2026 Cypress Summit - IN PERSON: Medical, Not-for-Profit, Estate & Financial Planning, and Financial Institutions

Overview

The Cypress Summit Conference is BACK! This is your one-stop destination for impactful learning, fresh connections, and a full day packed with value!

We're bringing together four conferences under one roof:

• Medical & Healthcare (MED)
• Financial Institutions (FIC)
• Not-for-Profit (NFP)
• Estate & Financial Planning (EFP)

With multiple specialized tracks, you can customize your experience based on your interests and goals. Stay within one track for a deeper dive or mix and match sessions across conferences to create an agenda that's right for you. It's a unique opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with professionals from a variety of industries.

Don’t miss this exciting new way to earn CPE, expand your network, and gain fresh insights—all in just one day!

When registering, you’ll select sessions to help us estimate room sizes, but you can attend any sessions you choose on the day of the event.

Agenda

7:30-7:55am - Registration, Breakfast & Opening Remarks

8:00am - 9:15am - General Session
Gazing into the Crystal Ball:  Drivers of the 2027-28 Economy
Loren Scott, PhD • Loren C. Scott & Associates, Inc. • Baton Rouge, LA
What will be the key factors driving the Louisiana economy over the next two years?  Is the national economy  heading for a recession?  If you are in the real estate area, what are the prospects for a Fed rate cut?  How might the closure---even a temporary one---of the Strait of Hormuz impact Louisiana's burgeoning LNG export market? What is beginning to finally create a resurgence in the central and north Louisiana economies? Has there finally been a turn in the influence of the NGO's in the river parishes?

9:15-9:35  Break
 
9:35am - 10:25am Breakout Sessions

Tax Planning within the Nonprofit Landscape (NFP, EFP)
Taylor Boudreaux, CPA • Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC • Houma, LA
Jack Wiles, CPA, MS • Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC • Metairie, LA
Join speakers Taylor Boudreaux and Jack Wiles as they provide an overview of key tax issues affecting nonprofit organizations, including compliance requirements, recent developments, and practical planning considerations. Attendees will also gain insight into effective estate planning strategies designed to preserve wealth, maximize charitable giving opportunities, and help achieve long-term financial and philanthropic goals.

Hot Topics in ALM (FIC)
Matt Thompson, CFA • Smith, Shellnut, Wilson • Ridgeland, MS
This session will explore a range of timely asset/liability management issues facing community financial institutions, with a focus on areas where accounting treatment requires particular attention. Topics will include the effects of issuance costs on callable brokered CDs, TEFRA considerations affecting the yield on tax-exempt bond portfolios, and the persistent drag of unrealized losses in investment portfolios — a challenge that remains pressing even after 175 basis points of rate cuts and renewed pressure from rising market rates. Attendees will leave with practical insights to sharpen their understanding of ALM issues facing financial institutions today. 

Headwinds 2026: What Inhibits Carrier Ability to Control Healthcare Costs (MED)
Michael Bertaut, MBA, CHC, PAHM • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana • Baton Rouge, LA
In 2026 there are a very specific set of inhibitors throwing sand in the gears of slowing down rising healthcare costs.  Some of these have been evolving slowly over time, while others are brand new and their impact is just starting to be understood.  In order to provide meaningful employer benefits in this environment, Managers must Understand these cost drivers and what they can reasonably achieve in moderating them.

10:25 – 10:30  Change Break

10:30am - 11:20am Breakout Sessions

Not-for-Profit Update: Financial Resilience, Compliance Risk, and Emerging Reporting Issues (NFP) 
Jeremy Thibodeaux, CPA, CFE • Ericksen Krentel • New Orleans, LA
Not-for-profit organizations continue to face funding uncertainty, cash flow pressure, increased compliance expectations, and growing demand for financial transparency. This session will provide a practical update on key industry trends, grant management, Uniform Guidance, Louisiana Legislative Auditor requirements, complex gifts, and emerging accounting and reporting matters. Participants will leave with insight into the risks, opportunities, and technical issues CPAs should be watching in the year ahead.

Accounting and Auditing Update (FIC, MED)
Anne Oestriecher, CPA, CFP • Oestriecher Financial Management Services • Alexandria, LA

Private Placement Life Insurance: What Your Wealthiest Clients Are Being Told (EFP) 
David Means, JR. AEP, CLU, AIF, NQPC • DeNovo Advisory Group • Dallas, TX
High-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients are increasingly hearing about private placement life insurance and annuities as tools for tax-efficient investing, estate planning, and asset protection. This session provides an objective look at what advisors are recommending, why interest has accelerated in recent years, how these structures function, and the key tax and planning issues CPAs should understand when evaluating opportunities for their clients.

11:20 – 12:20 Lunch

12:20pm - 1:10pm Breakout Sessions

Best Ways to Save For You, Your Kids, and Your Grandkids (EFP)
John C. Schmidt, CPA • Pelican CPAs & Advisors • Shreveport, LA
This session will discuss options available for saving for your retirement, plus discussion of savings options for young children, adult children and grandchildren including the new Trump accounts and Trump IRAs.

AI in Healthcare: What's Real Today and What's Coming Next (MED)
Shelley Martin, MD, FAAP • Ochsner Health System • Baton Rouge, LA
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming healthcare—from clinical documentation and patient engagement to revenue cycle operations and decision support. This presentation explores where AI is creating real value today, where risks remain, and how healthcare organizations are approaching governance and implementation. We'll also look ahead to the next wave of innovation, including AI agents, autonomous workflows, and emerging technologies that will increasingly influence the delivery, management, and financing of care.

