By James Tomak, CPA, and Yiting Yang, CPA

The AICPA’s Leadership Academy is a four-day program for emerging accounting and finance professionals to engage in a self-examination of leadership, what that means, and how it can impact their personal lives, career paths, and the accounting profession. In 2024, we were lucky enough to attend, and it is all that the AICPA promises and more.

In the words of PICPA member and past Leadership Academy attendee Timothy O. Martin, the program is invaluable as attendees “shared similar challenges and opportunities both during the program and in the time since. It was also the first time that I had dedicated several days to focus on reflecting, strengthening and expanding upon my leadership skills.”

Refreshing, inspiring, and a challenging journey is how we would describe the 2024 AICPA Leadership Academy. This year, 30 CPAs were selected to participate and spend an immersive four days together in Durham, N.C. But before our December attendance, we had an assignment. We were asked to reflect on what drives us and then met with an executive coach to discuss our findings. The coach gave us an opportunity to get our own solution using our own insights. And this was all before we got to Durham!

As you can infer from Tim Martin’s quote earlier, connecting and communicating play a big role in the proceedings. Once we kicked off the Leadership Academy, we introduced ourselves and discovered links among the group. These connectors helped us see that, despite our diverse backgrounds, we had many things in common with each other. We had lots of marathon runners, taco lovers, and two Eagles fans! This activity was the first of many through which we got to know each other on a deeper level. This was more than routine ice-breaker stuff. Making these connections with other up-and-coming leaders in our profession nationally is a core part of what this program provides. As Amy Swartzfager, another PICPA member who attended in the past, shares, “Access to the program alumni has been the best part. It is such an amazing support system of sharp CPAs across company size and industry. I have made friends for life.”

Day two centered around how to identify burnout and strategies to reduce stress. No matter if you are a CPA or not, we all get stressed out. So, we need to identify ways that help us reduce stress. One of the many stress-reducing tools discussed was taking a walk and the impact that a little bit of exercise can have on us during the day. Many of us took the lesson to heart and went for a walk around the university campus; we also achieved some extra bonding time as a bonus! To wrap up our second day, we discussed how to be impactful leaders through encouragement, vulnerability, active listening, fostering belonging, and curiosity.

On the third day, AICPA leaders guided discussions about the CPA profession. One of the most impactful conversations was led by outgoing AICPA CEO Barry Melancon. Barry shared his experience as a leader and the lessons he learned over the past 30 years as an advocate for the CPA profession. The one thing he said that all CPAs should internalize is that while our world may have little trust, trust is the backbone of the CPA profession, and we can never take that for granted.

Our final day of the Leadership Academy focused on the strategic planning process, the CPA pipeline, and the future of the CPA profession. The most impactful part of the closing day was at the end, when we all shared our takeaways. We expressed how thankful we were for meeting each other and the great futures we see ahead for our classmates, the profession, our organizations, and ourselves.

The Leadership Academy flew by! We enjoyed the inspiring conversations, but we also had a blast at the happy hours, cornhole games, and line dancing after our team dinners. By sharing our passions for both work, life, and profession, we created lasting connections along the way.

More on the AICPA Leadership Academy

If you are an up-and-coming leader in the accounting profession, we encourage you to look into AICPA’s Leadership Academy. Details for the 2025 Leadership Academy will be released in the second quarter of 2025.

Would you be interested in joining this journey? Please don’t hesitate to apply for this great opportunity and reach out to us with any questions.

James Tomak, CPA, is a financial reporting adviser in Mount Joy, Pa.

Yiting Yang, CPA, is a senior accountant with Summerwood Corp. in Conshohocken, Pa.

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^{Statements of fact and opinion are the authors’ responsibility alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the PICPA's officers or members. The information contained herein does not constitute accounting, legal, or professional advice. For actionable advice, you must engage or consult with a qualified professional.}