The Unified Audit Approach is a modern auditing methodology designed to combine financial, operational, compliance, and technology assurance activities into a single, streamlined process rather than treating them as separate exercises. It emerged because organizations increasingly face overlapping risks, including regulatory obligations, internal control weaknesses, cybersecurity concerns, and operational inefficiencies that cannot be effectively managed in isolation.

Traditionally, audits have operated in silos: financial teams validating statements, compliance groups addressing regulatory obligations, and IT auditors independently assessing systems and controls. The Unified Audit Approach integrates these efforts into one coordinated strategy, leveraging shared controls, centralized evidence collection, common risk assessments, and aligned audit execution.

This session will provide both a practitioner and auditor perspective on how organizations can reduce audit fatigue, lower compliance costs, improve control visibility, and support multiple frameworks through a consolidated governance and assurance model.

Jim Horton, Principal Partner at EugeneZonda will present a real-world enterprise use case built within a large healthcare technology environment, including lessons learned from designing and operationalizing a multi-framework control consolidation strategy. Joseph Kirkpatrick and Jackson Widener of KirkpatrickPrice will provide the auditor perspective on how firms are adapting to support unified audit methodologies, multi-framework assessments, and evolving client assurance expectations.

SPEAKERS:

• Jim Horton, Independent Consultant / Principal Partner at jimhortongrc / EugeneZonda

  Jim Horton is a cybersecurity governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) executive and independent advisor with more than 20 years of experience leading enterprise security, regulatory compliance, and risk transformation programs across SaaS, healthcare technology, fintech, and federal environments. A former Director of Enterprise Security GRC at Resmed, Jim has led global programs spanning SOC 1/2, ISO 27001/27701, HITRUST, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and FedRAMP while aligning enterprise governance strategies to NIST RMF and NIST CSF frameworks.

  Jim holds a Master of Science in Program Management focused on Computer Science and Information Systems Security and maintains CISM, CISA, and CBCP certifications. He is the creator of the “Audit Once, Apply to Many” unified control framework strategy designed to reduce audit fatigue, streamline overlapping compliance obligations, and improve governance maturity. Jim currently serves as Principal Partner for GRC & Compliance Transformation at EugeneZonda Cybersecurity Advisory.

  Visit Jim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-horton-9128077b/

• Joseph Kirkpatrick, Founder and President at Audit Firm / KirkpatrickPrice

  As Founder and President of KirkpatrickPrice, Joseph Kirkpatrick has spent over a decade developing the firm into the industry leader it is today. KirkpatrickPrice specializes in thorough and efficient multi-audit delivery, founded with innovation and integrity. Under his leadership, KirkpatrickPrice has delivered thousands of audit reports and information security engagements to clients of all sizes worldwide. Joseph enjoys educating, empowering, and inspiring clients by navigating them through the complex maze of compliance and regulatory requirements. Joseph is a CPA with over 25 years of experience in information technology. He also holds CISSP, CISA, CGEIT, CRISC, and QSA certifications, specializing in data security, cybersecurity, IT governance, and regulatory compliance.

  Visit Joseph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-kirkpatrick/

• Jackson Widener, Enterprise Account Executive at Audit Firm / KirkpatrickPrice

  Jackson Widener is a technology-driven Account Executive at KirkpatrickPrice who helps organizations navigate the complexities of audit and multi-audit framework delivery. Through a trust-based, consultative approach, he partners with clients to streamline compliance across overlapping frameworks like SOC 1, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and HITRUST — reducing audit fatigue and maximizing the value of every engagement. As a Board Member of ISSA Denver, Jackson plays an active role in shaping the local cybersecurity community by supporting professional development, education, and peer connections for security practitioners across Colorado. He is also the founder of the Cybersecurity Minds executive networking group, where he brings together senior security and IT leaders to share insights on Mental Wellness within the cybersecurity community. Jackson serves as a trusted advisor to organizations building scalable, audit-ready security programs.

  Visit Jackson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackson-widener-a4553b119/

DETAILS:
Date: Thursday, August 20
Time: 12:00 - 1:15 p.m.
Location: In-Person and Online via Zoom
CPE: 1

ON PREMISES
XiFin, Inc.
12225 El Camino Real
San Diego, CA 92130
Attendance capacity is limited to 50

ONLINE
Online access is available via the chapter’s Zoom account (registration below).
Attendance capacity is 500