The Longest-Serving AICPA CEO on What Comes Next
Episode Summary
"We have, for almost 100 years, been a pyramid-shaped profession. AI is changing that."
Barry Melancon, former AICPA CEO, joins Kacee Johnson in a candid discussion about the profound shifts facing the accounting profession in the age of AI.
The accounting profession's most urgent challenge in the AI era is transitioning from a traditional hierarchical pyramid model to a structure.
Hosted by Kacee Johnson, fintech innovation leader and Principal at Radical, AI-Native Accounting is the podcast at the crossroads of AI and the future of finance. Engage in monthly discussions with firm owners, tech pioneers, and visionary accountants. Explore real-world applications of AI, uncovering how it's streamlining processes and enhancing decision-making. Discover what's working, what's emerging, and what's on the horizon in the world of accounting technology.
Featured Guest
Barry Melancon
Chair of Baker Tilly International
Barry Melancon is chair of Baker Tilly International, a top ten global accountancy network.He formerly served as CEO of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, the most influential body of professional accountants in the world with 650,000 members and students. Barry joined the AICPA in 1995 when he was 37 years old, and he was the longest serving CEO in the organization’s 129 year history. Under his tenure, the AICPA grew to become the largest membership body of CPAs in the world and spearheaded a number of initiatives to benefit not only the profession, but also investors, business owners, lenders and the general public.
Your Host
Kacee Johnson
Digits Advisor & Innovation Partner
Kacee Johnson is a leading figure in the accounting profession, recognized among Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People, CPA Practice Advisor's Top 25 Thought Leaders, and as one of the Most Powerful Women in Accounting. She advises AICPA and CPA.com as an innovation partner and leads the Startup Accelerator program, mentoring startups that shape the profession's future. In 2025, she completed Harvard Business School's Executive Program on Private Equity and Venture Capital and joined the be radical team as a Principal in FinTech Innovation.
