AICPA Foundation Board of Trustees

Charmone Adams,
CPA, CFE

Partner, Advisory Services
Grant Thornton LLP

Charmone Adams is an Advisory Partner with Grant Thornton LLP and is based in the New York Office. Since joining the firm, Charmone has been working closely with many SEC, FRB and FINRA regulated entities. He has over 15 years of experience in financial services and his portfolio comprises U.S., U.K. and APAC based companies, such as, investment managers, investment advisory firms, banks, and broker-dealers. In recent years, his focus has been on providing clients with guidance on key enterprise risk, regulations, internal controls, and internal audits. Additionally, Charmone has experience in corporate accounting and external reporting. Charmone holds a BSc. (Business Administration) from Central State University and an M.B.A. in Finance from Franklin University. In addition, he holds a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license with the state of New York and is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

“It is easier to take than to give. It is noble to give than to take. The thrill of taking may last a day, while the thrill of giving last a lifetime. As a board member of the Foundation, I give to make lifetime impacts of a lifetime.” - Charmone Adams

Noel Bowers
CPA

Trust Solutions, Partner
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC)

Noel is a Partner at PwC in Atlanta within the Audit practice, primarily focusing on large Multi-National SEC filers within the Industrial Manufacturing industry. Noel earned a Bachelors in Accounting from the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University and a Master’s of Science in Accountancy from Eastern Michigan University and is a licensed CPA in Michigan and Georgia.

The reason why I support the AICPA Foundation as a BOT member is because I understand the importance of opportunity and resources to fuel someone's success. I believe others should also support the Foundation because we all achieved our success with the help and encouragement of somebody else - you could be the catalyst needed to inspire a future leader within our profession. - Noel Bowers

Walter J. Brasch
CPA, CGMA

Chief Success Officer
Prager Metis CPAs

Walter J. Brasch is the Chief Success Officer of Prager Metis, a member of Prager Metis International Group. In 2024, he celebrates 50 years in the accounting profession that included many years as a practicing audit/advisory partner. Additionally, he has more than 25 years of executive leadership in the management of professional services firms and possesses a successful track record in leadership roles at several top 100 CPA firms. Walter holds a BBA in Accounting from St. Bonaventure University in New York. His areas of practice include Business Advisory, Business Development, Practice Management, and Strategic Planning, which enables him to work with individual practice and industry leaders to achieve a greater level of success by helping them to improve the growth potential of their strategic business plans.

“In my nearly 50 years of working in the public accounting profession, I have always believed in the culture of giving back and passing on the experiences and knowledge to the next generations of CPAs. It’s how I grew as a professional and have always tried to emulate what other leaders have done for me. My volunteering for the AICPA Foundation is the continuation of my journey to be a source of guidance and giving back to our wonderful CPA profession.” - Walter J. Brasch

Rebecca Fondell
CPA, CGMA

Vice President
Global Corporate Controller

Rebecca received her undergraduate degree in Accountancy from LaGrange College and her Master of Accountancy from Auburn University. After beginning her career with Ernst & Young in the Assurance practice she held various positions building her skills in practice with large, multi-national publicly traded organizations including Georgia Pacific, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Coca-Cola European Partners, Novelis, and Reliance Worldwide Corporation prior to joining Papa Johns as the VP, Global Corporate Controller. She enjoys building and leading high-performing teams and increasing enterprise value with end-to-end accounting solutions and analytical insights. She is a licensed CPA in the state of Georgia and designated CGMA.

“I am honored to have been selected to join the AICPA Foundation Board of Trustees. This profession has so much to offer in the form of career opportunities. An education in accounting empowers professionals to add value to organizations. Accounting truly is the language of business and influences decisions every day. I hope to encourage the next generation of accountants to seize the incredible opportunities a degree in accounting can provide.”

“I have benefited from the AICPA Foundation scholarship program, as a former recipient of a scholarship from the AICPA when I attended graduate school. I know the power scholarships can have; scholarships enable opportunities for students to focus on achieving academic success. The AICPA Foundation is a great opportunity to give back to our profession and the next generation of accountants.” - Rebecca Fondell

Lisa Fort
CPA, MST

Director, Business Tax Services
KPMG, LLC

Lisa Fort is a leader in KPMG’s Business Tax Services group serving private enterprises, their owners, and tax-exempt organizations. She consistently translates complex tax and financial information into relevant, non-financial terms for the benefit of her clients and team. She gives informed and objective business counsel and is known for her personal and professional integrity. Lisa began her career with Coopers & Lybrand (PwC) and went on to start her own practice focused on tax compliance, tax resolution, and service to nonprofit clients. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and a Master of Science in Taxation from Walsh College. Lisa has a heart for the community and is deeply committed to matters of justice and equity. To that end, she serves on various local and national boards.

