Global Campus and earned certification from Santa Clara University- Leavey School of Business (Black Corporate Board Readiness). Zerihun is a Certified Association Executive (CAE). He is a member of the 2022-2024 DELP Scholar at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

Trish Johnson

Trish Johnson is a senior financial leader with more than 20 years of experience in strategic planning, project management, and team development. She joined OCS in 2022 after serving as a consultant and interim CFO to not-for-profit organizations in the DC area from 2020 - 2022. Prior to that time, Trish served in the roles of CFO and Executive Vice President at National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) between 2017 – 2020 and various nonprofit accounting roles between 2010 – 2017, including Controller at WETA, a PBS member television station and Senior Director, Assistant Controller at Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Trish has significant experience with financial system implementations, managing audit engagements, financial reporting, 990 tax filings, budgeting and forecasting, internal controls analysis, and process improvement. Trish earned a Master of Science in Accounting and a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting from George Mason University and a Master of Education from the University of Mary Washington. She is a certified public accountant licensed in Virginia. Trish has been an adjunct professor at George Mason University since 2017, teaching budget and finance in the Master of Arts Management program and previously served as an adjunct professor at Northern Virginia Community College, from 2020 – 2022, teaching accounting.

Amy Ciminello

I provide federal, state, and local tax compliance and consulting services, with a focus on the taxation of exempt organizations. I work with healthcare, higher education, not-for-profit, and for-profit companies including single-location entities and multi-entity locations around the country. I assist clients with tax-planning strategies, payroll compliance, accounting methods, and complex technical issues. I also hold a role in our National Tax Office and frequently counsel clients on Form 990, mergers and acquisitions, not-for-profit and for-profit transactions, restructuring, and current not-for-profit tax trends. I have over 16 years of professional experience and am a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Ohio Society of?Certified Public Accountants, the American Health Law Association, and the TEGE?Exempt Organizations?Council. I’ve been involved in education development and presented on tax-exempt topics for these organizations and others, including the Illinois Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Ohio Hospital Association, American Health Law Association, the Association of Independent Colleges, and Universities of Ohio. I am also a frequent presenter for Plante Moran educational webinars.

Amanda Coon

With over a decade of professional experience, I specialize in the firm’s tax-exempt organization practice, with a focus on healthcare, NFP, and higher education. I am a repository of technical knowledge related to all areas of IRC section 513 and 514 and I specialize in managing tax compliance for large NFP systems. I work frequently on IRS audits, specifically related to 1099 and other payroll audit issues.

Brittney Gordon

Brittney Gordon, CPA is the Director of Business Development at The Alliance Brittney is the Director of Business Development at The Alliance Group and has led the firm’s non-profit practice since 2017, in addition to serving clients in the Fortune 500, private companies, and multinational firms. In her role, Brittney provides executives with access to a range of talent solutions including consulting, advisory, executive search, and interim staffing. Brittney is also on the Board of the Greater Washington Society of CPAs (GWSCPA) and began her career in public accounting at EY where she developed a passion for client service and strategizing around business challenges. She is an active member of GWSCPA, AICPA, NVTC, ACG, and NACD.

Nikki Tercero

Nikki has over 20 years of Accounting, Finance and Information Technology experience working with enterprise and middle market organizations. Serving as a member of the Finance Leadership Team at an international publicly traded company, Nikki was responsible for successfully leading teams through Accounting, Finance and HR related transformation initiatives.

Edwin Harvey

Edwin Harvey leads the AI Solutions and Training department at Your Part-Time Controller, LLC, where he champions effective, responsible adoption of emerging AI technologies. Edwin has consulted across the fields of analytics, automation, and business strategy, especially in the nonprofit and financial management sectors, leading teams that leverage technology to tell stories, inform decisions, and enhance efficiency. The advent of generative AI has renewed the relevance of Edwin’s training in the humanities – including a doctoral degree from U.C., Berkeley – as he helps clients and colleagues alike to navigate the overlap between digital tools and natural language. A passionate trainer, Edwin speaks frequently at conferences, events, and webinars.

Danny Martinez

Danny is a licensed CPA with over 17 years of experience providing advisory and training services to a wide range of governmental and nonprofit entities. As the leader of the Government and Public Sector Accounting Advisory group, he is responsible for the quality and growth of all of the firm’s Accounting-as-a-Service and Surge Team advisory services. Under his leadership the Firm had significant growth in these services and achieved high client satisfaction and retention scores. He has presented on various industry and accounting topics at national and regional conferences, including the future of the accounting workforce, accounting standard updates, and internal control and grants management best practices.

