AICPA 2026 Leadership Agenda: What CPAs Need to Know

The American Institute of CPAs has a new leader at the helm, and the implications for practicing CPAs extend far beyond a simple title change. As of May 2026, Jan Lewis, CPA, CGMA, officially became the 113th Chair of the AICPA Board of Directors, bringing a distinct perspective shaped by decades of experience at a regional accounting firm. For CPAs navigating an era of rapid technological change, persistent talent shortages, and heightened public scrutiny, understanding the AICPA 2026 leadership agenda isn’t just professional curiosity—it’s strategic planning.

Lewis’s elevation from Vice Chair to Chair follows the traditional AICPA succession path, but her priorities signal a deliberate focus on three interconnected themes: rebuilding trust in the profession, pursuing purposeful innovation rather than technology adoption for its own sake, and addressing the pipeline crisis threatening the profession’s future. These aren’t abstract talking points—they translate directly into guidance, initiatives, and expectations that will shape how CPAs practice throughout the 2026-2027 AICPA year.

Who is the Current AICPA Chair?

Jan Lewis, CPA, CGMA now serves as Chair of both the AICPA Board of Directors and the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the joint AICPA-CIMA organization). She assumed this dual leadership role following her election at the AICPA Spring Council meeting held in New Orleans, Louisiana, with the official announcement released on May 20, 2026.

Lewis succeeds Lexy Kessler, CPA, CGMA, continuing what has become a notable trend of women leading the profession’s largest membership organization. Her background differs significantly from many recent AICPA chairs: rather than coming from a Big Four firm or major national practice, Lewis serves as Tax Partner at BMSS Advisors & CPAs, a regional firm serving clients across Alabama and Mississippi.

This regional firm background matters because it shapes her understanding of the challenges facing the majority of CPA practices. According to AICPA data, firms with fewer than 20 professionals represent the vast majority of CPA practices in the United States. Lewis’s daily experience involves the same technology decisions, staffing challenges, and client service pressures that most CPAs face—a perspective that differs from leaders whose careers centered on Fortune 500 audits or international consulting engagements.

Her credentials extend beyond her firm role. Lewis was recognized on the Forbes 2026 “America’s Best-in-State CPAs” list, validating her standing among peers. She has served the Mississippi Society of CPAs in various leadership capacities and represented her state on AICPA Council before ascending to the Board of Directors. This progression from state society involvement to national leadership reflects the traditional pathway AICPA cultivates for developing future chairs.

How is the AICPA Chair Selected?

The AICPA Chair selection follows a structured governance process designed to ensure broad representation and deliberate leadership development. Understanding this process helps CPAs appreciate how the organization’s priorities emerge and evolve.

The AICPA Governing Council serves as the organization’s primary policy-making body, composed of representatives from state CPA societies and at-large members elected by the membership. Council meets at least twice annually—at Spring and Fall sessions—with the Spring Council meeting serving as the venue for officer elections.

The Chair serves a one-year term, but the path to that position typically begins years earlier through service on AICPA committees, task forces, and eventually the Board of Directors. The Vice Chair position functions as a stepping stone: the individual elected Vice Chair one year stands for election as Chair the following year. This succession model provides continuity while allowing Council to confirm leadership at each transition.

Jan Lewis followed this exact path. She was elected Vice Chair at the Spring Council meeting in Washington, DC during the 2024-2025 AICPA year, positioning her to stand for election as the 113th Chair in 2026. The Mississippi Society of CPAs and her firm, BMSS Advisors & CPAs, publicly announced her Vice Chair election with the explicit expectation that she would become Chair the following year.

Lindsay Stevenson’s election as Vice Chair at the same May 2026 Spring Council meeting means she is now positioned to become the 114th AICPA Chair in 2027, continuing the succession pipeline. Stevenson previously chaired AICPA’s Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee, suggesting continued organizational focus on diversity in leadership.

What Does the AICPA Chair Do?

The AICPA Chair serves as the organization’s primary spokesperson and strategic leader, though the role differs from a corporate CEO position. The Chair provides direction and emphasis rather than operational control, working alongside AICPA’s professional staff leadership to shape the organization’s priorities and public presence.

