Our People

Paul H. Anderson is a Senior Tax Consultant for TAVAS. He earned a J.D. from the University of British Columbia and a B. Com from the University of Toronto. He has been a licensed attorney in Ontario for the past 14 years and a practicing Certified Management Accountant in Canada. Paul has also completed the In Depth Tax Course, Advanced Tax Issues for the Owner Managed Business Course, and the Corporate Reorganizations Course from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. Prior to coming to TAVAS, Paul worked as an auditor for the Canada Revenue Agency, formerly and commonly known as Revenue Canada, and an auditor for the Law Society of Upper Canada. Paul has represented numerous clients before the Appeals board of the Canada Revenue Agency and various other administrative tribunals.

Richard earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of the State of New York University, a Master of Business Administration in Marketing, from Canisius College, a Juris Doctor in Law, and a post-doctorate LL.M degree in Law from Cleveland Marshall College of Law. Richard also received an award for Outstanding Achievement in the Study of Law from Who’s Who Among American Law Students, and was an Adjunct Professor of Law at Cleveland Marshall for three years. Richard was a Partner in a tax compliance business for 6 years. Before joining TAVAS in 2004, he worked for an Ohio estate planning firm, and is Board Certified in Estate Planning.

Stuart E. Chernack is a Senior Tax Consultant for TAVAS.   He earned is BA in Political Science from Temple University in Philadelphia..  He earned his J.D. and LL.M from Boston University School of Law.  Stuart began his career in the Tax Department of Price Waterhouse Coopers in Boston and Hartford.  He then had Senior Tax Positions with Publicly Held Multinational Corporations including Unisys Corporation in Philadelphia, Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh, Arco Chemical in Philadelphia and Commodore International Limited in Philadelphia where he was Vice President of Taxes. Stuart has extensive international tax experience.

Heather joined TAVAS in the summer of 2012.  She received her Bachelor of Arts with departmental honors in International Relations with an emphasis in Political Science from The College of Wooster in 2008.  Immediately thereafter, she attended Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where she graduated cum laude with her J.D. and a Certificate in Taxation. Prior to joining TAVAS, Heather worked as an associate for a small commercial litigation firm in the city of Chicago.

Warren has a Master of Management, Specialization in Accounting, degree from the Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management and is a Licensed CPA. Prior to joining TAVAS in December 2002, Warren had worked six years in public accounting (KPMG and Price Waterhouse) and ten years in industry (including manufacturing and service industries). He has provided tax planning and tax compliance services for both companies and individuals addressing issues from state and local to international. In industry he has managed both federal and state corporate audits.

Mr. Davidson has over 20 years experience in the areas of law, strategy, finance, and taxation. Mr. Davidson is formerly the Chief Financial and Strategy Officer of Resource Services Group, LLC, an information technology consulting firm (“RSG”). Prior to RSG, Mr. Davidson was the CEO of PSMO Worldwide, LLC, a clothing company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota he co-founded and later sold. Mr. Davidson commenced his professional career as a tax accountant at Arthur Andersen & Company. From there he completed law school and started his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable UW Clemon, retired Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Following his Federal Clerkship, Mr. Davidson practiced law with a large Midwestern based international law firm in the areas of general corporate, mergers & acquisitions, securities, and taxation. Mr. Davidson was also Assistant Secretary of a Global 15 financial services company where he practiced in the areas of corporate development, corporate governance, mergers & acquisitions, structured finance, and securities. Mr. Davidson holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he was a member of Beta Alpha Psi, an honorary fraternity for accounting majors; a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was a Managing Editor of the Wisconsin Law Review; and an M.B.A. in Strategic Management and Finance from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. Mr. Davidson is currently a member of the advisory board of Brown Customer Delight Group, Inc., an owner of several McDonald's restaurants. He formerly sat on the board of directors of Columbia Precision Machining, Inc. and The TeseracT School of Eagan, Inc. and was a member of the adjunct finance faculty at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Tito DeLeon earned his Bachelor of Arts and Sciences Degree from the University of California at Davis, in the areas of Philosophy and Psychology, with an emphasis in biological sciences.  Later he attended the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor, concurrent with a Certificate of Tax Concentration.  For his efforts, Mr. de Leon received lifetime membership in the Traynor Honor Society for academic excellence in the study law, and was a member of the Dean’s Honor List at graduation.  Prior to joining TAVAS, Mr. de Leon served in private practice in the areas of Estate Planning, Business and Corporate Law and Taxpayer Representations before the Internal Revenue Service.