Lydia Wolf

Lydia is responsible for providing comprehensive wealth management advice to high net worth individuals and families, entrepreneurs, business owners, and foundations and endowments throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan region. She works closely with clients and their advisors to develop financial strategies to help clients meet their current needs and plan for their long term objectives. Lydia also coordinates the various services her clients require based on their unique needs, including investment management, planning, trust, private banking, and family office services. Lydia has more than three decades of experience advising both commercial and individual high net worth clients, with considerable experience in lending and investment advisory services. Her comprehensive background allows her to support clients in any stage of wealth creation, wealth preservation, and wealth transfer. Prior to joining Wilmington Trust, she was a senior private banker and advisor at Wells Fargo, leading a team effort for sourcing and structuring complex financing strategies for premium finance, commercial and residential real estate, aircraft, yachts, marketable collateral, and nonprofit entities. Earlier in her career, she worked for Chevy Chase/Capital One Bank in leadership roles advising high net worth families, professional practices, and government contracting businesses and owners. Lydia began her career on Wall Street working in International Corporate Banking where she was a global lender specializing in health care and pharmaceutical companies. She holds an MBA in finance from Adelphi University and a bachelor’s degree in business from the Mount Vernon College/GW University.

Walter Dillingham

Walter specializes in working with endowments, foundations, and nonprofit organizations to help them grow their endowments by taking a holistic approach. He advises clients with both their endowment and philanthropic objectives and provides value-added services that go beyond investing. As director of the Endowments & Foundations Practice for the U.S. markets, Walter is responsible for working with market leaders and wealth advisors in each region to lead the growth of this important business and to create a coordinated and consistent approach to working with our clients. With more than three decades of experience in the financial services industry, much of which focused on nonprofit and institutional clients, Walter has a unique perspective on the changing needs of the endowment and foundation marketplace. He has authored original research that has been covered by the financial press on a number of nonprofit sectors, including health care organizations, community colleges, public libraries, private schools, and religious organizations. Please visit our Research & Insights library to read Walter’s research papers. Walter is a recipient of Wilmington Trust’s Chairman’s Club Award, and he launched the firm’s successful Philanthropic Speaker Series in 2011, which showcases strategies for nonprofit organizations. He is also regularly called upon to speak at industry conferences and with key advisors in the philanthropic arena. Walter holds a master’s degree in philanthropy from New York University, an MBA from Babson College, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Bates College. He is a CFA® charterholder and a member of the CFA Institute. He is also a member of the New York Society of Securities Analysts, the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York, and the Healthcare Finance Management Association. Passionate about philanthropy and perpetuating the ability of nonprofits to impact their communities, Walter is a trustee and treasurer of Fisher College (Boston), a trustee at The Nancy Woodson Spire Foundation, and served on the Forest Hills Gardens Corp. Finance Committee. He is also an adjunct professor at NYU where he teaches Endowment Concepts and Practices and Philanthropy and Fiscal Management.

Douglas Boedeker

Doug Boedeker is a partner in the Assurance Services Division in Marcum’s Washington, DC office. Doug has worked exclusively with nonprofit organizations for more than 25 years and has a nuanced understanding of the unique challenges they face. In addition to client services, he shares his knowledge on topics pertaining to nonprofit organizations at national and local conferences.

Prior to joining Marcum in 2022, Doug was an assurance partner at another national accounting firm, where he helped grow the firm from about 10 associates to over 150 professionals dedicated solely to serving the nonprofit community.

Doug takes great pride in being able to draw on his years of specialized experience in order to guide and educate nonprofits on topics such as, application of accounting standards, internal control design, endowments and reserves, intercompany transactions, and federal grant compliance.

Tom Ciolkosz

Tom is a Senior Vice President Relationship Manager with M&T Bank. He has over 30 years of experience in the banking and finance industry. Tom is responsible for developing and growing commercial relationships in the Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. markets.

His expertise includes working with Education, Not-for-Profit and Trade Association clients. He is currently a member of the Greater Washington Society of CPA’s (GWSCPA) where he Chaired the 2022 Nonprofit Symposium. He also serves on the Membership and Programs committee, and he previously served as Board of Director for the organization. He is a Board of Director for HealthWorks of Northern Virginia.

Tom is also involved with various associations including American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Nonprofit Financial Accountability Task Force. Tom graduated from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and the Virginia Bankers School of Bank Management program in 2019.

Brian Morgan

Brian is a Managing Director in Grant Thornton’s Not-for-Profit and Higher Education Audit Practice and has 15 years of public accounting experience. Brian has led and performed financial statement and Uniform Guidance audits for clients in a variety of not-for-profit industry sectors, including higher education, social services, trade and professional organizations, foundations, research institutions, conservation, health care, and religious organizations. Brian also advises not-for-profit organizations on implementation of new accounting standards, improving financial reporting processes and controls, and navigating the impact of new laws and regulations.

Paul Kerrigan

Paul Kerrigan, CPA, is the Senior Group Controller for Charitable Affiliates at AARP, Inc. He has three decades of experience in the not-for-profit industry, initially as an auditor and later as a Controller and Director of Finance. Paul began his career in the UK, moving to Washington, DC in 1998. He has many years of experience of presenting in a variety of professional settings, including internal training sessions and professional conferences.

William Donahue

Will Donahue has over a decade of experience serving nonprofit clients in the DC Metro region. As a director in Aprio’s nonprofit assurance practice, Will enjoys helping nonprofits find innovative ways to improve their processes, operations, and reporting. He takes pride in building relationships with his clients that are based on frequent communication, technical insight, trust, and stability. Will is a graduate of Temple University, and is a member of the Greater Washington Society of CPAs and the AICPA. He is the Chair of the Audit Committee of the University Club of Washington, DC, a member of the AICPA Not-for-Profit Conference Committee, and an Eagle Scout. When he’s not working with exempt organizations, you can often find Will camping in the woods or hiking up a trail in the DMV and beyond!

Karl Spanbauer

Karl Spanbauer, CPA, brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience to the forefront of accounting innovation, specializing in the nonprofit sector. With a solid foundation of five years in public accounting as a dedicated nonprofit auditor, Karl has developed a keen eye for the unique financial and operational challenges faced by nonprofit organizations. This experience laid the groundwork for his current role as Controller at the Capital Area Food Bank, an organization dedicated to fighting food insecurity in the Washington DC area. Beyond traditional accounting, Karl is a fervent advocate for the transformative power of technology in finance and accounting. He is an expert in process automation, leveraging cutting-edge Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and other techniques to streamline operations, enhance accuracy, and foster efficiency. Karl’s passion for technological innovation is matched by his commitment to sharing knowledge and empowering others in the field. He has successfully implemented advanced automation solutions in his role as Controller, significantly reducing manual workload and enabling a focus on strategic initiatives. He also has an article published in the journal of accountancy. Outside of work, he is an avid chef, runner, and outdoorsman. As a fun fact, he used ChatGPT to help formulate this biography.

Heidi Haneberg

Heidi is Hartman’s Nonprofit Industry Lead. She believes that technology can help organizations advance their missions through process improvement and by creating efficiencies that can be leveraged on mission critical initiatives. In her role, she strategically engages with Hartman clients to identify and advise on business innovation opportunities. She leads a team that works with mission-oriented organizations that help humanity, industries, regions and professions solidify their IT operations to allow them to effectively serve their stakeholders and meet their objectives. Heidi brings more than 30 years of experience helping nonprofits meet their missions through strategy, execution and cultural alignment. She has worked in association management companies, stand-alone nonprofits, corporations, and technology companies serving nonprofits, and has held roles in almost every operational aspect of nonprofit organizations. With her background, Heidi can relate to the challenges faced by nonprofits, and it is her passion to help organizations fulfill their missions, serve their stakeholders, and meet their objectives. Most recently, Heidi was the CEO at Sidecar, a community for mission-driven professionals. Prior to that, she has guided many nonprofit organizations, from small to large and national to global in scope. Highlights include the National Association for Educational Procurement (NAEP), the Audio Visual and Integrated Experiences Association (AVIXA) and the AVIXA Foundation, and the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). Heidi has an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and a BA in Commercial Recreation and Business Administration from Central Michigan University. She is a Certified Association Executive, Six-Sigma Yellow Belt, and Design Thinking Master Designer.

Juan Ortiz

Juan Ortiz is the Director of Data/AI Services at Hartman. He is a data analytics and AI strategy expert with decades of experience dedicated to empowering decision-makers with fast, relevant and rich customer insights. At Hartman, Juan helps clients harness the full potential of their data through analytics-driven products and services to optimize operational efficiency, spark innovation, and increase revenue. He prides himself on staying up to date in the ever-changing world of data analytics and emerging technologies, enabling him to deliver solutions that drive business performance.

Juan’s professional career highlights a unique blend of analytical thinking, business strategy, and technical expertise. In his early years as a business intelligence (BI) consultant, Juan led the design and development of data management, data warehousing, and BI systems for Fortune 500 customers in retail, consumer packaged goods, and financial services. He was also the Data Analytics Director for an international educational services company, where he was responsible for the successful design, development, and implementation of products powered by machine learning and cloud technology that helped boost student enrollment, retention, and academic success. Juan was also the Founder and Managing Director of a Microsoft BI solution partner, and more recently, he was at the forefront of innovation by introducing new AI-driven applications for a publisher of quality financial and investment research.

Juan earned an MBA from the University of Virginia and a BS in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey, México.

Jeffrey Pargament

Jeffrey J. Pargament received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Upon graduation from Cornell, he commenced employment with the National Labor Relations Board as a Field Examiner in Washington, D.C., where, for five years, he investigated and resolved unfair labor practice charges, served as a hearing officer, and conducted union elections. Mr. Pargament graduated from the George Washington University National Law Center. He has practiced labor and employment law since 1985. He commenced his legal career with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld and is currently is a partner with Pargament & Hallowell, PLLC. Mr. Pargament has represented national and local clients on matters covering the spectrum of labor and employment law, including employment discrimination issues, wage and hour claims, union management relations, employee handbooks and policy manuals, harassment issues, workers’ compensation, drug and alcohol testing, unemployment insurance, and affirmative action plans. Mr. Pargament also conducts training programs and employment law audits to ensure compliance with applicable laws. Mr. Pargament has performed legal services for a cross section of clients including, but not limited to, hospitals, nursing centers, financial institutions, security companies, trade associations, government contractors, casinos, hotels, retail establishments, traveling entertainment shows, real estate companies, temporary staffing agencies, construction companies, and transportation firms. Mr. Pargament frequently lectures to employers, business groups and clients on a variety of labor and employment law subjects. He also served as an adjunct professor for Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Mr. Pargament is admitted to the bar in Maryland and the District of Columbia, as well as numerous state and federal courts. He previously served as the Board Chair for the Maryland Hospital Association. Mr. Pargament also served as a Trustee for the Adventist HealthCare Board where he served on the Strategic Planning Committee. He previously served as the Vice Chair of the Development Committee for the Charles E. Smith Life Communities.

Mark Murphy

As Raffa Investment Adviser’s Chief Investment Officer, I support all areas of the firm’s analytical and due diligence processes, and serve as a primary portfolio?manager for our nonprofit and association clients. I have two decades of financial services experience, and I’ve been with Raffa Investment Advisers since 2010. Prior to Raffa, I was a Senior Account Executive at CapitalSource Finance, LLC, where I managed a portfolio of commercial real estate loans. My responsibilities included financial analysis and due diligence in support of overall strategy recommendations. I started my career as an Investment Performance Analyst at Cambridge Associates, LLC, where I was responsible for performing a variety of research and analytical functions, including the effect of asset allocation and security selection on risk and return. As a Chartered Financial Analyst, I earned the right to use the CFA designation after meeting the CFA Institute’s educational and professional requirements. The CFA designation is globally recognized and attests to a charterholder’s success in a rigorous and comprehensive study program in the field of investment management and research analysis. I’m a member of the CFA Society of Washington D.C. and an investment adviser representative of Raffa. I’ve spoken on issues impacting nonprofit & association investing for the following organizations: the Greater Washington Society of CPAs, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), BoardSource, Association TRENDS, and the Finance and Administration Roundtable (FAR). I graduated cum laude from the University of Richmond with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and concentrations in Accounting and Finance.

Jordan Forney

Jordan L. Forney is a Principal and Wealth Advisor in Bernstein’s Washington, DC, office. His practice is focused on advising the nonprofit community, including membership associations, advocacy organizations, foundations, and endowments. Jordan joined the firm in 2012. He is active in the DC community and serves in committee and board member capacities at Council for Court Excellence, KIPP DC, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Warrior Scholar Project. Jordan earned his MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and his BA in economics from Yale University.

Christopher Clarkson

Mr. Clarkson is a Senior Vice President and the National Director of Planning for Bernstein’s Foundation and Institutional Advisory business. He works with donors and nonprofits nationwide to ensure their finances are best positioned to fulfill their philanthropic mission. He has expertise in a variety of complex investment planning issues, including charitable giving, selling a business, multigenerational wealth transfer, and diversification of concentrated stock and option portfolios. Mr. Clarkson is a frequent lecturer to groups of tax and legal professionals and charitable organizations throughout the western United States. He has given educational seminars for the Los Angeles Council of Charitable Gift Planners – Western Regional Planned Giving Conference, USC Tax Institute, Advisors in Philanthropy, Colorado Society of CPAs, Estate Planning Council of San Diego, Hawaii Tax Institute, and Greater Washington Society of CPAs. Mr. Clarkson joined the firm in 1995 and has been a member of the Wealth Strategies Group since 1998. He earned a BA with high honors in business/economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder.

Dennis Gogarty

Dennis P. Gogarty is the President of Raffa Investment Advisers. Dennis launched his investment advisory career with Raffa Financial Services, Inc. in 2002 and co-founded Raffa Wealth Management in 2005. Since co-founding RWM, he has served as the firm’s President and lead investment adviser representative.

Dennis actively promotes the need for increased investment education and transparency. He is the founder of the Study on Nonprofit Investing (SONI), an annual study promoting access to information that allows nonprofits to benchmark their investment performance and policies with their peers.

Dennis has lectured on issues impacting nonprofit investing for the following organizations: the Council on Foundations, the Greater Washington Society of CPAs, the AICPA, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), BoardSource, and the Finance and Administration Roundtable (FAR). Dennis is a past Chairman of ASAE’s Finance and Business Operations Council. Additionally, he offered his knowledge and expertise to support local nonprofits as a committee member for organizations including St. John’s Community Services Foundation and StreetLaw.

Dennis completed the Certificate in Financial Planning program at the Georgetown University Center for Continuing and Professional Education and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Frostburg State University. Dennis is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, an Accredited Investment Fiduciary®, and an investment adviser representative of Raffa Wealth Management, LLC.

