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Contact UsThe Professional Playbook – Unwritten Rules for Accounting Career Success
Event recap in case you missed it!
September 28, 2026
You’ve got the job, now what?
That question was at the heart of the final session in our Accounting Career Toolkit series, “The Professional Playbook: Unwritten Rules for Accounting Career Success.” Moderated by Dr. Letitia Pleis, the panel featured three accomplished accounting professionals and MSU Denver alumni who shared the lessons, habits, and career advice they wish they had known earlier in their careers.
From building credibility and professional relationships to navigating career changes, certifications, and emerging technologies, the discussion offered valuable insights for students and early-career professionals alike. Among the many takeaways, panelists emphasized the importance of taking initiative, communicating proactively, advocating for your accomplishments, and finding ways to add value beyond your assigned responsibilities.
Check out the speaker portion of the event below:
The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of MSU Denver.
Speaker Profiles
Letitia Pleis, PhD, CPA, CMA, CGMA, CSCA | Professor and Director, Master of Professional Accountancy Program at MSU Denver
Letitia is an active CPA and CMA who is focused on graduate education and provides valuable service to both the MPAcc and MBA programs. Letitia started her accounting career as a Financial Analyst for a medium-sized technology company, focusing on budgeting, GL accounting, and business unit-level accounting decisions. Letitia’s main teaching focus is on Cost Accounting, Strategic Cost, and Small Business Accounting. She is a great resource for students looking to network within the professional accounting community.
Lexi Feack, CPA, MPAcc | Tax Partner at Kurtz Fargo, LLP
Lexi Feack is a Tax Partner at Kurtz Fargo LLP, where she advises privately held businesses and their owners on complex tax planning, transactions, and compliance matters. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation of accounting professionals and has led recruiting, coaching, and professional development initiatives throughout her career. As someone who has progressed from campus recruit to partner, Lexi enjoys sharing the workplace habits, relationship-building skills, and unwritten expectations that help build a successful and rewarding accounting career.
Maury Green, CMA, MPAcc | Senior Controller at MSU Denver Foundation
Maury is a two-time MSU Denver alum with fourteen years of corporate accounting experience. She recently returned to MSU Denver as the Senior Controller for the MSU Denver Foundation. Maury is passionate about helping students transition from school to career.
Karen Gurgel, CFE, MPAcc | Retired Special Agent at IRS-Criminal Investigation
Karen Gurgel was a Special Agent with IRS-Criminal Investigation for twenty-four years, working a variety of financial fraud cases, including false claims submitted to the IRS, tax evasion, preparation of fraudulent tax returns, conspiracy to defraud the United States Government, mail fraud, wire fraud, and various violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. Karen has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from San Diego State University, a Master of Professional Accountancy from Metropolitan State University of Denver, and holds an active Certified Fraud Examiner license.