Speakers

A.J. has over 30 years of experience in various areas of taxation. He brings his everyday “in the trenches” experience when assisting attendees with real issues affecting tax professionals. A.J. started his tax career in San Diego after proudly serving in the United States Navy on board the guided missile destroyer USS Callaghan.

Dana has been communicating about risk management since beginning his career with Royal Bank of Canada where he worked with global institutions to hedge their interest rate risk and currency risk. Ultimately, this led to his involvement with information risk management. Dana holds an MBA from The Wharton School.

Genaro has over 15 years of experience in public accounting in both large and small firm settings. He currently owns his own practice where he grew his own clientele and purchased a book of business. Genaro offers accounting, tax and consulting services in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Irina N Bobrova is the chief executive officer of PitBullTax Software, where she spearheads the company’s strategic vision and oversees the development of innovative Tax Resolution software solutions. As a key driving force behind PitBullTax since its inception, Irina has been instrumental in shaping the product’s design and functionality, ensuring it meets the unique needs of Tax Resolution professionals.

Jeremy is a Colorado native with a bachelor's degree in accounting. He worked for Price Waterhouse and PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting firms before becoming a police officer. While working in law enforcement, he started his first tax preparation business to help fellow officers. In 2015, he and his wife opened a franchise tax office in Falcon, which they operated successfully until 2020.

Josh Youngblood, EA, is a senior tax advisor at The Youngblood Group in Dallas, Texas. An enrolled agent with more than a decade of experience representing individuals and small businesses, he is also a certified tax resolution specialist (CTRS), certified real estate tax strategist and NTPI Fellow. Youngblood has over 20 years of experience in various areas of IT. He combines his passion for tech and tax by writing and teaching about the responsible use of technology in the tax and accounting profession.

Kelly Lent-Paul, CFP® EA MBA, is a seasoned tax professional with more than 30 years of experience helping individuals with tax and financial planning. She focuses on solutions that support clients’ goals and long-term tax efficiency. She holds degrees from Cornell University and St. Bonaventure University and enjoys sharing her expertise with fellow professionals.

Kurt Bollman, CPA, CVA, brings 40+ years of experience to his tax practice, specializing in real estate partnerships; about 50% of his client base. Throughout his career, Bollman has also held several C-suite positions across a variety of industries, giving him a broad perspective on business and finance. Known for his expertise and practical insights, he is a trusted advisor to clients navigating complex tax and valuation issues.

Larry Zimbler, MST EA, holds a BS in mathematics and an MS in taxation. He has passed the Uniform CPA Exam and holds securities and insurance licenses. With 38 years of tax experience his background includes IRS technical and managerial roles, tax software development, private practice, teaching and writing. He is vice president of education for NATP’s Michigan chapter and specializes in exempt organizations.

Marit is a tax advisor, small business consultant and financial educator with over a decade of experience helping individuals and entrepreneurs achieve financial success. An enrolled agent and licensed CPA, she holds a bachelor’s in accounting and a master’s in taxation from Weber State University.

Nicole is director of tax at SKC and Co CPAs, with over 15 years of experience serving closely held businesses and individuals. Recognized by Forbes as one of the top 200 CPAs in America and honored with the AICPA Outstanding Young CPA award, she holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accountancy.

Shannon has worked in the tax industry for over a decade, working in both boutique and corporate settings before founding Shannon Hall Tax in 2017. In addition to working with tax clients, she is a speaker and educator for state-wide tax organizations. Shannon’s mission is to equip practitioners with the knowledge and confidence to thrive in an ever-evolving profession.

Troy Patton, CPA/ABV, is a seasoned financial professional with over 30 years of experience in public practice, specializing in business valuation and wealth management. He built a successful CPA and advisory firm with 10 offices and 72 employees before selling it in 2004. In 2005, Troy started Patton Archer Corporation, which began as a way to support CPAs and EAs with specialized strategies and has grown into a family of companies.

Dan Berenholtz is the CEO & co-founder of StanfordTax. Dan began his career at the IRS in Washington, D.C. and later attended graduate school at Stanford University, where he developed a passion for technology and automation. Today, Dan is focused on applying engineering principles and artificial intelligence to automate manual processes within the accounting industry.

David A. Perez: David A. Perez brings nearly 20 years of tax industry experience. After realizing he was giving away his best advice for free, he rebuilt his firm around high-value advisory services and began teaching his system to other tax pros. In just 23 months he has helped more than 2,015 professionals earn $13 million in advisory revenue and reclaim control of their work.

Hannah is an account executive at Blue J.

Jaye holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and has recently retired
from active tax practice. She was a multi-unit franchise owner with H&R Block and was
twice honored as National Franchisee of the Year. A career-long member of NATP, Jaye
has served as an instructor and content developer with the organization for more than
15 years.

Jim is a leading expert in resolving IRS tax issues, with over 19 years at the IRS and extensive experience in private practice and software development. He specializes in tax controversy and administration, has collaborated with major providers like H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt, and continues to advocate for IRS operational improvements through advisory roles and industry publications.

Kathryn is a principal tax professional at Macanta Corporation in Brooklyn, serving individuals, businesses and nonprofits. A two-term NATP board member and past Chapter Person of the Year, she received the St. Brigid Humanitarian Award in 2017. She is active in the professional tax community through speaking, volunteer service and leadership, and is a graduate of Brooklyn College and a member of NAEA, NSA, NCPE Fellowship and the Better Business Bureau of NYC.

Krista is a senior tax analyst and national relationship manager in the IRS Communications & Liaison Stakeholder Liaison Division. She works with tax professional groups and local liaisons to address nationwide issues affecting taxpayers. Krista also partners with IRS leadership on outreach efforts and previously served as a Stakeholder Liaison for Kansas and Missouri.

Larry is a certified public accountant, personal financial specialist, certified financial planner, enrolled agent, United States Tax Court practitioner and accredited estate planner in Redwood Shores, California. Larry speaks regularly to tax professionals and financial advisors on the latest tax planning and preparation topics nationally and teaches income tax courses at College of San Mateo.

Mario Nichols, EA, has more than two decades of experience in the assisted tax preparation industry. He is passionate about teaching tax professionals how to leverage IRS transcripts to expand client services. Nichols has worked with major national tax preparation platforms and operated his own tax franchises, gaining expertise in tax preparation, resolution and audit representation. His practical insights help professionals grow their practices with confidence and strategic focus.

Misty Erickson, MBA, is the tax content manager for the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP), where she has worked since 2016. She began her tax career in 2006 at a state revenue department. In addition to her role at NATP, Erickson operates a small tax practice, allowing her to stay connected to the day-to-day realities of tax preparation and client service.

Randy owns Rotation Management Corp., a Des Moines, Iowa, tax preparation and accounting firm. He enjoys consulting with business owners on using QuickBooks for bookkeeping and teaching tax courses. In his spare time, Adams enjoys biking, motorcycling and hiking in national parks.

Tom O'Saben, EA, Ed. M is the director of tax content and government relations at NATP. He has worked in the tax industry for more than 30 years, including over 25 years as a tax preparer. Before his current role, O'Saben taught a variety of tax topics to NATP members nationwide. His expertise in tax law and education was also demonstrated through his work as assistant director of the Tax School program at the University of Illinois, beginning in 2019. He recently completed his master's degree in Adult Education from Capella University.