A. Michael Gellman

A. Michael Gellman, CPA, CGMA, is an independent Fiscal and Financial Strategist for Nonprofit Organizations and a co-founding principal partner for Fiscal Strategies 4 Nonprofits, LLC and co-founder for Sustainability Education 4 Nonprofits an open access source of fiscal, financial, legal and governance information for nonprofit organizations. Mr. Gellman’s primary focus is helping legacy nonprofit organizations and new organizations build and achieve a sustainable and financially healthy future. Mr. Gellman was a former 20-year Shareholder for Rubino & Company, Chartered, CPA’s and Consultants. Mr. Gellman has more than 35 years’ experience in nonprofit fiscal, financial and accounting systems working as a chief financial, fiscal and management consultant where he has focused on specialized management and advisory services for trade and professional associations, public charities and NGOs (nongovernmental organizations). Mr. Gellman has also developed comprehensive budget and projection-based reporting systems in support of senior management and organizational leadership.

Mr. Gellman has been designing strategies and teaching budget and projection-based systems and fiscal and financial management systems for over 30 years. He has conducted numerous seminars and has written articles on budgeting, operating reserves and cash management guidelines, financial management, fiscal sustainability, leading economic indicators for nonprofits, and the impact on governance and transparency and accountability. Organizations and Institutions Mr. Gellman has spoken before including American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Greater Washington Society of CPA’s (GWSCPA’s), Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Center for Nonprofit Advancement (CNA) and numerous nationally recognized nonprofit organizations. Mr. Gellman teaches at Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership and the McDonough School of Business and he teaches courses and has made presentations for DC Pro Bono Bar, Mayor’s Office District of Columbia, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management (IOM), Various United Way Agencies, Volunteers of America, National Urban League, Nonprofit Legal, Finance and Grants Conference, United States Conference on Aids, various state CPA societies and many other nonprofit organizations.

Mr. Gellman has served as Chair of Greater Washington Society of CPA’s Not-For-Profit Committee and Chair of the Annual Not-For-Profit Organizations Symposium and is a Past President of the Greater Washington Society of CPA’s. He has also served on the Finance & Administration Section Council of the American Society of Association Executives and is serving on various nonprofit boards including B’nai B’rith International as the current Treasurer and the Greater Washington Society of CPA’s as President Emeritus.

Paul Preziotti

Paul Preziotti, CPA, is a Partner for the multi-office CPA firm, Johnson Lambert LLP. He is responsible for providing audit and consulting services to not-for-profit entities and employee benefit plans. He has significant experience serving as an advisor for organizations on a variety of issues including risk assessment, governance, compliance and internal control considerations. Paul received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Bachelor in International Business degrees from the University of Maryland, and he joined Johnson Lambert after graduating. He is a frequent speaker on audit and accounting topics at various industry conferences and seminars. He is an alumnus of the AICPA Leadership Academy, an honor for which less than 40 people are recognized nationally each year. He received the GWSCPA’s 2018 Outstanding Member in Public Practice Award for his contributions to the growth and enhancement of the accounting profession. Furthermore, he is a current member of the AICPA’s Not-for-Profit Advisory Council and a past chair for the GWSCPA’s Nonprofit Finance & Accounting Symposium. Additionally, Paul serves as the Treasurer for St. John’s Community Services, a board member for the GWSCPA, a Finance Committee member for United Way of San Diego County and a member of the governance structure for the Radiation Effects Research Foundation Foundation.

Lee Klumpp

Lee Klumpp is a Professional Practice Principal with BDO and has more than 30 years of experience serving the nonprofit, healthcare and government industries. Lee completed a two-year Fellowship with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in Norwalk, CT. During his fellowship, he led the FASB’s project to reexamine existing standards for financial statement presentation by nonprofit entities, focusing on improving the net asset classification requirements and information provided in financial statements and notes about liquidity, financial performance, and cash flows. He also focused on various FASB agenda projects and emerging practice issues that focused on nonprofit. Lee spends an extensive amount of time: ? Researching, writing, and disseminating information related to recent accounting and auditing pronouncements promulgated by the FASB, the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the AICPA’s Auditing Standards Board, and others that provide guidance for the nonprofit and government industries. ? Providing consultation to BDO engagement teams and our Alliance firm network around the country on various financial, accounting, auditing, and reporting issues related to nonprofit and government organizations. Additionally, Lee provides assistance to our international offices on various topics and issues for their nonprofit and government clients with focus on foreign sub-recipients of funds from United States federal agencies. ? Preparing and presenting speeches, seminars, and webinars on various accounting, auditing, internal control, governance, financial reporting, and Single Audit issues and topics around the country. ? Lee is a national sought-after speaker, preparing and presenting speeches, seminars, and webinars on various accounting, auditing, internal control, governance, financial reporting, and Single Audit issues and other topics around the country. ? Lee has written many articles and white papers on various accounting, internal control and governance and been interviewed and published in several accounting and nonprofit media outlets as well as various other financial media outlets. Additionally, Lee is one of the authors of How To Read Nonprofit Financial Statements – A Practical Guide ? Lee has been a guest lecture at various intuitions of higher education such as George Mason University, University of Maryland, Yale University, Georgetown University.

