Navigating System and Organization Controls (SOC) Reports

Michael (“Mike”) Brown’s extensive experience confirms his presence as a leader in the accounting community—with a commitment for student success and a passion for teaching. For over 15 years, Mike has been a senior national instructor with Becker Professional Education teaching CPA and CMA Exam Review courses, CPE courses, and starting in 2025 CIA Exam Review. He has impacted hundreds of thousands of individual students—just since 2019—in Becker’s CPA and CMA Review courses and so many more through his presentations at conferences, accounting firms, universities, and in the online community. Mike’s teaching is enhanced by his vast accounting experience in many industries, including manufacturing, financial, retail, real estate and service. With Becker's CPA Review course, Mike is heavily involved in the concept lecture videos in four sections: AUD, FAR, BAR, and ISC. After completing a term on the Beta Alpha Psi Board of Directors in 2021, he now serves as Becker's Professional Partner to the organization, and in May 2025 was announced as Beta Alpha Psi's Incoming President-Elect. He is a licensed CPA in the State of North Carolina, currently residing in Raleigh with his wife and two children.

Education

• University of Virginia
  • BS Commerce (Accounting and MIS concentrated)
• University of Science
  • MS Accounting (Audit concentrated)

Licenses & designations

• CPA
• CMA
• CIA
• CSCA
• CGMA

Teaching & instruction

• Becker
  • CPA Exam Review Instructor
  • CMA Exam Review Instructor
  • Meetings That Work
  • Creating a Culture of Integrity
  • Preparing the Statement of Cash Flows
• Franklin University
• West Chester University
   

Organizations

• Excelsior Learning LLC
• AICPA
• IMA
• IIA
• NABA
• Beta Alpha Psi
   

Podcasts

• That Educator Life with Mike Brown
• Growing Relationships through Emotional Intelligence - Segment 1
• Growing Relationships through Emotional Intelligence - Segment 2
   

Awards & recognition 

• Becker Senior Faculty Award
• Professional Education Award (2017)
• Adtalem Global Education TEACH Award (2019)

What do you love about Becker?

"I love that Becker never accepts that what we have is good enough and is always willing to challenge the status quo in an effort to improve. I love the scale of the impact we are able to have both in terms of the number of students we can reach and the impact of the profession as a whole. I love that it gives me the opportunity to do what I love!"

What would you tell an accounting student today?

"The possibilities for a career in accounting are truly limitless - even if you could list all the opportunities available today, the list would be out of date by tomorrow. Never forget, that first and foremost, accounting is a people business - as long as you cultivate your ability to connect with others, you will have opportunities to succeed!"

Becker fun fact

"I've visited 48 of the 50 states (just Alaska and North Dakota left to go!). I love playing board games - in fact, I have a whole room of my house devoted to my board game collection."

Connect

• LinkedIn
• X