2023 LEARN Event

Rayanne Buchianico has devoted her career to the technology industry. With over 25 years of working in and around technology, she built many companies to support IT professionals across the globe. As the owner of ABC Solutions LLC in Clearwater, Florida, she develops processes for MSPs to focus on profitability, automation, and standardization through bookkeeping, accounting, and fractional CFO services. She is enrolled to practice before the Internal Revenue Service enabling the firm to offer complete tax preparation and compliance services. As a shareholder in PSA Impact, Inc., Rayanne helps MSPs make the most of their PSA system by optimizing their systems for efficiency and automation. Rayanne is a partner in Sell My MSP providing valuation and consulting services throughout the process of acquiring or selling an IT service firm. In addition to the above, Rayanne sits on the Board of Directors for the National Society of IT Service Providers as the Treasurer. She also participates in social media groups, webinars, channel events, podcasts, and informational articles in various channel periodicals.

“Making Accounting a Little Less Taxing”® is Nayo Carter-Gray’s goal as owner and founder of 1st Step Accounting, a virtual accounting practice located in Baltimore, MD. Nayo is an Enrolled Agent, a Gusto Ambassador, and a QuickBooks Online Advanced Certified Pro-Advisor. She was also named one of the Top 50 Women in Accounting and Forbes Top 100 Tax Twitter accounts to follow two years in a row.

Marc J. Dombrowski, EA, specializes in IRS/state collections cases, settlements with the IRS, tax lien releases, and corporate officer assessments. He has lectured since 1994 on advanced collection topics. As an enrolled agent, he is licensed to practice before the IRS in all 50 states. He received the 2020 NAEA President’s Award for his contributions to the practitioner community.

Thomas A. Gorczynski, EA, USTCP is a Phoenix-based tax professional whose practice specializes in tax preparation, planning, and representation. He earned an MS in Taxation from Golden Gate University and a certificate in Finance and Accounting from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He serves on the NTPI Planning and Government Relations Committees. Mr. Gorczynski is a nationally-known speaker in the tax field and co-owner of Compass Tax Educators.

Dr. Hiba Khaled, co-founder of Embers, leadership and wellbeing consultant. Hiba trained as a physician in the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, before obtaining a Master’s degree in Medical Education from Harvard Medical School. She worked as a curriculum designer and developer at Harvard Medical School and as a leadership coach with Professors Ron Heifetz and Tim O’Brien at Harvard Kennedy School developing students’ leadership skills from diverse backgrounds including politics, business, healthcare, NGOs, finance, and consulting to help them achieve transformational results. Having experienced and recovered from burnout herself, she is passionate about helping clients in demanding careers and businesses recover from burnout while empowering them to build the capacity to thrive. A surfer, tea enthusiast, and avid reader.

Clarice Landreth is an enrolled agent who works at Omni Tax Solutions in Broomfield, CO. She has over 20 years of experience representing taxpayers before the IRS. She is currently the chair of the NAEA NTPI Planning Committee and a current speaker at NAEA’s events and for the NTPI program. She is an expert in tax resolution including Offers in Compromise and Trust Fund Recovery Penalty.

Matt Metras, EA is the owner of MDM Financial Services in Irondequoit, NY. He has been practicing since 2003 and specializes in bookkeeping and taxation for cryptocurrency clients. He is a frequent guest on the Bitcoin Taxes podcast. He has instructed on Cryptocurrency Taxation for the National Association of Enrolled Agents, the National Association of Tax Professionals, The American Institute of Certified Tax Planners, and many other organizations. Additionally, he is a contributing writer for thinkoutsidethetaxbox.com. Matt is also a passionate community advocate and serves as the President of his local Board of Education.

Kenneth Portera EA, ATP, has been preparing taxes for over 30 years and is the founder and owner/operator of Kenneth Portera & Associates LLC, a year-round tax preparation and accounting practice which he started in 2009.  

His firm provides tax controversy representation, tax preparation for individuals, partnerships, corporations, estates, nonprofits, and gift tax filings. Prior to going off on his own, he held positions of chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer, and controller for a number of financial service companies. He holds an undergraduate degree in accounting from Pace University and completed some specialized graduate courses from the New School. 

 Ken taught as an adjunct for 13 years in the City University system as part of the accounting and finance department. He currently serves on the Executive Board of the New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Tax Professionals and is a past director of the New Jersey Society of Enrolled Agents. 

Heather is an Enrolled Agent and fellow of the National Tax Practice Institute. She has over a decade of experience in tax compliance and controversy on the federal and state levels for individuals and small businesses. She has represented clients in a wide variety of cases, including collection enforcement defense, examination defense, Trust Fund Recovery Penalties, penalty abatements, and innocent spouse relief requests before various IRS units and state revenue agencies.

Heather is a passionate volunteer with the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, and earned the “Young Volunteer of the Year” award in 2020. She is currently a student at the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she serves on the executive board of the Business and Tax Law Association. Most recently, she became vice-chair for NAEA’s Ethics & Professional Conduct Committee.

Hale E. Sheppard (B.S., M.A., J.D., LL.M. and LL.M.T.) is a Shareholder in the Tax Controversy Section of Chamberlain Hrdlicka in Atlanta. He defends individuals and businesses during tax audits, appeals, and litigation. Hale has participated in over 150 cases in the Tax Court, District Court, and Court of Appeals. In addition, he has obtained dozens of favorable Private Letter Rulings for clients from the IRS National Office on procedural, tax, and international issues. Hale obtained five college degrees, including an LL.M. in international law from the Universidad de Chile and an LL.M. in taxation from the University of Florida, earning various prestigious scholarships and academic distinctions along the way. Hale ranks among the most active tax writers in the country, having published over 225 articles in top law reviews and tax journals. Hale has been widely cited as a tax/legal authority in many domestic and foreign journals, inducted into the American College of Tax Counsel, invited to present at major tax conferences, and recognized as a leader in tax disputes for many years by Chambers USA and other respected organizations.