Joshua R. Zender is a distinguished professor at Cal Poly Humboldt, specializing in a wide range of accounting disciplines, including corporate social responsibility, tax, ethics, financial, managerial, cost, government, and nonprofit accounting. His research interests focus on sustainability reporting, public financial management, and business entrepreneurship. Zender’s scholarly contributions are widely recognized, with publications in esteemed journals such as Strategic Finance, Journal of Government Financial Management, Treasury Management, and Journal of Business, Accounting, and Finance. He has also authored research reports for various California state agencies and contributed to book chapters and instructor guides for leading publishers including McGraw-Hill, Surgent CPA, Palgrave-MacMillan, Routledge, and the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA).

In addition to his academic pursuits, Zender has been a dedicated educator, serving as an instructor and Program Director for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. He is deeply committed to student success, evident through his role as the advisor to the Humboldt
Accounting Club. His community engagement includes board memberships with local credit unions and governmental entities. Zender currently serves as President of the IMA Redwood Empire Chapter, further demonstrating his leadership in the accounting field. 

Before joining Cal Poly Humboldt, Zender gained valuable experience as a municipal finance manager in local government and has experience working for with some of the largest accounting and consulting firms in the United States. He is a highly credentialed professional, holding certifications as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in California, Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP), Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP), Certified Global Management Accountant (CGMA), and Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM).