Jacob Gatlin, CPA, Ph.D, is a Director in the Firm’s governmental practice, providing assurance and advisory services to a broad range of entities throughout the Southeast. A recognized leader in technical audit and accounting issues, Jacob currently serves as a government-zone telephonic member on the AICPA Private Company Practice Section’s Technical Issues Committee (“TIC”), which advocates on behalf of accounting firms and their clients in the standard-setting process with the FASB, GASB, ASB, ARSC, PEEC, and PRB. From 2015-2019, Jacob served as full committee member of TIC, including one term as chair of the FASB section. Since 2018, Jacob has served as the practitioner expert on peer review teams for the premier global accrediting group AACSB in their accreditation processes for university accounting programs around the world. Since 2019, Jacob has served on the Alabama Society of CPAs Education Committee, which is dedicated to improving the accounting profession through various initiatives such as supporting Annual Accounting Interview Day, educating high school counselors about the profession, and recognizing distinguished educators through the ASCPA Outstanding Accounting Educator Award. In 2016, Jacob served on the AICPA Revenue Recognition Task Force, which developed general and industry-specific auditing guidance related to ASC 606 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers. From 2011-2014, Jacob also served as a member of the AICPA’s IRS Advocacy and Relations Committee, which monitors legislative and regulatory activity related to procedural and general administrative matters, and develops technical and policy recommendations related to tax procedure and administration, including suggestions to improve and simplify tax forms and instructions, IRS publications, and taxpayer educational materials. Jacob earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration with an Accounting Concentration from Kennesaw State University, as well as master’s and bachelor’s degrees in accounting from the University of Alabama-Huntsville, and continues to provide accounting and auditing instruction and continuing professional education to a broad range of learners. Jacob is a certified public accountant in Alabama, and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Alabama Society of CPAs, and the American Accounting Association. He currently resides in Athens, Alabama, and has two children, son, Carter, and daughter, Ella.