Young Accounting Leaders Honored: CPA Practice Advisor Announces ’40 Under 40′ and ’20 Under 40′ Awards

Accounting | April 4, 2025

Young Accounting Leaders Honored: CPA Practice Advisor Announces ’40 Under 40′ and ’20 Under 40′ Awards

This year’s 40 Under 40 Honorees and 20 Under 40 Influencers are active in professional organizations, as well as in their local communities, where many are small business owners and employers.

Isaac M. O'Bannon

CPA Practice Advisor has announced the latest recipients of its “40 Under 40 Accounting Professionals” and “20 Under 40 Top Influencers” awards.

The accounting profession is as dynamic and vital to the success of America’s small businesses as ever, and CPA Practice Advisor’s 40 Under 40, and 20 Under 40, programs recognize exceptional professionals who are helping lead their practices and the profession into the future.

This year’s 40 Under 40 Honorees and 20 Under 40 Influencers are active in professional organizations, as well as in their local communities, where many are small business owners and employers. Many also frequently speak at accounting and technology trade shows, such as AICPA Engage, Scaling New Heights, Ensuring Success, QuickBooks Connect, and state CPA society events, giving seminars or participating in round table discussions on evolving practices and technologies.

The 40 Under 40 Awards spotlight the top practicing public accountants, educators and thought leaders who are leading their profession by visibly and incrementally changing the accounting profession through their exemplary leadership, their innovative thinking, their collaborative efforts to provide unity to the profession across the generations, and their community outreach which extends the visibility of the profession outside the workplace.

The 20 Under 40 Top Influencers program similarly honors those who are leading the way in developing the constantly evolving technology and firm processes that allow practitioners to be more productive, efficient and profitable, as they build practices that will endure and thrive.

“We are fortunate to be surrounded by so many young professionals who are sharing their ideas, skills, and enthusiasm with the goal of making the accounting profession a better place. Change is occurring rapidly in our profession and this year’s award winners are embracing and welcoming the changes,” said editor-in-chief Gail Perry, CPA.

The 40 Under 40 Honorees will be invited to participate in round table discussions and breakout sessions with CPA Practice Advisor’s Thought Leaders during the 2025 AICPA CIMA Engage conference in Las Vegas, June 9-12, 2025, at the Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. This annual event brings together these influencers to discuss the technologies, trends, and challenges faced by the profession, and to offer insights into strategies to address them.

Click on the below honorees to learn more about them, their careers, their passions, and the traits that have that have led us to call them the future of the profession. These are the voices of today that are shaping the profession of tomorrow.

The “40 Under 40” Accounting Professionals Honorees: (Missing links will be added as information is received.)

Aaron Berson, CPALindsay Patterson, CIA, CPA, CAE
Alexis Weber, CPAMac Lillard, CPA, CITP, CIA, CFE, CISA, CRISC
Arna Erazo, CPAMarcy Binkley, Doc.BA, CPA, CMA
Caleb Jenkins, EA, CQPMegan Lewczyk, CPA, CMA, MAcc
David Almonte, CPA, CGMAMike Manalac, CPA
Deon Norris, CPA, PMPRachel Farris, CPA
Frankie Velasco, CPARebekah (Brown) Olson, CPA
Goran Gmitrovic, EARobert Carter, CPA, MS, CVA, CFE, ABV, CFF, CEPA
Greg O’Brien, CPA, CTSRoger Williams, CPA, CVA
Ilknur D. Grubbs, EARose Araghchy, CPA
Jacob Kinsel, CPARoslyn Banks, EA, MAcc, BBA
Jake Johnson, CPADr. Sean Stein Smith, Ph.D, CPA, CMA, CFE, CGMA
Jeff Wilson, CPA, PFS, CGMA, CFE, CDFASripal Jain, CPA, CA
Jeremiah Hathorn, CPATailor Hartman, CPA
John Malone, J.D., CTCTim O’Neill, CPA
Kathryn Horton, CPA, CMA, CIFA, CFETim Petrey, CPA
Katie Thomas, CPAVictor Garrido, CPA, EA
Kellen Shelton, CFE, CAMS, MBAVictoria Thayer, CPA
Kendale King, CPA, CMA, CIFA, CFEWill Donahue, CPA
Kevin Moyer, CFEZachary Gordon, CPA

The “20 Under 40” Accounting Influencers:

Allen T. StahlJared Ballew, MBA
Andrew Argue, CPAJin Chang, CPA, MBA
Andrew Lassise, Certified CoachJonathan Womack, CPA
Andy RootKalil Merhib
Brian Yujuico, CPAKevin Bong
Brittani Shantel Jackson, CPALaurence Whittam
Dave MundyMolly Gallaher Boddy, PhD.
Enrico PalmerinoNick Pasquarosa, MST
Ilya Radzinsky, CFAShawn Parikh
Isaac HellerSteven Bong

Nominations for the 2025 awards will open in August 2025.

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Comments: 3

Patrick D McDermott, CPAApril 7 2025 at 3:16 pm

why didn't you alphabetize the list? that would make it easier to look for folks you know

Tom Hood, CPA, CGMAApril 8 2025 at 3:08 am

Always love seeing the next generation of influencers and leaders in our Profession. Congratulations to all of the 40 under 40 and the 20 under 40 Influencers 🙌 🙌 🙌 Especially the AICPA Leadership Academy alums, Lindsay Patterson two colleagues from my MACPA tenure, Rebekah Brown and Jeff Wilson. I look forward to seeing your impact on our Profession!

dee sonsApril 23 2025 at 8:45 am

no idea if this 2024 or 2025

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