Be the Thought Leaders!

My deepest appreciation to Elaine Mauldin, the 2020–2021 AAA President for naming me the AAA 2021 Presidential Scholar and to Senior Editor W. Robert Knechel, for inviting the publication of this essay and providing written comments. I thank the following individuals for their comments on this essay: Helen Brown-Liburd, Nerissa Brown, Laura Field, Theresa Hammond, Michelle Harding, Yvonne Hinson, Andrea Roberts, and Kerri Sanderson. I am also indebted to Elaine Mauldin, Henock Louis, and Tamara Lambert, who joined me in the post-plenary panel at the 2021 AAA. My gratitude to those who have supported me throughout my scholarly journey: my professors and classmates at the University of Pittsburgh, The PhD Project, my current and former colleagues at Boston College, Georgia State University, and University of Delaware, my coauthor-friends, my BGM scholar group, and most of all, my family.

This commentary is based on the Presidential Scholar Lecture presented at the 2021 American Accounting Association (AAA) Annual Meeting (held virtually), requested by 2020–2021 President Elaine G. Mauldin. Senior Editor W. Robert Knechel commissioned the written commentary, consistent with the AAA Board of Directors’ goal to promote broad dissemination of the AAA Presidential Scholar Lectures.

Jennifer R. Joe, University of Delaware, Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, Accounting and Management Information Systems, Newark, DE, USA.

Editor’s note: Invited.