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Instructor
Oct 2019:
Dr. Sharon Lassar is chair-elect of the Colorado Society of CPAs (COCPA) and the Director of the School of Accountancy at the University of Denver. Lassar chaired the AICPA’s Pre-Certification Education Executive Committee from November 2015 to March 2018 where she steered policy regarding the education requirements to become a licensed CPA. Lassar also served on the Accounting Accreditation Task Force of AACSB International whose work resulted in new standards for accreditation, the hallmark of them being fully engaging practitioners in the accreditation process. She was the 2017-18 President of the Accounting Programs Leadership Group, a 300 member organization of those who manage accounting programs in higher education. Earlier in her career, Lassar was Vice President of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, where she directed several key initiatives, including transforming financial literacy and women’s leadership development initiatives into standing programs. She has also served as Minority Issues Chair of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel, to which she was appointed by Treasury Secretary O’Neil.
Dr. Lassar has taught traditional student and executive audiences in the US, Panama, Mexico, and Macau. Her research has been published in journals such as Journal of Accountancy, Journal of Taxation, Taxes – The Tax Magazine, The CPA Journal, The Journal of Legal Tax Research, and Tax Adviser.
Lassar earned a Ph.D. at the University of Southern California, a Master of Taxation at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts and a Bachelor in Accounting from West Virginia University.
San Luis Valley Chapter Meeting and Conversation with the COCPA Chair
Thinking Forward to Assure the Profession’s Future
Sharon Lassar, PhD, CPA (Florida)
Join Sharon for a thought-provoking conversation on being an accounting professional in today’s rapidly changing environment; what it may require in the future; current issues affecting the CPA profession; continuing and new initiatives on the local, national, and global front; and opportunities for the COCPA to support you. Bring your perspective and your questions.
Our Speaker
Sharon Lassar, PhD, CPA (Florida), is the John J. Gilbert Endowed Professor and Director, School of Accountancy at the Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, Denver. She is 2020-2021 Chair of the Board of Directors for the Colorado Society of CPAs. Sharon is a distinguished academic leader and business advisor with expertise in multi-jurisdictional taxation, banking, and insurance. Recognized for her ability to distill complex transactions into their essential elements, Sharon is an international speaker to executive audiences, frequent contributor to media, and commentator who is a trained spokesperson for the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). Sharon has over 20 years of experience leading organizations through strategic initiatives that anticipate disruptions, build diverse workforces, and transform business practices for fiscal effectiveness and regulatory compliance. She designed compensation plans to drive strategic results.
Sharon has been involved with the COCPA since her move to Colorado in 2010. She has served on the Careers Committee, the Board of Directors, and as an Educational Foundation Trustee, including a term as President. She has served as president, chair, or member of many similar entities. Sharon chaired the AICPA’s Academic Executive Committee from November 2015 to March 2018, where she steered policy regarding the licensing of CPAs and initiated the CPA Evolution. As the AICPA’s representative on a task force, Sharon reformed accreditation standards to engage business leaders in the evaluation of academic programs beginning in 2020. Throughout her career, Sharon has successfully transformed entrenched cultures to drive strategic initiatives. She applies academic research to business problems for improved results.
Earlier in her career, Sharon was vice president of the Florida Institute of CPAs, where she implemented key organizational changes, including establishing standing programs on financial literacy and women’s leadership development. She also served as minority issues chair of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel, which advised the Internal Revenue Service on strategies to serve millions of taxpayers with limited English proficiency.
To understand the issues and initiatives the CPA profession is addressing and gain insights into what challenges the profession must consider to be successful in the future.
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