Evan Stelmachowicz

Evan is primarily a Data Visualization Specialist focused on Power BI development, but brings additional experience in developing Data Literacy Training, Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence solutions, and Low-Code front-end Applications.

Laura Kalick

Laura Kalick is the founder of Kalick Law LLC. She has over 40 years of experience providing advice to nonprofit clients through her work in government and private practice. She has worked at the IRS National Office, the US Senate, as Tax Legislative Counsel to a senator on the Finance Committee, was the National Nonprofit and Healthcare Tax Consulting Director of BDO and Coopers & Lybrand (PwC) and practiced law with the firm of Arent Fox. Laura advises new and existing charities, private foundations, trade associations, hospitals and universities on tax, governance, transactions and structuring issues.

Lisa Heller

Lisa has over 25 years of experience working with tax-exempt organizations. Over the course of her career, she has helped countless exempt organizations with their tax compliance and advisory needs. As a subject matter expert in the field, she has worked with hospitals and healthcare organizations, research associations, private schools, social welfare organizations, membership and trade associations, public charities, and private foundations. She has also worked with small to midsized businesses and with individuals, which allows her to bridge the gap between tax-exempt organizations and for-profit operations. Lisa has extensive experience assisting clients with Form 990 and 990-T filings, exemption applications, IRS examinations, lobbying and political activities, unrelated business income analysis, taxable subsidiaries and related entities, private foundation excise tax matters, and COVID-19 tax relief provisions. Lisa frequently writes and speaks on topics relevant to the world of tax-exempt organizations. She is a past Chair of the GWSCPA Nonprofit Symposium (2020), and serves on the AICPA Exempt Organizations Tax Technical Resource Panel.

Michael Sorrells

Mike recently retired from RSM US where he served as a Tax Senior Director. Prior to that, he was National Director of Nonprofit Tax Services for BDO USA for more that 15 years. He has provided tax consulting services to a wide spectrum of tax-exempt organizations including colleges and universities, hospitals, national & international charities, trade associations, & private foundations. He currently is providing tax compliance and consultation through EO Tax Services LLC. Mike’s expertise and experience include:Federal and state compliance for nonprofits;Large, complex multi-entity organizations including related corporations, partnerships and PACs, Analysis, planning and calculation of unrelated business income including income from advertising, Debt-financed property and alternative investments, Lobbying and political activity, IRS examinations, Exemption applications, reinstatements and exempt status issues, State and local tax consultation and compliance. Mike frequently writes and speaks on a variety of issues affecting tax-exempt organizations. He has been a regular presenter at nonprofit industry conferences such as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) National Nonprofit Industry Conference, the Greater Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants (GWSCPA) Nonprofit Symposium, the Higher Education Tax Institute, the Washington Nonprofit Tax Institute, and many state CPA society meetings.
Professional affiliations and credentials: Certified public accountant, Maryland and Virginia, GWSCPA, past president, nonprofit section member and emeritus board member, AICPA, former national council member Education: Bachelor of Arts, history/government and politics, University of Maryland.

Rachel Werner

Rachel Werner is the Principal at MyFedTrainer, a leading national compliance training consulting firm, and is the Owner and CEO of RBW Strategy, a grants consulting firm located in the Washington, DC Metro area. Rachel began her career as a New York City public-school teacher which parlayed into a two-decade career of work in the public sector in both grant writing and grant management roles with public, nonprofit and for-profit organizations. She and her team at MyFedTrainer offer compliance training to groups and individuals to ensure they can manage the complexities of federal grant awards and offer grant management consulting through MyFedTrainer and its affiliation with RBW Strategy. She graduated from Vassar College with a Bachelor’s in Arts and received a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service. She has also obtained a Certificate in Grants Management (2012), is a certified Project Management Professional (since 2014) and is a Certified Grants Professional (since 2010), and Grant Professionals Association Approved Trainer.

Heather Johnson

Heather has been providing client accounting services to nonprofits for over 25 years. She enjoys serving her clients as a trusted business advisor by implementing best practices surrounding closing and reporting processes. Heather is a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in nonprofit accounting best practices, US GAAP, and AICPA Standards.

Nancy Johnson

Nancy provides audit, tax, and advisory services to nonprofits. Nancy has worked with nonprofits of all types and sizes for over 30 years in Washington, DC and Maryland. Nancy currently serves as Treasurer for the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences at NIH and is passionate about supporting nonprofits.

Taylor Powell

Taylor is a Director in CLA’s DC nonprofit practice serving clients as a consulting CFO. Taylor has fifteen years’ experience in accounting and finance and leverages these skills to assist clients in financial modeling and reporting, operational efficiency, performance management, risk management, and financial statement preparation. Additionally, Taylor has worked alongside of dozens of non-profit organizations of all sectors and sizes, from associations to philanthropies and social clubs alike.

