Podcast
The Audit Podcast
Hosted by Trent Russell · EN
On the show you can expect to hear from everyone: from the intern, to the IT audit director, CAE and audit committee members because all of their opinions are important.
We'll talk about integrating tech into audit, how to get quick wins, the latest SOX guidance and whatever other topics the guests want to talk about and whatever you want to hear about.
Be sure to subscribe to the show in whatever you're listening to it on now and we'll talk to you soon.
70episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep 292: AI and Analytics for Audit Leaders w/ Tim Buckley
1w ago00:48:20Summary readyThis week on The Audit Podcast, Tim Buckley, founder of Beyond the Lines, joins the show to interview Trent Russell, founder of Green Skies Analytics, about how AI and analytics can fundamentally change the way internal audit teams operate. Trent explains why audit leaders need to move beyond isolated AI use cases and think about how technology can reshape the entire audit operating model. He breaks down why teams need an AI and analytics methodology, how AI can improve planning and reporting, and why analytics should be focused on finding meaningful insights rather than simply increasing efficiency. Trent also shares real-world examples of teams using AI agents and orchestration to automate large portions of audit planning, explains how AI can help identify risks auditors may otherwise miss, and discusses the growing importance of human judgment and critical thinking as more audit work becomes automated. He also offers practical advice for audit leaders looking to overcome management resistance and start making meaningful changes today. 05:03 Why AI and Analytics Matter for Audit Leaders 06:18 Why You Need to Rethink the Audit Operating Model 08:21 Isolated AI Use Cases vs. Real Transformation 11:17 Where AI and Analytics Are Overhyped and Underused 16:27 How AI Can Change Audit Planning 19:30 Using AI and Analytics to Improve Audit Quality 23:13 How AI Can Transform Audit Reporting 26:01 Why Auditors Need to Protect Judgment and Critical Thinking 34:47 Governance and the Human-in-the-Loop 43:50 What Audit Leaders Can Change in the Next 30 Days Be sure to connect with Trent Russell on LinkedIn and check out Green Skies Analytics for more resources on audit analytics and AI. 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 check out the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. This podcast is brought to you by Green Skies Analytics, the services firm that helps internal audit teams make analytics actually work. Whether your audit team needs help with an analytics or AI strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit analytics, visit Green Skies Analytics to learn more and schedule a call.
Summary
IA on AI - Why Data Governance Is the Key to AI Success
2w ago00:15:09Summary readyWhat does it actually take to prepare your organization for AI? Is training your own AI model realistic? And why are data governance and process audits becoming more important than ever? In this episode of The AI on AI Podcast, Trent sits down with Brian Kuenzi to demystify open-weight AI models, model training, and the practical steps organizations should take before implementing AI at scale. They discuss why clean, well-governed data is the foundation of successful AI adoption, how process audits can uncover opportunities for automation, and why simply connecting AI to messy systems won't solve underlying business problems. Whether you're an internal auditor, business leader, or AI practitioner, this episode offers practical guidance on building an AI-ready organization—from strengthening data governance to designing workflows that allow AI agents to deliver real value. In this episode: What open-weight AI models are and who should use them What AI model training actually involves Why clean, structured data is essential for AI success How process audits prepare organizations for AI automation The importance of AI and data governance Why disconnected systems limit AI's potential Security, guardrails, and safely deploying AI agents in the enterprise Practical advice for building an AI-ready organization 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 check out the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.
Summary
IA on AI - The Best AI Tools Right Now for Work and Life w/ Brian Kuenzi
3w ago00:20:21Summary readyWhat are the best AI tools to use right now? Is Google Gemini finally catching up to Claude and ChatGPT? And what are open-weight AI models—and why is everyone suddenly talking about them? In this episode of The AI on AI Podcast, Trent sits down with Brian Kuenzi to discuss how their AI workflows have changed, why Gemini has become Brian's go-to personal assistant, and how businesses should think about choosing AI models. They also explore Anthropic's Co-work updates, Microsoft's AI strategy, and why open-weight models could be the next major shift in enterprise AI. Whether you're an internal auditor, business leader, or simply trying to keep up with the rapidly changing AI landscape, this episode breaks down the latest developments in a practical, easy-to-understand way. In this episode: • Why Brian switched from Claude to Gemini • Claude vs. ChatGPT vs. Gemini • Anthropic Co-work updates • Microsoft's evolving AI strategy • What open-weight AI models are • Why model-agnostic AI is the future • Practical advice for implementing AI in your organization 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.
Summary
IA on AI - The Internal Audit Future (or not)
4w ago00:06:23Summary readyLinks: Tom McLeod's post 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.
Summary
IA on AI - Why Amazon Has Dropped its Internal AI Usage Leaderboard
Jul 1500:04:49Summary readyLinks: Why Amazon Has Dropped its Internal AI Usage Leaderboard 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.
SummaryEp. 291: Pioneering in the AI Front w/ Martin Preedy (Reddit)
Jul 700:23:05Summary readyThis week on The Audit Podcast, Martin, Head of Internal Audit at Reddit, joins the show to discuss why the opportunity for internal audit is bigger now than ever and how auditors can move from backseat drivers to helpful copilots. Martin shares how he learned Reddit's complex digital advertising business by being a humble "sponge". He explains his unique hiring strategy—hiring for a "major" in deep technical craft (like data science or engineering) and teaching the "minor" of audit later. He also breaks down his approach to navigating tough risk conversations and reveals how his team uses generative AI to automate 70% of their recurring SOX testing. 02:32 How Martin Uses AI in His Personal Life 03:45 The One Thing Every Auditor Should Do 06:06 How to Learn a New Business Quickly 07:30 Why Internal Audit Has Its Biggest Opportunity Yet 10:13 Rethinking Audit Hiring: Specialists Over Traditional Auditors 14:12 Teaching Audit Skills to Technical Experts 16:12 How to Have Tough Conversations About Risk 18:04 AI Use Cases Inside Reddit's Internal Audit Team 21:24 Final Thoughts Be sure to connect with Martin 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. 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.
