Journal of Accountancy Podcast

Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA/CITP, CGMA, returned to the JofA podcast after being named the AICPA's Gold Medal Award of Distinction honoree at fall Council.
When Ellison-Taylor was named AICPA chair in 2016, her focus areas were on next-generation talent and technology. Ten years later, she said, both are as critical as ever. In this conversation, she reflects on her growth as a leader and shares the lessons her parents taught her that still apply today. 
Ellison-Taylor also looks ahead to how artificial intelligence will require new business models and new ways of working in the profession. She describes her own plans to keep learning and to help firms, schools, and professionals navigate the change. She also talks about upcoming outreach to students, including an Accounting Explorations event and work with the American Accounting Association aimed at community college students.
What you'll learn from this episode:
What receiving the AICPA's highest honor means to Ellison-Taylor.
How she has grown as a leader in the past 10 years.
The five E's that her parents instilled in her and how they apply today.
Her work sharing the accounting profession's many career options with students.
What she does to keep her skills and knowledge sharp.

What does career success look like when titles and accolades are no longer the ultimate goal? This podcast episode explores that and other career topics with Lexi Weber, CPA, an AICPA senior manager leading initiatives for emerging professionals.
Weber talks about how she avoids burnout, explains the two phases of mentorship, and lists resources and opportunities for emerging accounting professionals to navigate change and build rewarding careers.
Below are links to several resources discussed:
The Women's Global Leadership Summit
AICPA Leadership Academy
The Accounting Inclusion & Impact Symposium
The EPICenter webcast series
The Engage365 community for emerging professionals
What you'll learn from this episode:
How the definition of "emerging" professionals might give some people pause.
A few strategies Weber uses to avoid burnout.
The role of trust in mentorship.
Rise2040's part in helping accounting and finance professionals consider the profession's future.
Weber's explanation of career success as "more than the titles and the awards."
The types of lessons and resources the AICPA is offering emerging professionals.

Mark Beasley, CPA, Ph.D., director of the ERM Initiative at North Carolina State University, joined the Journal of Accountancy podcast to discuss the results of an annual survey and report published in collaboration with the AICPA and CIMA.
The main news from the survey, now in its 17th year: Risks continue to grow in magnitude and complexity, but organizations' risk management response isn't always keeping pace.
Organizations have awareness of risks, but many struggle to connect enterprise risk management (ERM) with strategy and decision-making. This episode explores what's holding risk management back, why scenario planning matters, and how better risk intelligence can become a strategic advantage.
Resource link: The State of Risk Oversight report
What you'll learn from this episode:
The job roles of survey respondents, whose answers form the basis of the annual report.
Why many organizations still struggle to connect ERM to strategy and decision-making.
How geopolitical uncertainty, AI, and the accelerating pace of change are complicating the risk environment.
The "surprise factor" to Beasley related to the survey results.
His opinion on what keeps organizations from adopting more robust approaches such as scenario planning.
How risk intelligence can help leaders anticipate emerging threats and create strategic advantage.

With CFO responsibilities continuing to expand beyond finance, Janice Stucke, CPA, discussed the challenge of leading in areas where expertise and certainty aren't guaranteed. Stucke, speaking at the Future of Finance Summit in National Harbor, Md., shared her perspective on acknowledging weaknesses, balancing data with judgment, and learning to listen before jumping to solutions.
She recently wrote a JofA article on the changing remit of the CFO. And, in a previous podcast appearance, alluded to in this conversation, Stucke recounted the resilience lessons learned from competing in difficult endurance events.
What you'll learn from this episode:
Why CFOs have to become comfortable with leading beyond their expertise.
Why making a data-backed decision might not always be the best path.
What authenticity as a leadership trait means to Stucke.
Her answer to the question, "Do you want to be a CEO?"
What Stucke means when she talks about having "1% more."
The career paths Stucke sees opening up for those in finance leadership.

A Baltimore-based economist joined the Journal of Accountancy podcast to discuss interest rates, labor market trends, artificial intelligence, and other forces shaping the U.S. economy. Anirban Basu, Ph.D., scheduled to speak at both the National Tax Conference in November and the Construction & Real Estate Conference in December, explains why the economic outlook is more nuanced than many headlines suggest and what business leaders should be watching in the months ahead.
What you'll learn from this episode:
Why interest rates remain one of the biggest economic storylines, according to Basu.
How AI is affecting jobs, productivity, and professional services.
What labor market data say about layoffs and employment.
Why simple narratives often miss the complexity of the U.S. economy.
How Basu prepares to connect with conference audiences.
The meaning behind his phrase "play like a Raven."