2020 Houston IIA Annual Conference
 
Frank Abagnale
Renowned cybersecurity and fraud prevention expert, bestselling author and subject of “Catch Me If You Can”

Frank Abagnale is one of the world’s most respected authorities on forgery, embezzlement, and secure documents.  For over 40 years he has worked with, advised, and consulted with hundreds of financial institutions, corporations and government agencies around the world.  Mr. Abagnale’s rare blend of knowledge and expertise began more than 50 years ago when he was known as one of the world’s most famous con men.  His riveting story was the inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s 2002 film, “Catch Me If You Can”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale and Tom Hanks as the FBI agent fast on his heels.  The Tony-Award winning musical, “Catch Me If You Can”, directed by the legendary Jack O’Brien, opened on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre.

“I chose to immortalize him on film because of what he’s done for the country for more than 30 years.” -Steven Spielberg  

Mr. Abagnale has been associated with the FBI for over 40 years. He lectures extensively at the FBI Academy and for FBI field offices.  He is a faculty member at the National Advocacy Center (NAC), which is operated by the Department of Justice, Executive Office for United States Attorneys.  More than 14,000 financial institutions, corporations and law enforcement agencies use his fraud prevention programs.  In 1998, he was selected as a distinguished member of “Pinnacle 400” by CNN Financial News - a select group of 400 people chosen on the basis of great accomplishment and success in their fields.  In 2004 Mr. Abagnale was selected as the spokesperson for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).   He has also written numerous articles and books including The Art of the Steal, The Real U Guide to Identity Theft and Stealing Your Life. 

“Abagnale’s lecture may be the best one-man show you will ever see.” -Tom Hanks

Mr. Abagnale refuses to accept payment for any of his government work.  Today, the majority of his income is derived from consulting with major corporate clients such as LexisNexis, Intuit, AARP, and Experian and his public speaking engagements.  Mr. Abagnale has conducted over 3,000 seminars on identity theft, cyber crime and fraud worldwide.   Mr. Abagnale works as an advisor to a number of print and technology companies around the world.   He spent 20 years as an advisor to the Standard Register Company, creating security features for negotiable instruments, car titles, etc.  He spent 10 years as an advisor to the 41st Parameter, which developed fraud detection technology used in 80 countries around the world and recently purchased by Experian.  

In his latest book, “Scam Me If You Can: Simple Strategies to Outsmart Today’s Ripoff Artists”, Frank reveals what the world’s most skilled scammers are up to – and how you can stop them in their tracks.

 
Sergio Abraham
Security Innovation Lead
Onapsis Inc.

Sergio has discovered more than 50 vulnerabilities on SAP systems and has authored several patents about new technologies that protect ERP applications.  He is also a frequent lecturer at IIA and cybersecurity conferences.  About one year ago he commenced a research project to identify the specific cybersecurity vulnerabilities and gaps relevant to the auditors.  As part of this effort, he collaborated with his co-presenter Larry Harrington to learn more about the internal audit profession and get to the root of these problems. IIA’s GRC Conference.

 
Anand Bhakta
Director of Solutions Advisory Services
AuditBoard

At AuditBoard, a cloud-based software solution to help streamline and automate internal audit and compliance activities, Anand specializes in risks and controls related to the implementation of ERP systems. He has over fifteen years of IT audit and consulting experience and has helped various multinational companies evaluate and/or implement application controls in ERP systems, including Oracle Financials, SAP, and PeopleSoft.  Anand is recognized for developing and implementing agile auditing programs and data analysis tools. Additionally, he has assisted clients with SOX compliance from both an advisory and attestation perspective.

 
Mark Envani
Partner
EY

Mark is in the Advisory Services practice and has more than 27 years of experience providing technology assurance and IT advisory services to global clients in the Telecommunication and High Tech industries.  His focus has been on providing pragmatic leadership, assistance and recommendations to many large, multinational organizations in areas such as IT audits (external and internal), IT compliance (SAS 70 & SOCR) and audit integration, risk assessments, information security, and disaster recovery planning.  He has led numerous engagements in the areas of systems and business risk and control analysis, SOX 404 implementation and testing, and IT strategy reviews.  Mark’s previous experience also includes leading and participating in the deployment and installation of complex IT solutions at numerous global enterprises.  He is a CPA.

 
Jeffrey Harfenist
Partner Forensics Investigations and Disputes
RSM US LLP

Jeff is one of RSM’s most experienced fraud experts and leads the firm’s global anti-corruption practice. With more than 30 years of forensic accounting experience, he has managed teams on some of the most high-profile investigations in U.S. history, including Tyco and Enron.  His practice focuses on fraud-related matters, including alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) and other international anti-corruption statutes, kickbacks, embezzlement, Ponzi schemes, financial statement fraud, M&A anti-corruption due diligence, and joint venture audits.  Skilled in implementing systems designed to detect fraud and mitigate risk, Jeff uses forensic tools to identify anomalous transactions and high-risk relationships.  He is a CPA.

