Member Spotlight

• Company/Firm: Ernst & Young, LLP (EY) 
• Office location: Detroit, MI
• Line of Service/Bus. Unit: Indirect Tax 
• Tenure with Company/Firm and Role:  Senior Manager
• Family:  DeMarrio (Age 13) and Tristan (Age 9)
• Grew up in:  Detroit, MI
• Lives in:  Rochester Hills, MI
• College/Major:  Wayne State University – BA in Accounting; Master of Science in Taxation (MST)
• Hobbies & interests:  Interior Design (commercial and residential); Exercise/Fitness
• Favorite vacation spot: North Myrtle Beach, SC 
• Something people may not know about me:  I have Type 1 Diabetes
• Favorite app on your phone:  Renovate AI; Realtor
• Best gift ever received: My necklace
• One word used to describe myself: Focused
• Best advice ever received:  The best thing you can do is make progress, no matter how slow.
• Favorite quote: “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming” (Dory – Disney’s Finding Nemo)
• Top things on my “bucket list”: Take my sons to visit their grandfather’s birthplace (Jamaica)
• Why did you join the MWTA?: I am inspired by women in tax leadership roles and the MWTA events are SO FUN!
• If you could choose anyone as a mentor, who would you choose? Egypt Sherrod
• What’s the best piece of career advice you ever received? Continuously and actively build your professional network (internally and externally)

• Company/Firm: ShindelRock
• Office location: Novi, MI
• Line of Service/Bus. Unit: Tax, Accounting and Forensic Accounting
• Tenure with Company/Firm and Role:  I’ve been with ShindelRock for about 8.5 years. I’m a senior manager.
• Family:  I have an amazing husband, Tim! We have 2 dogs (Zoey and Rocky) and 2 cats (Sweetie and Norris).
• Lives in: Gregory, Michigan. A small town right outside of Hell.
• Grew up in:  Almont, Michigan
• College/Major: I got my Bachelor of Business Administration – Accountancy from Western Michigan University and my Master of Science – Forensic Account from New England College
• Hobbies:  I love being outdoors, hiking, running, camping, really any adventures with my husband and my puppies.
• Favorite vacation spot: Paris. I loved seeing all the historic buildings and walking around the city during the holidays.
• Something people may not know about me:  I want to start raising pigs. I’m a Liverpool fan.
• Favorite app on your phone: Audible and Spotify.
• Best gift I’ve ever received: A trip to Germany. It was only for a quick weekend while my husband was there for work. I got to see so much, and we were able check out a local football match!  
• One word used to describe myself:Enthusiastic
• Best advice ever received: Stay curious and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
• Favorite quote: “You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated.” - Maya Angelou
• Top things on my “bucket list”: I would love to travel to Australia and New Zealand
• Why did you join the MWTA? I wanted to get more involved and meet some of the other women in the industry.            
• What’s the best piece of career advice you ever received? I have received a lot of great advice over the years. Two of the best would be don’t sweat the small stuff.  Everyone makes mistakes and every mistake helps you learn and be better prepared for your clients. And don’t be the smartest person in the room.  Put yourself in situations where there are smarter people around you and listen to them and learn from them.

• Company/Firm: Hertz Schram PC
• Office location: Bloomfield Hills
• Line of Service/Bus. Unit: Property Tax Appeals
• Tenure with Company/Firm and Role:  29 years/Partner
• Family:  Grew up in a large family, but single; no kids
• Lives in:  Rochester Hills, MI
• College/Major: BGS with Concentration in Economics and Political Science
• Favorite vacation spot: Boston
• Something people may not know about me:  Bet you didn’t know that I am a twin; unfortunately my twin brother passed away 10 years ago
• Favorite app on your phone: Google
• Best gift I’ve ever received: Wall hanging made by a dear friend
• Top things on my bucket list: Finish visiting our national parks
• Best advice ever received:  The best piece of career advice I ever received was from my Mom: “Go to college”.
• Favorite quote: “Well done is better than well said”—Benjamin Franklin
• If you could choose a mentor, who would it be? It would be Oprah Winfrey. She grew up in poverty and overcame much adversity to become who she is today.
• Why did you join the MWTA? I joined the MWTA to meet other tax professionals with whom I/we might have synergies, both professionally and personally

•Company/Firm: Plante & Moran, PLLC 

•Office location: Ann Arbor

•Line of Service/Bus. Unit: Wealth Management Tax (High wealth individuals, closely held companies, trusts and private foundations)

•Tenure with Company/Firm and Role:  8 years/Manager

•Family:  Husband (James), 2 Horses (Image & Zipper), & 2 Goats (Duke & Levi)

•Grew up in:  Pinckney, MI

•Lives in:  Ann Arbor, MI

•College/Major: Albion College/Bachelor of Arts with a Concentration in Accounting & University of Michigan/Masters of Accounting

•Hobbies & interests: Horses/Equestrian Sports, fishing, boating, being crafty

•Favorite vacation spot: Traverse City/Leelanau Peninsula

•Something people may not know about me:  I was a member of Albion College’s Western Equestrian Team and rode in the highest level of competition all four years, where I qualified for semi-finals three times and nationals once.

•Favorite app on your phone: Zillow (Currently on the hunt for a new house!)