Key responsibilities of the AICPA Chair include:

• Presiding over Board of Directors meetings and setting Board agendas
• Representing AICPA before Congress, regulatory agencies, and other external stakeholders
• Delivering keynote addresses at major AICPA conferences including ENGAGE
• Championing specific initiatives aligned with stated priorities
• Coordinating with state CPA societies on profession-wide challenges
• Serving as Chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA-CIMA)

The Chair does not directly control standard-setting bodies like the Auditing Standards Board or the Professional Ethics Executive Committee, though the Chair’s priorities influence resource allocation and organizational emphasis. When Jan Lewis emphasizes “trust,” for example, this signals that AICPA staff and committees will likely prioritize initiatives related to audit quality, ethical practice, and public confidence in the profession.

The volunteer nature of the position deserves emphasis. Lewis continues her role as Tax Partner at BMSS Advisors & CPAs while serving as Chair. This dual responsibility keeps the Chair grounded in practice realities but also limits the time available for AICPA duties—another reason why the Chair’s role focuses on strategic direction rather than operational management.

AICPA 2026 Leadership Priorities for CPA Firms

The AICPA’s May 20, 2026 announcement explicitly identified three priority themes for Lewis’s term: trust, purposeful innovation, and the next generation of talent. For practicing CPAs, understanding what these themes mean in practical terms helps anticipate organizational direction and identify opportunities for engagement.

Rebuilding and Reinforcing Trust

The trust priority addresses growing concerns about the profession’s role in capital markets and public confidence. Recent years have seen high-profile audit failures, questions about auditor independence, and regulatory scrutiny from the PCAOB and SEC. For CPAs in public practice, the trust agenda likely translates into continued emphasis on quality management standards, peer review rigor, and ethical practice guidance.

Firms should expect AICPA to maintain focus on:

1. Quality management system implementation and documentation
2. Peer review program enhancements and remediation processes
3. Ethics guidance addressing emerging conflicts of interest
4. Public communication about the profession’s value proposition

The practical implication for firm leaders: invest in quality infrastructure now rather than waiting for regulatory pressure. Firms that have already implemented robust quality management systems—including those using cloud-hosted environments for secure, documented workflows—will find themselves ahead of peers scrambling to meet heightened expectations.

Purposeful Innovation

Lewis’s emphasis on “purposeful” innovation deliberately distinguishes between thoughtful technology adoption and chasing every new tool. This framing acknowledges that AI, automation, and cloud technologies are transforming accounting work while cautioning against implementations that compromise professional judgment or client service quality.

For CPAs evaluating technology investments, the purposeful innovation framework suggests asking:

• Does this technology enhance our professional judgment or replace it inappropriately?
• How does this tool affect our ethical obligations to clients?
• What controls ensure data security and client confidentiality?
• Does implementation support or undermine our quality management system?

The AICPA has been developing guidance on AI use in accounting and auditing, and Lewis’s term will likely see expanded resources in this area. Practitioners should watch for updated guidance on using AI tools for tax preparation, audit analytics, and advisory services—guidance that balances efficiency gains against professional responsibility. Our recent exploration of AI readiness assessment for accounting firms provides a framework for evaluating where your practice stands.

Next-Generation Talent Development

The pipeline crisis facing the accounting profession has been well-documented: declining CPA exam candidates, reduced accounting program enrollments, and increasing competition for graduates from other fields. Lewis inherits this challenge at a critical moment, with CPA Evolution—the redesigned CPA exam—now fully implemented as of 2024 and all current candidates operating under the new model.

The talent priority likely encompasses:

• Continued CPA Pipeline Initiative funding and expansion
• State society partnerships on recruitment and retention
• Scholarship and educational support programs
• Competency framework updates reflecting technology skills
• Advocacy for licensure pathway flexibility

For firm leaders, this AICPA priority creates opportunities to engage with pipeline programs, mentor students, and participate in recruitment initiatives. Firms that position themselves as technology-forward, flexible workplaces may find AICPA resources and messaging increasingly aligned with their recruitment efforts.