 
Larry Harrington
Retired Chief Audit Executive

Larry recently retired after 14 years as the CAE at Raytheon Company.  He previously held the same position at Aetna and Staples and has also served as a VP within finance, human resources, and operations.  Larry has volunteered with The IIA for over 30 years, including as President of the Boston Chapter, Chairman of the North American Board, and Chairman of the Global Board.  He was selected into the North American Hall of Distinguished Audit Practitioners and was awarded the Bradford Cadmus lifetime award by The IIA.  Larry is a well-known speaker and has spoken at more than 35 Institutes and 30 Chapters.  He is a CIA, CRMA, QIAL, and CPA.

 
Carla Hodge
Internal Audit Director

Carla has over 15 years of internal audit experience and has taught various courses in internal audit, internal controls and finance over the past seven years.  She most recently was Director of Internal Audit at UiPath where she supported efforts to build a global audit department and digitize internal control testing.   Prior to UiPath, she worked at SCI as Director of Risk Compliance and Governance.  Carla has an extensive background in internal audit, SOX compliance, COSO, pre-IPO readiness, and fraud investigations/audits.  Her dissertation entitled, “Organizational Satisfaction in the 21st Century Internal Audit function:  Trends that Impact Internal Audit Departments,” is cataloged at the U.S. Library of Congress, and she has written for both The IIA and ACFE magazines.  Carla holds a Doctorate in Business Administration focused on Internal Audit from Jones International University, a Master of Management in Finance and Economics and a Bachelor of Management in Finance from Tarleton State University.  She is a CFE, CRMA and CRCMP.

 
Mike Joyce
2019-2020 Chairman of The Institute of Internal Auditors Global Board of Directors
Vice President, Chief Auditor & Compliance Officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

Mike has more than 36 years of professional experience and has been actively volunteering with The IIA since 1989.  Before being selected as Chairman of The IIA Global Board, his volunteer roles included serving on the Global Board as Senior Vice Chair (2018-2019) and Chairman of the North American Board (2015-2016). He served on the Board of Governors for The IIA’s Chicago Chapter (1995-2015), including as Chapter President (2001-02).  Mike serves as an officer of The IIA Global Board, is Chairman of the Supervisory Committee, and presides over the Global Assembly.  

The Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross Blue Shield companies.  The Blue System is the nation’s largest health insurer, covering more than 107 million members.  

At the BCBS Association since 1999, Mike directs the internal audit, national anti-fraud and compliance staff functions and has also created a voluntary external quality assessment review process for BCBS Plan internal audit functions to ensure compliance with professional standards promulgated by The IIA.  Before joining the BCBS Association, he served as director of internal audit and controller for Rush Prudential Health Plans in Chicago and held a variety of positions in the internal audit department of the JCPenney Company.

Mike is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Illinois Certified Public Accountant Society and the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.  He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Accounting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in Indiana, PA.  He is a CIA and CRMA.

Mike chose “Audit in Tune” as his Chairman’s theme to stress how instrumental it is for successful internal auditors to continuously fine-tune their audit approach and philosophy.  
 

 
Cassie Putnam
Managing Director
Protiviti

Cassie is in the Houston office of Protiviti’s Internal Audit, Financial Advisory Solution Area.  She has provided business solutions to companies for 15 years across a variety of clients.  Cassie has extensive experience in providing internal audit, business process improvement and SOX compliance services across various industries.  She is actively working with a number of organizations to establish a platform to deliver "next generation" internal audit services, through the use of analytics, automation, process mining, and other emerging tools.  She is a CRMA and CISA.

 
Ed Robinson
President
Robinson Performance Group

Ed has been a business growth advisor, leadership and sales expert for over 30 years. He has consulted, coached and spoken to thousands of audiences and hundreds of businesses in more than 30 countries across multiple industries.   Ed is a professed “recovering CPA” that has facilitated the growth of leadership, business development and sales in many organizations, with focused projects designed to improve performance and productivity. His company provides practical strategies and techniques to organizations worldwide “transforming professionals to Leaders and Leaders to Rainmakers.”   Ed has authored several books: 4 Giant Steps to Leadership, From Fighting the Storm to Dancing in the Rain, and the Million Dollar Rainmaker series, a parable about developing new business.  Ed’s newest product is Leadership: Winning Through Influence, a sales and marketing system with a proven track record for teaching sales professionals how to close more business. 

 
Patty Salkin
Managing Director
Deloitte

Patty has over 25 years of experience specializing in SOX compliance related services to multi-national and cross industry clients.  With broad insights and access to leading practices, Patty leverages her knowledge and experience to lead teams assisting clients identify and assess their top SOX areas in order to drive a client-vested outcome and value.  She graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting.  Patty is a CPA and member of the AICPA.

 
Mark Schulman
Celebrity Drummer

Mark Schulman is the drummer for P!NK and has performed for sold-out audiences all over the world. Get ready to be empowered, inspired and elevated to an evolved mindset and new level of peak performance. 

Having performed for over a billion people, Mark unlocks the Rockstar Attitude by incorporating his powerful business philosophy and innovative strategic content with engaging multimedia and drum performances. 

