Financial Leadership Certificate Program: Accounting & Review Series

Michael Durant is the outgoing chair of the Statewide NextGen Committee. During Michael’s tenure as chair, the NextGen Brand has grown by advancing the education of the members, increasing the recognition of the NextGen leaders and expanding the community engagement throughout the chapter committees. Michael, his career as a student member of the Manhattan/Bronx Chapter and later led the Chapter’s NextGen Committee. Recently Michael served on the statewide nominating committee, helping pick the future leadership of the society. Michael is a CPA and law student who embraces his career as a duty of public service and is a Tax Senior in Trust and Estate/Private Wealth Services at Prager Metis CPA LLC in his day job.

Fred has over 15 years of experience providing finance and accounting insights and solutions to companies of all shapes and sizes. Fred has held roles as both a CFO and Controller for privately held companies prior to founding Crystal Oak CFOs & Advisors, during which time he coordinated across various departments to implement new growth initiatives while building a more effective, cohesive ecosystem within the company. One of Fred’s notable accomplishments in this role was to enable a company to retain over $1.4 million of its cash reserves by overhauling its purchasing cycle to coincide with a standardized product life span. Fred strongly believes that you can only properly assist a company when you take the time to understand the business. He leverages his experience as an auditor of public and privately-owned companies to ask probing questions that enable him to gain a deep understanding of the businesses he serves. He draws on that knowledge to provide impactful guidance that is in line with a company’s short-term and long-term goals. Fred is a licensed CPA in both New York and New Jersey. He graduated from Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. Fred is also heavily involved with the New York State Society of CPAs (NYCPA). When Fred isn’t helping companies unlock their full potential, he can be found spending time with his family and/or enjoying sports and the outdoors.

A’Isha Torrence, CPA is a Vice President focused on analysis, budgeting and reporting for AHRC New York City (“AHRC NYC”) a $300 Million human services not-for-profit. AHRC is an organization that provides critical services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. She has extensive experience in human services, accounting, budgeting and business analysis and has led and supported financial software implementations over the last 15 years. A’Isha is a graduate of Queens College, City University of New York with a Bachelors Degree in Accounting. She serves as co-chair of the Fiscal Managers Committee for the Inter-Agency Council Inc., Director and Governance Committee Past-Chair of the NYSSCPA Statewide Board, Past-President of the Manhattan Bronx Chapter of the NYSSCPA, and treasurer of LPGA Amateur Golf Association NYC Chapter.

Ramona Cedeno, MBA, CPA, CGMA, Founder & CEO, FiBrick Financial Services, has over 15 years of experience as a Financial Controller for large (Fortune 500), pre-IPO start-ups and small companies, with a track record of successfully devising and deploying innovative strategies that enhance operational and financial performance. Ramona earned a Bachelor’s in accounting from Baruch College, a Master’s in Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Certificate in Financial Planning from Boston University. She is also a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and member of the AICPA and the NYSSCPA.

Nadia Matthie, CPA is a Partner at Withum in the New York City office with more than twenty years of experience. She is a member of the employee benefit plan practice, labor organizations practice, and multiemployer group where she performed assurance services for single-employer and multiemployer organizations. Nadia has deep knowledge in various types of benefit plans, including defined contribution plans, defined benefit plans, ESOPs and health and welfare plans. Other assurance services include the implementation and testing of internal controls and reviewing service organization reports. In addition, Nadia experience includes asset management, providing assurance services to investment advisors, broker-dealers, real estate investment trusts, real estate and private equity funds. She focuses on auditing investment products such as fixed income, funds of funds, private equity and real estate funds, common commingled trusts, direct investments in privately held companies and real property, certain insurance products, real estate properties and privately held companies. Nadia is a graduate of Iona College, where she earned her Bachelors of Science in accounting. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSCPA) and is a certified public accountant in the District of Columbia and New York. Nadia is active in her community where she serves as the chairperson for the PACE University Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession (COAP) program sponsored by the NYSCPA. She is also an active member of the National Association of Black Accountants – New York Chapter.

Taylor VanSlyck is a highly accomplished Manager in the CFO Advisory Practice at Wiss, where she blends over seven years of public accounting experience with a forward-thinking approach to solving her clients’ financial challenges. Known for her innovative mindset, Taylor has been instrumental in leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency and deliver cutting-edge solutions. She specializes in CFO services and outsourced accounting, providing strategic financial guidance, supporting management with Business Process Reviews (BPRs), serving as an interim controller, and streamlining billing cycles for enhanced efficiency. Her expertise extends to navigating complex government programs like the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) and PPP Loan Funding/Forgiveness, where her guidance has helped numerous businesses not only weather difficult times but also emerge stronger. Her proficiency in accounting software such as Xero, QuickBooks Online (QBO), Deltek Vision, and Deltek VantagePoint, as well as her extensive experience with Bill.com, Wise, Ramp, and Fathom, ensures streamlined and efficient client support. Taylor focuses on building strong, lasting relationships with her clients so she can continue to provide them with advisory services in the future. Her professional and personal commitment to excellence reflects her focus on fostering meaningful, ongoing partnerships throughout her career.