How New AICPA Leadership Affects Small Accounting Practices

Jan Lewis’s background at a regional firm distinguishes her from many recent AICPA chairs and may signal increased attention to the realities facing small and mid-sized practices. While AICPA serves members across all firm sizes, the organization’s resources and guidance sometimes skew toward larger practice challenges. Lewis’s daily experience at BMSS Advisors & CPAs provides firsthand understanding of issues like:

• Technology investment decisions with limited budgets
• Competing for talent against larger firms and non-accounting employers
• Maintaining quality standards without dedicated compliance departments
• Serving clients who need practical solutions, not theoretical frameworks

Small firm practitioners should watch for AICPA initiatives that acknowledge these realities. The “purposeful innovation” theme, in particular, resonates with firms that cannot afford to experiment with every new technology but need guidance on which investments deliver genuine value.

The practical implication: small firm leaders should engage with AICPA resources during Lewis’s term rather than assuming guidance applies only to larger practices. Her regional firm perspective may produce initiatives specifically designed for practices without dedicated compliance or technology staff.

What This Means for Cloud-Based Accounting Firms

Firms that have adopted cloud-hosted environments for their practice management, tax software, and accounting applications are particularly well-positioned for the AICPA’s 2026 priorities. The trust and purposeful innovation themes align directly with the benefits cloud hosting provides: documented access controls, automated backups, secure remote access, and consistent application environments.

When AICPA emphasizes quality management documentation, firms using cloud-hosted tax software can point to built-in audit trails, access logs, and security certifications that on-premises installations often lack. When the organization promotes purposeful technology adoption, cloud hosting represents exactly this approach: proven infrastructure that enhances practice efficiency without requiring firms to become IT experts.

The talent priority also connects to cloud adoption. Younger professionals entering the profession expect technology-enabled, flexible work arrangements. Firms that can offer secure remote access to practice applications—whether QuickBooks, Lacerte, Drake Tax, or ProSeries—have a recruiting advantage that aligns with AICPA’s pipeline focus.

AICPA Policy Changes Impacting CPAs in 2026

While the Chair sets strategic direction, specific policy changes emerge from AICPA’s various committees, task forces, and standard-setting bodies. Several ongoing initiatives will continue or evolve during Lewis’s term, creating compliance and practice implications for CPAs.

CPA Evolution Implementation

The redesigned CPA exam launched in 2024, and by 2026, all candidates operate under the new model featuring a core section plus one of three discipline sections (Business Analysis and Reporting, Information Systems and Controls, or Tax Compliance and Planning). Firms hiring new CPAs should understand how the discipline specialization affects candidate preparation and early-career development.

Lewis’s next-generation talent priority suggests continued AICPA investment in supporting candidates through this transition and addressing any implementation challenges that emerge. Practitioners involved in mentoring or supervising new CPAs should stay current on AICPA resources for CPA Evolution support.

Quality Management Standards

The AICPA’s quality management standards (SQMS No. 1 and SQMS No. 2) require firms to design and implement quality management systems. While initial implementation deadlines have passed, the trust priority suggests ongoing emphasis on effective implementation rather than mere compliance.

Firms should expect continued peer review focus on quality management system effectiveness. Those struggling with documentation or implementation should leverage AICPA resources before their next peer review cycle.

Technology and AI Guidance

AICPA has been developing guidance on artificial intelligence use in accounting and auditing, addressing questions about professional responsibility when using AI-generated work products. The purposeful innovation theme suggests this guidance will emphasize thoughtful implementation rather than blanket approval or prohibition.

Practitioners using AI tools for tax research, audit analytics, or client communication should monitor AICPA releases for updated guidance. The organization’s position will likely influence state board interpretations and peer review expectations.