Adam joined TAVAS as an Implementation Advisor in 2018. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a Minor in Finance from Illinois State University. Adam attended The John Marshall Law School where he earned his Juris Doctorate. While at John Marshall, Adam took several courses focusing on taxation and worked as a Clerk for a General Practice Firm providing legal tax defense services. Prior to joining TAVAS, Adam practiced law as an associate for several commercial litigation law firms. He is admitted to practice in Illinois, and the US District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

Renee earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Valparaiso University and a Juris Doctor with a Certificate in Taxation from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago.  Renee’s previous experience includes a position with the Internal Revenue Service Office of Chief Counsel in the Large and Mid-Size Business Division.

Brandi graduated from the University of Montana with a Bachelors Degree in Accounting in 1997. She earned her law degree from the University of Montana, School of Law in 2000. Following her graduation from Montana, she boarded a plane to the Big Apple where she attended the Masters of Laws program at New York University, School of Law. In 2001, she graduated from NYU with an LL.M. in Taxation. Following her big city experience, she moved back to Billings, Montana where she practiced tax law with a small firm until 2006. Brandi joined TAVAS in the Fall of 2006.

Stacy graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, summa cum laude, with an undergraduate degree in political science.  She also received her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1997.  While practicing law in Pittsburgh, Stacy obtained a Masters of Tax from Duquesne University.  Prior to joining TAVAS in September 2006, she specialized in corporate, tax and estate planning law.

Mark Jacobson is a Senior Tax Consultant for TAVAS. Prior to joining TAVAS, Mark served in private practice and focused on strategic planning in the areas of tax, estates, and business structuring. He earned his undergraduate degree in accounting and received his law degree from Arizona State University at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. During law school, Mark was active in the Corporate and Business Law Society, and served on the board of the Arizona State University chapter of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

Mark was raised in the construction industry and previously owned a construction company in Arizona. As a former business owner himself, he understands the struggles and demands of owning a closely held business. His goal for each client is to maximize tax savings and asset protection by offering a fresh perspective on proven effective and efficient methods.

Lynn joined TAVAS’s tax consulting staff in 2007.  As a Senior Tax Consultant, Lynn offers tax, asset protection, retirement, succession, and estate planning services to the owners of closely-held businesses across the United States.  Admitted to the North Carolina State Bar and the U.S. Tax Court, Lynn practiced state and federal tax defense and commercial matters before joining TAVAS.  Before his legal career, Lynn spent was in commercial finance at publicly traded firms between 1984 and 1998.  As adjunct faculty and lecturer, Lynn taught financial and legal topics at both the undergraduate and graduate-level at colleges and universities in North Carolina and Michigan.  Lynn has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a Master in Business Administration from Ohio University, as well as a Jurist Doctorate from Wake Forest University School of Law, and lives in Birmingham, AL.

Michael has a B.S. in Accountancy and a Masters Degree in Taxation both from DePaul University. Prior to joining TAVAS in 2003 Michael’s career encompassed being a Senior Tax Manager at Ernst & Young providing federal and state tax compliance services to Fortune 500 companies. Also, Michael was a Senior Tax Manager at KPMG providing federal, state and international tax planning services to Fortune 1000 companies. In addition, Michael owned his own accounting and tax practice where he provided services to small entrepreneurial companies involved in contracting, manufacturing, wholesale and retail.

Janice Lawson has extensive experience applying her expertise to a volume of work, both nationally and internationally.  Her work has been comprised of business transactions, sophisticated business succession planning (including advising on transition tax planning, estate planning, charitable planning and executive compensation planning), all aspects of operational taxation for businesses and their owners, and complex real estate transactions (inclusive of development).  Growing up with her family’s businesses, provides her drive to help closely-held and family-owned businesses.

Tracy M. Legel is an attorney licensed in Kentucky and has worked with TAVAS since 2005.  She has an LL.M. in Taxation from DePaul University and a J.D. from the University of Louisville.  Before joining TAVAS, Tracy worked at a law firm in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Active in politics from a young age, Tracy continues to support politicians who favor small-business growth and tax modernization.

Bob Little has over 20 years experience as a tax and bankruptcy attorney. From 1993-2011, he served as an Associate Area Counsel and Special Assistant United States Attorney with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel. He provided extensive tax examination and collection advice to the IRS’s Small Business/Self Employed Division and litigated extensively before the United States Tax and Bankruptcy Courts.

