Sept. 9, 2026 – Lexy Kessler, Partner at Aprio and immediate past chair of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, joins Bill Sheridan on the Maryland Association of CPAs’ Future Proof podcast to discuss leadership lessons from a year spent connecting with accounting professionals, students, and educators around the world.
Lexy shares her optimism about the accounting talent pipeline, citing increased enrollment, higher starting salaries, and new pathways to CPA licensure. She emphasizes that continued outreach and more compelling storytelling about accounting careers will be essential to keeping students engaged and helping them progress toward the CPA credential.
She also explores the evolving role of AI, noting that technology will change the work CPAs perform while strengthening the need for human judgment, creativity, and the ability to make complex information meaningful to clients and investors. Throughout the conversation, Lexy reinforces that trust, ethics, integrity, and quality remain in the profession’s non-negotiable foundation.
To listen to the full episode, visit the Maryland Association of CPAs’ Future Proof podcast.