2025 TEI & Thomson Reuters Present: The Tax Department Professional of the Future

Join TEI & Thomson Reuters for a Free Webinar

Join TEI & Thomson Reuters for a free and insightful webinar exploring the evolving role of tax professionals in the era of technological transformation. As corporate tax departments increasingly integrate advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and generative AI, the landscape of tax work is rapidly changing. This session will delve into how these innovations are reshaping daily workflows, creating new opportunities for strategic engagement, and altering traditional job roles within tax departments. Learn how to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities presented by this tech-enabled revolution in the tax industry.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding the impact of AI and automation on tax workflows.
• Strategies for enhancing tech competency and integrating new technologies.
• The evolving role of tax professionals and the emergence of new job functions.
• Best practices for aligning tax technology strategies with broader business objectives.

Moderator:

Todd Lard: Tax Counsel, TEI

Todd A. Lard is Tax Counsel for TEI in Washington, D.C., where he supports the advocacy and educational activities of TEI’s State and Local Tax Committee. Prior to joining the TEI legal team in 2022, Todd was a partner in Eversheds Sutherland (US)’s state and local tax practice. His work focused on state and local tax policy, planning, and controversy. Before joining Eversheds Sutherland, Todd spent five years as Vice President and General Counsel at the Council On State Taxation (COST). His work there included legislative, administrative, and judicial advocacy on complex state and local tax issues for multistate corporations. Todd also served as a Tax Research Manager for Nextel Communications and worked in the Washington National Tax Office of KPMG. Todd received his B.A.B.A. in accounting from Dallas Baptist University, his J.D. from Oklahoma City University, and his LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. Todd is a frequent author and speaker and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he teaches a course on state income and franchise taxes.

Speakers:

Tracy Davis: Specialist Director – Manufacturing & Retail Industry Lead, Thomson Reuters

Tracy leads the Manufacturing & Retail Industry verticals at Thomson Reuters.  She joined from Walmart where she was Senior Director, Tax Technology & Data Team covering Transaction Systems. Prior to that, Tracy led the Global Tax Process Improvement & Automation Team (TPIAT) at Amazon, supporting 74 countries, and served over 20 years in the Big 4 and Tax software companies dedicated to assisting Fortune and Global 1000 companies, spanning all industries, streamline and optimize tax processes and operations, resolve key pain points, reduce risk, and scale to be able to support future growth, geo-expansions, and constantly changing regulatory environments. 

Jessica Ponzo: Director - U.S. Indirect Tax and Tax Technology, Wesco

Jessica Ponzo is a seasoned tax professional with extensive experience in tax technology and indirect tax management. Currently serving as Manager of Tax Technology at WESCO Distribution since April 2020, Jessica has a proven track record in managing sales tax audits and implementing process improvements. Previously, Jessica held multiple roles, including Senior Tax Accountant, Supervisor of Tax Technology, and Indirect Tax Analyst at Matthews International from November 2016 to April 2020. Earlier in Jessica's career, from June 2011 to October 2016, Jessica worked as a Business Performance Analyst at Dominion Retail, focusing on sales tax processes and billing administration. Jessica earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Duquesne University in 2012.