Meet Our Team

Christina Nortman, CPA

Christina leads the firm's Northeast practice from Maryland, bringing Big Four discipline from PwC and CohnReznick to owner-operated businesses. She works with high-income business owners and real estate investors who have outgrown reactive tax preparation and want the strategy designed before the year closes.

Background: Bachelor's and Master of Science in Accounting, University of Baltimore.

Laura Bucko

Laura leads the operations that turn AE Tax Advisors' tax strategies into a consistent client experience. Her background in tax advisory leadership and real estate development gives her a practical understanding of the businesses and properties many clients are building. She focuses on clear processes, strong team coordination, and dependable follow-through from onboarding to delivery.

Focus: Firm operations, client experience, and team coordination.

Alicia Orellana

Alicia owns client onboarding, coordinating document collection, scheduling, and communication from first contact through implementation. She also works with the advisory team to research and refine the less conventional planning approaches that unusual situations call for.

Focus: Client onboarding, engagement coordination, and alternative strategy research.

Mark Simonsen, CPA

Mark founded the firm's Mountain West practice and works from Montana with deep roots in the local business community. He builds advanced tax strategy for business owners, real estate investors, and entrepreneurs whose situations have outgrown a standard compliance relationship.

Specialty: Advanced tax strategy and entity structuring for business owners and real estate investors.

Adam West, EA

Adam leads the Southeast practice from Macon, Georgia, where he is also a partner at Gonser, West & Associates. As an Enrolled Agent he handles tax compliance and IRS representation, pairing local accessibility with national-caliber planning.

Services: Accounting, consulting, tax compliance, and IRS representation.

Krister Myrlonn, EA

Krister is an Enrolled Agent licensed by the IRS, working on entity structuring, cost segregation analysis, and tax optimization for high-income business owners and real estate investors. He is based at the firm's Billings, Montana headquarters.

Background: Montana State University Billings.

Prashna Joshi, CPA, EA

Prashna is a Certified Public Accountant and Enrolled Agent supporting AE Tax Advisors’ tax preparation and compliance work. She helps clients organize financial information, understand filing requirements, and navigate the details of their returns. Her approach emphasizes accuracy, clear communication, and dependable follow-through throughout the tax preparation process.

Focus: Tax return preparation, tax compliance, and client support.

Jagdish Patel, CPA, CA

Jagdish is part of AE Tax Advisors’ tax team, providing accounting and bookkeeping expertise for business owners and real estate clients. He holds CPA and Chartered Accountant credentials and brings experience with QuickBooks, Xero, and financial reporting.

Focus: Accounting, bookkeeping, and return preparation support.

Vipul Chaudhary, EA

Vipul supports AE Tax Advisors with U.S. tax return preparation, accounting, and bookkeeping. An Enrolled Agent with a background in accountancy, he works with businesses in e-commerce, retail, and wholesale trading and is certified in QuickBooks and Xero.

Focus: U.S. tax return preparation, bookkeeping, and tax compliance.

Haresh Purohit

Haresh supports AE Tax Advisors with accounting, bookkeeping, and financial reporting. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in accountancy and has experience serving real estate, e-commerce, and nonprofit organizations using QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho, and Bill.com.

Focus: Accounting, financial records, and reporting.

Jacques Snyman

Jacques leads cost segregation studies and tax analysis for the firm's real estate clients. He coordinates each study from property intake and engineering analysis through the final report, keeping the work organized and the findings clear for clients and their tax advisors.

Focus: Cost segregation, depreciation analysis, and real estate tax optimization.

Yash Ravee

Yash supports the advisory team with in-depth tax research, return analysis, and strategy development. He digs into the details of each client's tax situation to identify optimization opportunities and ensure every recommendation is backed by current IRC guidance.

Focus: Tax research, return analysis, and strategy support.

Ashik Zaman

Ashik builds and maintains the technical infrastructure behind the firm's planning, compliance, and client portal systems. His work keeps client documents secure and the advisory team's tooling fast enough to model strategy while a client is still on the call.

Focus: Platform development, technology infrastructure, and data security.

James Rollan Rosales

James supports AE Tax Advisors' leadership team with scheduling, administrative coordination, and the details that keep day-to-day work moving. His organization helps advisors stay focused on clients and timely delivery.

Jem Elizshel Alcantara

Jem supports AE Tax's daily operations by managing document intake, administrative tracking, and internal coordination. He keeps the back-office running so the advisory team can focus on delivering results for clients.

Focus: Document management, administrative coordination, and operational support.

Lee-Anne Naidoo

Lee-Anne is the first point of contact for clients, guiding them through onboarding and supporting them throughout their engagement. She keeps communication, documentation, billing, and internal coordination moving smoothly, ensuring clients always know what to expect and nothing falls through the cracks.

Focus: Client experience, communication, and engagement coordination.

Jared Newman

Jared manages the integrations and automated workflows that support the firm's client operations. He connects systems, improves data flow, and helps the advisory team work efficiently from intake through delivery.

