Don’t Risk It!
Leveraging Uniform Guidance and Risk Assessments to Combat Fraud
Thursday, April 30, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Virtual Only
Fraud, waste, and abuse continue to pose significant risks to government and grant-funded organizations, particularly in an environment of increased funding, heightened scrutiny, and complex compliance requirements. Don’t Risk It! Leveraging Uniform Guidance and Risk Assessments to Combat Fraud provides a practical, real-world examination of how fraud occurs, how it is concealed and detected, and why grants and public funds are especially vulnerable. Through case examples, fraud statistics, and behavioral insights, the session builds a foundational understanding of occupational fraud and its impact on organizations.
The presentation then shifts from awareness to action, focusing on fraud mitigation through the effective use of Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) requirements and structured fraud risk assessments. Attendees are guided through key compliance areas—internal controls, financial management systems, procurement, time and effort reporting, and subrecipient monitoring—and shown how these requirements can be leveraged as proactive tools to reduce fraud risk. The session concludes with a practical fraud risk management framework that emphasizes governance, prevention, detection, and continuous monitoring to strengthen organizational resilience and audit readiness.
Cost:
Free for GPA members and $15 for the public.
About the Speakers:
Kathleen “Kat” Kizior, CGMS, MSSA, is an accomplished Grants and Accounting Advisory CFO with more than 25 years of experience serving government and not-for-profit organizations. As a trusted advisor at CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP), she specializes in grant administration and compliance, providing end-to-end guidance across the full grants lifecycle. Her expertise includes risk assessment and gap analysis, subrecipient monitoring, Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) compliance, internal controls, cost allocation and indirect cost rate development, and workflow optimization through digitalization. A Certified Grants Management Specialist, Kathleen is widely recognized for her deep technical knowledge and practical, client-focused approach.
In addition to her advisory work, Kathleen is an active leader and thought partner in the grants management community. She serves as Chair of the National Grants Management Association’s Capital Area Chapter and is a frequent national speaker on topics such as single audit readiness, fraud risk, grant closeouts, ARPA funding, and the evolving state of grants. Through her leadership, speaking, and published work, she continues to help organizations strengthen compliance, improve efficiency, and achieve long term success in grants and financial management.
Paula Heller, CGMS, MBA, is an Advisory Assistant Controller at CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP) with more than 25 years of experience in accounting and grants management across the not-for-profit, public, and private sectors. She specializes in cost allocation, grant administration, financial management, and award compliance, with deep expertise in full cycle grant management, risk assessment, indirect cost rate proposals, subrecipient monitoring, and 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance compliance. Paula is known for her strong technical skills in internal controls, grant reconciliations, workflow analysis, and policy and procedure development, helping organizations strengthen compliance while improving efficiency.
Paula’s career includes a diverse range of hands-on grant leadership roles, beginning with NIH research grants at a Veteran’s Medical Center and Emory University, followed by founding and leading a not-for-profit private school with a robust grant portfolio. Most recently, she served as the financial manager for a higher education institution’s post award grant program, including project management for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund under the COVID 19 Education Stabilization Fund. A Certified Grants Management Specialist, Paula is also a frequent national speaker on grants lifecycle management, single audits, and emerging grant challenges, and she continues to bring practical, adaptable solutions to the clients she serves.