The Audit Podcast

This week on The Audit Podcast, our guest is Ronnie Welch, Chief Audit Executive at Guardian Life. Ronnie has spent his career in insurance audit, with experience at MetLife, Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, and several Big Four firms.   In this episode, Ronnie talks about how he’s modernizing internal audit and shares the practical steps his team has taken at Guardian Life. He explains his three-tier analytics system, which helps his 48-person audit team work more efficiently and make a bigger impact. Listeners will come away with clear, actionable ideas for strengthening their own audit teams—no matter the size.   We also highlight Ronnie’s achievement of winning Guardian Life’s CEO Award nearly ten years before stepping into his current role, showing the dedication and leadership that have defined his career.   Be sure to connect with Ronnie on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   1:06 – How Ronnie Uses LLMs 4:38 – Agent Outsourcing 10:04 – Innovating the Team’s Knowledge of AI 15:17 – Who Is Internal Audit’s Customer? Let’s Serve Them 18:20 – Training for Soft Skills 20:45 – Getting the Entire Team to a Basic Analytics Level 27:12 – Tweaks Made to the Three-Tier System Along the Way 30:13 – Ronnie Wins the CEO Award 32:42 – IIA Vision 2035 33:53 – Final Thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.        

Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.  * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.   Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.    

This week on The Audit Podcast, we’re joined by Valerie Zappia, Internal Audit Data Analytics Manager at Victoria’s Secret. In this episode, she takes the opportunity to address those unanswered questions and share her perspective on the challenges many audit teams are facing today. She discusses the realities of managing data availability and quality issues, how to navigate the ever-present debate around selecting tools, and what she’s doing to upskill non-data auditors on her team. Valerie also shares her thoughts on how internal audit can better align analytics work with the broader strategy and priorities of the organization.   Be sure to connect with Valerie on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   1:31 – Tackling data acquisition challenges 6:44 – Choosing the right tools with insights from a data analytics expert 11:55 – Building data literacy among non-auditors 17:12 – Securing buy-in from stakeholders outside internal audit 25:24 – Final thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, we’re joined by Matthew Oleniuk, founder of The Risk Insider and former Chief Audit Executive in the public sector. Matthew shares lessons from 15 years as a CAE, what he’s most passionate about right now, and his perspective on how to predict whether public sector projects will succeed—or fail.   Be sure to connect with Matthew on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   2:20 – How Matthew Uses LLMs 5:28 – Advice for CAE Leaders 11:20 – The Dynamics of Building an Audit Committee 15: 35 – The Mindset of Empowering the Team 25:03 – What Matthew Is Especially Passionate About Right Now 29:17 – Why Public Sector Projects Fail 33:21 - Final Thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.      

 Links: 2025 Audit Analytics and AI Conference   United Airlines AI bot injected because it kept refusing to connect with a human   The rise of orphan agents: autonomy without control   Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.  * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.   Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, we’re joined by Geoff Kovesdy, who leads Digital Controls AI and Automation, and Jimena Escamilla, Senior Manager in Deloitte’s Advisory group. They share their favorite ChatGPT and Copilot prompts, talk about the one thing auditors should focus on right now, and discuss how audit teams can get AI and innovation wrong—and how to avoid those mistakes. The conversation also looks at leadership, with Geoff’s reminder that “soft skills equal power skills.” Geoff will also be speaking at the 2025 Audit Analytics & AI Conference on September 24–25. The event is virtual, and recordings will be available. His session will cover “GenAI: The Truth of the Matter and Impact on Risks and Controls.”   Be sure to connect with Geoff and Jimena on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   3:18 – How to use AI chat bots 8:19 – The One Thing Auditors Should Do 10:25 – What Happens When Innovation Plans Go Wrong 15:16 – Innovation in internal audit 27:31 – Soft Skills equal Power Skills 31:27 - Accountability Meets Empathy 34:26 – How to Strengthen Your Empathy 37:00 - Final Thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.  

