Our commitment is to make the difficult topics easy to understand while creating an enjoyable, memorable educational experience. We are confident you will find our expert instructors experienced and engaging, and skilled at breaking down those troublesome topics into easy-to-understand sessions.
Meet Our Faculty
Liz Kolar
Liz Kolar, CPA, CGMA, has been teaching CPA Review for more than 25 years in the United States, has personally taught more than 2,500 live sessions, and has helped thousands of candidates pass the CPA Exam. She founded Pinnacle CPA Review and co-founded Surgent Kolar CPA Review.
She is a recipient of the ASWA Business Woman of the Year Northeast Region, Distinguished Faculty Member of the Year, and PICPA Outstanding Educator of the Year. Liz began her career in Public Accounting with a Big Four accounting firm auditing financial service clients after graduating from Pace University with an MBA in Public Accounting. Liz’s teaching career spans almost 30 years. She has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels at Pace University and Seton Hall University, and is currently a professor at Delaware Valley University.
Jack Castonguay
Jack Castonguay, Ph.D., CPA, serves as the Vice President of Strategic Content Development – Accounting, Finance, and Exam Prep. He holds a BBA in Accounting and a Master of Science in Accounting from James Madison University and received his Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Tennessee. Jack began his career in public accounting with a Big Four accounting firm auditing manufacturing and financial services clients. He has taught financial accounting, auditing, and research seminars at the graduate and undergraduate levels and is currently an assistant professor at Hofstra University. Jack maintains an active CPA license.
Rachel Parsia
Rachel Parsia, CPA, is a Manager of Tax & Advisory Content for Surgent, where she co-authors a variety of tax CPE courses. Prior to joining Surgent, she worked in the tax department of a Big Four accounting firm and a $12 billion global industrial technology leader. Rachel has experience in Federal Tax, International Tax, and Tax Forecasting. She attended Penn State University, graduating with a Master’s degree and Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. She holds a CPA license in the State of Pennsylvania.