SummaryEp. 290: Prepping for the Board w/ Erin Banet (Humana)
Jun 3000:25:34Summary readyThis week on The Audit Podcast, Erin Banet, Chief Audit Executive at Humana, joins the show to discuss what goes into preparing audit committee meetings and how the CAE role is evolving beyond traditional internal audit. Erin explains how she builds audit committee agendas, prepares board members throughout the year, and why overcommunication is critical to successful meetings. She also shares how she uses industry publications and AI tools to stay ahead of emerging risks and keep discussions focused on topics like cybersecurity, AI governance, and compliance. The conversation then shifts to enterprise risk management. Erin discusses overseeing ERM alongside internal audit, SOX, and other risk functions, why she began with a maturity assessment, and how combining these responsibilities gives audit leaders a more strategic role within the organization. The episode closes with a discussion on the difference between enterprise risk management and the traditional audit risk assessment, along with practical ad 01:17 – Personal AI Use Cases 03:17 – Audit Committee Meetings: Cadence, Preparation & Board Communication 08:13 – Publications, AI Tools & Staying Ahead of Emerging Risks 11:18 – Over-communication Strategies for Audit Committee Success 14:02 – Taking Ownership of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) 19:18 – Conducting ERM Maturity Assessments & Building a Roadmap 21:12 – Internal Audit Risk Assessments vs. Enterprise Risk Management 24:13 – Thinking Like a Risk Strategist: The Future of Internal Audit Be sure to connect with Erin 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. 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.
SummaryEp 289: The Future of SOX? w/ Casey Atwater (ZoomInfo & Internal Audit Collective)
Jun 2300:27:04Summary readyThis week on The Audit Podcast, Casey Atwater, former Head of Audit at ZoomInfo and founder of Internal Audit Collective, joins the show to talk about how AI is changing SOX, internal controls, and the way internal audit work gets done. We focus on what's actually changing in practice. Casey shares why SOX is no longer just a testing exercise, but a design and architecture problem. As systems change faster and AI gets embedded into day-to-day work, the way controls are built and maintained has to change with it. He explains why controls need to live inside workflows instead of being tracked in spreadsheets, and why management will increasingly take ownership of control design and execution. Internal audit still plays a role, but it shifts more toward advising, reviewing change, and focusing on higher-risk areas outside routine SOX testing. We also talk about the gap between automation and complexity. Even though more systems are being added, many organizations are not seeing meaningful efficiency gains in controls. Casey walks through why that mismatch exists and what it means for audit teams. The conversation ends with practical ways audit teams can start adapting now—by reducing redundant controls, looking harder at which systems actually need to be in scope, and working more directly with control owners to fix issues instead of just documenting them. He also makes the point that while tools and AI will change a lot of the technical work, relationships and communication inside the business still matter just as much. 1:42 — ControlBridge AI & the future of SOX 16:16 — Continuous monitoring 09:13 — Getting management to own controls 20:18 — AI beyond testing automation 22:24 — Practical actions for audit leaders 25:17 — Final Thoughts Be sure to connect with Casey 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. 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.
SummaryEp 288: The Dead-End Strategy Most Organizations Are Following w/ Angelo Poulikakos (Protiviti)
Jun 1600:31:49Summary readyThis week on The Audit Podcast, Angelo Poulikakos, Global Leader of Internal Audit and Financial Advisory Capabilities at Protiviti, joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation on AI, innovation, and what it means to stay relevant in a rapidly changing profession. Drawing from his experience helping organizations navigate AI adoption, Angelo shares how his own use of AI has evolved, why context matters more than prompts, and how audit leaders can move beyond simply becoming faster and cheaper to delivering deeper insights and greater value. He also discusses Protiviti's internal strategy for embracing AI, building future-ready talent, and transforming how audit work gets done. The conversation explores the balance between human creativity and AI, the importance of critical thinking in an AI-driven world, and why staying hungry to learn, experiment, and innovate is essential for the future of internal audit. 2:05 - Creativity, Critical Thinking & Technology 8:13 - From Prompt Engineering to Context Engineering 16:58 = What's Next for AI 19:06 - The EAT Framework for Internal Audit Transformation 29:25 - Final thoughts Be sure to connect with Angelo 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. 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.
SummaryEp 287: First 100 Days as a CAE w/ Danielle Ritter (GitLab)
Jun 900:31:37Summary readyThis week on The Audit Podcast, Danielle Ritter, VP and Head of Internal Audit at GitLab and former CAE at Instacart, joins the show to share lessons from her leadership journey and practical advice for audit professionals at every stage of their careers. Drawing from her experience leading audit functions across multiple organizations, Danielle discusses what matters most during a CAE's first 100 days, how to build credibility with stakeholders, and why strong relationships are essential to an effective audit function. She also shares how her team is embracing AI, developing new skills, and preparing for the future of the profession. 2:06 – Using AI in work and everyday life 5:16 – Where CAEs should focus: insights vs. efficiency 6:46 – Day One: listening and learning 10:11 – Navigating the CAE interview process 13:09 – How to define and demonstrate value 16:40 – What information belongs in the boardroom 19:00 – A practical approach to building strong relationships 22:45 – AI and the future of job security 27:55 – Making time for self-directed learning 30:07 – Final thoughts: your career does not define you Be sure to connect with Danielle 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. 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.
Summary