Links: Anthropic reports outages, Claude and Console impacted   Charting the Future: How CFOs Are Navigating Change with Technology and Foresight​   Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.  * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.   Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, we're joined by Richard Chambers, Senior Advisor of Risk and Audit for AuditBoard. Richard is celebrating his 50th anniversary as an auditor this month, making this the perfect time to reflect on lessons learned over his career. In this conversation, he shares advice for auditors at every stage, the mindset behind his mantra “follow the risk,” his predictions for the future of the profession, and even what he’d tell every auditor in the world if he could grab them by the shoulders and deliver one message.   Be sure to connect with Richard on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   7:13 – What’s in Richard’s ChatGPT History 9:07 – Richard’s Lesson in Office Politics 16:10 – How the CAE and Audit Committee Can Align 20:00 – The One Thing Richard Believes Every Auditor Should Do 24:00 – Richard’s Perspective on the Future of the Audit Profession 28:16 – How Auditors Can Build Foresight 35:06 – The First and Last Chapters of Richard’s Career … Literally 36:30 – How Richard’s Books Connect and Influence Each Other 38:34 – Final Thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics

Register for the 2025 Audit Analytics and AI Conference: https://theauditanalyticsconference.com/ Links: Warner Bros Sues Midjourney Over AI-Generated Characters   Banks Pivot from GenAI Hype to Responsible AI   AI Ethics Incidents Double Amid Soaring Adoption   Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.  * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.   Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

In this episode of The Audit Podcast, we’re joined by Alex Rusate, Senior Vice President and Director of Internal Audit at Arrow Financial, and former chair of the IIA’s Emerging Leaders Mentoring Program. Alex shares how the program began in 2019, grew so quickly that the IIA brought in full-time support, and has continued to thrive ever since. As both one of the first mentees and later a leader of the program, he offers a unique perspective on its evolution and the benefits it brings to internal auditors. The conversation covers the program’s purpose, what it means to participate as a mentor or mentee, success stories from past participants, and how much it has changed over the past six years.   Registration for this year’s program is now open and closes September 15 if you would like to get involved.   Be sure to connect with Alex on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   2:47 – AI Prompts and Practical Use Cases 9:00 – IIA Emerging Leader Mentoring Program 12:15 – Alex’s Perspective as a Mentee 13:37 – Feedback from Mentees During the Program 15:07 – How the Program has Evolved Over the Years 17:40 – Career Paths after Completing the Program 18:50 - Final Thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics

In this episode of The Audit Podcast, we’re joined by Jessica Rogers, Global Internal Audit Leader at Ernst & Young. Jessica shares her journey to becoming a leader at one of the world’s largest professional services firms and what it really takes to reach that level. From her passion for continuous learning to her forward-thinking approach to AI, Jess gives insight into how internal audit professionals can stay ahead. She also discusses how EY is rethinking training for nearly 400,000 employees worldwide in light of AI advancement and what that means for the future of the profession.    Be sure to connect with Jessica on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   2:50 - What’s in Jessica’s ChatGPT History 9:52 - Jessica’s Career Path 18:40 - Overcoming Bad Habits in Internal Audit 22:26 - GenAI 28:16 - Curiosity Is Essential 30:30 - Disrupting the Way We Train People in Internal Audit 35:06 - Making Training Fun 39:21 - Final Thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

Links: The AI Oversight Gap: IBM's 2025 Data Breach Report Reveals Hidden Costs of Ungoverned AI   EisnerAmper Survey Finds as Employees Embrace AI, Employer Oversight Lags   AI startup reaped millions using bogus claims, FTC suit says   Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.  * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.   Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

In this episode of The Audit Podcast, John Thompson returns to discuss his new book, The Path to AGI. With over 40 years in the field of artificial intelligence, John provides a grounded perspective on what AGI really means—and why it won’t arrive as quickly as many headlines suggest. John’s book: A Path to AGI Be sure to connect with John on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   1:36 – A Path to AGI 6:43 – Computer Science isn’t Dead It’s Still Worth Studying 10:57 – Emergent Behaviors are Ridiculous 12:40 – AGI has Predictive Behavior Not Original Thoughts 16:30 – Original New Thoughts Without Data 20:25 – Final Thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

Open AI Finally Laucned ChatGPT 5 - heres everything you need to know   Hackers Hijacked Google’s Gemini AI With a Poisoned Calendar Invite to Take Over a Smart Home   Tesla ordered by Florida jury to pay $243 million in fatal Autopilot crash   Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.   Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.  

