Corporate Finance Town Hall: Post-Pandemic Budgeting and Cash Flow Tips Webinar

Michelle L. Peterson, CPA
Executive Director
Improved Dwellings for Altoona Inc.

Shelly is the Executive Director for Improved Dwellings for Altoona, Inc. (IDA), a non-profit organization that develops and manages affordable housing. After graduating from Penn State in 1994, she worked for Coopers and Lybrand in Harrisburg, PA.  She relocated to the Altoona area in 1997 and began her career at IDA, where she held the positions of Assistant Controller, Controller and Assistant Director before becoming the Executive Director in 2014. 

Outside of IDA, Shelly remains active in professional and community organizations.  She has been a member of the PICPA since October 1, 1997.  She was on the Central Chapter executive committee and served as president of the chapter for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.  On the PICPA state level, she served on Council and the Nominations and Bylaws Committees.  She was awarded the Central Chapter Volunteer Service Award in 2015 and the PICPA Young Leaders Award in 2010.  She also served as treasurer of the Hollidaysburg Tiger Varsity Baseball Boosters for 5 years and is currently a mentor for the SOAR program through the Altoona Area School District.

Michael De Stefano, CPA
CFO
RKL LLP

As RKL’s Chief Financial Officer, Mike De Stefano leads and manages financial operations to support and achieve the firm’s strategic objectives. Mike has served as CFO since 2019, when he rejoined the firm where he got his start in the accounting industry.

In 1995, Mike joined RKL as a staff accountant and rose to the position of Audit Manager. Mike went on to serve as Controller, CFO and Vice President of Finance for a large transportation and logistics company in Middletown, PA.

EDUCATION
B.S. Business Administration, Bloomsburg University

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES & MEMBERSHIPS
• Certified Public Accountant, Pennsylvania
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Member
• Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), Member
• Pennsylvania CPA Foundation Board, Member
• PICPA Corporate Cabinet, Member
• Pennsylvania CPA Journal Editorial Board, Member
• Institute of Management Accounts, (IMA), Member

Jen is CEO of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), a professional association of more than 20,000 CPAs in Pennsylvania. Jen is only the sixth executive to serve in the role since the PICPA was founded in 1897. She is also the CEO of the Pennsylvania CPA Foundation, whose mission is to inspire students to pursue careers in accounting and to provide educational, motivational, and financial support to those working to attain the CPA credential.