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

Palumbo-Donahue School of Business
  • Eugene P. Beard Outstanding Service Award, 2020-2021
  • Dean's Award for Outstanding Teaching, 2020-2021
  • Dean's Award for Outstanding Teaching, 2017-2018

Current and Past Membership

Duquesne University

  • Member, Accounting Advisory Board
  • Member, Internship and Job Placement Committee
  • Member, Teaching Committee
  • Member, Scholarship Committee

Family House
  • Co-Chair, Annual Family House Polo Prizes and Awards Committee
  • Member, Board of Directors
  • Chair, Development Committee

Internal Auditor Association (IIA)
  • Member, College and University Relations Committee
  • Secretary, Board of Governors

PA Women Work
  • Member, Board of Directors
  • Chair, Finance Committee

Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA)
  • Member, College and University Relations Committee
  • Board of Directors Executive Committee for Western Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Medical Society 

  • Member, CEO Advisory Panel

University of Pittsburgh Physicians (UPP)
  • Board of Directors, Finance Committee
  • Member, Advisory Administration Committee to the President

University of Pittsburgh, School of Public Health
  • Member, National Advisory Committee

UPMC Passavant Hospital
  • Board Member

UPMC St. Margaret's Hospital
  • Board Member

Professional Organizations
  • Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
  • Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
  • Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
  • Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs (PICPA)

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.