AICPA Engage 2025 – From Exclusion to Empowerment
Next week, I’ll be speaking at the AICPA Engage 2025 conference in Las Vegas on a topic that’s personal and powerful: the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ professionals in accounting.
Our session, “From Exclusion to Empowerment: Elevating Voices and Building Together,” will take place on Tuesday, June 10 from 4:00–4:50 PM PDT. It’s a panel discussion with me, Dave Kersting, and Joclyn Torain, moderated by Crystal Cooke, the Director of Diversity & Inclusion at the AICPA.
Here’s a link to the session at AICPA Engage 2025.
We’ve structured the session to be conversational, honest, and actionable. We’ll begin by sharing our personal stories—moments of exclusion or invisibility—and then transition into the tools, mindsets, and strategies we use to create more inclusive environments today.
Why This Matters
One of the themes I’ll focus on is visibility. Visibility and empowerment are deeply connected. When someone feels empowered, they’re more likely to show up fully and authentically—and when we’re visible, we empower others who are still questioning whether it’s safe for them to be seen.
Being visible as an LGBTQ+ person in the workplace—or even in everyday life—can still be risky. And for many, it’s not a choice they feel safe making. That’s why we need to keep having these conversations, especially in industries like accounting where LGBTQ+ visibility is still rare.
This Is Our Everyday Life
A video from Oslo Pride 2025 has been circulating on social media, and it captures something many LGBTQ+ people experience on a daily basis. Even though it’s from Norway, the scenes are universal.
🚌 I’ve been that guy on public transportation, scanning for some sign that it’s okay to just exist.
💼 I’ve been that person walking into a job interview, wondering how much of myself I can safely reveal.
🚖 We ARE that couple every time we get into a taxi or ride-share, hoping we don’t get judged—or worse. (That rainbow sticker in the Oslo cab? It says “Trygg,” which means “safe.”)
🤝 I’ve been that person joining a new client team or community group, gauging whether I need to keep my guard up.
You can watch the video or read a short write-up here:
👉 This Heartwarming Short Film Offers a Powerful Reminder of Why Pride Month Matters
My Call to Action
If you’re LGBTQ+, I invite you to empower yourself to be visible—whatever that looks like for you. And if you’re an ally, know that you play a crucial role in creating the environments where visibility feels safe.
We don’t need performative Pride once a year. We need consistent signals—big and small—that say:
🟢 You’re safe here.
🟢 You’re seen.
🟢 You belong.
If you’re attending AICPA Engage, I hope you’ll join us for this honest and hope-filled conversation. If you can’t be there, I hope you’ll read, reflect, and keep building spaces where all of us can thrive.
