Jeff
Mechanick is an Assistant Director at the Financial Accounting Standards Board
(FASB). In that role, he serves as the staff specialist for not-for-profit
organizations (NPOs), provides strategic and technical oversight of all
activities involving nonpublic entities (NPOs and private companies), and
functions as the technical liaison for FASB-related government affairs work of
the Financial Accounting Foundation. He also manages the Financial Crisis
Advisory Group, which was established by the FASB and the International
Accounting Standards Board to advise the two boards on the standard-setting
implications of the global financial crisis and potential changes to the global
regulatory environment.
Since joining the FASB in 2006, Jeffrey has worked extensively on behalf of
the not-for-profit sector. He has managed the FASB Staff Position (FSP) projects
on Not-for-Profit Endowments and UPMIFA (FSP FAS 117-1) and on Omnibus Changes
to Consolidation and Equity Method Guidance for NPOs (FSP SOP 94-3-1 and AAG
HCO-1); has been a core team member on the project on Mergers & Acquisitions
by NPOs (Statement 164); and has consulted on various other projects, including
those on Fair Value Measurements (Statement 157) and on Postretirement Benefit
Obligations (Statement 158). He has also spoken at numerous conferences,
sponsored by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the
National Association of College and University Business Officers, the Healthcare
Financial Management Association, several state CPA societies, and various other
organizations. Prior to joining the FASB, Jeffrey spent a combined twenty years
working in and with the not-for-profit sector. He was the chief financial
officer of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., and before that, a
senior audit manager with KPMG, LLP, where he specialized in serving NPOs. As
the National Technical Senior Manager for KPMG's Higher Education, Research, and
Other NPOs Practice, Mr. Mechanick also provided audit, accounting, and
reporting guidance to KPMG professionals throughout the United States. Jeffrey
earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biological sciences from The University of
Chicago and an MBA in professional accounting from Rutgers - The State
University of New Jersey. He is a member of the AICPA and the New York State
Society of CPAs, and has served on the AICPA's NPO Expert Panel.
Bernadette
D. Zita, CPA MST, Senior Manager, BKD CPAs and Advisors I focus on tax issues
impacting tax exempt organizations including the complex rules governing tax
exempt status, excise taxes, unrelated business taxable income, intermediate
sanctions, private inurement/private benefit, compliance and information
reporting, alternative investments, charitable gifts, and excise taxes relating
to private foundations. I am a speaker at various forums where I speak on topics
affecting exempt organizations including the Illinois CPA Society and the
Association Forum. In addition to speaking, I have written several articles and
participate on webcasts relating to relevant exempt organization tax issues. I
also serve as a member on the Illinois CPA Society Not-for-Profit Committee,
Illinois CPA Society Women's Committee and Chicago Women in Philanthropy. I am a
1990 graduate of University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, with a B.S. degree
in accounting, and a 1997 graduate of DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, with
a M.S. degree in taxation
Kimberly
has more than 17 years of audit and accounting experience, focusing on the
governmental and not-for-profit industries. She has worked with a variety of
entities, including universities, community colleges, municipalities, villages,
school districts, tollway authorities, water commission districts, foundations,
food banks and social services organizations.
She
has helped plan and manage Uniform Guidance audits for student financial aid and
other education department programs, social service programs and highway
planning and construction grants for governmental clients as well as agreed-upon
procedures. She also has provided accounting, financial reporting, financial
statement audit and Uniform Guidance services for not-for-profits, including
universities, foundations, food banks and social services
organizations.
Kimberly
is a member of the America Institute of CPAs, Illinois CPA Society and Illinois
Government Finance Officers Association. Kimberly is a member of BKD’s higher
education center of excellence committee. Kimberly also serves on the board of
Associated Colleges of Illinois.
She
is a 2003 graduate of Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois, with a B.B.A.
degree in accounting.
Kristin
C. Louis is the Bureau Chief of the Charitable Trusts Bureau of the Illinois
Attorney General’s Office. Her practice has focused on a variety matters
pertaining to charitable estates and trusts, as well as the investigation and
litigation of such matters as will contests, trust construction and termination,
breaches of fiduciary duty, and misuse of charitable funds. Prior to joining the
Charitable Trusts Bureau in 2012, she was a member of the Estate Settlement
Services group at The Northern Trust Company and the Civil Prosecutions Unit at
the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. She earned her JD from Loyola University
Chicago School of Law.