The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) will honor Sandra Stearns Kuba at their Annual Awards Gala in NYC at the Plaza Hotel
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The whistleblower whose claims of revenue inflation at Disney were confirmed by Florida state investigators is now being celebrated for her courage. Sandra Stearns Kuba, a Certified Public Accountant at Intuit, has been chosen for The Trailblazer Award by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), an honor that recognizes her determination, integrity, and commitment to her profession. IAOTP, a leading global professional organization known for its prestigious annual awards gala and exclusive vetting process, bestows its honors on only the most accomplished and influential professionals each year.
Being included in IAOTP is itself a significant distinction. The Trailblazer Award is reserved for individuals who have broken barriers, pioneered innovative methods in their industry, and set new standards of excellence. In recognition of her extraordinary impact and enduring commitment to her field, Ms. Kuba will receive the Trailblazer Award at IAOTP’s 2026 Annual Awards Gala.
www.iaotp.com/award-gala
With more than three decades of industry experience, Sandra has established herself as a seasoned and trusted expert. A dynamic, results-driven leader, she has found success in every position she has held. Her career includes roles as a certified public accountant for Intuit and Disney, as well as accounting-related positions at the American Heart Association, Belkin International, and Orange County National before her current role.
While at Disney, Ms. Kuba was instrumental in developing the Product Online Transmission Tool in 2015, later nicknamed “Mrs. Potts.” This tool became the company’s central repository for all dining and tour events, and even eight years after its creation, Disney still used Mrs. Potts in 2023—a testament to its lasting impact and Sandra’s contributions.
Her expertise spans collaboration, conflict resolution, efficiency optimization, strategic planning, fraud detection, and tax-related matters, among other areas.
Before her professional career, Ms. Kuba earned her Bachelor of Accounting degree from Elmira College. She then pursued further education at the Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University, where she earned her master’s degree in accounting—knowledge that has underpinned her impressive career.
Sandra showed exceptional courage when she blew the whistle on financial and tax fraud and internal control issues at Disney. She revealed that employees had been inflating revenue for years, using methods such as falsely reporting complimentary golf games and other free or discounted promotional services and products as fully paid transactions. According to Ms. Kuba, software flaws allowed these misstatements, and many others, to be entered into Disney’s records and SEC Reporting. She also claims the company manipulated numerous small transactions—particularly at its theme parks—misrepresenting their actual value, which, when accumulated, significantly overstated the company’s revenue.
Sandra’s discovery came from her training, education, and professional experience. Her revelations were not well received by her colleagues, as her findings reached the highest levels of the company. However, the State of Florida’s investigation confirmed the fraud, calling it “the most egregious exhibition of corporate cronyism in modern American history.” It is difficult to conceive of mitigating controls when the very foundation of the accounting system is based on transactions that represent fictitious revenue and fake payments.”
Sandra has continued her investigation while working with the 2012 ABC whistleblower, proving the Board of Directors knew of fraud and manipulation of data within the company, thereby failing their fiduciary duties as well as their responsibility to protect multiple whistleblowers. She has further proven that the internal audit department was also involved in the cover-up, and has provided new TIPs to the SEC, DOJ, and IRS. Sandra has also provided new information to the PwC whistleblower as well as information to the whistleblower against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (a portion of the Department of Labor known as OSHA) to prove OSHA is a criminal organization. In 2023 she provided information to Governor Ron DeSantis on Reedy Creek which was verified by auditors for the State of Florida, provided information on several instances of Medicaid fraud to the Florida Attorney General, and has provided work to those recently terminated and blacklisted as whistleblowers.
Throughout her career, Ms. Sandra Stearns Kuba has received many awards and accolades and has been recognized worldwide for her accomplishments. In 2023, she was awarded Top CPA/Chartered Global Management Accountant of the Year by IAOTP. In 2024, she was awarded Empowered Woman of the Year, and in 2025 she was awarded Top CPA/Chartered Accountant of the Decade. This year, she will be considered for a TIP (Top Industry Professionals) Magazine feature. She will be honored at IAOTP’s annual awards gala this December at the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York for her selection for The Trailblazer Award.
Looking back, Sandra attributes her success to her perseverance, work ethic, and the mentors she has had along the way. When not working, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. In the future, she hopes to inspire and give others courage; if you see something wrong, say something.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-stearns-65192a178/
About IAOTP
The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) is an international boutique networking organization that handpicks the world’s finest, most prestigious top professionals from different industries. These top professionals are given an opportunity to collaborate, share their ideas, be keynote speakers, and help influence others in their fields. This organization is not a membership that anyone can join. You have to be asked by the President or be nominated by a distinguished honorary member after a brief interview.
IAOTP’s experts have given thousands of top prestigious professionals worldwide the recognition and credibility that they deserve and have helped build their branding empires. IAOTP prides itself on being a one-of-a-kind boutique networking organization that handpicks only the best of the best and creates a networking platform that connects and brings these top professionals to one place.
IAOTP remains one of the most elite and highly respected professional recognition organizations in the world.
For more information on IAOTP please visit: www.iaotp.com
Annette Natoli
IAOTP
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Why it matters: This award puts a spotlight on the professional risks and rewards of corporate whistleblowing, underscoring how one accountant’s persistence can trigger state-level investigations and ongoing federal scrutiny. It also signals that industry recognition is increasingly being tied to ethical courage, not just professional achievement.
