Nonprofit Conference - VIRTUAL

 

Heather Cash joined the Community Foundation of Louisville in January 2016 as the Director of Gift Planning. Heather was promoted to Vice President of Development and Stewardship (now Philanthropic Services) in July 2018, and then to Senior Vice President in July 2022. In this role, Heather leads the members of the Philanthropic Services team in their efforts to engage existing donors and build philanthropic resources for the Foundation. Heather loves working at the Community Foundation because it allows her to combine her legal background with her interest in social justice. By helping individuals make complex gifts, finalize their charitable estate plans, or learn about new local initiatives, Heather has the privilege of seeing how her work can help transform our community for current residents and future generations. Heather is a 2001 graduate of Centre College and a 2003 graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Louisville's Brandeis School of Law in 2007. As an undergraduate and graduate student, Heather explored her passion for travel by participating in study-abroad programs in France, Nicaragua, Ireland, and Thailand. Before joining the Community Foundation, Heather completed a judicial clerkship with Justice Lisabeth Hughes on the Kentucky Supreme Court and practiced civil defense litigation at the law firm of Thompson Miller and Simpson, PLC, in Louisville. Heather's civic involvement includes volunteering at the Legal Aid Society and being a former board member of the Charitable Gift Planners of Kentuckiana and the Brandeis Law School's Dean's Advisory Board. Heather is also a certified yoga teacher and previously taught weekly hatha flow classes at Infinite Bliss Yoga and Yoga East. Heather is married to Tommy Gleason, and she is a proud mama to two boys—Tommy, Jr., and Charlie.

 

Melisa F. Galasso is the founder and CEO of Galasso Learning Solutions LLC. A CPA with nearly 20 years of experience in the accounting profession, Melisa designs and facilitates courses in advanced technical accounting and auditing topics, including not-for-profit and governmental accounting. Her passion is providing high-quality CPE that is meaningful, creates efficiencies and improves quality, and positively impacts ROI. She also supports essential professional development, audit level training, and train the trainer efforts. Melisa is a Certified Speaking Professional, a Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD), and has earned the Association for Talent Development Master Trainer™ designation. Her passion for instructional design and adult learning techniques is one of the differentiators that set her apart from other CPE providers. She also serves on the FASB's Not-for-Profit Advisory Committee (NAC), AICPA Council, and the AICPA's Women's Initiative Executive Committee (WIEC). She also serves as a Subject Matter Expert for the Center for Plain English Accounting. She previously served on the AICPA's Technical Issues Committee (TIC), the VSCPA's Board of Directors and is a past-Chair of the NCACPA's A&A committee. In addition, Melisa is the author of Money Matters for Nonprofits: How Board Members Can Harness the Power of Financial Statements by Understanding Basic Accounting which is available on Amazon or anywhere you purchase books online. Melisa is a 2020 Enterprising Women of the Year Award recipient and was honored as a "40 under 40" by CPA Practice Advisor in 2017, 2018, and 2019. She was also named the 2019 Rising Star by her regional NAWBO chapter, received the Don Farmer award for achievement in technical content instruction, and earned several other awards for public speaking and technical training. Prior to establishing Galasso Learning Solutions, Melisa worked in public accounting, industry, internal audit, and academia. She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and International Business from Georgetown University. On a personal level, Melisa enjoys traveling, watching her daughter ride her horse, and spending quality time with family. She finds balance through yoga, is an avid reader, and frequents local performing arts shows. Melisa actively supports several causes that empower women. Melisa currently serves as the Chair of the Advisory Board of Girls on the Run Greater Charlotte.

