Accounting and finance leaders are being asked to navigate more complexity than ever—from evolving regulatory requirements and emerging AI capabilities to economic uncertainty that can quickly reshape planning assumptions. Staying ahead requires more than awareness. It requires practical insights you can apply with confidence.
Join us for an afternoon of expert-led discussion designed to help accounting and finance leaders stay informed, make better decisions, and prepare for what's ahead. Through updates on DISE standards and regulations, real-world conversations around AI and data analytics, and a timely economic outlook, you'll gain valuable perspectives to strengthen reporting, planning, compliance, and strategic decision-making.
- Understand recent DISE standards and regulatory developments and their implications for reporting, controls, and compliance.
- Identify practical actions to strengthen audit readiness and prepare for upcoming regulatory changes.
- Explore high-impact AI and analytics use cases across finance, accounting, audit, and compliance functions.
- Learn the data, governance, and security foundations needed for responsible AI adoption.
- Gain peer insights on talent, operating models, and change management strategies that support successful implementation.
- Analyze key economic indicators and their impact on budgeting, forecasting, and capital planning.
- Apply economic insights to support investment decisions, risk management, and long-term business planning.
Managing Partner, Accounting Advisory
Highspring
Barbara Ard is Managing Partner in the Highspring’s Accounting Advisory practice. She brings her experience as a partner at Deloitte, senior managing director at FTI Consulting, and CFO of a venture backed software company to her clients. Her expertise includes technical accounting, financial reporting, M&A transactions, IPO readiness, and corporate governance. Her work is encompasses leading teams through complex client transformations, focusing on alignment with and achievement of strategic objectives.
She holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Accounting from Duquesne University and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. Beyond her professional endeavors, Barbara spends her time cooking, doing yoga, skiing, and traveling with her family.
Managing Director, Senior Economist
Wells Fargo
Tim Quinlan is a managing director and senior economist with Wells Fargo Corporate
and Investment Banking. Based in Charlotte, N.C., he provides analysis on U.S.
economy and major foreign economies.
Tim’s work has been published in academic economic journals and his comments on
the economy regularly appear in The Wall Street Journal, The New York
Times and USA Today. He is also a frequent guest on Bloomberg TV, CNBC and
National Public Radio.
Tim first joined the company in 2002 and previously held positions as a trust account
portfolio manager and investment strategist before joining the economics group in
2007. Prior to joining the company, he worked for Putnam Investments in Boston.
Tim is a member of the National Association for Business Economics. Tim has a B.A.
from Siena College in Albany, N.Y
Whether you need credit or not, this session will be valuable for your Accounting & Finance endeavors. If you do need credit, see below.
Partial credit is not available. To receive 4 full CPE credit hours, participants must attend the entire live, in‑person session (11:30 AM – 5:00 PM), sign in at the event, and complete the survey at the end of the event for attendance verification.
Prerequisites: N/A | Advanced Preparation: No | Knowledge Level: Basic | CPE Field of Study: Accounting | Event Location: TBD | Delivery Method: Group Live | Refund Policy: N/A
Highspring is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org
WAIVER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
As part of this event, we will provide certain food and drink for your enjoyment. This may include alcoholic beverages. For those who choose to consume alcohol, we trust and expect that you will act responsibly and professionally; you will not consume alcohol in excess, and under no circumstances will you operate a motor vehicle while impaired.
Registering confirms your understanding of this agreement to release Highspring and any related entities and/or affiliates, and any of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, members, and agents, from any liability, damages, or other expenses whatsoever that may arise out of, or that may be related in any way to, your consumption of alcohol at this event along with your acknowledgement of the full version of our event waiver, available here.
Similarly, registering for the event also provides the company with your approval to use any photos of you taken at this event in subsequent promotional materials; a full version of our publicity waiver is available here.