Advocacy and Legislative Engagement

As AICPA Chair, Lewis will represent the profession before Congress and regulatory agencies. Current advocacy priorities include:

• Tax administration modernization and IRS funding
• Licensure mobility and practice privilege reciprocity
• Educational pathway flexibility for CPA candidates
• Data privacy and security requirements affecting accountants

CPAs engaged in state society advocacy or interested in profession-wide policy should align their efforts with AICPA priorities during Lewis’s term. The AICPA Advocacy page provides current legislative priorities and opportunities for member engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions About AICPA Leadership

Who is Jan Lewis and why was she chosen as AICPA chair 2026?

Jan Lewis, CPA, CGMA is a Tax Partner at BMSS Advisors & CPAs, a regional accounting firm serving clients in Alabama and Mississippi. She was chosen through AICPA’s standard succession process: after serving on the AICPA Board of Directors, she was elected Vice Chair in 2025, then elected as the 113th Chair by the Governing Council at the Spring 2026 meeting in New Orleans. Her selection reflects both her leadership experience and the profession’s desire for a chair who understands the challenges facing regional and mid-sized firms.

When does Jan Lewis officially become AICPA chair?

Jan Lewis officially became AICPA Chair upon her election at the Spring Council meeting, with the AICPA announcing her new role on May 20, 2026. Her one-year term runs through Spring Council 2027, when the next Chair will be elected.

What are Jan Lewis’ priorities as the new AICPA chair?

Lewis has articulated three primary priorities for her term: trust (rebuilding confidence in the profession’s role in capital markets and public service), purposeful innovation (thoughtful technology adoption that preserves professional judgment), and the next generation of talent (addressing the pipeline crisis and supporting future CPAs). These themes will shape AICPA’s resource allocation, conference programming, and public messaging throughout the 2026-2027 year.

How will the AICPA leadership change affect CPAs in 2026?

Individual CPAs will see Lewis’s priorities reflected in AICPA guidance, conference content, and member resources. Expect increased emphasis on quality management implementation, practical AI adoption guidance, and pipeline support programs. Firms should also anticipate peer review focus areas aligned with the trust priority and technology guidance reflecting the purposeful innovation theme.

What happens at AICPA Spring Council 2026?

The Spring Council 2026 meeting in New Orleans served as the venue for electing Jan Lewis as Chair and Lindsay Stevenson as Vice Chair. Council meetings also address policy resolutions, strategic planning updates, and coordination between AICPA and state CPA societies. The Spring meeting typically sets the agenda for the coming AICPA year.

How does AICPA chair selection process work?

The AICPA Governing Council—composed of state society representatives and at-large members—elects the Chair and Vice Chair at its Spring meeting. The Vice Chair typically stands for election as Chair the following year, creating a predictable succession path. This process ensures broad member input through Council representation while providing leadership continuity through the Vice Chair progression.

Looking Ahead: Engaging with AICPA During Lewis’s Term

For CPAs who want to do more than passively observe AICPA leadership changes, Lewis’s term offers multiple engagement opportunities. The organization’s committee structure, conference programming, and state society partnerships all provide pathways for involvement.

Practitioners interested in shaping profession-wide direction should consider:

1. Attending ENGAGE 2026 (typically held in June) where Lewis will likely deliver her first major keynote as Chair
2. Participating in state society programs that feed into AICPA Council representation
3. Volunteering for AICPA committees aligned with the three priority themes
4. Engaging with pipeline initiatives through mentoring, campus visits, or scholarship support
5. Providing feedback on AICPA guidance through exposure draft comment processes

The trust, purposeful innovation, and next-generation talent themes aren’t just talking points—they represent the lens through which AICPA will evaluate resource allocation, initiative development, and member communication throughout the coming year. CPAs who understand these priorities can better anticipate organizational direction and position their practices accordingly.

As the profession navigates technological transformation, regulatory scrutiny, and demographic challenges, AICPA leadership matters more than it might during stable periods. Jan Lewis brings a regional firm perspective to national leadership at a moment when practical, ground-level insight may prove more valuable than theoretical frameworks. Her success—and the profession’s—depends on translating the trust, innovation, and talent themes into concrete actions that improve practice quality, technology adoption, and career pathways for future CPAs.

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