In the private sector, he represented a host of businesses and individuals in tax disputes with the IRS and various state taxing authorities. He has also devoted much of his experience to training other tax practitioners in the areas of IRS practice and procedure, audit defense, tax collection, and bankruptcy.

Outside of the office, Bob spends his time rehabbing properties and providing affordable housing throughout Chicagoland.

Education:
University of Chicago Law School (J.D., 1993)
University of Illinois at Urbana (B.A., 1990)

Admissions:
United States Tax Court Bar
Illinois Supreme Court Bar
US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Federal Trial Bar, Northern District of Illinois

Derek received an LLB from the University of British Columbia in 1977 and his J.D. from the University of British Columbia in 2012. He received an MSc [Management] in 2008. Derek was called to the Bar in 1978 and began his career as a practicing lawyer. His general practice evolved into a Small Business and Tax specialty practice over the first few years. Mr. Mason was very entrepreneurial and developed a number of business ventures. After a series of successful ventures he retired from practice. In 2008 Derek was recruited to work with TAVAS and very much enjoys advising TAVAS clients on tax related matters and looks forward to many more years of doing so. Derek has a happy family life. He has two healthy, happy, well employed sons, who are now 28 and 26 years old. He works hard to stay fit and healthy mentally and physically and enjoys many sports. He is a Canadian resident and currently resides in West Vancouver, British Columbia and Los Angeles, California.

After graduating from Wayne State University with a BA in history and minors in business administration, economics and philosophy in 1976, Bradford A. Mazo became a member of the State Bar of California in 1981 after obtaining his JD from McGeorge School of Law earlier that year followed by a LLM in Taxation in 1983. Immediately, he established his law practice in Sacramento, California before moving to Choctaw, Oklahoma in May 2000 where he became a member of the Oklahoma Bar in April 2001. The core of Mr. Mazo’s California law practice included all taxation matters either outright or as they related to his proficiencies in estate planning, probate, contracts and contract negotiation, business set-ups and litigation, bankruptcy (chapters 7, 13 and 11), debtor-creditor relationships, real estate, commercial and residential unlawful detainers, family law, guardianships, divorces, personal injury, and general, tort, and civil litigation (arbitration and trials). This diverse expertise carried forward while employed by Haupt Brooks Vandruff in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from 2003 to 2005 where he concentrated on complex chapter 11 matters and the aforestated taxation and proficiencies. Mr. Mazo has counseled and represented clients throughout the various counties in the States of California and Oklahoma as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Northern Districts of California, Eastern and Western Districts of Oklahoma, and the District of New Mexico. These are the reasons why TAVAS hired him at the end of 2005.

Richard joined TAVAS in 2003, and his primary responsibility includes final review of recommended strategies and written client presentations with a concentration in federal taxation and estate planning matters.  He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Northern Illinois University, and a Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School.  Richard was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1981 and also admitted to practice in the Northern District of Illinois in 1981. Prior to joining TAVAS, Richard was a sole general practitioner for over 19 years.

Ashley Nail joined TAVAS as an Implementation Advisor in 2018. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Public Relations with a Minor in Business from the University of Idaho. Ashley attended IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor and Certificate in Business Law. While at Chicago-Kent, Ashley took several LLM tax courses. Throughout her time in law school, Ashley clerked for several commercial litigation firms including Hinshaw and Culbertson, LLP.

Charlie’s undergraduate degree is from the University of Chicago, his MBA is from Illinois Institute of Technology, and has earned the graduate Professional Accounting Program Certificate from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.  He has practiced as a CPA for 28 years and is licensed in Illinois.  His career includes controllerships in private industry and elected public offices.  He has also served in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and as an IRS Revenue Agent.

Marie has an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Illinois and a law degree from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law where she specialized in federal tax issues.   Prior to joining TAVAS in June 2006, Marie was a Senior Tax Analyst at CCH Incorporated. There she wrote and edited articles on a wide variety of federal tax topics in a number of professional publications designed for the legal and accounting markets.

Ted earned his undergraduate degree in Religion at Wabash College. He went on to receive his law degree from Valparaiso University School of Law. During law school, he participated in the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and completed an internship at the Indiana Department of Revenue working in the Sales and Use Tax group. Ted has also received his LL.M. in Taxation from Northwestern University School of Law where he earned a certificate in Corporate Tax. Ted joined TAVAS in the spring of 2017.

