2026 Educator of the Year: Lynda H. Schwartz, CFE, CPA, CFF, CGMA

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) recognizes exceptional individuals each year for their contributions to the fight against fraud and their commitment to educating the next generation of anti-fraud professionals. Established in 2002, the Educator of the Year Award is presented to an ACFE member who has made outstanding contributions to anti-fraud education within their college or university. 

Lynda H. Schwartz, a professor of practice and director of the Forensic Accounting and Data Analytics Curriculum at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management, is the recipient of the 2026 Educator of the Year Award. 

Schwartz has spent more than a decade shaping future fraud fighters through her leadership in higher education and experience as a fraud investigator and forensic accountant. Since joining the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2015, she has established and directed the university’s forensic accounting and fraud examination curriculum, teaching core courses and preparing graduate students for careers in fraud examination, forensic accounting and financial investigations. 

Beyond the classroom, Schwartz has made significant contributions to anti-fraud education through curriculum development, professional publications and speaking engagements. In 2025, she served as the principal author of the COSO and ACFE Fraud Risk Management Certificate Program, creating educational resources that support students, educators and business leaders in advancing fraud risk management practices. She also contributed to the 2017 and 2023 editions of the Fraud Risk Management Guide, served as a guest editor and peer reviewer for the Journal of Forensic Accounting Research, and authored numerous publications on fraud investigation, litigation services and forensic technology. 

Before entering academia, Schwartz spent 26 years with Ernst & Young’s Fraud Investigation and Dispute Services practice, where she led complex fraud investigations, regulatory compliance engagements and litigation support matters. Drawing on that experience, she has helped bridge the gap between academic instruction and professional practice, preparing students  to address real-world fraud risks. Her combination of practitioner expertise and academic leadership has helped inspire and prepare the next generation of anti-fraud professionals.  

The ACFE is proud to recognize Schwartz’s commitment to advancing anti-fraud education and developing the next generation of fraud examiners. She will be presented with the Educator of the Year Award at the 37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, July 12-17, 2026, held in Boston, Massachusetts, and virtually.