 

Marc Hamilton is the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of CDG, Inc., a professional engineering and environmental services firm based in Alabama. With 35 years of financial leadership experience, Marc has led initiatives that have strengthened CDG's financial operations and supported its substantial growth over the past decade. His expertise includes process innovation, strategic budgeting, technology optimization and fostering a culture of accountability to ensure long-term success. Marc's career spans diverse industries, including engineering service, retail, forestry and manufacturing. He brings extensive experience working with publicly traded companies and navigating the complexities of corporate finance and compliance. Marc's foundation in public accounting, honed during his tenure at Deloitte and KPMG, provided him with invaluable expertise in tax strategies, financial reporting and advisory services. Marc has a long history of service with the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants (ASCPA), where he served as Chairman of the Board from 2017 to 2018 and contributed to advancing ASCPA initiatives. Since 2016, Marc has been a continuing education instructor, presenting on technology topics such as blockchain, big data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, focusing on their practical applications and relevance to CPAs. He has collaborated with regional State Societies and spoken at numerous CPE conferences, offering insights on topics critical to the profession. Marc is also the creator of LearnVoyage, a professional development program hosted aboard a cruise ship. The program combines technical education with a unique networking opportunity, offering workshops on topics related to digital transformation, evolution of critical tools and skills and practical application. Participants have expressed enthusiasm for its creative form and early feedback highlights its potential as a unique alternative to traditional programs. Marc aims to expand LearnVoyage with hybrid learning options and collaborations with State Societies to meet the evolving needs of the CPA profession.

 

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Paul Preziotti, CPA, is a Partner for the multi-office CPA firm, Johnson Lambert LLP. He is responsible for providing audit and consulting services to not-for-profit entities and employee benefit plans. He has significant experience serving as an advisor for organizations on a variety of issues including risk assessment, governance, compliance and internal control considerations. Paul received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Bachelor of Science in International Business degrees from the University of Maryland, and he joined Johnson Lambert after graduating. He is a frequent speaker on audit and accounting topics at various industry conferences and seminars. He is an alumnus of the AICPA Leadership Academy, an honor for which less than 40 people are recognized nationally each year. He received the GWSCPA's 2018 Outstanding Member in Public Practice Award for his contributions to the growth and enhancement of the accounting profession. Furthermore, he is a current member of the AICPA's Not-for-Profit Advisory Council and a past chair for the GWSCPA's Nonprofit Finance & Accounting Symposium. Additionally, Paul serves as the Treasurer for St. John's Community Services, as the Secretary for the GWSCPA, a Finance Committee member for United Way of San Diego County and a member of the governance structure for the Radiation Effects Research Foundation Foundation.

 

Elaine L. Sommerville is licensed as a certified public accountant by the State of Texas. She has worked in public accounting since 1985. Her practice has and continues to be centered primarily on the tax compliance aspects of nonprofit organizations and churches. She has assisted in the representation of several large case IRS exams as well as other IRS examinations of smaller organizations. Elaine devotes her time to handling various IRS issues for individuals and for exempt organizations of various types. She actively consults on many IRS compliance issues for churches and other nonprofit organizations and prepares information returns of all types for tax exempt organizations. Elaine holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accountancy and Information Systems from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. She is the sole shareholder of the CPA firm of Sommerville & Associates, P.C. Located in Arlington, Texas; the firm employees 10 staff members providing tax, accounting and consulting services to churches and nonprofit organizations of all sizes. Elaine’s CPA practice is not only centered on nonprofit organizations in areas of tax compliance, but she also has a passion for training those who work for churches and nonprofit organizations and who work with churches and nonprofit organizations. She is a regular speaker for the Texas Society of CPAs, The Church Network, the Houston Church CO+OP, and has been an instructor for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA). She is a contributing author to Thomson Reuters/PPC’s Nonprofit Tax and Governance Guide and a technical reviewer for their Form 990 Deskbook and Religious Organizations Guide. Elaine authored Church Compensation – From Strategic Plan to Compliance (Gloo - 2d Edition 2021.) She is a contributing author to Working Remotely - A Framework for Success (2021 GreenDot Press). Elaine is a member of the AICPA, the Texas Society of CPAs, and The Church Network. In 2011, Elaine was inducted into The Church Network’s Church Management Hall of Fame. She is married to Frank Sommerville, and they reside in Grand Prairie, Texas. When not consumed by work, church, and/or family, they make their way to Galveston to enjoy the beach.