Course Description: Although it’s easy to look at the headlines and wonder, “Why do good people do bad things?”, a more important question we should all be asking ourselves is if we faced similar circumstances, would we have made the same choices as the people in the headlines? 

This course provides a look into ethical philosophies we all hold that guide our personal and professional lives and discusses the values upon which our choices are based. Ethical behavior is more than knowing what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s making the right choices for our profession and the organizations and customers we serve. The public looks to us as to maintain a standard of ethics and integrity and the Texas State Board holds us accountable for protecting the CPA brand, but are we meeting these obligations? 

CPE: 4.0 hours. This course is designed to meet the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy’s (TSBPA) Ethics Course Requirement for Licensees for four hours of continuing education. It also satisfies the annual ethics requirement for the Association 

Course Objectives: 

In this interactive and thought-provoking session participants will have the opportunity to: 

• Explore the foundations and philosophies of ethics
• Understand the Texas State Board’s Rules of Professional Conduct and the core values of our profession
• Practice applying ethical judgment in making choices appropriate for the profession and the public
• Identify the components and red flags of fraud
• Determine improvement opportunities for protecting the brand

Prerequisite: None 

Who Should Attend: 

While this course will meet the annual license requirements for CPAs, CIAs and CFEs, it is for anyone who wants a better understanding of personal, professional and organizational ethics. 

Instructor: Deanna Sullivan, SullivanSolutions

Deanna Sullivan is the founder and principal of SullivanSolutions, specializing in enhancing both corporate and individual business performance via customized solutions. Deanna has a diverse background ranging from auditing and accounting to consulting and training. Formerly a partner with Arthur Andersen, Deanna was Global Director of Process and Methodology for Andersen’s Risk Consulting practice. She developed Andersen’s Quality Assurance Review Methodology and the Global Best Practices for Internal Audit. Previously, Deanna was responsible for international and operational auditing at Enron Corp in Houston and Maxus Energy in Dallas. 

She received her BBA in Accounting from West Texas State University. Deanna is an internationally-recognized speaker and trainer. She is a frequent speaker for conferences and events around the globe and was a top-rated speaker at the 2007-2012 IIA International Conferences. In just the last few years, Deanna spoke at IIA events in the Netherlands, Indonesia, Bulgaria and Slovenia in addition to those in the US. Deanna conducts programs for both technical and management development. Deanna is also a Ziglar Legacy Certified trainer. 

Her most popular topics are in the areas of fraud, ethics, leadership and communications. Deanna has been delivering courses for the IIA’s On-Site Training since 2003 and is often their Featured Instructor. The following are examples of her typical evaluations: “Ms. Sullivan is an outstanding instructor. She is very knowledgeable and her energy is contagious. She made the class very interesting and appealing.” “Deanna was great and I learned a lot! She brought the material to life with her experience, insight and excellent teaching techniques.” Deanna has the ability to take those less-exciting topics and make them interesting. She delivers a highly-rated ethics course, “Ethics for CPAs – It’s a Matter of Choice,” which is certified by the Texas State Board. 

Deanna has been actively involved with the IIA since 1987 when she was selected Outstanding New Member of the Dallas Chapter. She has served in a variety of roles at both the Chapter and International levels. She was a member of the International Conference Committee from 2004-2011 and Chairman of the 2006 International Conference in Houston, Texas. Deanna currently serves as Chairman of the Houston Chapter’s Annual Conference which draws 1,200 participants each year. Speaking is part of Deanna’s life and when not traveling she teaches a Bible Study class, reads a program for Taping for the Blind, and is on the Speakers Committee for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.