Henry David Thoreau famously said, “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” If anyone in San José State University’s Lucas College and Graduate School of Business matches this energy, it is definitely Annette Nellen.

Nellen, professor of accounting and finance and director of the Master of Science in Taxation (MST) program, recently received the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) Jonathan Horn Tax Division Distinguished Service Award. She was presented the award at the AICPA Fall Tax Division Meeting, held in Washington, D.C. November 10-12, 2024, for her outstanding contributions to the AICPA Tax Division for the past year.   

“It is an honor to be recognized by my peers that I work with on various projects for the AICPA and to receive an award named for someone I worked with for many years and was a wonderful colleague, tax expert, dedicated professional and friend,” Nellen said.

Her approach to her professional endeavors is that if she is going to volunteer her time, she wants to make the most of it. “I enjoy the tax field and working with colleagues from practice, AICPA and other professional organizations, government and academia to promote better understanding of the tax laws, and promoting ideas on how to improve tax laws.” 

David Czerwinski, assistant dean of undergraduate and graduate programs in the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, said one thing that Nellen demonstrates that young professionals can learn from is to get involved in your professional organizations. 

“Doing so gives you the opportunity to have a voice in national discussions and to move your field in a positive direction,” Czerwinski said. “It also provides opportunities to make friends, network and develop your leadership skills.”

Czerwinski said that as director of the MST program, Nellen is constantly innovating and adapting the curriculum to meet the needs of her students and industry. 

“She provides her students with so many unique opportunities for professional development,” he said. “Under Annette’s guidance, her students participate in tax conferences, career personal career development plans, and hone their tax research skills by contributing original articles to SJSU’s peer-reviewed Contemporary Tax Journal.” 

Chair of the Accounting and Finance department, Elizabeth Grace, shared that Nellen is an amazing faculty member and person. 

“Annette Nellen is a consummate professional – always prepared, always asking pertinent questions, always willing to roll up her sleeves and do the work required,” she expressed. “She stays on top of her field knowing new regulations and developments, but more importantly, can connect tax law to public policy.”  

When asked what was upcoming on her calendar, Nellen had much to promote.   

“I’m always working to improve the SJSU MST Program and will have a new 1-unit class offered Spring 2025 on Tax Compliance and Planning, we are launching an online option for earning an MST degree in Fall 2025, our second Blockchain Tax Conference is January 24, 2025, and I have various research, presentations and volunteer activities coming up.” 

True to her passion for her field, there is no doubt she will be adding plenty more as the new year gets underway. 

Learn more about the MS in Taxation program.

Lucas College and Graduate School of Business faculty, staff, students and alumni consistently make a significant impact in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Many graduates have gone on to excel in various industries, with a notable presence in Silicon Valley. These organizations recognize and value the exceptional education and skills our alumni bring to their roles, making San José State University a key contributor to the region’s thriving economy. We offer MBA, PMBA, MSFA, MSAA, MST and MSTM degrees at the graduate level and 14 different BSBA concentrations at the undergraduate level, the largest set of offerings among the CSUs. These include accounting, accounting information systems, business analytics, corporate accounting & finance, entrepreneurship, finance, general business, hospitality, tourism, & event management, human resources management, international business, management, management information systems, marketing, and operations & supply chain management.