Former Managing Partner / Former Partner in Charge & Executive Committee Member
Lurie LLP/ EisnerAmper
Beth Kieffer Leonard spent four decades in public accounting at Lurie LLP in Minneapolis, 15 years as the Managing Partner, until the joined Eisner Amper in 2022. She joined the Executive Committee of Eisner Amper upon joining and participated in growth, partner development and continued as the Partner in Charge of the Minneapolis office until December 2025. She retired from EA in July 2026. During her tenure as a leader in the Minnesota business community she was recognized as a Most Admired CEO by the Mpls St Paul Business Journal and was inducted into the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame in July 2026. She served on the board of the AICPA from 2021-2024.
Much of the conversation around private equity in accounting focuses on transactions, growth strategies and financial performance. But some of the most significant changes are happening within the workforce—and for the next generation of firm leaders.
In this session, industry experts and HR and people leaders from PE-backed firms will share how private equity investment is reshaping the employee experience and what it means for professionals building their careers in a changing ownership model. The panel will explore evolving career paths and advancement opportunities, changes to compensation and incentives, leadership development, culture and employee engagement, and how firms are identifying and preparing their next generation of leaders.
How does the path to leadership change when partnership is no longer the only—or even the primary—destination? What new opportunities does PE-backed growth create for emerging leaders, and what does it take to retain ambitious professionals as firms grow and transform?
Hear directly from the people leaders navigating these changes about what has worked, where challenges have emerged, and how they are building talent strategies and leadership pipelines designed for the next era of the accounting profession.