ASCPA Converge Conference - Two Day
13.0 Credits
Member Price $400.00
Non-Member Price $600.00
Overview
IMPORTANT: This is registration for BOTH Converge days. Click here if you wish to register for only Day 2.
The Arizona Society of CPAs annual conference – Converge, is returning this coming October 29 & 30 to Venue8600 in Scottsdale.
Sessions will focus on AI-related topics – tools, practices and policies. Enjoy a half-day on the 29, with a networking opportunity afterward, and a full day of sessions on the 30, plus exciting raffle prizes both days.
See you there!
Highlights
Designed For
Note: This event is in-person ONLY.
Objectives
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor:
Valley Christian Schools
Gold Sponsors:
Sponsorship opportunities are available. For details, contact Jodi Corrales at (602) 324-4743 or at jcorrales@ascpa.com.
Disclaimer: By registering for this event, you agree to share your contact information including, but not limited to, email address with the above-listed sponsors. If you wish to opt-out, please email ascpacpe@ascpa.com.
Notice
ASCPALearnX Live Event
Registration cancellation fee applies. Visit our CPE Policies page for information on cancellation fees and more.
Thursday, October 29
Breakout Session
- 2026 Galasso Arizona & AICPA Regulatory Ethics Update
Melisa F. Galasso, CPA (licensed in North Carolina), Galasso Learning Solutions LLC
This course is designed to meet the four-hour ethics CPE requirements mandated by the state law in which the course is offered. We'll start the session with a review of key areas of the Arizona Administrative Rules for CPE and Professional Conduct. Then we'll review the key Arizona Revised Statutes relating to licensing and registration. We'll then transition to the AICPA ethics standards as the Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC) of the AICPA has been very busy issuing new and updating existing ethics rules. This course will provide an overview of ethics rules that are recently issued and soon to be effective. CPAs in both industry and public accounting need to know these to be compliant.
Credits: 4 - Ethics (meets Arizona's R4-1-453(C)(4)
This session is available to registrants only.
- Recover Like a Pro: The Science of Bouncing Back After High-Stakes Seasons
Kaitlin Elizabeth Borncamp, CPA (licensed in Colorado), Feel Great With Kait
Participants will walk away with a clear-eyed understanding of why traditional rest does not restore depleted high performers, the ability to spot the early signs of cumulative depletion in themselves and their teams, and why taking mindful breaks can elevate productivity and reduce errors. They'll learn practical post-deadline recovery protocol they can implement personally and as leaders to protect their best people through the full annual cycle.
Credits: 4 - Specialized Knowledge
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Insider Threats: The Call is Coming From Inside The House
Craig Stanland, Keynote Speaker & Author, Reinvention Architect Advisors LLC
When it comes to insider threats and fraud, many conversations focus on systems, tools, and technology.
But what about the human side of risk?
In Insider Threats: The Call Is Coming from Inside the House, Craig Stanland brings audiences into the moment he committed fraud against Cisco Systems and the pressure, rationalization, and identity crisis that led there. Through his firsthand experience, Craig explores the human signals organizations often miss before risk becomes reality and what his story can teach us about insider threats, ethics, and decision-making under pressure.
Credits: 1 - Accounting & Auditing
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Free Networking Reception - Day One
Hungry for more? Extend your learning experience at our evening reception immediately following the first day of Converge. Join other CPAs and accounting professionals for refreshments and a relaxed opportunity to network. Attendees receive drink tickets and light bites.
This session is available to registrants only.
Friday, October 30
General Session
- The New Fierce Conversation: Human Judgement, AI and Accountability
Oliver P. Yandle, Arizona Society of CPAsOliver Yandle
Oliver Yandle, JD, CAE is the President & CEO of the ASCPA. Yandle previously served as Executive Director of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), the largest international organization providing support to people in the legal management profession. He has held CEO-level positions for a number of other professional service and trade associations. He is active in both the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) where he holds the Certified Association Executive designation, and the Association Forum of Chicagoland, where he served as Chair of the Board of Directors. He has been recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as a member of the first class of Chicago’s Notable LGBTQ Executives. Yandle is a native of Louisiana and holds a BA in journalism from Loyola University of the South in New Orleans, and a JD from Washington College of Law at The American University in Washington, D.C.
Join Susan Scott and ASCPA President & CEO Oliver Yandle for a thought-provoking fireside chat exploring human judgment, meaningful communication and accountability in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Credits: 1.5 - Specialized Knowledge
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Can AI Be Committing Fraud?
Kenny Kang, CPA (in CA), CGMA, CFE, Kenny Kang CPA
As AI tools become more integrated into financial processes, new risks are emerging. In this session, Kenny Kang explores whether AI can enable, conceal, or even autonomously generate fraudulent activity. Learn how evolving technology intersects with internal controls, compliance, and ethical responsibilities in today’s audit environment.
Credits: 1 - Accounting & Auditing
This session is available to registrants only.
