OasisLMS

Izabela joined Sassetti LLC in 2007 and has over 15 years of public accounting experience. She services numerous not-for-profit organizations and for-profit businesses, including the firm’s public company clients. Aside from her work in the assurance and tax departments, Izabela also serves as an outsourced CFO and provides advisory services to businesses and nonprofits as part of the firm’s Client Account & Advisory Services and Consulting practices. Izabela is a member of the firm’s Assurance and Audit Quality Committees and heads the firm’s Digital Marketing Committee. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Bachelor of Arts in English from DePaul University and is licensed to practice as a CPA in the State of Illinois.

Kim is a proven builder of advisory practices and a trusted voice in the accounting profession for firms looking to transform from transactional to advisory offerings. 

Kim founded her own accounting firm, growing it into a trusted resource for small- and medium-sized businesses across multiple industries. In 2010, Wipfli LLP acquired the firm, and Kim joined as a partner — where she spent the next 11 years shaping what a modern advisory—specifically client advisory services (CAS)—practice could look like. She led Wipfli's Finance & Accounting Solutions team across the U.S. and India, building an industry-focused delivery model powered by an innovative digital platform. Later, she expanded into co-building the Wealth & Asset Management industry, leading the firm's Broker Dealer & Advisor Network segment. 

Today, Kim brings that practice perspective to CPA.com, where she leads thought leadership and programs that help firms transform to advisory-based offerings. Through consulting, practice development, and training, she helps firms at every stage — from those launching their first advisory offering to established practices looking to scale.  

Her work is grounded in the same CAS Benchmark Survey data she regularly presents to the profession, appearing in outlets like the Journal of Accountancy and Accounting Today as one of the leading voices on CAS strategy, workforce capacity, and the shift from hourly billing to value-driven advisory. She was recognized in 2025 as one of the Accounting Today 2025 Top 100 Most Influential People.  

Kim holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Montana State University and lives outside Phoenix, AZ with her family.

Deborah Defer is a visionary leader in Client Advisory Services (CAS) and serves as Director of CAS at Woodard. With more than two decades of experience in accounting, financial management, and strategic advisory, she is dedicated to helping small and mid-sized businesses gain financial clarity, strengthen operational efficiency, and build sustainable growth models. In recognition of her impact on the profession, Deborah was named one of Accounting Today’s Top 100 -People to Watch in 2026. 

At Woodard, Deborah designs and leads innovative CAS strategies that empower firms to modernize their practices, streamline workflows, and deliver high-value advisory services. She is passionate about leveraging technology and automation to transform data into real-time insights that drive better business decisions. Her expertise spans CAS pricing, spend management, and stepping into controllership roles for growing organizations. 

An award-winning educator and mentor, Deborah is known for her dynamic workshops, webinars, and coaching engagements. She champions change management, technology adoption, and balanced firm cultures that prioritize innovation and client success. Her mission is to inspire firms to elevate CAS beyond compliance and create measurable, lasting value for the clients they serve. 

Kane Polakoff is a Partner and Client Advisory Services (CAS) Practice Leader at CohnReznick with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations improve operations, scale growth, and create enterprise value through strategic advisory and outsourced business solutions. 

Kane specializes in building and transforming high-performing advisory, outsourcing, and finance organizations. His expertise includes Client Advisory Services, business process outsourcing, global operations, strategic planning, technology innovation, operational transformation, P&L management, and management consulting. Throughout his career, he has helped companies transition from traditional service models to integrated, value-added advisory organizations that improve efficiency, scalability, and business performance.  

As leader of CohnReznick's CAS practice, Kane is focused on helping middle-market businesses leverage technology, automation, artificial intelligence, and global delivery capabilities to improve financial operations and support growth. He is widely recognized for his leadership in CAS transformation, AI adoption, organizational design, and workforce modernization within the accounting profession.  

A frequent speaker, author, and industry thought leader, Kane's insights have been featured in leading publications including Accounting Today, CPA Practice Advisor, and U.S. News & World Report. He has presented for numerous industry organizations, including the AICPA, Financial Executives International, Information Technology Alliance (ITA), and Digital CPA.  

Kane has been recognized as one of Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting two years in a row, honoring his contributions to innovation, thought leadership, and the advancement of advisory-focused accounting services. 

Beth Ulbrich, CPA, is a Partner with Cherry Bekaert and a leader in the firm's Finance and Accounting Outsourcing (FAO/CAS) practice. Beth has more than 35 years of experience helping organizations improve financial operations through outsourced accounting, technology adoption, and innovative service delivery models. 

From 2016 through 2023, she led the growth of Mueller & Co.'s CAS practice, overseeing a team of 30 professionals and helping establish an offshore organization in Hyderabad, India that grew to approximately 150 professionals. This model enabled the firm to expand beyond traditional CAS offerings and provide BPO services to larger organizations while continuing to support small and emerging businesses. She also helped lead the firm's participation in the Sage Intacct Accountant Partner Program. 

Following the 2023 acquisition of Mueller & Co. by Cherry Bekaert, Beth has helped integrate multiple CAS practices, expand offshore capabilities, and leverage technology and automation to deliver greater value to clients and support the continued evolution of the CAS profession. 

Beth is passionate about helping firms build sustainable, growth-oriented CAS practices and believes the future of the profession lies in the effective combination of people, technology, and global talent.