Meet Our Professors

Meet Our Authors, Lecturers, and Mentors

CPAexcel's students learn from the top team of CPA review course professors in the country. These professors author the content, deliver the lectures, and mentor those students who have elected to receive Professor Mentoring services.

Professor Donald E. Tidrick, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Donald E. Tidrick Ph.D., CPA, CMA, CIA
CPAexcel Author and Video Lecturer

Northern Illinois University: Deloitte Professor of Accountancy

University of Texas, Austin: Former Associate Chairman of the Department of Accounting, Director of the Professional Program in Accounting, and Director of the CPA Review Course 1991 - 2000

University of Notre Dame: Accounting Faculty

Professor Tidrick has been honored with numerous teaching and research awards. He has been widely published in a variety of academic and professional journals. He is a member of the U.S. Comptroller General's Educators' Advisory Panel. Professor Tidrick is an active member in a variety of professional organizations, including the AICPA, the Illinois CPA Society (where he is a member of the Ethics Committee), and the Institute of Internal Auditors (where he is a former chair of the international Academic Relations Committee). Prior to entering academia, he was a practicing CPA in a (now) Big Four firm.

Professor Dan Stone, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Dan Stone Ph.D., CPA, MPA
CPAexcel Author and Video Lecturer

University of Kentucky: Gatton Endowed Chair, Von Allmen School of Accountancy and the Department of Management (Business Analytics)

Dr. Stone is a prolific writer, having been published in professional journals such as the CPA Journal and Journal of General Management. He researches and writes on financial literacy, financial attitudes and happiness, and seller fraud in online auctions.

Professor Pam Smith, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Pam Smith Ph.D., CPA, MBA
CPAexcel Video Lecturer

Northern Illinois University: KPMG Professor of Accountancy

Dr. Smith has won awards voted on by her students (Executive MBA Golden Apple) and by her peers (Illinois CPA Society's 2008 Educator of the Year). As faculty advisor, Pam sparked the creation of an honor pledge and code of conduct. She is co-author of NIU's Building Ethical Leaders handbook and a developer of the college's BELIEF initiative (Building Ethical Leaders using an Integrated Ethics Framework), both of which have been integrated across the college. Because of her research in accounting for derivatives and hedging, she was called as an expert witness in the Enron trial. Pam and her husband are licensed handlers of their certified therapy dog, Shelby, who provides emotional therapy to seniors and special needs children.

Professor Robert A. Prentice, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Robert A. Prentice J.D.
CPAexcel Author and Video Lecturer

University of Texas, Austin: Ed and Molly Smith Centennial Professor In Business Law, McCombs School of Business, and Distinguished Teaching Professor

Professor Prentice is a member of UT's Academy of Distinguished Teachers and has won numerous teaching awards. His courses cover accountants' legal liability. A prolific writer, he authored A Student's Guide to Sarbanes-Oxley. (Thomson/West), “Stoneridge, Securities Fraud Litigation, and the Supreme Court,” American Business Law Journal, and 30 major law review articles on business law, business ethics, insider trading, law of electronic commerce, mergers and acquisitions, and securities regulation.

Professor Gaylord A. Jentz, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Gaylord A. Jentz J.D., MBA
CPAexcel Author

University of Texas, Austin: Herbert D. Kelleher Emeritus Centennial Professor in Business Law, Graduate School of Business

Dr. Jentz is the recipient of sixteen teaching, academic, and service excellence awards. He has given advanced purchasing seminars throughout the United States and previously taught over the years at five regional and graduate banking schools. He is the author or co-author of six monographs and fifty-six books and editions, including West's Business Law: Text & Cases, tenth edition (2006). Dr. Jentz has been past President of several organizations including the Texas Association of College Teachers.

Professor Marianne M. Jennings, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Marianne M. Jennings J.D.
CPAexcel Video Lecturer

Arizona State University: W.P. Carey School of Business, Professor of Legal and Ethical Studies

In her teaching, her writing, and her consulting, Professor Jennings demonstrates how making the ethical choice is the right choice because nice people can succeed-even in business! She developed a workplace ethical behavior 10-step action plan which can be implemented anywhere. She consulted with Mattel, Bell Helicopter, Blue Shield/Blue Cross and many other companies on instilling workplace ethics.

Professor Janet D. Gillespie

Professor Janet D. Gillespie Ph.D.

CPAexcel Author, BEC and FAR Mentor

Lecturer, Department of Accounting, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas - Austin

Professor Donald R. Deis Jr., CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Donald R. Deis Jr. Ph.D., CPA, CFE
CPAexcel Author and Video Lecturer

Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi: Ennis & Virginia Joslin Endowed Chair in Accounting, College of Business

University of Missouri - Columbia: Former Director of the School of Accounting

Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge: Former Professor and Director of the Accounting, Ph.D. Program

Donald Deis started his accounting career with a "pet project," working in his grandparents' Corpus Christi, Texas business, The Dog House and Pet Store. From there, his love of understanding numbers led him to become the youngest student in the initial class of Texas A & I University at Corpus Christi in 1973. Being a true Texan, he earned his MBA from Corpus Christi State University and his Ph.D. for Texas A & M. Coming full circle, he now teaches at the college from which he received his bachelor's degree. He holds the Joslin Chair, which was endowed to attract the highest-quality academicians possible to the accounting profession.

