Education
- PhD University of Michigan (2004)
- BA University of Oregon (1997)
Expertise
Positions Held
At the University of Washington since 2012
Faculty at University of Utah, 2007-2012
Faculty at New York University, 2004-2007
Senior Auditor at Arthur Andersen, Portland Oregon, 1998-2000
Staff Accountant at Moss Adams & Co., Vancouver Washington, 1997-1998
Selected Publications
“How Resilient are Firms’ Financial Reporting Processes to the Sudden Loss of a CFO? Evidence from Sudden Deaths”
McVay, S., & Rabier, M. J., (2025). The Accounting Review.
“Experience with Non-GAAP Earnings and Investors’ Pricing of Exclusions”
McVay, S., Rodriguez-Vasquez, E., & Toynbee, S., (2024). The Accounting Review.
“Free Cash Flow Disclosure in Earnings Announcements”
Adame, K., Koski, J., Lem, K., & McVay, S., (2024). Journal of Financial Reporting.
Honors and Awards
ABR Conference Keynote Speaker, 2025
AFAANZ Annual Meeting Keynote (Plenary) Speaker, 2024
CBDC Diversity Research Grant, 2023–2025
Pacific Coast Banking School Dean’s Leadership Award, 2023
PhD Faculty Mentor Award, 2016, 2022
MBA Professor of the Quarter, 2016 (Spring Quarter), 2021 (Spring Quarter)
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching, 2019
TMMBA Faculty of the Quarter Award, 2013–2016, 2019 (Winter Quarter)
TMMBA Excellence in Teaching Award, 2016
William and Helen Fowler Endowment for Special Achievement in Accounting, 2014
Working Papers
Carnahan, S., S. McVay, and M.J. Rabier. 2025. Capital Market Pressure and Racial Inequality: An Examination of Workplace Safety and Wage Theft.
Dechow, P., W. Ge., W. Loh, and S. McVay. 2025. Beyond Earnings Quality: Evaluating the Quality of Corporate Disclosure Practices.
Koski, J., K. Lem, and S. McVay. 2025. The Market Reaction to Free Cash Flow News.
Everhart, J., T. Kravet, S. McVay, and J. Warren. 2025. The Impact of M&A Transactions on Acquiring Firm Management Guidance.
- Office: 553 PACCAR Hall
- Box: 353226
- Phone: 206-616-2196
- Email : [email protected]
- Curriculum vitae
Academic Department
Academic Service
Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council (FASAC) 2024–present
Editor, Review of Accounting Studies 2024–present
American Accounting Association Vice President – Research and Publications, 2021–2024
Editor, Contemporary Accounting Research 2014–2022
Editor, Journal of Financial Reporting 2018–2021
FARS President, 2019–2020
New Faculty Consortium Committee, 2016 (Chair), 2011–2013, 2015, 2017 (Member)
Organizer of the Western Region Doctoral Student Faculty Interchange, 2013–2015
FARS Financial Reporting Policy Committee, 2012–2013 (Chair), 2008–2012 (Member)
Current Research
The financial reporting environment—exploring how earnings quality, non-GAAP earnings, and earnings guidance vary with managerial incentives and characteristics, as well as firm-level challenges, such as ineffective internal controls or unusual events.