Walker College of Business

Tara Fenner is an audit partner at Blackburn, Childers & Steagall, PLC and works primarily out of the Boone, NC office.  She has been with the firm since 2006 and worked in the Johnson City, TN office until relocating to Boone in 2020.  Tara graduated from East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration in May 2007 and obtained a Master of Accountancy in December 2008.  Tara is a licensed CPA in both TN and NC and has been a Certified Municipal Finance Officer (CMFO) in TN since 2014.  Tara’s experience includes employee benefit plans, governmental entities, Medicare cost report preparation, nonprofit accounting, consulting services, and financial institutions. 

Dr. Tammy Kowalczyk is a Professor of Accounting and Sustainable Business at Appalachian State University. She teaches in sustainability accounting, ESG reporting, and sustainable business. Her research interests are in sustainability accounting, carbon accounting, forest carbon and conservation management, and decision behavior.  Her research has been published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology and the Journal of Environmental Management, and prior accounting related research has appeared in Behavioral Research in Accounting, Advances in Management Accounting, Issues in Accounting Education, Journal of Business and Psychology, and the CPA Journal.  Prior to academia, worked in public accounting, and for an environmental consulting firm.  She enjoys spending time outdoors with family and friends.