Don't Take the Bait: Defending Against Today's Cyber Threats (NFP, FIC)
Allison Ward, CPA, CISA, CISSP, CISM • CRI Advisors, LLC • Baton Rouge, LA
Cyber threats continue to evolve faster than ever, impacting organizations of every size and industry. This session explores today's cybersecurity landscape, emerging threats, and the issues that continue to plague organizations, including fraud schemes, phishing and other social engineering attacks, third-party risks, software vulnerabilities, and employee training challenges. Attendees will not only gain a practical understanding of the threats facing organizations but will also leave with actionable insights they can apply within their organizations and share with clients to strengthen their cybersecurity posture.
  
1:10 – 1:15  Change Break


1:15pm – 2:05pm  Breakout Sessions

Planning for Retirement: Medicare, Social Security & Sustainable Income (EFP) 
Anne Oestriecher, CPA, CFP • Oestriecher Financial Management Services • Alexandria, LA
Preparing for retirement involves more than saving—it requires making informed decisions about healthcare coverage, Social Security benefits, and long-term income strategies. This session will explore key retirement planning considerations, including Medicare enrollment, Social Security timing, annuities, and fixed-income solutions, helping attendees build a confident and financially secure retirement plan.

Navigating the 340B Program: Eligibility, Compliance, and the Current Regulatory Storm (MED)
Jim Daniel Jr., JD, MBA • Partner - Hancock Daniel & Johnson, LLC • Richmond, VA
The 340B Drug Pricing Program has become one of healthcare's most contested topics, with new litigation, manufacturer restrictions, and federal guidance creating added compliance and financial risks. This presentation covers 340B eligibility and compliance basics, plus the latest developments CPAs need to know to advise their clients and employers on the program.

Board Recruitment and Retention (NFP)
Edmund Giering IV, JD • Baton Rouge Area Foundation • Baton Rouge, LA
In this session, Edmund Giering will explore board responsibilities – from mission, policy and financial perspectives. Participants will hear about best practices in terms of board and staff relationships, recruitment and retention of board members, and how best to support an organization and its leadership as a board member.

Deregulation from Banking Regulators (FIC)
Crystal Jareske, CPA, CIA • Crowe LLP • Dallas, TX
As the compliance landscape continues to evolve, organizations are facing a new kind of challenge: navigating a regulatory environment where oversight may be reduced, but expectations remain firmly in place. This session explores the shifting compliance climate emerging from Washington, D.C., examining what it means for banks when regulators redefine risk or adjust their focus, yet the rules themselves persist. The training will include questions to consider when managing risk, maintaining accountability, and adapting compliance strategies in a world where enforcement may change but obligations do not, with an emphasis on safety and soundness.


2:05 – 2:25  Break


2:25 – 3:15 Breakout Sessions  

Estate Planning with Trusts (EFP) 
Miriam Henry, JD • Jones Walker • New Orleans, LA

Hot Topics Panel (MED)
Kendall Johnson, CPA • General Health System / Baton Rouge General Medical Center • Baton Rouge, LA
Shunn Phillips, CPA • The Baton Rouge Clinic • Baton Rouge, LA
Jason MacMorran, CPA/ABV/CFF, CVA, MS • EisnerAmper • Baton Rouge, LA
Stephanie Bushart • Ochsner Health • Baton Rouge, LA
Panelists will discuss the most pressing challenges and opportunities impacting healthcare organizations today. 

The Future of Philanthropy: Building Impact, Equity, and Legacy Across Generations (NFP)
Nathan Alvarez • Greater New Orleans Foundation • New Orleans, LA
Ashley Floyd • Greater New Orleans Foundation • New Orleans, LA
• Learn how philanthropy is changing as younger donors increasingly step up as community leaders and older generations step down
• Explore how donor-advised funds, planned giving vehicles, and charitable planning tools help create lasting community impact
• See how to align financial tools with personal and family values, especially across generations
  
Legislative Update (FIC)
Ron Gitz, CPA, CGMA • Executive Director/CEO - Society of Louisiana CPAs • Metairie, LA

3:15 – 3:20  Change Break

3:20pm - 4:35pm - General Session
AI Practical Uses and Policies
Brandon Lagarde, CPA, JD, LLM • EisnerAmper • Baton Rouge, LA
Brandon Smith, CPA • Mauldin & Jenkins • Atlanta, GA
Greg Langham, CPA, MBA • Malcolm Dienes, LLC • Metairie, LA
Zak Kinchen, CPA • Planters Bank • Indianola, MS
This panel will share practical applications, lessons learned, and real-world results from AI adoption. The discussion will explore firm policies, governance considerations, risk management, and best practices for balancing innovation, security, and client trust in an evolving technology landscape.

Notice

HOTEL INFORMATION
Cypress Summit attendees get exclusive rates on rooms for this event:

Marriott Baton Rouge
5500 Hilton Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
225-924-5000
Rate: $150/night  
Book by September 4!

RESERVE ONLINE

SPONSOR THIS EVENT

Sponsorship is a great way to connect with CPA professionals and increase your visibility within the community. To learn more or recommend a sponsor, contract Diedra Allen at dallen@louisiana.cpa or click here for more information.