May 7, 2026 | Cinderwood Event Center
1:30 p.m. | Welcome and Framing
Courtney Kincaid, CAE, President & CEO, Indiana CPA Society
1:35 p.m. | A Candid Conversation on AI and the Profession
Guylaine Saint Juste, President & CEO, NABA, Inc., and Steven Strammello, CEO, Crowe
AI is accelerating change across the accounting profession, reshaping how work is done, how talent is developed, and how organizations compete. In this candid conversation, two national leaders explore how new technologies are driving fundamentally different expectations for hiring, training, and career progression.
The discussion will focus on shifting roles, emerging skill sets, and the growing need for intentional upskilling and reskilling across all career stages. Speakers will reflect on what employers are seeking today and where traditional education and training models are being challenged.
2:10 p.m. | Facilitated Discussion: Profession Ready Initiative
Durran Dunn, CPA, Partner, Bennett Thrasher LLP
This interactive session builds on the prior conversation about AI and disruption by focusing on what profession readiness looks like in practice. Through facilitated discussion and participant engagement, attendees will explore the skills, capabilities, and mindsets accounting and finance professionals need to remain relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing environment.
The session will introduce the Profession Ready framework to organize thinking around technical skills, human skills, and adaptability across career stages. Participants will be invited to reflect on how these expectations show up in their own organizations and where gaps exist between current preparation and future needs.
3:00 p.m. | Apprenticeships: An Indiana Workforce Strategy
This session provides a statewide perspective on how Indiana is approaching apprenticeships as a long‑term workforce strategy. The discussion will explore why apprenticeships are gaining momentum, how they align with broader talent and economic development goals, and the role employers, associations, and philanthropy play in building scalable, sustainable pathways. Attendees will gain clarity on what Indiana is trying to achieve and how apprenticeships fit within a broader vision for profession readiness and future‑ready skills.
3:30 p.m. | Apprenticeships in Practice: Inside a Working Firm Model
Panelist: Kevin Pahud, CPA, Indianapolis Managing Partner, Forvis Mazars
Panelist: Mikhail Cole, Indianapolis CAN Apprentice, Forvis Mazars
Panelist: Catherine Foca, COO, NABA, Inc.
Panelist: Liz Barentzen, Center for Audit Quality
This session begins with a brief board‑led framing on apprenticeships as a profession priority, highlighting how the INCPAS Board has engaged this issue over the past year and where it is moving next. The conversation then shifts to a facilitated panel exploring how apprenticeships are working inside a large accounting firm today.
Panelists will share perspectives from firm leadership, an active apprentice, and national and association partners, including NABA and ConnectIN, offering a practical look at program design, early outcomes, and lessons learned. The discussion will focus on how apprenticeships support evolving skill needs, career clarity, and workforce readiness, and how collaboration among firms, associations, and community partners is helping scale sustainable models across Indiana.
4:15 p.m. | Closing Remarks
4:30–6:30 p.m. | Happy Hour
