GSCPA Members Selected to Attend AICPA’s 2021 Leadership Academy

Arpit Padhiar and Adedamola Oluwalayemi, MBA, CPA, were two of only 30 CPAs honored by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) as members of the Leadership Academy’s 13th graduating class. Padhiar and Oluwalayemi were selected based on their exceptional leadership skills and professional experience for the four-day Leadership Academy program, held October 25-28, 2021.

Adedamola A. Oluwalayemi, CPA, MBT, EA, holds a bachelor’s degree in managerial economics from the University of California, Davis, and a master’s degree in business taxation from the University of Southern California’s Leventhal School of Accounting. Adedamola is a recipient of the PCAOB and CalCPA merit scholarships. Adedamola consults for Intuit in their Muli-Domain Expert (MDE) Group and provides tax consulting services with Vetter Professional Services (VPS) and Solomon & Jones Inc.

Arpit Padhiar, CPA, holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Commerce from the Accounting University of Mumbai. Padhiar is also a KNAV’s 2018 ‘Beyond the Boundary Award’ and 2017 quarterly achievers award winner. Arpit leads the audit and assurance practice of the firm with a focus on US GAAP, Canadian GAAP, IFRS and Indian GAAP engagements. He is also responsible for developing and leading the not-for-profit and government audit practice of the firm.

The AICPA Leadership Academy was designed to strengthen and expand the leadership skills of promising young professionals while they network with a peer group of talented and motivated CPAs.

The Leadership Academy features career-development workshops and sessions with some of the accounting profession’s most prominent influencers, including William (Bill) Pirolli, CPA/CFF/PFS, CGMA, chairman of the American Institute of CPAs and Barry Melancon, CPA, CGMA, American Institute of CPAs president and CEO, Association of Certified Professional Accountants CEO.

Participants were selected from public accounting firms of all sizes, business and industry, government and consulting firms.

The 2021 Leadership Academy attendees were recommended by their employers, state CPA societies, and/or volunteer organizations. Candidates submitted resumes and a statement explaining how participating in the Leadership Academy would impact them personally and professionally. They also wrote an essay on the topic, “The future will bring significant changes to the accounting profession. What do leaders have to get right in order to successfully lead?”

To date, more than 415 CPAs have participated in the AICPA Leadership Academy, many of whom have gone on to take on leadership positions in their firms, businesses, and volunteer organizations.

For more information about the AICPA Leadership Academy, visit AICPA.org/Leadership