Fernando Parra, PhD, CPA, CISA

About Dr. Fernando Parra 

Dr. Fernando Parra is an Associate Professor of Accountancy at California State University, Fresno, and a dedicated advocate for small businesses across California's Central Valley. Bridging the gap between high-level academia and applied industry practice, he brings over two decades of experience providing advanced accounting, tax, and enterprise information system solutions to a diverse spectrum of businesses.

Community Leadership & Impact 

Dr. Parra is passionate about fostering regional economic development. He actively engages his students in experiential learning projects that directly benefit local entrepreneurs. As a community leader and the former Director of The Institute for Family Business at Fresno State, he champions initiatives like the New Business Community Law Clinic. Powered by law students from U.C. Berkeley and the Cardozo School of Law (NYC), this clinic provides critical assistance to Central Valley business owners navigating formation, regulatory compliance, and startup legal matters.

Academic Excellence & Research

In the classroom, Dr. Parra emphasizes a holistic career development approach that aligns with the highest professional standards. His research explores pedagogy, enterprise information systems, and the impact of digital transformation on modern business architectures. His work is published in leading academic journals and presented at premier conferences, including the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) and the Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS). He is a multi-award-winning educator, holding the Craig School of Business Faculty Service Award (2023), the Provost’s Award for Faculty Service (2024), and, most recently, the Best Education Paper Award at the 2026 American Accounting Association (AAA) AIS/SET conference.

 Credentials 

Dr. Parra holds a Ph.D. in International Business with a specialization in Information Systems and Accounting from The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He is an active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in California and a globally recognized Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).