Governmental Accounting Conference

Alexa O'Dell, Montana Legislative Audit Division

Alexa O’Dell, CPA, is the Deputy Legislative Auditor of financial compliance audits for Montana’s Legislative Audit Division. She has worked at the division since 2020, yet even in all these years she has not conducted audit work at all state agencies. Alexa also serves as a consultant for Vermont Oxford Network to ensure the family voice is included in participating hospital quality improvement projects focused on care of neonatal infants. She is the proud mom of two children pursuing secondary education in geology and nursing, and is a tireless supporter of athletic programs at Broadwater High School.

Karen Cohlhepp, Financial Compliance Auditor, Montana Legislative Audit Division

Karen Cohlhepp (Cole-epp) is a CPA and financial compliance audit manager for the State of Montana Legislative Audit Division. She’s been with the Audit Division since 2010, and has been a team member and lead auditor for audits of state agencies, the universities, the state’s ACFR, and the state’s Single Audit. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, hiking, hunting, and generally being outdoors.

Lisa Parker, Governmental Accounting Standards Board

Lisa Parker is a senior project manager with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). Prior to joining the GASB in 2008, Lisa worked for Runyon Kersteen Ouellette CPAs for 10 years, the town of Old Orchard Beach, Maine as finance director and interim town manager for 2 years, and the city of Saco, Maine as finance director for 8 years. Lisa is a certified public accountant and a chartered global management accountant. She also is a member of the Association of Governmental Accountants, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Maine Society of Certified Public Accountants, where she served as president. Previously, Lisa was president of the Maine Governmental Finance Officers Association, an executive board member of the New England Governmental Finance Officers Association, and a member of a national GFOA standing committee. Lisa attended Boston College and the University of Southern Maine graduating with magna cum laude honors and a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

Richard Reisig, Pinion

Richard N. (Rick) Reisig, CPA, currently serves on the Financial Accounting Foundation’s (FAF) Board of Trustees, and completed two terms on FAF’s Private Company Council and an extended term on the AICPA’s Auditing Standards Board. Mr. Reisig is a member of the AICPA’s National Pipeline Advisory Group, working to develop a national strategy to address the profession’s staffing pipeline challenge. His professional efforts over the past year earned him a spot on Accounting Today’s 2023 “Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting,” as well as Forbes “2024 America’s Top 200 CPAs” list. Mr. Reisig recently completed his service on the board of directors for the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). During his eleven years on the NASBA board, he served as Chair during the 2022-2023 year, past chair, vice chair, treasurer, director-at-large, and Mountain Region director, and was as a former chair and member of several NASBA committees. Mr. Reisig was a member of the Montana Board of Public Accountants for over nine years and served two terms as Board chair. He serves as an AICPA continuing professional education instructor on accounting and auditing topics and has served on the AICPA’s Board of Examiners and Practice Analysis Sponsor Advisory Group. Mr. Reisig has over 43 years of public accounting experience and prior to its recent merger, served his firm, Anderson ZurMuehlen & Company, as chief executive officer (CEO). He currently serves as a Principal/Partner of his new combined firm, Pinion/KCoe Isom. He is a past president of the Montana Society of CPAs (MTCPA), and a former member of the AICPA’s Governing Council. A 2014 recipient of the MTCPA’s George Anderson Distinguished Service Award, the MTCPA’s highest honor, Mr. Reisig earned a bachelor’s degree in business, accounting option, from Montana State University (MSU) where he has served on MSU’s College of Business Advisory Council and its Accounting Advisory Council, the MSU Alumni Association Board of Directors and MSU Foundation.

Tommy Stephens received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree (Major in Accounting) from Auburn University in 1985. In 1992, he earned a Master of Science degree (Major in Finance) from Georgia State University in Atlanta. Tommy is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Information Technology Professional, and Chartered Global Management Accountant.

During his professional career, Tommy has gained valuable experience in a variety of positions, including:

• Working as an auditor and technology consultant for an Atlanta-based public accounting firm; • Leading an Internal Audit staff and managing a Cost Accounting team for a Fortune 500 company; • Serving as a Chief Financial Officer for an international engineering organization; and • Founding and managing his public accounting firm that provides accounting, tax, and consulting services to individuals and various small and emerging businesses.

In 1995, Tommy began authoring and presenting continuing professional education courses to accounting and finance professionals. He affiliated with K2 Enterprises in 2003 and joined the firm as a partner in 2007. Over the past twenty-nine years, Tommy has presented over 3,200 educational sessions to over 82,000 participants throughout the United States and Canada.

Tommy maintains professional memberships with the AICPA and the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants. Additionally, he is a past member of the Institute of Internal Auditors.