Focus: Technical integrations, automation, and systems architecture.

Theo Mwangi

Theo builds and maintains strong relationships with AE Tax clients throughout their engagement. He serves as a dedicated point of contact, ensuring client needs are communicated to the advisory team and that every deliverable meets expectations.

Focus: Client relationships, account management, and engagement oversight.

Nic Bellingham

Nic helps prospective clients understand the value AE Tax Advisors can deliver for their specific situation. With a focus on listening first, he ensures every new engagement starts with clarity on goals, expectations, and the path to meaningful tax savings.

Focus: Client enrollment, prospect engagement, and onboarding coordination.

Jesse Gibson

Jesse leads revenue strategy and client acquisition across AE Tax Advisors and its partner brands. Drawing on more than a decade of experience in professional services, he builds the partnerships and processes that connect prospective clients with the right advisory team. He works to make expectations clear from the first conversation through the signed engagement.

Focus: Revenue strategy, client acquisition, and business development.

Avatar Tripathi

Avatar leads the firm's digital presence and thought leadership, turning technical tax strategy into material business owners will actually read. He manages content strategy and engagement across every platform the firm publishes on.

Focus: Content strategy, digital marketing, and community engagement.

Jeff Miller

Jeff leads marketing for AE Tax Advisors, overseeing how the firm communicates its services and connects with prospective clients. He coordinates marketing strategy and campaigns to help business owners and real estate investors learn about the firm's approach to proactive tax planning.

Focus: Marketing leadership, campaign strategy, and client acquisition.

Blake Snodgrass

Blake shapes AE Tax Advisors' marketing strategy, helping the firm reach business owners and investors who could benefit from proactive tax planning. His background in direct response marketing, media buying, and client acquisition informs how the firm explains its work and connects with prospective clients.

Focus: Marketing strategy, client acquisition, and campaign development.

Connor Davis

Connor Davis serves as Chairman of the Board of Advisors at AE Tax Advisors. His board role centers on the firm's strategic direction, organizational growth, and commitment to a consistent client experience.

Focus: Board leadership, firm strategy, and client experience.

Jacob Simany, Esq.

Jacob is a tax attorney, former IRS Office of Chief Counsel litigator, and founder of Simany Law. He advises clients on tax controversy and IRS dispute resolution, drawing on insider experience with how the IRS actually develops, negotiates, and settles cases.

Advisory Focus: Tax controversy and litigation, IRS dispute resolution, succession and estate planning.

Michael A. Zara, Esq.

Mike is a business attorney with nearly two decades of experience and a background in accounting, which lets him read a transaction financially and legally at the same time. He advises clients on entity structuring, business formation, contracts, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance.

Background: J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law; B.S. in Accounting, Arizona State University. Licensed in Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina.

Scott Nortman

Scott Nortman is a mortgage lending specialist working alongside AE Tax Advisors to provide qualified mortgage solutions for clients pursuing real estate investment strategies. With deep experience in investment property financing, portfolio lending, and DSCR loans, Scott helps AE Tax clients secure the financing they need to execute on short-term rental acquisitions, cost segregation strategies, and real estate portfolio expansion.

Specialty: Investment property financing, portfolio lending, and DSCR loans.

Brett Watts

Brett Watts works with AE Tax Advisors as a channel partner for long-term business financing. He helps business owners evaluate structured financing options that support expansion, equipment purchases, acquisitions, and sustained growth.

Focus: Long-term business financing and growth capital.

James LaRosa

James LaRosa works with AE Tax Advisors as a channel partner for short-term business financing. He helps business owners evaluate working capital and other near-term funding options based on their operating needs.

Focus: Short-term business financing and working capital.

Todd Hauger

Todd Hauger is a Mortgage Loan Officer with Generations Bank and works with AE Tax Advisors as a channel partner for qualified mortgage financing. He helps clients evaluate residential lending options for primary residences, second homes, and real estate purchases.

Focus: Qualified mortgage financing and residential lending. NMLS #1400548.

Nick Korom

Nick Korom is the founder of BNB Accelerator and works with AE Tax Advisors as a channel partner for real estate acquisitions. His team helps investors source, underwrite, negotiate, and close short-term rental properties across selected U.S. markets.

Focus: Short-term rental acquisitions, property underwriting, and transaction execution.

Billy Petzold, CDFA®

Billy is a Partner and Wealth Advisor at Coastal Strategic Capital and works with AE Tax Advisors as an independent channel partner for retirement options. He helps business owners evaluate 401(k) and defined benefit plans and coordinate plan administration with their broader retirement and tax planning goals.

Before entering financial services, Billy founded and ran Absolute Medical Systems for 12 years before structuring an exit with Stryker. That business ownership experience informs his approach to complex retirement strategies, wealth preservation, and planning for life after a business transition.

Focus: Retirement options, 401(k) and defined benefit plan administration, and wealth preservation.