Kelly Donovan: The Fearlessness of a Police Whistleblower

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Kelly Donovan: The Fearlessness of a Police Whistleblower

Kelly Donovan stood before attendees at the 2023 ACFE Women’s Summit, shoulders back and head held high. Carrying the same iPad that she often does, which helps the former Canadian police officer living with Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) and short-term memory loss, Donovan recalled her story of domestic abuse, police corruption and the on-going fight for whistleblower advocacy and justice.

But more than that, Donovan told a story of unbelievable courage and personal sacrifice that revealed the character of a woman and mother who deserves to be heard.

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The Role of Curiosity in Countering Bias

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The Role of Curiosity in Countering Bias

Fraud examination and investigation requires a curious mind, but can this very same trait protect us from falling victim to our own biases?

The 2023 ACFE Women's Summit hosted a panel session exploring this link between bias and curiosity, featuring moderator Janet McHard and panelists Chelsea Binns, Ph.D, CFE, Bernadette L. Harris, CFE, and Kelly Paxton, CFE.

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Gender Considerations in Investigative Interviews

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Gender Considerations in Investigative Interviews

Bright and early on International Women’s Day, the first session of the 2023 ACFE Women’s Summit kicked off with a conversation on gender considerations in investigative interviews. A panel of four professional fraud fighters discussed their experiences as women in the anti-fraud field and shared knowledge of how to combat biases based on gender and perception therein.

As they began, you got the impression that they could talk at length on this subject, the nuances and variations within, and their experiences as women in the anti-fraud profession.

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Psychology of Fraud

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Psychology of Fraud

The 2022 ACFE Women’s Summit opened with a group of panelists well-versed in the first topic — the psychology of fraud. As fraud examiners, one of the biggest questions we ask ourselves is why people commit fraud. Andi McNeal, CFE, CPA, director of research at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) framed that question with more direction at the start of the session: “What ultimately leads someone to cross that ethical line, and how do they keep motivating themselves to continue their crimes?”

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