2026 Accounting and Auditing Conference - IN PERSON - 1ST DAY ONLY

Dean Mead

Dean Mead is a Partner at Carr, Riggs & Ingram CPAs and Advisors (CRI), in the government and public sector industry line. Prior to joining CRI, Dean was a member of the staff of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) for 24 years, most recently as Assistant Director of Research and Technical Activities. During that time, he also was Coordinator for the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC) and the author of the GASB’s plain-language communications, including its award-winning User Guides. Between 2008 and 2020, Dean was an adjunct member of the Accounting and Information Systems faculty at Rutgers Business School, where he taught governmental accounting, auditing, and financial analysis. He is a member of the AICPA, FICPA, Association of Local Government Auditors, and Association of Government Accountants, among other professional organizations.

Karine Makaryan

Karine’s work primarily involves conducting internal control and financial audits, reviews, and compilations across various sectors, including nonprofit organizations. She brings a solid understanding of auditing and financial analysis to her role, with a particular focus on compliance and risk management. She also has extensive experience conducting single audits. Karine is chair of the Society of Louisiana CPAs Not-for-Profit Committee. She is also a member of LCPA’s Business for Business Committee.

Patricia Thibodeau

Trish Thibodeau has been practicing public accounting since 2008. She provides audit and consulting services to a variety of clients, including employee benefit plans and healthcare, nonprofit, and public sector entities.

Trish is a member of LaPorte's Employee Benefit Plan Services Group. She has experience auditing a variety of employee benefit plans, including 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and defined benefit plans.

Trish is also a member of the Healthcare Industry Group. She has served on LaPorte's hospital service district and health system audit engagements. Trish's services include managing financial statement audits, testing for compliance in accordance with Government Auditing Standards, and assisting in the preparation of financial statements.

Trish's primary public sector experience includes performing audits and single audits of governmental healthcare entities and school boards. She applies Government Auditing Standards and measures and reports on compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Trish is a member of the Public Sector Industry Group.

Dean Mead

Dean Mead is a Partner at Carr, Riggs & Ingram CPAs and Advisors (CRI), in the government and public sector industry line. Prior to joining CRI, Dean was a member of the staff of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) for 24 years, most recently as Assistant Director of Research and Technical Activities. During that time, he also was Coordinator for the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC) and the author of the GASB’s plain-language communications, including its award-winning User Guides. Between 2008 and 2020, Dean was an adjunct member of the Accounting and Information Systems faculty at Rutgers Business School, where he taught governmental accounting, auditing, and financial analysis. He is a member of the AICPA, FICPA, Association of Local Government Auditors, and Association of Government Accountants, among other professional organizations.

Kurt G. Oestriecher, CPA is the managing partner of Oestriecher & Company, CPAs of Alexandria, Louisiana and has been with the firm since graduating from The University of Louisiana in 1986 with a BBA in Accounting. He is partner in charge of accounting and auditing services, and is also involved in litigation support and small business consulting engagements. 

He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants (LCPA), and served as President of the LCPA in 2002-2003.  He is currently chair of the LCPA Professional Ethics Committee, and has chaired the Louisiana Accounting and Auditing Conference Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Budget Committee, and Nominating Committee.

Kurt served a four-year term on the Accounting and Review Services Committee of the AICPA from 2000-2004, and served a six-year term on the AICPA Joint Trial Board from 2005-2011.  He also served a three-year term as an elected member of AICPA Council and a one year term as Louisiana’s dedicated Council member.

Kurt was the recipient of the 1998, 2006, 2010 and 2018 Outstanding CPE Discussion Leader Award from the LCPA, and was named the Outstanding CPE Discussion Leader for the AICPA for twelve consecutive years.  He has authored many educational courses on accounting and auditing topics, including the AICPA “Annual Update for Accountants and Auditors”.  He has also served as an Adjunct Instructor of Accounting at LSUA and Northwestern State University.

Rebecca Hammond

Becky Hammond is an audit partner in the New Orleans practice unit of Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC. Becky utilizes more than 23 years of experience to serve clients in the governmental area. Her audit and accounting experience spans a variety of governmental entities, including municipalities, school boards, enterprise funds, special districts, and governmental employee benefit plans. She also has many years of experience serving not-for-profit entities, employee benefit plans, and closely-held businesses. She has issued numerous financial and compliance reports in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and OMB Uniform Guidance (formerly Circular A-133) for governmental, not-for-profit, and for profit entities, including funding from the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and FEMA. She serves as an assistant governmental line leader for her entire firm, currently in the top 25 largest firms in the United States.

Becky earned her Bachelor of Science in Management with an Accounting Major from Tulane University. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Louisiana Society of Certified Public Accountants (LCPA).  She serves on the LCPA Governmental Accounting & Auditing Committee. She is also a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the Accounting and Finance Women's Alliance (AFWA), and the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). Becky has led numerous internal and external governmental accounting and auditing seminars, including numerous presentations for the LCPA Governmental Accounting and Auditing Conference, the LCPA Accounting and Auditing Conference, the LCPA Not-for-Profit Workshop, and the annual convention for the AFWA.

As a member of the American Taekwondo Association (ATA), Becky is a Certified Instructor and a Fourth Degree Black Belt in Songahm Taekwondo.  She is also a six-time World Champion - 2017 World Champion in Creative Weapons, 2015-2016-2018 World Champion in XMA Weapons, and 2011 & 2013 World Champion in Combat Weapons Sparring. Her family owns Forever Driven Martial Arts, a Taekwondo school in Lakeview New Orleans. She is so very passionate about her students and the families at her school.

Les Nettleton served as Bourgeois Bennett’s Director of Information Technology Services for 35 years. In that capacity, he managed the team of specialists that both supports the technological infrastructure of Bourgeois Bennett and provided individualized technology services to the firm’s diverse client base.

Les has specialized experience in the areas of systems analysis, technology management consulting, database management and information systems training. He regularly addresses academic, community and professional groups and organizations, both locally and nationally, on a variety of technology topics and provides technology training to the firm’s staff.  Les was awarded the 2020 Outstanding CPE Discussion Leader by the Louisiana State Society of CPAs after receiving the highest overall speaker rating for 2020.

Active in the community, Les is on the Board of Directors of Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans. He is a member of the St. Catherine of Siena Pastoral Council.  He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs Technology Sector. Les is also a member of Technology Section for AGN North America, an international association of 200 accounting and consulting firms.