Michael attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville receiving his B.S.B.A. in Business (Accounting Major) in 1981 and his Juris Doctorate in 1987. After graduation with his B.S.B.A. but before attending law school, Michael worked at Cooper Lybrand (now known as PWC) as a tax accountant from Spring 1981 till Fall 1984. During that time frame Michael passed the certified public accountant examination. Michael graduated from law school in December 1986, passed the Arkansas Bar and Oklahoma Bar examination and immediately began his law career by entering private practice. Over the next thirty years, Michael was a practicing attorney in the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma providing general business, commercial, tax and estate planning legal services to his client base. Michael joined TAVAS in January, 2017. The combination of a B.S.B.A. with a major in accounting, a Juris Doctorate and thirty plus years of representing small to medium in the private sector provides Michael with a well-rounded but unique skill set of education and experience which is extremely useful to small and medium business understanding of the diverse yet complex business climate associated with their business.

Chris earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Materials Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, a Juris Doctor with a certificate in patent law from The John Marshall Law School, and a Master of Laws in Tax Law with honors from the John Marshall Law School. Prior to joining TAVAS in 2016, Chris worked for multiple Fortune 500 companies. He is admitted to practice in Illinois, the United States Tax Court, US District Court, Northern District of Illinois, and United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Bruce holds a MBA from the University of Chicago concentrating in Finance, International Business and Statistics and graduated 1st in his class from the University of Illinois with a BS in Accounting.  Prior to joining TAVAS in July 2002, Bruce acquired experience in public accounting, and as a corporate executive, as well as entrepreneurial skills as founder of his own successful CPA and Wealth Management practice. Past titles include:  Auditor and Senior Financial Consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers; and Corporate Treasurer, Director of Strategic Planning, and Director of Business Development with several Fortune 100 companies.  Finally, Bruce achieved a milestone as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for a $100 million dollar public company prior to age 40.  Bruce was an Instructor in Finance and Taxation at several universities including Keller Graduate School of Business. Bruce also served his country during the Vietnam conflict and sat on several charitable boards as Director including Rotary International, YMCA, Chamber of Commerce, and his church council.

Asia has an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Southern Illinois University and a Masters of Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management. Prior to joining TAVAS in August 2019, Asia had worked with private advertising company and a life insurance company. In addition, she has ten years of experience with public accounting firms Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse Coopers. She has extensive knowledge in areas of individual, partnership and corporate filings. Asia has provided tax planning and tax compliance services for marketing, finance and life insurance companies as well as high net worth individuals.

Amy received her bachelor’s degree in General Management summa cum laude from the Honors College at Michigan State University, where she studied at the graduate level via the Master of Business Administration program.  Amy earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Colorado, where she served as an Articles Editor for the Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy.  Prior to joining TAVAS in the fall of 2007, Amy worked in corporate law at a firm in Denver, Colorado.  Other experience includes clerking at the Colorado Supreme Court, the University Of Colorado Office of General Counsel, and the American Medical Association Office of General Counsel.  Amy has served on the Board of Trustees for the GLMS Foundation and was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the St. Joseph’s Children’s Home.  She is a member of the American Medical Association Alliance as well as several local volunteer organizations.

Wendy Wade received her Bachelor of Arts in Finance with an emphasis in Real Estate from The University of Northern Iowa. She subsequently attended John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois where she received her Juris Doctorate. At John Marshall, Wendy continued her studies to receive an LL.M in Taxation with a certificate in Corporate Taxation. Her prior work experience includes legal tax defense, Internal Revenue Service in the Small Business division, State of Illinois income tax department.

Andrew Whiteside graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in both Mathematics and Economics from the University of Oklahoma and followed that up with his Juris Doctorate from OU as well. After going into private practice in Oklahoma City for a couple of years, Andrew then got his LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He then worked in the Private Wealth Management department of UMB Bank in Kansas City as a Staff Attorney, providing tax and legal analysis on tax and estate planning concepts to high net worth clients. He joined TAVAS in February 2019.

Kyle graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science. He earned his law degree from the Chicago-Kent college of Law, and an MBA from the IIT Stuart School of Business. Kyle’s previous experience includes Medicare-Medicaid Compliance, and Financial and Professional Regulation.

During law school, he clerked in the Income Tax Litigation Division of the Illinois Department of Revenue. There he helped prosecute Illinois citizens who brought in large amounts of cigarettes from Indiana who illegally attempted to avoid Chicago and Illinois sales taxes.

Kyle was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2017 and joined TAVAS in 2018 as a Tax Analyst.