Sarah Zechman

Sarah Zechman is the Myrtle and Tony Tisone Endowed Chair Professor and Senior Associate Dean of Faculty in the Department of Accounting at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder. She previously taught at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania). Her research focuses on firm communications, financial reporting choices, and managerial incentives, with emphasis on regulatory impact, disclosure strategies, and market behavior. She holds editorial roles at The Accounting Review, Journal of Accounting Research, and Review of Accounting Studies.

Education: BSBA in Accounting (1st in class, Washington University, 1998); PhD in Accounting (Wharton School, 2008). Professional background includes roles at KPMG (transaction structuring and business processes) and CPA certification. Awards include multiple American Accounting Association accolades for her work on executive overconfidence, SEC dissemination, and synthetic leases.

Research trends highlight her focus on regulatory efficiency (e.g., hyperlink mandates), digital disclosure channels (social media, podcasts), and unethical collusion mechanisms. Her work bridges accounting theory with real-world regulatory challenges, influencing both academic discourse and practitioner strategies.

• Awards: Best Paper (2015, 2020), Best Dissertation (2009)
• Grants: Unspecified but implied through editorial roles and research output
• Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Leeds School research centers and editorial boards