This week on The Audit Podcast, Rafael Kon, Chief Auditor at Mitsubishi Power, talks about how internal audit can stay connected to a company’s strategy while keeping controls strong. He shares how he uses automation and data to improve processes, why shorter and more practical audit reports can be more effective, and how his thinking on audit co-sourcing has changed over time. Rafael also gives his take on Vision 2035 from the IIA and how he measures success in internal audit. Be sure to connect with Rafael on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   1:40 – What’s in Rafael’s ChatGPT History 4:51 – J-SOX 9:00 – Connecting Internal Audit to Strategic Goals 17:14 – Bringing in a Data Scientist 22:33 – Building Data Literacy Within the Team 31:37 – Vision 2035 36:25 – Plan vs. Reality 41:45 – Final Thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, we’re joined by Genna Smith, Director of Internal Audit at RYAM.   She believes process improvement starts with mindset, and that even the smallest changes can lead to real impact. In this episode, she shares how she’s using tools like ChatGPT to build SOPs from the ground up, standardize processes, and support her team through AI adoption.   We also hear how she approaches ERM, why curiosity is her top hiring trait, and how rebuilding a 2007 Forerunner taught her lessons she brings into leadership. If you’re interested in practical ways to improve your audit function or how to lead with intention, this one’s for you.   Be sure to connect with Genna on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   1:43 – How ChatGPT Can Support SOP Development 6:26 – Building an Effective Analytics Program 9:50 – The One Thing Every Auditor Should Do 11:15 – How Audit Can Support the Organization on Tariffs 13:05 – Playing a Key Role in ERM Facilitation 19:07 – What Successful ERM Change Looks Like 21:26 – Why Process Improvement Matters 29:00 – Demonstrating Real Impact Through Process Improvement 32:48 – Final Thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.    

Links: John Thompson Book - The Path to AGI: Artificial General Intelligence: Past, Present, and Future * Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.  * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.   Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.  

Links: From Gizmodo.com - Replit’s AI Agent Wipes Company’s Codebase During Vibecoding Session From Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWpg1RmzAbc From Financial Times - Can finance put a stop to AI data mining? * Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.  * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.   Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, we’re joined by Anthony Reyes, Vice President of Internal Audit at Remitly. Anthony believes AI in audit isn’t a “someday” thing—it’s already happening. In this episode, he talks about the real ways AI is being used right now, including how it’s helping with testing controls and building smarter audit tools. We also hear how he’s training his team to work with AI and what advice he gives to strong auditors who want to become leaders. If you’re wondering how AI is really changing audit—or how to grow your executive skills—this one’s for you.   Be sure to connect with Anthony on LinkedIn.   Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.   Timecodes:   1:40 – What a CAE Does With ChatGPT 4:33 – What’s Real and What’s Not in the AI World 12:45 – The Future of Audit When Utilizing AI 15:30 – Advice on Planning AI Training for Your Team 18:58 – Establishing Yourself as a Strategic Partner 22:25 – Understanding the “E” in CAE 26:47 – Final Thoughts   *   This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.  Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The AI in IA Podcast, we’re taking a closer look at one of the newest AI developments: ChatGPT’s autonomous agents. What can they actually do and more importantly, what are the risks?   We break down OpenAI’s own policy to highlight security concerns that internal auditors (and really, any user) need to know. From real-world examples like booking a dinner or a haircut to the dangers of prompt injection attacks, we explain how these agents operate, how they interact with sensitive data, and what safeguards are (or aren’t) in place.   Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en   Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.  * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.   Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.