2026 Baker Award: John Gill, J.D., CFE

The ACFE’s James R. Baker Speaker of the Year Award is presented every year to an individual who has excelled in educating the anti-fraud community through leadership in communication, presentation and quality instruction. The award’s namesake, James Baker, CFE, posthumously received the first award in 2008 in recognition of his contributions to anti-fraud education as an ACFE faculty member. 

This year’s Baker Award recipient is ACFE President John Gill, J.D., CFE, who is retiring in July 2026. During his 31 years with the ACFE, Gill developed and has taught the CFE Exam Review Course around the world. He has also conducted anti-fraud training at several Fortune 50 companies, government agencies and leading professional organizations. 

Gill has held various positions at the ACFE since joining the organization in 1995. He started his ACFE career as its first general counsel. He then went on to create the ACFE’s research and publications department and served as its first manager and director. In 2009, he became the ACFE’s Vice President of Education, and in 2022, he was promoted to Chief Training Officer before assuming the role of President in 2023. Throughout his tenure, Gill has played a key role in shaping the ACFE’s educational programs and resources. He is a co-author of the Fraud Examiners Manual and has served as both publisher and contributing author of Fraud Magazine.  

Before joining the ACFE, Gill was an attorney in Austin, Texas. He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in English and earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. 

Gill is ending a remarkable career at the ACFE filled with many contributions to anti-fraud education and instruction at the organization and beyond. He is the perfect embodiment of the pillars of the Baker Award, which shines the spotlight on the role of education and public speaking in the fight against fraud. 

Recipients of the 2026 ACFE Awards will be honored at the 37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, July 12–17, 2026, which will be held in Boston, Massachusetts, and virtually.