"I am passionate about community service, inclusion, and equity. My role on the AICPA Foundation’s Board of Trustees provides an opportunity to give back to a profession that has given much to me. Still, I am very mindful that as a profession, we are far from where we need to be. Statistically, less than 3% of CPA’s are African-American. It is a startling number that deserves our collective attention.

The future of our profession- and the stewardship of it- is a broad conversation that requires representative voices. As a Trustee of the AICPA Foundation, it is my honor to contribute to that conversation and to work together with colleagues to find palpable solutions." - Lisa Fort

Tracey Golden, President
CPA

Audit Partner (retired)
Deloitte

Tracey Golden is the President of the Board of Trustees of the AICPA Foundation. She is a retired senior audit partner of Deloitte. Tracey has contributed to enhancing the accountancy profession through her board service, including serving as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Association for International Certified Professional Accountants, and her prior service on the Board of Directors of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, as well as serving on several of its committees. Tracey holds a BSBA in Accounting from Georgetown University.

"I serve on the Board of Trustees of the Foundation because I believe the Foundation is critical to ensuring the future of our profession. The Foundation helps students who aspire to become CPAs meet financial obligations of the education and exams required, especially for those who might not otherwise be able to continue the study of accounting without our support. The Foundation also helps CPAs pursue PhDs who go on to enhance the relevance of accounting education. I think as CPAs we all can be part of this important work through supporting the AICPA Foundation." - Tracey Golden, President

Laurie Horvath
Partner

Baker Tilly US, LLP

Laurie Horvath has more than 20 years of public accounting experience, including 12 years with an international firm with five in a national office role. As Baker Tilly’s healthcare and not-for-profit practice leader in Detroit, Michigan, she specializes in providing auditing, accounting, and consulting services to not-for-profit and healthcare, including financial statement audits and single audits under OMB Uniform Guidance.

"I support the AICPA Foundation to give back to a profession that has offered much to me. Starting a career in public accounting felt like the ‘next best step’ after graduation. Little did I realize the opportunities, the challenges, the celebrations, and the people that accounting allowed me to experience. I’m constantly grateful for a rewarding career and fortunate to give back and thank the profession and pave the way for more future accountants.

Our experiences as CPAs are varied, but valuable, and thanking the profession through gifts of time and treasure is a wonderful option for many." - Laurie Horvath

Kristine Hull
CPA, CGMA

Administration Sr. Director
Nebraska Appleseed

Kristine Hull CPA, CGMA is the Administration Sr. Director at Nebraska Appleseed and has over fifteen years of experience in the nonprofit sector serving nonprofits of varying sizes, up to $30 million and 450 employees. She is active in the community and currently serves on the board of directors for Omaha Conservatory of Music (board treasurer) and Nonprofit Association of the Midlands (board treasurer). She also serves on the advisory committee for Share Omaha. Kristine is a graduate of AICPA's Leadership Institute, Leadership Omaha, and the Nonprofit Executive Institute, and has been recognized as a Ten Outstanding Young Omahan and Midlands Business Journal 40 Under 40. Kristine is a graduate of University of Nebraska-Lincoln (BSBA) and Creighton University (MBA).

"I’m proud to serve as a Trustee of the Foundation because this profession has been so rewarding for me, and I want to help ensure others have that opportunity.

I appreciate the Foundation’s focus on improving diversity in our profession, because it will be critical for our profession in the future that we represent many different voices and experiences." - Kristine Hull

Shakor J. Jukes
CPA

Senior Program Manager
Amazon

Shakor J. Jukes, CPA, a native of Newark, NJ, is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the states of New Jersey and New York. Shakor obtained his bachelor's in accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Montclair State University. Shakor has 10+ years of extensive accounting experience working at top public accounting firms and Fortune 50 companies. He currently works as a Senior Program Manager at Amazon. His primary focus is assisting accounting and finance teams in automating their business processes while also ensuring the proper internal controls over financial reporting are implemented.

