Team Members
Abby HansenMy name is Abby Hansen, and I am currently completing my master’s in accounting at BYU. I have accepted a position with PwC in the FMRE group in New York City. I come from a large family, and we love to take road trips and be outdoors. My current bucket list includes visiting all the wonders of the world. So far, I’ve been to the Colosseum and Petra.
Dakin RustDakin is from Boise, ID and is passionate about solving accounting puzzles and finding
process efficiencies. In his free time, he enjoys running for hours at a time, hiking up
mountains, and spending time with his wife and friends. Dakin has interned with Connor
Group in its technical accounting advisory practice and will intern with EY this summer.
Elizabeth HallElizabeth is from Medford, Oregon. In her free time she enjoys skiing, classical art, photography, music and running. She has a strong passion for accounting and enjoys staying up to date on current market trends. Elizabeth has interned on advisory teams at Alvarez and Marsal, PwC, EY and will be interning with Lazard this upcoming summer as an investment banking summer analyst.
Hadley OlsenHadley is from Pleasant Grove, Utah, and has a strong passion for accounting and its problem-solving aspects. She loves traveling with her husband, and when they're not exploring new places, you can find her playing pickleball, reading, hiking, playing volleyball, or painting. Hadley has interned at Clyde Companies and KPMG.
Lauren TaylorLauren is from Fremont, a town in the Bay Area of Northern California. She is in her first year ofthe MAcc program, with an interest in corporate sustainability and social impact. In addition toschool, she volunteers with an organization called My Story Matters doing a myriad of tasks.Outside of her studies and volunteering, she enjoys soccer, swimming, running, and any kind ofart project. Lauren has interned with Apex Group in New York and will join Deloitte's audit teamin San Jose as a summer intern in 2025.
Lexie PoulsenLexie is from Gilbert, Arizona. She loves traveling, reading, playing soccer, and watching movies. In her free time, she loves to hang out with friends and her younger sister. Lexie has interned with Dell Technologies and will intern with PwC’s Deals Valuations team this summer.
Lillian VaughnLilly is from Fort Worth, Texas. In her free time she enjoys playing soccer, painting, reading, andspending time with her fiancé. She has completed internships in industry and audit practiceswith BILT Incorporated, Adonis Auto Group, Ernst & Young, and Tanner LLC. Upon graduationfrom BYU's MAcc program, Lilly will begin her career in the audit practice.
Oliver LawalOliver is from the small town of Walton, Kentucky, and appreciates the combination of technology and problem-solving that accounting provides. Beyond school, he enjoys playing the piano, cooking, and traveling with his wife. Oliver has interned with Larson & Co. and KPMG, and plans to start work with the latter in the audit practice following graduation from BYU’s MAcc program.
Sydney RichSydney is from Bountiful, Utah. She has a passion for technical accounting and enjoys diving into its complexities. Sydney likes hiking, music, crochet, and baseball. She plans on working for Deloitte after graduating with a Master's degree in Accounting.
Tyler MattingleyTyler is from Mason, Ohio. He has a passion for strategic problem solving and enjoys discovering and implementing solutions to complex problems. Outside of accounting, he is a huge sports fan and loves to spend time with his wife and friends. Tyler has interned at both Incite Tax and RubinBrown.
Cassy BuddProfessor Budd is the Norm and Cindy Nemrow Excellence in Teaching Professor at Brigham Young University’s (BYU) School of Accountancy. She worked in public accounting with PwC for more than ten years before starting her collegiate teaching career at Utah State University (2002-2005) before eventually joining the faculty at BYU in 2005. During 2014, Professor Budd worked on sabbatical with Connor Group, which provides technical GAAP review, IPO services, and SEC reporting guidance to firms preparing for IPO. Cassy is committed to finding ways for her students to meaningfully contribute to the profession and was honored to be inducted into the American Accounting Association’s Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Section Hall of Honor in 2024 and to receive the BYU Faculty Women’s Association Mentorship Award in 2022.
Ken GardnerKen is a technical accounting adviser at Connor Group where he serves clients in diverse industries across the United States. He helps to solve their most complex accounting and business issues. He advises companies on a variety of technical topics including revenue recognition under ASC 606, lease accounting under ASC 842 and SEC reporting matters. Prior to joining Connor Group, he was with Tesla in their Corporate Accounting group and PwC in their Los Angeles, California assurance practice focusing on financial services clients. Ken graduated from Brigham Young University with a Master of Accountancy, and enjoys travelling, wakeboarding, and eating dessert.
Michael PetersonMichael Peterson is from Austin, Texas, and is a pre-business student planning to study Information Systems. He has a strong passion for both technology and business and hopes to help startups use technology to grow. In his free time, Michael enjoys playing basketball, collecting sneakers, and building with Legos