•Best advice ever received:  To go for my Master’s at U of M – I don’t think I would be where I am today if it wasn’t for a very persistent and encouraging Albion College professor (John Carlson).

•Favorite quote: “You don’t regret the things you do, just the things you don’t”

•Why did you join the MWTA? The networking & fun events

• ·       Company/Firm: Varnum LLP
• ·       Office location:  Grand Rapids
• ·       Line of Service/Bus. Unit:  Legal services, working with the employee benefits, tax, and corporate practice groups
• ·       Tenure with Company/Firm and Role:  8 years, Enrolled Agent / Legal Assistant
• ·       Family: Partner, Joe, and cat, Cojack
• ·       Grew up in: Grand Rapids
• ·       Lives in:  Grand Rapids
• ·       College/Major:  MST at Grand Valley State University (currently pursuing),   PBACC in paralegal studies at Davenport University, BBA in management at Western Michigan University
• ·       Hobbies & interests:   True crime podcasts, beauty boxes, local history
• ·       Favorite vacation spot:   Anywhere on or near Lake Michigan
• ·       Something people may not know about me:  I am a three-time participant in local police department and sheriff’s office citizen’s academies (Grand Rapids Police Department, Wyoming Police Department, and Kent County Sheriff’s Office).
• ·       Favorite app on your phone:  Reddit
• ·       One word used to describe myself:   Quirky
• ·       Top things on my “bucket list”:   I would love to go to back Disneyworld! 
• ·       Why did you join the MWTA?   Networking and mentoring
• ·       If you could choose anyone as a mentor, who would you choose?  Phyllis Borzi, former head of the Employee Benefits Security Administration, known as the “Godmother” of ERISA.

•Company/Firm:  UHY Advisors, MI

•Office location: Sterling Heights, MI

•Line of Service/Bus. Unit:   FLVS

•Family:  Amazing husband, Rob + Courtney and Pepper (cat and puppy).

•Grew up in:  Harrison Twp, MI

•Lives in:  Harrison Twp, MI

•College/Major:  WSU Grad School – MBA with a concentration in Finance

•Hobbies & interests:  Anything outdoors; running, paddle boarding, and backpacking especially. I also love art, boating, reading, and yoga.

•Favorite vacation spot:  Definitely Alaska. However, I wouldn’t turn down another trip to Europe.

•Something people may not know about me:  I worked for Harley-Davidson, and I know how to ride motorcycles.

•Favorite app on your phone:  Spotify and the flashlight.

•Best gift ever received:  I love all gifts, but trips are always a favorite. Memories last so much longer than flowers.

•One word used to describe myself: Extrovert

•Best advice ever received:  If you can’t beat fear, just do it scared.

•Favorite quote: “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”
— Abraham Lincoln.

•Top things on my “bucket list”: #1 is Hiking in the Himalayans.

•Why did you join the MWTA? Every amazing, inspirational woman I have met in this career path belongs to the MWTA.

•What’s the best piece of career advice you ever received? “Always think bigger and never sell yourself short.” From Ursula Scroggsat DKSS CPAs.

KERRI HEYDENS     

•Company/Firm:  PwC

•Office location:  Detroit, MI

•Line of Service/Bus. Unit:   Private Company Services - Tax

•Tenure with Company/Firm and Role:  20 years and Partner

•Family:  Husband (Scott), Kids (Khloe 9 and Brady 7)

•Grew up in:  East Pointe, MI

•Lives in:  Rochester Hills, MI

•College/Major: Michigan State University, MBA and Wayne State University, BS, Accounting

•Hobbies & interests: Working out (I LOVE my Peloton), Reading, Skiing, and attending live sporting events

•Favorite vacation spot:  Florida (Orlando, Tampa and Miami) and Park City, Utah

•Something people may not know about me: I have a very famous client

•Favorite app on your phone:  Twitter, Delta and Weather Channel apps

•Best gift ever received:  Rolex watch for my 2^ndWedding anniversary

•One word used to describe myself: Busy

•Best advice ever received:  Control what you can control and try not to worry about what you can’t control

•Top things on my “bucket list”:  Vacation in Italy, Greece, and Paris, France.

•Company/Firm:  Retired from full time work!

•Grew up in:  the “Thumb” of Michigan, near Snover, Michigan

•Lives in:  Orion Township, near Clarkston

•College/Major: Michigan State University/BA & MBA in Professional Accounting

•Hobbies & interests: Travel, collecting art, jigsaw puzzles

•Favorite vacation spot:  I’ve enjoyed many vacation spots across the world, but I find my memories often drift back to the majesty of the fjords of Norway.

•Something people may not know about me: I won my first two trophies at age seven for showing my Shorthorn heifer at the county 4-H fair.

•Favorite app on your phone:  Duolingo/Tinycards– using both to learn Italian

•Best gift ever received:  The most impactful gift I received was a mixed gemstone necklace that my late husband chose for me.   He had purchased it and hidden it in a drawer in his home office.   I found it after his unexpected death.

•One word used to describe myself: Determined

•Best advice ever received:  You can do anything you set your mind to….

•Favorite quote:  “Find beauty in life every day.  Live with meaning, purpose and intention.”

•Top things on my “bucket list”:  Visit the Louvre, take a European river cruise, return to Hawaii.