Accounting & Auditing Conference - Beaverton

Christian Perrier specializes in helping people with their technology so that they can achieve success in their business. He has spent the last 15 years working with organizations to allow them to harness the power of new technology while defending themselves against cyber-attack. As the Vice President of Technical Solutions at Fixed Fee IT, Christian oversees the security posture, policies, and management of a SOC II Type II audited organization and has experience with SEC, FINRA, HIPAA, PCI, SOC, and NIST compliance standards. He has a passion for helping people and organizations navigate the ever-changing world of cybersecurity and implementing solutions to keep themselves protected.

(1/14/21)

Elizabeth McDowell, Founder and Chief Audit Enthusiast, Audit Forward LLC

Elizabeth McDowell, CPA, CIA has over 20 years of audit experience and is the founder of Audit Forward, an innovative internal audit consulting and training firm. In addition to training and consulting, Elizabeth is an adjunct Professor of Accounting at Front Range Community College and serves as a Non-Executive Independent Director for an internal audit firm in the UK. Elizabeth's most recent industry experience was at Achieve, where she was Sr. Director, Audit Strategy; prior to that, she held internal audit leadership roles at Elevations Credit Union, Fidelity Investments, and Xcel Energy after first starting her career at Ernst & Young.

Elizabeth considers herself an "edutainer" (educator + entertainer!) and makes auditing and training fun (no, really!) with the help of her mascot, Audie the Internal Otteror. Elizabeth is a dynamic, engaging, and enthusiastic public speaker who presents virtually and in-person to IIA chapters, accounting societies, Association of Certified Fraud Examiner chapters, governmental groups, and more.

(4/10/26)

Eric Kodesch, Partner, Ballard Spahr | Lane Powell PC

Eric Kodesch counsels clients on a wide array of federal income tax, and state and local tax issues in both transactional and litigation matters. Eric's tax practice includes general business planning, advising on qualified small business stock (QSBS) matters, assisting with allocation and distribution provisions of partnership agreements, equity compensation (restricted stock, restricted stock units, profits interests, etc.), structuring investments to obtain opportunity zone benefits, financial transactions, trust taxation, executive compensation, and choice of entity issues. Eric also assists clients with U.S. tax matters for cross-border transactions.

(4/16/26)

Jason serves as Partner in Charge of Talbot Korvola & Warwick’s Tax Department. He joined TKW in 2002 after fourteen years with a national accounting firm. As a licensed CPA and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), he is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants (OSCPA). Jason is a Past Chair of the OSCPA and participates as a coach in the Society’s Coaching Program. Over the years, he has presented for the OSCPA as well as numerous other organizations in local and national conferences. Jason’s expertise is in providing tax consulting and planning services to middle-market businesses, their owners, and tax exempt organizations. He also specializes in state and local compliance issues and Internal Revenue Service representations. Another of his strong suits is advising clients with regard to the tax aspects of business sales or purchases, business entity choice and business structure. Jason graduated from the University of Utah with Bachelor of Science degrees in both Accounting and Finance and a Master of Professional Accountancy with an emphasis in taxation. He and his wife are the proud parents of three children: one daughter and two sons. Jason enjoys fly fishing and other outdoor activities; volunteering for his church; spending time at the coast; and listening to his wife play her fiddle (she plays bluegrass, swing, jazz and Celtic music).

Jonathan Howell, Partner, Howell Straczek LLC

Jonathan G. Howell, CPA, graduated from Willamette University with a Bachelor's Degree and a triple major in German Language, International Studies and Political Science. During this time he completed a year as an exchange student, studying Economics and German at Ludwig Maximilian's University, in Munich, Germany. He later earned a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting and a Master's Degree in Taxation from Portland State University.

Jon has extensive experience providing services to employee benefit plans, both administration and audit, franchise restaurants, retailers, professional service companies, medical practitioners, investment real estate, real estate brokers, financial services companies, and serves as the partner-in-charge of the Firm's Audit and Accounting Practice, which includes audits of privately held businesses, Employee Benefits Plans, and Nonprofit organizations.

Jon has served as Audit partner at local CPA firms in Portland since 1997. In 2020, Jon co-founded Howell Straczek LLC.

Jon is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), licensed in Oregon. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Jon serves on the Oregon Board of Accountancy's Peer Review Oversight Committee and is an Audit continuing education instructor for the Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants. He also serves on the Budget Committees of the Lake Grove Fire District and the Southwood Park Water District. He is a past adjunct accounting faculty member of Portland State University's School of Business where he taught Advanced Accounting: Business Consolidations and Advanced Taxation. He previously served on the AICPA Employee Benefits Technical Resource Panel.

(3/18/21)