John Buckley, CPA, CGMA

John is the leader of AAFCPAs’ Educational Services practice, serving diverse academic and education services clients spanning independent schools, colleges/universities, special education schools, education services, charter schools and charter management organizations (CMOs).

He fully understand the nuances of the educational services industry and  business and operational challenges faced by these institutions, including funding and regulatory issues such as: capital campaign structures, complex endowments, alternative investments, debt financing and tax credit options, and unique governance concerns and internal control risks. He advises education clients on best practice internal controls related to procurement, payment, payroll/benefits, budgeting, and information technology policies. He advises AAFCPAs’ Charter School clients on their unique control issues, including recommendations to improve policies and procedures surrounding contracts and transactions with sponsoring organizations, conflicts of interest, space acquisition, student residency and billing.

John chairs AAFCPAs’ Risk Committee and oversees the firm’s Enterprise Risk Management Program, ensuring proper practices are in place to surface, understand, and manage priority risks. Additionally, John performs various types of fraud audits for clients, including cash disbursement, credit card fraud, and falsifying employee reimbursement. He has been asked to serve as an expert witness for several attorneys involved in fraud cases.

John regularly presents training sessions to the nonprofit community on various topics including fraud mitigation, nonprofit governance, increasing operational efficiency while maintaining sound internal controls, and understanding financial statements. John is a 2010 Worcester Business Journal 40 under 40 winner. He has been serving AAFCPAs’ clients since 1994.

Education

• Worcester State University – Bachelor of Science, Accounting, cum laude

Publications

• Bloomberg: Tax Day and North End Restaurants Cry Foul
• Net Assets Magazine: To Stay Secure, Think Like a Fraudster (National Business Officers Association Premium Content)
• Net Assets Magazine: The Inside Job: As technology advances, so does the proliferation of more complex fraud schemes
• Massachusetts Nonprofit Network: Nonprofit 411: Is Fraud Preventable? How to safeguard the nonprofit organization

Service

• Christa McAuliffe Charter School – Board of Directors
• Worcester State Foundation – Board of Directors
• Boy Scouts of America, Narragansett Council – Volunteer