Breakout Session
- 2026 Accounting and Auditing Update
Melisa F. Galasso, CPA (licensed in North Carolina), Galasso Learning Solutions LLC
Back by popular demand, Melisa Galasso will help attendees stay informed and prepared with this comprehensive annual update on the latest developments in accounting and auditing. Specific details of the session to come soon!
Credits: 1 - Accounting & Auditing
This session is available to registrants only.
- Attracting Business Opportunities to Your Accounting Firm with AI
Joe Kovacs, APR, Kovacs Communications
While AI dominates business conversations, the core principle of a successful accounting firm remains the same: to secure revenue-generating client work. Fortunately, AI tools can be harnessed in multiple ways to enhance business development in areas such as
· market positioning
· lead generation
· content creation.
In this session, Joe Kovacs APR, a consultant with 20+ years of experience operating in the accounting industry, will discuss AI-accelerated benefits he has delivered for clients that can be employed by firms seeking new growth opportunities. He will also caution against the use of AI in areas where it can lead to customer mistrust and damage brand reputation. The discussion will include details about AI tools, prompt ideas and workflow processes.
Join Joe for an engaging session on how to increase future growth opportunities with available AI technologies.
Credits: 1 - Consulting Services
This session is available to registrants only.
Breakout Session
- Bring Your Own Device: AI for Beginners
Barry S. Graham, CPA, Wallace, Plese + Dreher
Ready to move beyond hearing about AI and actually start using it? Bring your own devices and follow along in this hands-on introductory session designed to make artificial intelligence approachable and practical. Attendees will explore the fundamentals of generative AI, learn how to communicate effectively with AI tools and work through real-world examples alongside the instructor. You’ll leave with practical techniques, greater confidence and skills you can begin applying immediately in your day-to-day work.
Credits: 1 - Specialized Knowledge
This session is available to registrants only.
- Bring Your Own Device: Introduction to Agentic AI
John Higgins, CPA, CITP, Higgins Advisory, LLC
Take the next step beyond traditional generative AI and explore how agentic AI can help you get work done. In this hands-on session, John Higgins will introduce the fundamentals of AI agents, how they differ from familiar AI tools and where they can fit into everyday professional workflows. Bring your laptop and follow along with practical demonstrations and exercises designed to help you understand the possibilities of agentic AI and leave with ideas and skills you can begin putting to work right away.
Credits: 1 - Specialized Knowledge
This session is available to registrants only.
Breakout Session
- AI in Action: The Four Key Initiatives of Future-Ready Firms
Joy Youell, Winsome Marketing
Most firms are stuck at the “we bought a tool” stage. This session moves partners and firm leaders past pilot fatigue into a real adoption sequence: data readiness (can your systems and data actually support AI, or is that the hidden blocker), use case identification (stop chasing every shiny use case — find the ones with real ROI for your practice), upskilling (adoption fails when only the innovators know how to use the tools), and implementation (turning individual wins into firm-wide, repeatable process). The throughline: AI adoption isn’t a tech project; it’s a change management project with a technical component.
Credits: 1 - Consulting Services
This session is available to registrants only.
- From AI Curiosity to Control: A CPA Firm’s Governance Journey
Fady Salama, Ma'atITFady Salama
Fady Salama is the president and owner of Ma’atIT(formerly SimplifyIT A-Z), an IT solutions company dedicated to serving CPA firms, healthcare and nonprofit organizations in Arizona. With a mission to simplify technology and uphold integrity, Fady ensures that clients are treated as true partners, receiving exactly what is promised without shortcuts. His commitment to honesty and accountability stems from values instilled by his father, emphasizing that a person’s word is everything. This principle guides Fady and his team to do what’s right, even when no one is watching.
Before founding Ma’atIT in 2017, Fady worked in IT consulting firms where he observed unethical practices. Determined to create a company that prioritizes clients’ best interests, he established Ma’atIT to provide honest, straightforward IT solutions. His unique blend of technical expertise and empathy enables him to deliver seamless IT services tailored to the specific needs of small businesses, especially accounting firms, nonprofits and healthcare organizations.
Fady holds a Bachelor of Science in Network and Communications Management from DeVry University. The academic achievement, and two decades of experience, has equipped him with a strong foundation in both technical expertise and business acumen, enabling him to effectively lead Ma’atIT and provide tailored IT solutions to clients.
Outside of work, Fady channels his passion for speed and precision into club car racing, a sport he has pursued both for fun and competitively since 2007. A dedicated and accomplished driver, he is a regional champion who has raced across the Southwest and even in Germany. Beyond competing, Fady enjoys mentoring others in the sport, instructing novice drivers, and serving as a group leader to help newcomers build their skills on the track.
