Contact Information

Biography

Val Trott Williams, CPA, MBA, CIA, CHFP, CFE, CFF, PmP, Certification in Cyber Security, is an Associate Professor of Accounting at the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business.

Val has been a full-time Duquesne University faculty member since 2001. Prior to her full-time appointment, for eight years, she was an adjunct faculty member at Duquesne and several other Universities.

Her teaching and research interests include auditing, fraud and forensics, accounting information systems, financial accounting, and managerial accounting. She also conducts executive education training. 

Val engages in consulting assignments for corporations to improve overall operations, resulting in incremental profits, staff retention, and improved productivity.

Prior to Duquesne, Val spent 13 years in various capacities including: public accounting at Deloitte and Touche, controllership roles at Dick’s Sporting Goods, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), and the Chief Audit Executive at UPMC. 

Education

  • M.B.A., University of Pittsburgh
  • B.S.B.A., Accounting, Duquesne University

School

Val is actively involved in many professional organizations including the PICPA, ACFE, IIA, and HFMA.

She currently is or has been a member of the following Boards and Committees: 

  • Pennsylvania Medical Society CEO Advisory Panel
  • Internal Auditor Association (IIA) – Member of the College and University Relations Committee; Secretary for the Board of Governors
  • UPMC St. Margaret’s  - Board Member
  • UPMC Passavant Hospital – Board Member
  • Duquesne University – Member of the Accounting Advisory Board; Member of the Internship and Job Placement Committee; Member of the Teaching Committee; Member of the Scholarship Committee
  • Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) – Member of the College and University Relations Committee; Board of Directors Executive Committee for Western Pennsylvania
  • University of Pittsburgh Physicians (UPP)– Board of Directors of the UPP Finance Committee; Member of the Advisory Administration Committee to the President
  • Family House – Co-Chairperson of the Annual Family House Polo Prizes and Awards Committee; Member of the Board of Directors; Chair of the Development Committee
  • University of Pittsburgh, School of Public Health – National Advisory Committee
  • PA Women Work – Member of the Board of Directors; Chair of Finance Committee

Articles in Journals

Williams, V. & Kollar, R. (2021). The Impact of COVID-19 in Accounting Education. Journal of Digital Business Systems and Management.

Williams, V. & Kollar, R. (2021). Lessons Learned from the Transition to Online Education. Pennsylvania CPA Journal.

Williams, V. & Pike, J. (2017). Role-Playing and Problem-Based Learning. Information Systems Education Journal.

Williams, V. & Kollar, R. (2017). Strategies for Passing the CPA Exam and Filling the Pipeline. CPA Journal.

Williams, V., Kollar, R., Pike, J., & Spangler, W. (in press, 2015). PICPA's Challenge Bolsters Classroom Learning. CPA Journal, 86 (3), 67.

Williams, V. & Kollar, R. (in press, 2015). Certified Public Accountants. Encyclopedia of Business Ethics/Society.

Williams, V. & Kollar, R. (in press, 2015). American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Encyclopedia of Business Ethics/Society.

Williams, V., Nagle, B., Rau, S., Kollar, R., Yurko, A., Yezen H. Kannan, Bryan Menk and Bonnie Morris (2015). How one accounting department is preparing students for the updated CPA exam. Extra Credit, The Newsletter for Accounting Educators.

Williams, V. & Kollar, R. (in press, 2013). What are the risks? Journal of Accountancy.

Williams, V. & Kollar, R. (2013). Red, Blue and Busted. Internal Auditor.