2023 Not-for-Profit Conference Bundle

Mr. Will leverages his more than 30 years of experience in accounting, including public accounting, forensic accounting, consulting, and audit and tax compliance, to deliver to policyholders the high-touch, high-quality CAMICO experience. He works closely with the Loss Prevention Specialists to manage the department's efforts to deliver policyholder service. Will's specialties are accounting and auditing and business valuation-related risk management. He advises policyholders through the CAMICO Loss Prevention Hotline, speaks to CPA groups, and writes articles on a wide range of topics. Topics of particular interest include complying with the AICPA's Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services, doubts about an entity's ability to continue as a going concern, cyber-security, and serving clients in the cannabis industry.

Will began his accounting career in 1979 as a staff accountant in the Washington, D.C. area and spent most of his public accounting career in California and Florida. He earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Maryland and is Accredited in Business Valuation and Certified in Financial Forensics. A Certified Fraud Examiner, Will is an active member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners; has supplemented his education with college courses at the University of Baltimore, Golden Gate University, and Florida Atlantic University; and welcomes opportunities to expand his knowledge over a broad spectrum of accounting-related curricula.

Christy N. Tennant is Deputy Director with the Tennessee Comptroller's Division of Investigations. Christy is responsible for overseeing and directing investigations involving fraud, waste and abuse in local governments, state agencies, and other publicly funded entities. Christy has worked with the Comptroller's Office for over 23 years. She has directed investigations, resulting in the discovery of fraud, waste and abuse and the prosecution of public officials and employees. Christy has also worked closely with the TBI, the FBI, local District Attorneys General and local law enforcement groups. A graduate of Tennessee Technological University , Christy is also a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Financial Government Manager and a Certified Fraud Examiner. She provides training to professional groups related to internal controls and fraud.

Diane E. Edelstein is a Senior Partner at Maher Duessel in Pittsburgh and has over 30 years of experience in public accounting. Her entire auditing career has focused on nonprofits, governments, and Single Audits. She now works part time and specializes in teaching and consulting.

Diane was a member of the AICPA NPO Planning Conference Committee from 2012 to 2017 and spoke each year on Single Audit topics. She is also a past member of the AICPA Governmental Audit Quality Center Executive Committee. She has conducted peer reviews of Single Audits and is a prior member of the PICPA Professional Ethics Committee.

Diane received a B.A. in accounting (with distinction) from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Hope Pendergrass is a partner and a certified public accountant with Mauldin & Jenkins. Hope spends 100% of her time serving state and local governments, and serves as M&J's lead compliance audit technical partner. Most recently, Hope was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Governmental Audit Quality Center at the AICPA.

Hope graduated from Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. She has over 20 years of experience in public accounting, all spent serving state and local governments and nonprofits.

Hope holds the AICPA Advanced Single Audit Certificate after passing the AICPA Advanced Single Audit Exam, which requires the ability to evaluate and analyze core concepts related to client acceptance, engagement planning & analysis, and concluding an engagement, as well as guiding principles for single audits at an advanced level as outlined in the AICPA Competency Framework: Governmental Auditing.

Hope has spoken at various conferences on topics related federal grant compliance and the Uniform Guidance. She also coordinates and instructs M&J's quarterly continuing education events provided to clients, and coordinates and edits the M&J governmental e-newsletter, which is issued periodically on emerging topics of interest to state and local governmental entities throughout M&J's governmental practice.

Hope is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Georgia Society of CPAs (GSCPA), and the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). She also serves on GFOA's Special Review Committee and performs reviews of Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports as part of GFOA's Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting program.

Hope enjoys community service work and has volunteered with various organizations in the middle Georgia area including United Way of Central Georgia, Distinguished Young Women of Monroe and Bibb Counties, Forest Hills United Methodist Church, and Wesleyan College.

Kathleen Siciliano counsels employers of all sizes on discrimination or retaliation claims under Title VII, FMLA, FLSA, ADA, and ADEA. She also advises educational intuitions on issues involving Title IX and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Her experience further extends to advising employers on employment agreements, medical leave and disability concerns, LGBTQ matters, workplace investigations, and restrictive covenants and trade secret enforcement, all while ensuring state and federal employment law compliance. She regularly monitors laws and regulations across the country, as well as new social media platforms and trends, to ensure she advises and updates clients in a timely matter.

Kathleen is known for her thoughtful approach and dedication to her clients' best interests, always listening first and providing advice second. She understands that the needs of every client differ and is prepared to adjust her approach to best serve each individual client. Kathleen's clients operate in a variety of industries, including charitable and public purpose organizations, education, municipal and government, transportation, construction, and food and beverage. She thrives in a fast-paced environment and fights hard for her clients when representing and defending them in state and federal courts on employment litigation matters. As new clients work with Kathleen, they quickly learn that she is someone who they can rely on no matter their issue.

Fran Leahy, CPA, is a tax services senior manager with KraftCPAs in Nashville, Tenn. She works exclusively with nonprofit clients to perform and oversee tax research, planning, consulting, and compliance services. Her duties also include building and maintaining client relationships and managing/reviewing the work of other team members relating to nonprofit tax issues and the Form 990.

As a licensed CPA in North Carolina and Tennessee, Fran works remotely and on-site with clients in both states.

Fran frequently presents on topics affecting nonprofit entities for clients and organizations including the TSCPA's Governmental and Not-for-Profit Conference, the Arts and Business Council, and the National Business Officers Association. She frequently attends continuing professional education courses made available through her membership in the AICPA's Not-for-Profit Section and The Rainmaker Group's Nonprofit CPAs association. Fran holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from Wofford College and a master's degree in accounting from Appalachian State University. In addition to more than 20 years of public accounting experience, she has five years of internal audit and reimbursement experience with a national healthcare firm and more than three years as a college-level accounting instructor with Belmont University and Appalachian State.

Fran is actively involved in her community through multiple organizations, including as board treasurer for Hammer & Heart, a nonprofit group that repairs homes in the Swannanoa Valley of North Carolina, and through activities at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church. Fran enjoys the outdoors, including year-round hiking and backpacking.