Accounting Advisory Council

Providing Strategic Guidance to the Accounting Area

Accounting Advisory Council members represent a variety of accounting firms, corporations, and government entities.

To increase the community's participation in the development of future accounting professionals, the accounting area in the School of Business at George Mason University maintains a strong tradition of building partnerships through the Accounting Advisory Council. The council's mission is to advise and assist the accounting area so graduates are prepared to be successful contributors to an increasingly global accounting profession, and to ensure the School's undergraduate and masters programs to the needs of the accounting profession.

Council Chair

Michelle Montes, '96
Assurance Partner, Ernst & Young LLP

Michelle Montes is the East RHC Assurance Leader at EY with over 27 years of experience in public accounting and as an Assurance partner, also serves a variety of industries, currently focusing on real estate, hospitality, private equity and consumer products.

Past Council Chair

A.J. Eschle, '08 '12
Principal, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
Chair, Accounting Advisory Council

A.J. is a principal with CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP and joined in 2007.

Council Members

Samim Ardeishar, '92
Partner, Grossberg Company LLP

Samim Ardeishar is a partner with more than 27 years of experience providing audit, accounting, tax and business consulting services to clients of various sizes across a broad range of industries including real estate, not for profit, and professional services.
Nazanin Azarian, '03
Tax Managing Director, Deloitte Tax LLP

Nazanin Azarian is a managing director in the Global Employer Services (GES) group at Deloitte in McLean, Virginia. Ms. Azarian is responsible for managing many clients with expatriate and inpatriate assignees.
Kari Bedell
Executive Director, Greater Washington Society of CPAs

Karie Beddell is the executive director at the Greater Washington Society of CPAs.
Andrew Clements
Partner, Audit Services, Grant Thornton, LLP

Andrew Clements is a Partner in Grant Thornton’s Mid-Atlantic audit practice.
Matthew Cromwell, '94
Partner, BDO USA LLP

Matthew Cromwell is a partner with BDO’s Assurance Division with extensive experience working with large non-profit organizations, with a specialized focused on international operations, multiple complex revenue streams and large endowment portfolios.
Charles "Chip" F. Helme, III, '85
Managing Principal, Thompson, Greenspon & Co., PC

Chip Helme is the managing principal of Thompson Greenspon and has been with the firm since 1986.
Jenny Herrera, '95
Citrin Cooperman & Company LLP

Jenny Herrera is a partner at Citrin Cooperman & Company LLP's D.C. Metro office.
Asif A. Khan
Director, Government Accountability Office

Asif Khan is a Director at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in the Financial Management and Assurance team.
Hakeem Khwaja
Director, Financial Management and Assurance, KPMG

Hakeem Khawaja is a Director of Financial Management and Assurance at KMPG.
Shabinaaz Mahdi, '12
Tax Manager, Baker Tilly

Shabinaaz Mahdi is a tax manager at Baker Tilly. She has over 8 years of experience providing tax and advisory services primarily to law firms in the professional services industry as well as REITs and other commercial businesses.

School of Business Members

Phillip Buchanan
Associate Professor Emeritus of Accounting

Phillip Buchanan joined the George Mason University faculty in 1981 after spending 8 years at Penn State University and 2 years in the New York office of Arthur Andersen & Co. He retired from George Mason in 2013.
Long Chen
Area Chair, Accounting
Additional Roles: Associate Professor, Accounting

Long Chen is an associate professor and accounting area chair in the School of Business at George Mason University. She conducts empirical archival research on issues concerning financial reporting, auditing, corporate governance, and international accounting.
Christina Spring
Director, Advancement and Alumni Relations

Christina Spring serves as the Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations in the School of Business at George Mason University.
Ajay Vinzé
Dean, George Mason University School of Business
Additional Roles: Professor, Information Systems and Operations Management

School of Business Dean Ajay Vinzé is a Fulbright Senior Specialist and global citizen, having lived, worked or traveled through more than 70 countries over the past three decades. He is credited with a number of innovations in the eLearning space and has innovated with experiential learning, micro-credentialing, and stackable certificates. Dr. Vinzé maintains an active research agenda, with work ranging from artificial intelligence applications for business problems to emergency preparedness and response.
Kerry A. Willigan
Assistant Dean, Office of Career Services

Kerry Willigan is the Assistant Dean, Career Services in the School of Business at George Mason University.