Heather Acker, managing principal and leader of the firm’s risk advisory practice, has more than two decades of experience serving public sector organizations. As the firm’s risk advisory practice leader, Heather’s 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, regulatory compliance and management of financial and operational risks. Prior to this role, she 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 has been deeply involved in professional industry associations, including AICPA committees, throughout her career. Heather serves on Baker Tilly’s board of principals.
- Administers 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
- Facilitates execution of accounting policies and procedures to improve the operation of the accounting function and strengthen internal controls
- Licensed CPA in Illinois and Wisconsin
- Extensive experience in:
- Overseeing financial and single audits of municipal and county governments
- Leading Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) strategic planning and implementation services for clients
- Preparing annual comprehensive financial report, as well as tax incremental financing; business improvement district; and special service area auditing, reporting and consulting services
- Reporting to governing bodies
- Served as Baker Tilly’s central region assurance professional practice group leader and chair of the firm’s assurance innovation committee
- Environmental, social and governance specialists
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
- AICPA Government Audit Quality Center Executive Committee, 2012-2015
- AICPA peer review oversight program
- AICPA state and local government expert panel, 2009-2012 and 2015-2020 and chair, 2016-2020
- GASB Tribal government accounting workshop group, 2018-2021
- Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
- GFOA Special Report Review Committee
- Illinois Government Finance Officers Association
- Wisconsin Government Finance Officers Association
- Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Authors published articles on municipal accounting issues
- Regular speaker at national and regional industry conferences
- 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”
• “Government auditing standards and single audit risk alert”
- Forbes Best-In-State Top CPAs: 2025 Honoree
- 2024 Woman to Watch, Wisconsin Institute of CPAs (WICPA)