Through Mark’s high-energy speaking style, strategic business expertise, and dynamic, interactive musical activities, you will get to express your own rhythms, fortify individual strengths, and enhance emotional connections with your colleagues and families. Mark’s presentations have the excitement of a rock show with the transformational results of a cutting-edge keynote. 

Think Tony Robbins meets Bono meets Ringo Starr; you’ll break the boundaries of possibility and performance while rocking out to an unforgettable mix of live drumming, interactive performances, and compelling stories from Mark’s intimate experiences with P!NK, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Cher, and other world-class artists.

 
Vivek Sinha
CEO & Founder
Janus Advisory and Consulting Services

Vivek has over 20 years of international experience driving transformation through consulting, intelligent automation, assurance, shared services, compliance, and governance. He is recognized for organizational and thought leadership in the areas of innovation through automation, people and program management, crisis management, and building large multi-functional global teams.  He is the CEO and Founder of Janus Advisory and Consulting Services helping companies digitize their internal audit and compliance organizations.  He previously was the CAE of UiPath’s Global Internal Audit function.  During his career, he has managed global teams as large as 1,100 employees in 12 countries.  He has an Economics degree and is a CFE and Chartered Accountant from India.

 
Janet Smith
Managing Director
BDO

Janet has 30 years of financial audit, internal audit, SOX and contract compliance experience. She provides governance, risk and compliance services and assists clients in achieving their objectives through effective and efficient systems of internal controls.  Janet has worked with clients to identify major control weaknesses, recommend and implement appropriate action plans to strengthen internal controls, and actively engages in helping clients assess their risk, identify significant controls, and develop test plans for SOX compliance.  She is a CPA and CIA.

 
Paul Sobel
Chairman
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations

Paul is Chairman of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). He recently retired from Georgia-Pacific, LLC where he was Vice President/Chief Risk Officer and CAE for this privately-owned forest and consumer products company based in Atlanta.  He has authored or co-authored four books: Managing Risk in Uncertain Times; Auditor’s Risk Management Guide:  Integrating Auditing and ERM; Internal Auditing: Assurance and Advisory Services; and Enterprise Risk Management: Achieving and Sustaining Success. Paul was The IIA’s Chairman of the Board (2013-2014) and has held other IIA leadership roles.  In 2012, he was recognized in Treasury & Risk Magazine’s list of 100 Most Influential People in Finance. In 2017, he received The IIA’s Bradford Cadmus Memorial Award and was inducted into The IIA’s American Hall of Distinguished Audit Practitioners.  He is a CIA, QIAL and CRMA.

 
Laura Soileau
Director
Postlethwaite and Netterville

Laura has extensive experience in internal auditing, including working with audit committees; leading internal audit and internal controls assessments; facilitating risk assessments for financial, operational and technology audits; coordinating with external auditors; overseeing the execution of audit plans; and communicating audit results to senior management and audit committees.  She currently serves on both The IIA's Global Board of Directors and North American Board of Directors.  She is a CIA, CISA, CPA, CFE, CRMA, and CGMA.

 
John Warren
Vice President and General Counsel
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners

John provides guidance, oversight and direction to ACFE management and staff on all legal matters.  He is an advisory member of the ACFE Board of Regents and is on the Board of Directors of the ACFE Foundation.  Aside from his legal duties, John co-authored the Report to the Nations, ACFE’s biennial study on the costs and effects of occupational fraud.  He also represents the ACFE as a Board member and was past President of the Institute for Fraud Prevention, a multidisciplinary academic research center supporting anti-fraud research.  

 
Nicholas Wozny
Managing Director
KPMG LLP

Nicholas has 19 years of experience helping companies manage technology risk through auditing and projects to enhance controls and governance.  Most notably, he has led risk and controls workstreams within major transformation programs such as ERP implementations and other major business and systems changes.  Recently, these projects have included a variety of integrated modern technology platforms, including cloud, and some projects have used agile based methodologies.  Nicholas also leads IT SOX 404 engagements and process improvement projects.  He is a CPA and CISA.

 
Brian Yarbrough
Global Head of IT Audit
HP Inc

Brian started his career at Arthur Andersen in 1997 as an IT risk auditor. He joined PwC in 2003 as a manager in the Risk Assurance practice, working on IT SOX assurance, internal audit co-sourcing, and information security engagements. He joined AIG in 2012 as a vice president in the Financial Controls Unit, leading global SOX testing for the Life Insurance businesses. In 2016, he joined HP Inc. as a senior director leading global IT audits. Brian holds a BFA in English from the University of Houston and MBA from Rice University.  He is a CISA.

 
Bruce Zaret
Partner
Weaver

Bruce has 25 years of accounting and industry experience, including as a former Big Four assurance manager and division CFO for a publicly traded company. He was previously appointed by the European Commission as a Monitoring Trustee over the implementation of a recapitalization plan for a financial institution. He provides advisory services to various financial services industry clients. He is experienced with governance reviews, internal audits, risk management internal control evaluations, due diligence and regulatory compliance. Bruce completed the Financial Management Program at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and earned a Bachelor’s in Accounting from Illinois State University.  He is a CPA and CRMA.