Liaison Spotlight

Liaison Spotlight – Fall 2024

CCOB Portrait Session on the campus of Washington State University, Monday, September, 12, 2022.

Dr. Kathleen Harris
Assistant Professor, Department of Accounting

About Dr. Kathleen Harris

Kathleen Harris is an Associate Professor in the Department of Accounting, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in auditing. Her research is grounded in her professional experience as an auditor, with a particular focus on audit quality, diversity, corporate governance, and the audit process. Dr. Harris’s work is noted for its emphasis on diversity and regulatory influences within the auditing profession, including gender equity in accounting.

Diversity, in her research, is explored through both visible dimensions, such as gender, and less obvious aspects, like professional experience. Dr. Harris investigates how these diversity factors—along with social identity and individual perspectives—impact the auditing profession, influencing both the reporting of data and the audit process itself. Her findings suggest that differences in auditor characteristics, the individuals reporting data, and the professional environment can significantly affect the credibility and quality of audit outcomes.

Experience with ADVANCE

Since the fall of 2021, Dr. Harris has served as an ADVANCE liaison, where she has been involved in reviewing grants and attending various workshops sponsored by ADVANCE. Recently, she has also contributed to addressing childcare needs in Pullman, WA, a critical issue affecting WSU employees. Additionally, Dr. Harris was awarded a travel grant through ADVANCE at WSU for the 2023-2024 academic year, which enabled her to attend a sectional conference and continue her professional development.

Liaison Spotlight – Summer 2023

Dr. Jill McCluskey
Director and Regents Professor, School of Economic Science

ADVANCE Liaison Jill McCluskey was recently featured in the WSU Insider for her new role as chair of the Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources (BANR) at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Read more about it here!