Julien Decosimo

Julien is a Nonprofit Principal CLA’s DC nonprofit practice. He provides seamlessly integrated professional services to the nonprofit industry. Julien is a strategic resource to the clients he serves advising on the optimal resolution of accounting and tax matters and providing general business and compliance advice. Julien has over 17 years of experience providing financial advice and strategies to the nonprofit organizations. He engages with the nonprofit industry through participation with GWSCPA, FAR, ASAE, and other organizations. Julien frequently presents and writes on topics important to nonprofit leaders and industry partners.

Ji Yong Shin

Alex is a Manager in CLA’s DC Nonprofit Assurance practice. Alex has several years of public accounting experience serving the nonprofit industry. Alex has a special focus on providing audit, tax, and business advisory services to a wide array of associations, foundations, and other exempt organizations. He has profound knowledge of business operations and the financial statements of the nonprofit industry.

Jason Hofberg

Jason brings more than 14 years of public accounting experience to this engagement. He has significant experience in the non-profit, technology, manufacturing sectors, serving both publicly traded companies and closely held corporations as well as large, multi-national nonprofits. He has managed and performed tax and advisory services in the areas of accounting for income tax, international tax, research and development credits, and mergers and acquisitions. Jason has experience with ASC 740 – Accounting for Income Taxes through his work with large, publicly traded audit clients – most of which are international and undergo frequent mergers and acquisitions. Jason is active in the local non-profit community and currently services as Board President of Arts on the Block, whose mission is the teaching of transferable job skills to low income, high risk youth, through art.

Rachel Werner

Rachel Werner is the Principal at MyFedTrainer, a leading national compliance training consulting firm, and is the Owner and CEO of RBW Strategy, a grants consulting firm located in the Washington, DC Metro area. Rachel began her career as a New York City public-school teacher which parlayed into a two-decade career of work in the public sector in both grant writing and grant management roles with public, nonprofit and for-profit organizations. She and her team at MyFedTrainer offer compliance training to groups and individuals to ensure they can manage the complexities of federal grant awards and offer grant management consulting through MyFedTrainer and its affiliation with RBW Strategy. She graduated from Vassar College with a Bachelor’s in Arts and received a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service. She has also obtained a Certificate in Grants Management (2012), is a certified Project Management Professional (since 2014) and is a Certified Grants Professional (since 2010), and Grant Professionals Association Approved Trainer.

Taryn Crane

Taryn Crane is the Privacy & Data Protection Practice Leader at BDO. She has a focus in Privacy, Data Protection, and Privacy Technology services, and has consulting experience working across several markets including hospitality, retail, financial services, insurance, technology, life science, industrial, and nonprofits. Taryn has experience advising and delivering privacy program solutions ranging from maturity assessments, program development, technology implementation. With a cross-functional background in risk management, data modeling, and business process management, she can effectively engage across executive leadership, business units, and technology teams to reconcile regulatory requirements and design risk-based, practical solutions. Taryn served clients as their outsourced Privacy Officer, driving program strategy and leading the implementation of various privacy initiatives to comply with global and domestic data privacy regulations. She serves as an outsourced Data Protection Officer (DPO), providing guidance and monitoring compliance for multiple global companies. Prior to BDO, Taryn worked at a global technology company where she provided data analytics and optimization services to her clients including data mapping and modeling, user experience (UX) design, and data program management. She is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E) and Certified Information Privacy Professional/US Private Sector (CIPP/US), Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP), and Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE).

Joe Kopko

Joe Kopko is the SVP, Managing Director and Head of Insurance for First National Insurance Agency, a division of FNB Corporation. He leads the insurance division’s strategy and execution and is responsible for all aspects of the agency’s operations, including sales, client services, marketing, risk management, recruiting, coaching, and personnel development. Joe’s career spans multiple industries and includes several prominent roles both nationally and regionally, always focused on managing total cost of risk, improving population health, and strengthening businesses’ resilience. Most importantly, as a prior buyer of insurance, his perspective from the “client” side embeds a customer centric approach to improving the experience, aggressive claims management, and demystifying the buying process. Kopko is a two-time graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a Board of Director for the Kopchick College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics where he is focused on cultivating the next generation of insurance professionals. He is a frequent speaker and published thought leader on a range of insurance and risk management related topics. He is also an active member of the Boy Scouts of America as a youth leader, and an Eagle Scout recipient. Joe lives in Mt. Lebanon with his wife, Beth and their 2 sons.

Maria Georges

Maria Christofi Georges is the Senior Relationship Manager focused exclusively on Nonprofit organizations and provides subject matter expertise throughout the FNB footprint. In this role, Maria develops and manages new business opportunities in the Greater Washington Region for a large variety of tax-exempt organizations.

Prior to joining First National Bank, Maria has spent 30 years working in the Nonprofit banking industry in previous commercial banking positions most recently with PNC and Wells Fargo. During this time, Maria has supported countless Nonprofits with their operational needs, whether to simplify operations, enhance cash flow and returns, protect against Cybersecurity threats or for any borrowing need, simple or complex. Maria delivers the full spectrum of financial solutions through a team of professionals specializing in those services. Maria is best known for her passion of providing unapparelled client support to every client.

