Heather Acker

Heather Acker

CPA

Managing Partner

+1 (608) 240 2374

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Heather Acker leads Baker Tilly’s firmwide risk advisory practice. With more than 20 years of experience, her responsibilities include oversight of 300 professionals who specialize in helping clients to address governance, risk and compliance issues in areas such as internal audit, enterprise risk management (ERM), regulatory compliance and management of financial and operational risks. Prior to this role, Heather oversaw all aspects of quality for Baker Tilly’s public sector industry practice, specializing in serving the needs of state and local government clients. She also served as Baker Tilly’s Central region assurance professional practice group leader and chair of the firm’s Assurance Innovation Committee. She has been deeply involved in professional industry associations, including AICPA committees, throughout her career. Heather serves on Baker Tilly’s Board of Partners.

  • Provides leadership, management and strategic direction for the firm's risk advisory practice
  • Provides leadership in operations, service design and growth strategies across the risk advisory practice
  • Guides execution of accounting policies and procedures to improve the operation of the accounting function and strengthen internal controls
  • Oversees financial and single audits of governments
  • Leads Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) strategic planning and implementation services for clients
  • Reports to governing bodies
  • Environmental, social and governance specialists
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
  • Institute of Internal Auditors
  • AICPA peer review oversight program
  • AICPA state and local government expert panel (2009-2012 and 2015-2020) and chair (2016-2020)
  • AICPA Government Audit Quality Center Executive Committee (2012-2015)
  • Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • Regular speaker at national and regional industry conferences
  • GASB Tribal government accounting workshop group  (2018-2021)
  • Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
  • GFOA Special Report Review Committee
  • Wisconsin Government Finance Officers Association
  • Illinois Government Finance Officers Association
  • Authors published articles on municipal accounting issues
  • Recognized contributor to AICPA, including “State and local government audit guide”, “Government auditing standards and single audit guide”, “State and local government audit risk alert” and “Government auditing standards and single audit risk alert”

Location

Madison, WI

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting

University of Wisconsin Madison