Governmental Accounting & Auditing Conference (E2106020)

Rachel is the founder and chief executive officer of Matters of Management, LLC and has held executive roles in marketing, business development and human capital for mid-size and large professional services firms. She has spent her career working alongside business owners and managing partners carrying out firm missions, acquiring talent and providing coaching to executives, management and staff. Consulting engagements have consisted of organizational redesign of operations and infrastructure, personnel programming, senior talent acquisition, total benefit and rewards systems, policy and procedure manuals, and providing business development coaching training. She is certified in human resources, has a Masters Degree in organizational behavior from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an undergraduate degree in forensic psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

John D'Amico, CPA, is a Partner within the Professional Standards Group at Marks Paneth LLP, which is responsible for monitoring quality control in the firm as mandated by professional standards. He specializes in pre-issuance reviews and inspections of nonprofit organizations, governments and Single Audits. Mr. D’Amico also provides consultation on accounting and attestation matters and tests and monitors the firm's quality review policies and procedures. He teaches continuing education classes for the firm and on behalf of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) nationally.

As a sought-out thought leader in his areas of expertise, Mr. D'Amico has authored numerous articles pertaining to nonprofit accounting/auditing, governmental auditing standards and Uniform Guidance. He frequently leads training seminars for his clients and is an instructor for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He has presented at the annual Nonprofit Conferences of the New York State Society of CPAs; the New Jersey Society of CPAs; and the Connecticut Society of CPAs; as well as the annual Governmental Conferences of the Connecticut Society of CPAs and the Michigan Society of CPAs.

In addition to his professional activities, Mr. D’Amico is a dedicated volunteer who regularly donates his time to charitable organizations. He currently serves on several nonprofit boards of directors in a variety of capacities.

Julie is a manager in the RCI group at Anchin with 8 years of experience in investigations, compliance, and monitoring. Prior to Anchin, she gained experience at Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP where she specialized in fraud and investigative services related to construction, government, healthcare, and not-for-profit organizations.

Jacqueline Grama is a CPA, licensed in New Jersey and holds a New Jersey School Business Administrator Certificate. She began her career in 1987 at Arthur Young’s Metropark Office performing audits of state and local government agencies in New Jersey. In 1999, she joined the Department of Education’s Office of Fiscal Standards to develop and implement fiscal policy for the newly established Charter School Program. She currently works in the Office of Fiscal Policy and Planning and is primarily responsible for the development and administration of fiscal policy guiding school districts and for the related provision of technical assistance. She also administers the Special Education Medicaid Initiative (SEMI) in conjunction with the Departments of the Treasury and Human Services. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Rider University in 1987 and her Masters in Public Administration from Rutgers University in 2002. Jacqueline is also an active member of the Association of Government Accountants.

Phil Marciano, CPA, is a shareholder with Mayer Hoffman McCann CPAs (“MHM”) (the CPA firm associated with CBIZ). He specializes in audits of governments and nonprofit organizations, including federal single audits performed under the Uniform Guidance (formerly OMB A-133) audits, as well as employee benefit plan audits. Prior to joining MHM, Mr. Marciano gained several years’ experience with a mid-sized CPA firm on Long Island, providing accounting and auditing services to his clients within the government, education, and nonprofit arenas. He has led training seminars for his clients and staff, as well as for several professional organizations, on various subjects including governmental and nonprofit accounting/auditing. Mr. Marciano is a member of the AICPA and the New York State Society of CPAs and is a member of the Society’s Governmental Accounting and Auditing Committee and the Not for Profit Accounting and Auditing Committee. Mr. Marciano also holds a certification issued by the Association of Government Accountants (AGA), as a Certified Government Financial Manager.

Sergio Orellana is the Director of Breach Response Services at Redpoint Cyber. He has a decade of experience working on large and complex security incidents and investigations for the US Navy, large multinational corporations, government agencies, law enforcement and small and medium sized businesses to help them detect, investigate and eradicate cyber threats.

Montu Patel is a Planning Associate in the Office of Fiscal Policy and Planning. He joined the Department of Education in 2015 and is primarily responsible for the development and administration of fiscal policy guiding school districts and for the related provision of technical assistance. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Rutgers University in 2006. He holds a CPA license in New Jersey. Prior to working with the Department of Education, his experience includes the audits of profit and not-for-profit organizations.

Brian is the leader of the firm’s RCI group. He has over 25 years of experience working with businesses on labor investigations, MWBE compliance, fraud investigations, disaster recovery, and business continuity. He has lectured nationally on labor law, business fraud, white-collar crime, and tax fraud and has worked on regulatory compliance and government investigations for groups, including the New York State Surrogate Bench, DOJ, SEC, and the Several Offices of Inspector Generals, NY, CT and NJ CPA associations as well as several bar associations. Brian was honored to be included among the Who’s Who of Forensic Accountants by the Long Island Business News.

Jialan Su is a supervising project manager with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) in Norwalk, Connecticut. She is currently working on two pre-agenda research projects and GASB’s post implementation review project on pension plans. Previously, she has worked on the projects leading to Statement No. 72, Fair Value Measurement and Application, Statement No. 79, Certain External Investment Pools and Pool Participants, Statement No. 83, Certain Asset Retirement Obligations, Statement No. 85, Omnibus 2017, Statement No. 87, Leases, Statement No. 96, Subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements, and various Implementation Guide Updates.

Before joining the staff of the GASB in 2013, Jialan spent 10 years working in public accounting performing financial and compliance audits mainly of local governments and not-for-profit entities in California and later in New York City. Jialan holds a master’s degree in Economics from the California State University, East Bay. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of CPAs. She is a licensed CPA in the states of New York and California

Ms. Suárez serves as the Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA) Director of the Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) and Local Finance Board Chairwoman. In this role, Ms. Suárez advocates for local government interests, revitalizing the Division’s supportive initiatives and developing grant programs. She also oversees the financial and operational regulations of New Jersey local units to help ensure fiscal solvency. Prior to joining the Division in 2021, Suárez served as Associate Counsel to Governor Murphy. In that capacity, she counseled the Governor on matters affecting his administration, including pending legislation, statutory responsibilities, litigation, the development of administrative regulations, and proposals impacting the Governor’s public policy agenda. She also drafted legislation, executive orders, vetoes, administrative orders and regulations and negotiated with legislators, departments, and stakeholders regarding pending legislation and policy initiatives with a focus on the Departments of Community Affairs, Human Services, Children and Families, and the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Prior to her work in the Governor’s Office, she was DCA’s point person for all communication with the State Legislature, including the Department’s official position on legislation and legislative inquiries. She also drafted bill language, spearheaded the implementation of newly signed legislation at DCA, and helped review and advise the Department on decisions, orders, settlements, and other matters that impacted DCA. Ms. Suárez, a New Jersey native, earned her Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law in Camden and her bachelor’s degree in communications, legal institutions, economics, and government from American University in Washington D.C. She is a member of the New Jersey and New York bars.