May 27, 2022
Nina T. Dorata, M.B.A., Ph.D., C.P.A., Professor of Accountancy at the Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University, has been named the 2022 Dr. Emanuel Sax Outstanding CPA in Education. The annual award, bestowed by the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, recognizes educators who have made significant contributions to the education of accounting students through their leadership, teaching excellence and active involvement in the accounting profession.
Dr. Dorata, who also directs Tobin’s Undergraduate Program in Business, was honored for her work as chair of the NYSSCPA’s Future of Accounting Education Committee. Under her leadership, the committee issued a NYSSCPA comment letter on the recent changes to the Uniform Accountancy Act. She also served on the task force that wrote the comment letter for last year’s CPA exam practice analysis.
Dr. Dorata is a much-respected teacher and mentor who has garnered numerous teaching and service awards in her 17-year career at St. John’s, from which she earned a B.S. in accounting and an M.B.A. in taxation. As chair of the College’s Accountancy Department, she was responsible for creating the Accountancy Scholars program. Since 2008, she has coordinated Tobin’s chapter of the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which partners with Food Bank for New York City to offer free tax assistance to low-income, disabled and limited English-speaking taxpayers.
In addition to her teaching and service, Dr. Dorata is an active researcher whose primary focus is capital markets. Most recently, she has been evaluating climate risk disclosures.
“Nina is extremely well-deserving of this prestigious recognition, as her unwavering commitment to student success, professional excellence and scholarly rigor places her in an elite group,” said Norean R. Sharpe, Ph.D., Dean of the Tobin College of Business. “Her successful professional experience in audit and corporate accounting with international firms before she entered academia no doubt influences her teaching style that inspires success.”
Before earning a Ph.D. in management from Rutgers University and joining the academy, Dr. Dorata’s financial services career in international audit and corporate accounting encompassed holding increasingly responsible positions with firms such as Price Waterhouse & Co., E.F. Hutton & Co. Inc. and Staff Builders Inc., the latter two being Securities and Exchange Commission registrants. Her professional experience also includes consulting for various clients, including service on audit committees.
“Being a professor is an amazingly rewarding career, knowing that your work has impact on students' careers and, in particular, their lives,” she said. “That is an awesome yet very humbling responsibility. I feel passionate about student success, and I want my students to look forward to the same success this profession has given me. I feel so honored to be selected for this award."
About the NYSSCPA
Founded in 1897, the New York State Society of CPAs (nysscpa.org) is the premier professional accounting association for approximately 22,000 licensed members residing and practicing in New York state, encompassing all areas of public practice, including government, education, technology, nonprofit, real estate, healthcare and industry. It is the oldest—and the third largest—such state society in the United States.