NCACPA Academy—A Different Kind of Learning Experience
Real leadership change doesn’t come from another session—it comes from immersive, cohort-based learning built for it. That’s NCACPA Academy.
Most professional development asks you to sit and absorb. NCACPA Academy asks you to show up, engage, and apply. Academy programs are multi-day, in-person experiences built around a single focus area, such as leadership, innovation, or a critical business topic, and led by experts who guide you through real work, real practice, and real feedback alongside a small cohort of peers.
This isn’t a conference session you attend once and forget. It’s not a self-paced course you complete alone. It’s a structured experience designed to produce a measurable shift in how you think and lead.
What Makes Academy Different
Academy programs are intentionally small and intentionally immersive. Instead of choosing between sessions on a packed agenda, you go deep on one thing with the same group of peers over several days. That structure is what makes the difference—it’s the difference between hearing an idea and actually building the skill.
Benefits & Features
- Small cohorts, real connection. Learn alongside a focused group of peers facing similar challenges—not a few hundred in a ballroom.
- Multi-day immersion. Extended time together allows for depth that a single keynote or breakout session can’t match.
- Built for application, not just information. Every Academy program includes structured practice, discussion, and feedback, so you leave with skills you’ve already started using, not just a stack of slides.
- Expert facilitation, not just a speaker. Academy programs are led by practitioners and credentialed experts who coach you through the material, not just present it.
- Tailored to career stage and topic. Whether you’re developing as a leader, sharpening your firm’s strategy, or getting ahead on emerging technology, there’s an Academy built around where you are.
- A lasting peer network. Many participants stay connected with their cohort long after the program ends—a built-in support system as they apply what they’ve learned.
Upcoming Academy Programs
Emerging Leaders Experience: Level 1
November 4–6, 2026 | AC Marriott, Raleigh
This program will equip participants to lead effectively in their current roles, with an eye toward helping them advance to the next level. Equipped with a personal profile completed before the event, participants will better understand the strengths, struggles, style, and tendencies that shape their leadership style, enabling them to make a unique and valuable contribution to their organizations.
Facilitated by Jon Lokhorst, CSP, CPA, PCC, author of Mission-Critical Leadership
Emerging Leaders Experience: Level 2
Spring/Summer 2027 | TBA
Targets the supervisor-to-manager path, with a focus on specific skills such as adaptive leadership, strategic thinking, and coaching. More information coming soon!
AI Firm Adoption Academy: Build Your 90-Day Implementation Roadmap
November 9–10, 2026 | NCACPA Office, Raleigh
Move beyond AI awareness and start building a practical implementation strategy for your firm. This highly interactive academy is designed for CPA firm leaders who are ready to transform AI from experimental technology into a strategic business tool. Ideal for firm owners, managing partners, operations leaders, and technology champions.
Instructor: John H. Higgins, CPA.CITP (Higgins Advisory)
Ready to Go Deeper?
Academy programs are intentionally limited to small cohorts, so seats fill quickly. Explore this year’s programs and find the one that fits where you are.
Contact Amelia Hodges with questions about any Academy program.