Fall CPE Conference

Celina Peerman

Dr. Celina Peerman serves as an organizational psychologist through training, coaching and instructional design activities that focus on creating sustainable learning cultures at work. For over twenty four years she has specialized in organizational behavior and human resource management-related issues. Her experience includes senior leadership roles in human resource, organizational development and operations positions in both profit and non-profit organizations where she was accountable for quality service, effective processes, diverse staff and achieving results. Her work in Southeast Asia, Canada and Central America gave additional business operations experience, further developing her strong international interests. Celina has led successful workshops and designed training for a variety of industries. She has also presented at numerous conferences for local, state and national audiences. As an organizational behavior specialist, she has worked one-on-one and in small group settings with a range of difficult topics sensitive to the workplace and all those involved. Her work has led to the creation of The Peerman Group, a performance-training solutions company that provides full service organizational development consulting services. This team’s focus is to provide quality training and services that directly contributes to better service for all stakeholders and in particular the retention of front-line staff and strength of first-line supervisors. Her passion is for how people behave at work; the good, the bad and the worst. Celina’s style has been described as dynamic noting the ability to draw in even the most resistant attendees through real life examples and humor.

David Peters

David Peters is the founder and owner of Peters Tax Preparation & Consulting in Richmond, VA, as well as a financial advisor for Peters Financial, LLC. He has over fifteen years of experience in financial services, including 3 years in the hedge fund industry and six years in the insurance industry. David was the first-ever chief financial officer at Compare.com - a position he held for over three years. He is a national CPE instructor/discussion leader for the AICPA, Kaplan and Surgent, and was a recipient of Surgent’s Outstanding Discussion Leader award for 2019. He regularly teaches courses in accounting, finance, insurance, financial planning, and ethics throughout the United States. He is the advisor for business & industry topics for the SC Association of CPAs and was a recipient of The American College’s 2019 NextGen Financial Services Professional Award. He holds four Masters degrees, and is currently pursuing his PhD in Financial Planning. He contributes regularly to various CPA publications, including NCACPA’s Interim Report, SCACPA’s CPA Report, and VSCPA’s Disclosures. He was also a co-author of the 2018, 2019, and 2020 versions of the Virginia CPA Ethics course – a required course for all CPAs licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Susan Stutzel is the founder of S Stutzel, CPA, a firm specializing in nonprofit auditing and consulting. Over the last 19 years, she has worked in both public and private accounting, and in that time discovered her passion lies in serving clients in the nonprofit industry. Her desire to work with nonprofit organizations stems from a desire to be surrounded by equally passionate individuals who want to change the world. Susan is also the owner of S Stutzel Coaching, where she provides leadership coaching to CPA’s, business-owners and leaders within organizations. She thrives in helping others break through barriers and manage priorities in order to live an abundant and meaningful life. Due to her passion for serving nonprofits, she also serves in various volunteer roles including: board member of the Iowa Society of CPA’s, treasurer of the Tipton School Foundation, treasurer of Iowa City Hospice, past treasurer of Iowa Women’s Foundation, adjunct professor at her alma mater Coe College, Iowa Society of CPA’s Career Awareness Committee, Iowa Society of CPA’s Nonprofit Organization’s Committee, Workplace Learning Connection Financial Literacy Fair volunteer, Calvary Church liaison for the community vacation bible school program. She also finds time to be actively involved in her children’s schools serving as parent volunteer.

Thomas Newell

Thomas (Tom) is a shareholder in the firm of Newell & Newell, P.C. located in Columbus, GA. Tom graduated cum laude from Georgia Southwestern College in Americus, GA in 1980. Tom started the firm with his wife Silvia Newell, CPA in 1986, prior to that his public accounting experience included both local firms and international firms. Tom is an active peer reviewer having performed over 200 reviews and has been involved with the peer review program since 1989. Tom served on the Georgia Society peer review committees from 1989 to 1993, in 1993 Tom was selected to be one of the technical reviewers for the Georgia Society and served as a technical reviewer for the Georgia Society for 9 years. Tom has also served several years on the accounting and auditing committee at the Georgia Society. Tom has been a frequent speaker for the Georgia Society of CPAs at the Southeastern Accounting Show, Tax Forum (A&A topics) and the Accounting Institute among other conferences. Tom is also a discussion leader for various continuing education courses on A&A topics for state CPA societies.