"As a Board of Trustees member, I support the AICPA Foundation to directly impact the experiences of students and candidates aspiring to become CPAs, ensuring they have the educational and career resources needed for success in the profession and in life.

Supporting the AICPA Foundation is an opportunity to invest in the future of the accounting profession by nurturing the development of future CPAs, promoting excellence and innovation. By ensuring the continued support and sustainability of the foundation, we can pave the way for growth and success in the years ahead." - Shakor J. Jukes

Robert McKoy
CPA, CGMA

Associate Executive Director of Finance
American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM)

Robert McKoy, CPA, CGMA, holds a key leadership position as the Associate Executive Director of Finance for the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). He is instrumental in shaping the association's financial strategy and ensuring fiscal health. He is also a member of the AICPA Foundation Board of Directors. With a career spanning over 30 years in accounting and auditing, he brings a wealth of expertise to his role at AAPM. His responsibilities encompass various financial functions, from strategic planning and analysis to financial reporting, accounts receivable and payable, grant reporting, risk management, debt and liquidity management, payroll, budgeting, and taxes. Throughout his career in public accounting and industry, his diverse experience includes working with closely held businesses, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and non-profits, and he has served as CFO for both for-profit and not-for-profit companies. McKoy holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Loyola University in Maryland. He is also a member of the Maryland Association of CPAs, an ordained minister, and has led several congregations in the Maryland area.

"I supported the Foundation because I firmly believe in giving back to the profession that has given me so much. Throughout my career, I have always invested in my team. I served on the Board of Trustees of the foundation because of its future focus.

The Foundation helps future CPAs fulfill their dreams of entering the profession by providing scholarships and other resources to help them meet their educational financial obligations. The Foundation also works to support diversity and inclusion in the profession." - Robert McKoy

Rick Niswander, Treasurer
CPA, CGMA

Emeritus Professor of Accounting
East Carolina University

Rick Niswander is an Emeritus Professor of Accounting at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. ECU has about 27,000 students and is part of the University of North Carolina System. In his almost-30 years at ECU, he was Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance at ECU for 7½ years. Prior to assuming the Vice Chancellor duties, he served as Dean of the College of Business and the W. Howard Rooks Distinguished Professor for 6 ½ years. He began his career at ECU as a member of the accounting faculty in 1993. He holds a Ph.D. in accounting from Texas A&M University and a BSBA in accounting from Idaho State University. Prior to entering academia, he worked for Deloitte, Haskins & Sells, and was the CFO of a privately held real estate company in Phoenix. He has been a CPA since 1981 and a CGMA since 2015.

"A vibrant profession is not created by magic. It is created by the collective efforts of those IN the profession. Often, we think of those necessary efforts to make the profession better today – to be competent, knowledgeable, accountable, diligent, and ethical. All critical to maintaining what we have now. At least as important is what we do to ensure the profession will be vibrant tomorrow.

Possibly the most important aspect of that future vision is to help expand the number of people on the path to becoming a CPA and to financially assist their journey. The CPA profession is dependent on attracting more professionals just like you.

As an accounting professor, I have helped hundreds and hundreds of students take those first steps. Now that I have retired from teaching, I support the future in a different way – by serving on the Foundation Board of Trustees and by providing my financial support to those who have a desire, but maybe not the means, to join our vibrant profession. Please join me in making our future profession even better than today." - Rick Niswander

Scott Showalter
Board Liaison
CPA, CGMA

Professor of Practice and Director of the Jenkins Master of Accounting Program
Poole College of Management, North Carolina State University

D. Scott Showalter is a professor of practice and Director of the Jenkins Master of Accounting Program at the Poole College of Management, North Carolina State University. Prior to joining Poole College of Management, Scott was an audit partner with KPMG LLP where he completed his 33-year career in July 2008. Scott served in numerous national and global leadership roles while at KPMG. Scott is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in North Carolina and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and the AICPA Foundation. Scott received his B.S.B.A. degree from the University of Richmond, summa cum laude, in 1975.

"As a director of a Master of Accounting Program, I see firsthand the impact scholarships have on the ability for students to pursue their desire for a career in the accounting profession. Although you may not witness the impact of a scholarship firsthand, it is ever present and very much appreciated by the students." - Scott Showalter