Keynote Speaker
Professor Ann C. Dzuranin
KPMG Endowed Professor of Accountancy at Northern Illinois University
Dr. Ann C. Dzuranin is the KPMG Endowed Professor of Accountancy at Northern Illinois University, where she has become a leading voice in transforming accounting education for the Data Analytics and AI era. A CPA with more than 15 years of experience in public and corporate accounting, Ann combines deep professional expertise with an academic career dedicated to reimagining how accountants learn, work, and lead in a data-driven world.
She earned her B.S. in Accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University, her MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business, and her Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of South Florida.
Her research and teaching focus on behavioral decision-making, data analytics, and the integration of emerging technologies into accounting. She is widely recognized for her pioneering work in developing data analytics curriculum and received the American Accounting Association’s Innovation in Accounting Education Award in 2018. Ann is also coauthor of Data and Analytics in Accounting: An Integrated Approach (Wiley), a textbook now used internationally to prepare the next generation of accountants.
Her scholarship has been published in leading journals, including Issues in Accounting Education, Journal of Information Systems, Journal of Business Ethics, Current Issues in Auditing, Journal of Forensic Accounting Research, and Strategic Finance, reflecting her cross-disciplinary contributions to accounting research and practice.
A dynamic and engaging speaker, Ann has delivered keynote talks and hands-on workshops across the globe, from AAA conferences and AICPA faculty forums to industry events hosted by Deloitte, KPMG, and the Connecticut Society of CPAs. In 2025 alone, she has been invited to present on topics ranging from AI ethics and generative tools in accounting classrooms to critical thinking with data visualization, sharing her insights with academics, practitioners, and students alike.
What distinguishes Ann is her ability to connect theory with practice—whether guiding faculty on embedding AI in the curriculum, mentoring students on using analytics to solve complex business problems or helping practitioners explore the opportunities and risks of new technologies. She brings energy, humor, and a deep commitment to innovation to every stage and classroom she enters.
Conference Speakers
Professor Sean Cao
Director and Founding faculty of the AI Initiative for Capital Market Research, associate professor at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland.
Dr. Cao is the Director and Founding faculty of the AI Initiative for Capital Market Research and holds the position of associate professor (with tenure) at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland. Additionally, he is an affiliated professor at Harvard Business School (D^3 Institute). Dr. Cao's research work has gained prominence in respected media outlets such as the Financial Times, CNBC, Bloomberg, The Guardian, Quartz, and IR Magazine. His research papers, some co-authored with PhD students, have received several best paper awards, including the Fama-DFA Prize from Journal of Financial Economics for From Man vs. Machine to Man + Machine: The Art and AI of Stock Analyses and the Michael J. Brennan Award from Review of Financial Studies for How to Talk When Machines are Listening: Corporate Disclosure in the Age of AI. He has published in leading journals across finance, accounting, and computer science including Journal of Accounting Research, Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Review of Financial Studies, The Accounting Review, Contemporary Accounting Research, Management Science, and IEEE Computer. Dr. Cao also contributes as a guest associate editor at Management Science and co-chaired conferences on FinTech and Machine Learning with the Review of Financial Studies, receiving 450 dual-option submissions.
Dr. Cao is deeply committed to helping business communities through his research. In addition to his role in founding and leading the AI initiative at the University of Maryland, he champions AI's impact in finance and accounting by delivering over 200 invited research talks at universities and national regulatory and policy-advisory agencies, including the Central Bank of Japan, the Central Bank of Thailand, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He promotes accessible learning on AI, fintech, and accounting through a free AI textbook for accounting/finance, short-term PhD seminars. and a tutorial blog site (YouTube: Sean Cao_Fintech or Bilibili ID: Seancao). Explore more at his website.
Yvonne Zhu
EY Canada Partner, Responsible AI Risks and Controls, AI Assurance Leader
Yvonne Zhu is EY Canadian Responsible AI Leader and Global Assurance AI Client Services leadership team. She has 20 years of experience in IT risk management, IT auditing and focuses on Responsible AI governance, risks, compliance and assurance since 2018. Yvonne has managed international projects on AI governance implementation and compliance assessment for clients in the Americas and Europe (consumer products, life science, public and technology sectors) based on frameworks including the EU AI Act, ISO42001, NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF) and EY’s proprietary framework.
She is a significant contributor to EY’s award winning Responsible AI Framework, AI Assurance Framework, AI auditing and testing approach. She collaborates closely with standard bodies and independent organizations to provide industry insight and feedback into draft standards. Organizations she worked with include Standard Council of Canada, ISO mirror committee, and Vector Institute on AI governance topics. She is a certified AIGP (IAPP AI Governance Profession), AAIA (ISACA Advanced in AI Audit), CIPP/C, and CISSP.
Bruce Meng
Data Scientist with the Enforcement Division at the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC)
Bruce Meng is a Data Scientist with the Enforcement Division at the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC). He has been focused on developing quantitative and computational methods of analysis to assist with Enforcement investigations.
Previously he was a manager with an internal data science consulting team at BMO Wealth Management, and the financial strategy team at BMO Capital Markets. He was also part of the treasury team at payment processor Moneris Solutions, specializing in cash forecasting, investment management and foreign exchange trading. He found some fame on Reddit with the creation of an extractive summarization app prior to the advent of large language models.
Bruce completed his BCom at the University of Toronto (Mississauga) and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).
Gary Filan
Partner, National Leader, Microsoft Practice, KPMG Canada.
Gary Filan brings a wealth of experience to his role as a Partner and National Leader of KPMG in Canada's Microsoft Practice. With over 25 years in the industry, Gary has developed a strong foundation in advising both private and public sector organizations across Canada. His experience lies in leveraging the Microsoft ecosystem to drive digital transformations and foster innovation within their organizations. Gary's approach to consulting is rooted in a deep understanding of technology and its potential to solve complex business challenges.
Throughout his career, Gary has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence and a passion for helping organizations harness the power of technology to achieve their strategic objectives. In his current position, Gary is tasked with the operational and strategic growth of KPMG Canada's Microsoft capabilities across functions, industries, and geographies. Gary's areas of specialization span across advisory, digital transformation, innovation, strategic alliances, technology, and data & AI.