UGAA 2026 Spring Conference

Speaker Bios and Presentation Descriptions

Christian Napier (Director of AI, State of Utah Division of Technology Services)

Christian is the Director of AI for Utah’s Division of Technology Services, leading AI adoption across the state’s executive branch. An inaugural AI 50 Award honoree, he brings 25 years of experience in international sporting events and has served as a Knowledge and Learning Advisor to the International Olympic Committee since 2015.

Zach Boyd, PhD (Director, State of Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence)

Dr. Boyd directs the State of Utah’s Office of Artificial Intelligence, leading AI policy and innovation efforts. He is on leave from his faculty role at BYU to assist the State of Utah Office of AI. At BYU, his work centers on AI, machine learning, and mathematical modeling in social science. His past experience includes research roles at UNC Chapel Hill, UCLA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and BYU.

Artificial Intelligence Presentation - Christian Napier and Dr. Zach Boyd - 1 CPE

Topic Details TBD.

Michael J. Stevens, PhD (Professor of Management and Leadership at Weber State University)

Dr. Stevens is a Distinguished Professor of Management and Leadership at Weber State University whose work focuses on organizational performance, teamwork, leadership, and cross‑cultural effectiveness. He is known for award‑winning research on employment testing and has extensive experience as a trainer, consultant, and leader across industry, government, and nonprofit sectors.

Beyond Compliance: The Role of Character and Values in Ethical Behavior - 1 CPE

The traditional approach to ensuring ethical behavior through monitoring and audits has had success in achieving the goal of compliance. However, recent studies have begun to examine the role of character and values for fostering ethical behavior beyond mere compliance. This presentation will explore some of the potential pathways for leveraging a character and values based approach for attaining higher motivation for ethical behavior.

Alexandria (Alex) Romero, CPA, CGMA, MPAcc (Governmental and Leadership Training Facilitator at Galasso Learning Solutions)

Alex brings nearly 20 years of governmental and nonprofit accounting experience to Galasso Learning Solutions, where she develops engaging governmental training programs. A former CFO and public accounting auditor, she’s been widely recognized in the profession, including as one of the Top 50 Women in Accounting and an AICPA Outstanding Young CPA. She actively serves on several AICPA and Colorado Society of CPAs committees and recently completed the 48.6‑mile Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World.

Risk Assessment Deficiencies and Best Practices - 2 CPEs

Effective risk assessment is foundational to designing an appropriate audit response. This course introduces the audit risk model and provides an overview of the risk assessment procedures performed during audit engagements. Participants will examine the components of the audit risk model and review common risk assessment procedures, including inquiries, analytical procedures, observation, and inspection. The session emphasizes how risk assessment informs engagement planning and supports the development of appropriate audit responses. Participants will also explore frequently cited deficiency areas, including risk assessment, analytical procedures, and audit sampling. The course examines why these deficiencies occur and highlights best practices that can help reduce risk and strengthen overall audit execution. Designed for auditors seeking to enhance audit quality, this course helps participants recognize areas of heightened regulatory scrutiny and better understand how more effective risk assessment and planning can address common engagement deficiencies.