State and Local Government Accounting Conference

Sean Dennis Related Seminars and Products

University of Central Florida

Sean Dennis 
Assistant Professor of Accounting
University of Central Florida 

Sean Dennis is currently a faculty member in the Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting at the University of Central Florida. Prior to this, he served on the faculty at the University of Kentucky. He holds a BBA in Accounting and a MS in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame and a PhD in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to his doctoral studies, he was a Senior Associate at KPMG. During his time at KPMG, he served clients in the financial services industry, including Wachovia Corporation and Wells Fargo and Company.  He remains a licensed CPA. 

Dennis has taught undergraduate auditing since 2012. In this role, he strives to empower his students to ask difficult questions, understand situations, and think critically. He also conducts research that addresses how auditors can preserve and enhance the value they add to the financial reporting process. His current research addresses judgment and decision making around artificial intelligence, complex estimates, auditor reports, fraud brainstorming, and auditor liability. His research has been presented nationally and internationally, and has been
published in The Accounting Review, Accounting, Organizations and Society, Accounting Horizons, Behavioral Research in Accounting, and Current Issues in Auditing. He and his wife (also a CPA) have three young children.

Lynda M. Dennis, CPA, PhD Related Seminars and Products

Lecturer

University of Central Florida Dixon School of Accounting

Lynda M. Dennis, CPA, PhD received her PhD in Public Affairs and her Masters in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida and her under graduate degree in accounting and finance from the University of West Florida.  She is a Florida CPA and Certified Government Finance Officer.  Lynda is a full-time Lecturer in the Kenneth Dixon School of Accounting at the University of Central Florida.  Additionally, Lynda is a contract CPE discussion leader and course developer in the areas of accounting and reporting for governmental and not-for-profit organizations. 

Her experience includes serving in a financial capacity, including chief financial officer, in governmental and not-for-profit organizations primarily in Florida.  Her experience also includes working as an auditor for local and Big 4 firms with an emphasis in the insurance, government and not-for-profit sectors. 

Lynda actively participates in committee and other volunteer work for the AICPA and FICPA and is a frequent speaker at governmental and not-for-profit accounting conferences.  She has also previously published a number of CPE courses as well as a book on strategy implementation (both for governmental and not-for-profit organizations).

Justin Thames, DPL Related Seminars and Products

Director of Governmental Affairs

Florida Institute of CPAs

Justin Thames joined the FICPA in June 2011 as the Governmental Affairs Manager and was promoted to Director of Governmental Affairs in July 2015. In this role, Justin is responsible for leading the Governmental Affairs Department in regulatory and lobbying activities including; developing creative strategies to accomplish the legislative and regulatory objectives, meeting with state legislators and advocating on behalf of the profession in public hearings. Justin also administers the activities and issues of the Florida CPA Political Action Committee, Inc. program, and is responsible for PAC fundraising, interviewing candidates running for the state legislature, and making recommendations to PAC Trustees on which candidates to support.

He is a graduate of Leadership Florida Connect Program, a member of the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyist and has received his Designated Professional Lobbyist (DPL) designation. Prior to joining the FICPA, Justin was employed by the League of Southeastern Credit Unions as the Grassroots and Political Action Coordinator. After briefly attending the University of Mississippi, Justin returned to Florida where he graduated from Florida State University in 2006.