Maria is a graduate of George Mason University with a B.S. degree in Business Administration. She has been a fixture in the Washington community by volunteering for numerous Boards at organizations such as the Greater Washington Society of CPA’s where she served as a board member and has Chaired the Women’s Leadership Committee for many years, The Finance and Administration Roundtable where she also served as Chair of the Board, Ideagen - a public/private collaborative board to solve today’s pressing issues, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and others. Her significant leadership volunteer efforts can be counted for the American Red Cross, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the National Kidney Foundation and the American Society of Association Executives as well as her church in Falls Church, Virginia and her children’s schools. In her free time, Maria enjoys spending time with her family and is a plant lover and an avid gardener.

Brittney Gordon

Brittney Gordon, CPA is the Director of Business Development at The Alliance Brittney is the Director of Business Development at The Alliance Group and has led the firm’s non-profit practice since 2017, in addition to serving clients in the Fortune 500, private companies, and multinational firms. In her role, Brittney provides executives with access to a range of talent solutions including consulting, advisory, executive search, and interim staffing. Brittney is also on the Board of the Greater Washington Society of CPAs (GWSCPA) and began her career in public accounting at EY where she developed a passion for client service and strategizing around business challenges. She is an active member of GWSCPA, AICPA, NVTC, ACG, and NACD.

Ed Barrow

Ed is one of the founding partners of The Alliance Group and leads our firm’s non-profit executive search practice. Ed has over 25 years of experience placing financial executives with trade associations, charitable organizations, and clients in the international development space, including federal funds recipients. He has a deep network in the nonprofit community and enjoys partnering with our client’s leadership teams to provide access to the industry’s top talent. As a former CPA he brings a strong technical understanding of the positions we place in our practice.

Matt Ryan

Matt has over 15 years of experience leading strategic and tactical operations across both private and nonprofit organizations. Prior to his current role, Matt served as CFO for the Military Women’s Memorial (MWM) in Arlington, VA. In this capacity, he oversaw the accounting, finance, budgeting, human resources, and federal grant compliance functions for a staff of 35 with $7M in annual revenue.

Prior to his work at MWM, Matt served for nearly a decade as a management consultant, CFO and interim-CFO for small to mid-size entities across the mid-Atlantic. Specializing in financial forecasting, risk management, internal controls, and nonprofit accounting, he has worked with firms ranging from pre-revenue startups to organizations with over $150M in annual sales.

Outside of the finance and accounting profession, Matt has over 20 years of service in the Reserve Component of the United States Army with multiple overseas deployments. Enlisting in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2003, Matt later earned his commission in the Medical Service Corps through Penn State’s ROTC program. He has since served in a variety of leadership and staff positions, including an extended tour as a Distribution/Logistics Company Commander and as the Executive Officer of a medical company deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a business leader and Major in the Army Reserves, Matt believes that every team member is indispensable in moving a mission forward. He builds strong teams on the foundation of appreciation through recognizing all team members’ strengths.

Matt received his Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Maryland and the Commonwealths of Virginia and Pennsylvania. Serving as a nationally recognized instructor on ethics-related issues in the accounting industry, Matt has also been a featured speaker at over 300 CPE conferences across North America.

Catherine Robbins

Catherine Robbins has more than 20 years of experience serving the nonprofit industry in the outsourced accounting practice group. Her responsibilities include the management and preparation of financial statements, analysis of financial statement variances, compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, financial projections and cash management, federal and non-federal grant reporting and compliance, budgeting, tax compliance and planning for unrelated business income tax. She also provides other consulting services including the design and implementation of accounting policies and procedures, payroll processing, investment procedures, various CFO services, as well as working with client executives to both prepare and present financial information to board members. Catherine assists tax-exempt organizations with their audit and tax preparation, and provides general business consulting relating to meeting registration processes and logistics, procedures and reconciliations. She is well versed in the various accounting and AMS packages in use by the nonprofit industry and thus helps clients with system selection, implementation, and training. She has assisted clients with a variety of special projects, including vendor selection RFPs, overhauling reporting and COAs, specialized assessments, and pension plan fund termination. Catherine graduated from The College of William & Mary where she received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree. She holds her Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license in the state of Virginia. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Greater Washington Society of CPAs (GWSCPA) and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). She is currently pursuing the AICPA Nonprofit Certificate II and enjoys serving on the boards of several local nonprofit groups.

Matthew Piatt

Matt Piatt is a manager in Wipfli’s state and local tax (SALT) practice and has broad experience across various industries and SALT topics. He has worked in various SALT roles for Big Four accounting firms and a large law firm. During this time, he gained substantial experience advising large and mid-size companies in a variety of industries on SALT compliance, consulting, and controversy matters. Matt is passionate about helping businesses and their owners solve problems by providing practical, plain language advice on complex SALT issues.