Fady Salama, Ma’atIT
Your team is already exploring AI, but are your firm’s rules keeping pace? Follow a realistic client engagement through four stages of AI maturity, from individual experimentation to governed, connected workflows. You’ll learn how to set practical boundaries, protect client data, verify AI-generated work, assign accountability, and address obligations such as the FTC Safeguards Rule, IRC §7216, and Circular 230. Leave with six essential governance questions and a clear next step your firm can take within 30 days..
Credits: 1 - Consulting Services
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- When AI Moves From Helping to Acting: What CPAs Need to Know About Execution, Evidence and Trust
Edward Jason Beltran, CPA, MBAEdward Beltran
Edward Jason Beltran, CEO of Fierce Inc., brings over 20 years of experience in business working for large firms like Arthur Anderson and PricewaterhouseCoopers, the leadership development industry, and building innovative technology to his newest book, Fierce Resilience: Combatting Workplace Stress, One Conversation at a Time.
Edward’s journey, inspired by his abuela’s pursuit of the American dream, to his current role as CEO of Fierce Inc., is a testament to the power of resilience. His educational journey, from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan to programs at Wharton and Harvard, paved the way for his unwavering determination to make a significant impact by leveraging technology to improve people’s lives.
As CEO of Fierce, Inc., a leadership development and training company focusing on changing the world one conversation at a time, Edward found a mentor in Founder Susan Scott. Edward utilized his deep business and technology knowledge to develop Pulse by Fierce. This platform combines biometric intelligence with structured conversations, providing real-time feedback, data-driven insights, and personalized learning pathways. Fierce Resilience is a culmination of passion, experience, and practical tips that help get to the root issue plaguing business today: stress and burnout. He aims to distill decades of research and experience into a practical guide to better your life, one conversation at a time.
Edward J. Beltran, CPA, Chief Executive Officer, Fierce, Inc.
AI is quickly evolving from a tool that helps professionals research, analyze and draft into technology capable of influencing decisions and executing work. For CPAs, that shift raises an important question: How do we know AI-enabled work happened as intended, and what evidence should exist to prove it?
This session explores what that transition means across tax, audit, advisory, finance and firm operations. Attendees will examine the growing importance of accountability, governance and evidence as AI becomes more embedded in professional workflows, including how organizations can evaluate automated actions, reconstruct what occurred and build confidence in AI-supported work. Whether you're a sole practitioner, firm leader, finance professional or advisor, you'll gain a clearer understanding of the risks, responsibilities and opportunities emerging as AI moves from assisting with work to acting on our behalf.
Credits: 1 - Specialized Knowledge
This session is available to registrants only.
Breakout Session
- AI Open Lab: Put It Into Practice
Ready to put what you’ve learned into action? This open, hands-on working session gives attendees dedicated time to experiment with AI, ask questions and get personalized guidance from speakers and experts featured throughout the conference. Bring your device, your questions or even a real-world challenge you’d like to work through, then use the time to explore tools, test ideas and get help along the way. Whether you’re starting from scratch or ready to dig deeper, the AI Open Lab is your opportunity to turn conference takeaways into practical skills you can use when you get back to work.
Credits: 1.5 - Specialized Knowledge
This session is available to registrants only.
- Federal Tax Update for 2026
Edward K. Zollars, CPA, Thomas, Zollars & Lynch, Ltd.Edward Zollars
Edward K. Zollars, CPA, is in public practice in Phoenix, Arizona as a partner with the firm of Thomas, Zollars & Lynch, Ltd. He has been in practice for more than 35 years, specializing in tax issues for closely held businesses and individuals. Zollars has been professionally involved with both tax and technology issues, combining the two disciplines in producing the Current Federal Tax Development Update Podcast and website, dealing with current tax issues. He has been a member of AICPA Tax Division Committees focusing on tax and technology issues and was the Tax Section’s representative on three occasions to the AICPA’s Top Ten Technologies project. He is also a member of the Phoenix Tax Workshop’s Advisory Committee and currently serves on the Tax Legislation Liaison Committee for the Arizona Society of CPAs. Zollars was selected as a Life Member by the Arizona Society of CPAs in May, 2010. Along with writing, editing and presenting courses for Loscalzo Institute, Zollars has written articles published in Practical Tax Strategies and the Tax Adviser. He has been a frequent contributor to a number of professional tax discussion groups, and served as systems operator on the AICPA’s Accountants Forum in the mid-1990s. He has spoken regularly on tax and technology topics since 1996, speaking before conferences sponsored by the AICPA and a number of state societies of CPAs.
Edward K. Zollars, CPA, Thomas, Zollars & Lynch, Ltd.
Stay current on the latest federal tax developments with Ed Zollars as he breaks down the changes, guidance and emerging issues tax professionals need to have on their radar. This session will examine recent legislative, regulatory and administrative developments, with a focus on what they mean in practice for CPAs and their clients. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of today's evolving tax landscape and practical insights they can apply in their work.
Credits: 1.5 - Taxation
This session is available to registrants only.
Non-Member Price $600.00
Member Price $400.00