Professor Charles J. Davis, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Charles J. Davis Ph.D., CPA
CPAexcel Author, Video Lecturer, and FAR Mentor

California State University, Sacramento: Professor of Accounting

Dr. Davis is the recipient of university teaching awards for his courses in financial and managerial accounting. He also has taught at the University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin, and Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration. His research focuses on standard setting, improvements in financial reporting, international accounting standards, and forensic accounting. Dr. Davis currently serves as the faculty advisor to the MS Accountancy program at CSUS. He is a co-author for Intermediate Accounting published by McGraw-Hill Irwin and has "Big 4" experience. He has contributed many journal articles on accounting and other business subjects. Professor Davis continues his work as a consultant to the business community.

Professor B. Douglas Clinton, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor B. Douglas Clinton Ph.D., CPA, CMA
CPAexcel Author and Video Lecturer

Northern Illinois University: Alta Via Consulting Professor of Management Accountancy, Department of Accountancy

Dr. Clinton states that his "most important research task is trying to rebalance the profession so that providing management accounting decision support is recognized to be as important as it really is." His favorite aspect of his teaching job is, "Seeing my students get excited about finding out something they didn't know. Fundamentally, my job is to teach and train accountants to be the best business professionals possible."

Professor Greg Carnes, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Greg Carnes Ph.D., CPA
CPAexcel Author and Video Lecturer

University of North Alabama: Raburn Eminent Scholar of Accounting, Professor of Accounting and Business Law

Lipscomb University: Former Dean, College of Business

Northern Illinois University: Former Chair, Department of Accountancy

Gregory Carnes focuses on teaching tax professionals how to integrate the tax law in strategic decisions. Dr. Carnes serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Taxation Association. He previously served as President of the Accounting Program Leadership Group and as President-Elect of the Federation of Schools of Accountancy. He has written chapters for leading tax textbooks and more than 25 articles for professional journals. Professor Carnes has also provided tax training for national accounting firms.

ProfessorAllen H. Bizzell, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Allen H. Bizzell Ph.D., CPA
CPAexcel Author, Video Lecturer, BEC and FAR Mentor

University of Texas, Austin: Associate Dean Emeritus, College of Business Administration/Graduate School of Business; Professor Emeritus, Department of Accounting

To acknowledge his teaching ability, Professor Bizzell was given the UT Student Council's award for teaching excellence. Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting honor society, awarded him the Outstanding Faculty Advisor in 1975-1976, making him one of only four faculty advisors in the entire U.S. so honored. He has been involved with the CPA Exam for almost 35 years as a researcher, developer of exam-related materials, and national review course instructor. He has conducted numerous CPA Exam-related studies, including several analyses of CPA Exam Candidates' Characteristics and Performance for the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.

Professor Craig Bain, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Craig Bain Ph.D., CPA (inactive)
CPAexcel FAR Mentor

Northern Arizona University: Franke College of Business, Professor and Accounting Area Coordinator

The Arizona CPA Foundation for Education and Innovation acknowledged Professor Bain's teaching accomplishments by awarding him the Excellence in Teaching Award in 2003. A full professor since 1991, he teaches all levels of Financial Accounting, bringing his "real world" experience as a CPA and in business incubator development into his teaching. He has published over 35 peer reviewed articles and presented papers to academicians as well as practitioners. Professor Bain received his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in 1987 and his B.S. from California State University in 1980. Showing academic excellence at an early age, he is a Life Member of California Scholarship Federation.

Professor John E. Karayan, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor John E. Karayan JD, Ph.D.
CPAexcel REG Mentor

Woodbury University: Professor and Chair of the Department of Accounting and IT

Formerly a senior executive with a New York Stock Exchange-listed high tech multinational, Professor Karayan is a tax attorney with a "Big 8" CPA experience. Twenty years ago, Dr. Karayan moved from the board room into the classroom as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California's School of Accounting. He has kept active outside of academia as an expert witness in complex business litigation, and on the boards of both public and private organizations. His most recent books are Strategic Business Tax Planning and State and Local Taxation: Principles and Planning.

Professor Claire Latham, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Claire Latham Ph.D., CPA
CPAexcel AUD Mentor

Washington State University: Associate Professor of Accounting

Dr. Latham was awarded the College of Business and Economics Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award as well as the Students' Award for Teaching Excellence. She teaches Intermediate Accounting, Accounting Information Systems, and Auditing. Her research interests include ethics and the public accountant with focus on agency relationships in securities fraud violations and efforts to enhance ethics training as well as information quality with emphasis on internal control and monitoring mechanisms. She received her Ph.D. from Georgia State University. Prior to teaching, she was an auditor for PriceWaterhouse Coopers, specializing in financial institutions, governmental entities, and construction accounting.

Professor Christopher Meakin, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Christopher Meakin BBA, M. A., JD
CPAexcel BEC and REG Mentor

University of Texas, Austin: Senior Lecturer, Department of Information, Risk, Operations Management

Professor Meakin has been selected for the Honor Roll of the McCombs School of Business every year since 2003 for his teaching excellence. He teaches Business Law, Entrepreneurship, and Negotiations while his research and expertise extends to Intellectual Property, Corporate Governance, and Securities Law. Having been VP and General Counsel to a 160-employee start-up company, a practicing attorney, and law clerk for a judge on a United States District Court, he brings his legal and business experience into his teaching.

Professor Jeanne Yamamura, CPA Exam Review Professor

Professor Jeanne Yamamura Ph.D., CPA, MIM
CPAexcel AUD Mentor

University of Nevada, Reno: Professor of Accounting Emerita

Blending her professional and her academic worlds, Dr. Yamamura has been the Chairman of the Nevada Society of CPAs and an auditor for Touche, Ross & Co., as well as an accounting professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. During her distinguished career, she taught Auditing and Accounting Information Systems Classes. Interested in international business, she taught at the Association of Pacific Islands Public Auditors and has been published on globalization, the role of accountants in Japan, and business ethics in the U.S. and Brazil.