Our Team

CPA Social - sketch underline - orange

Our expert indirect tax team is here to help your business.

Partners

Experience, expertise, and established relationships define our Partners, each boasting decades of involvement in Indirect Tax matters, including extensive time with the "Big Four" firms. With over 30 years of trusted connections, our Partners are not only professional but also accessible and approachable. No matter your company's size, they are here to cater to your sales and use tax needs.

Read Bio

Jeff Mallory

CEO, Managing Partner

Jeff Mallory

CEO, Managing Partner

Jeff Mallory, CEO, Managing Partner, has more than 30 years of experience in the world of indirect tax, with a hyper focus on sales and use taxes. Not only has Jeff spent 30+ years with hands-on experience mastering the skills necessary to be an expert in such matters, but he’s also served in multiple leadership roles at regional and national levels with firms such as KPMG, Deloitte, and Duff & Phelps while doing so.

Jeff’s sales and use tax specialization has focused on refund recovery projects, audit defense, voluntary disclosure negotiations, sales and use tax software implementations and a myriad of sales and use tax planning opportunities. Jeff’s personal way with people has been responsible for some of the 30-year-old business relationships he still enjoys today.

Jeff earned a BS in Business Administration from Florida State University.

Jeff is a fiercely loyal alumni of Florida State University, traveling annually to see at least one game. Jeff is an avid golfer and enjoys spending time with his longtime wife and two grown sons traveling and hiking.
Read Bio

Jeff Stonerock

Partner, CPA

Jeff Stonerock

Partner, CPA

Jeff Stonerock, Partner, CPA, has nearly 30 years of experience in the indirect tax space.  His specialization lies in tax planning, incentives, audit defense, refund claims and tax compliance. Jeff’s audit defense experience includes federal and state income taxes, sales and use taxes, property taxes, and various miscellaneous taxes in both the US and Canada. He’s also responsible for the innovation and implementation of Clarus Partners Exemption Certificate Management Software, AkuCert, and its Business Licensing Software, AkuLicense.

Jeff previously worked at Honda for nearly 18 years providing tax planning, incentives, and audit defense in state income tax, sales tax, property tax, and various miscellaneous taxes in both the US and Canada.  Jeff was also responsible for the automation and integration of Vertex, Avalara, and TaxWare for several of the Honda companies. He’s taken what he’s learned from these software interactions to create the groundbreaking software solutions which Clarus Partners offers today.

Jeff’s path to his present expertise originated at The Ohio State University where he obtained a BS in Accounting and Finance. Jeff enjoys spending time with family, competitive sports, and creating solutions for his clients.

Read Bio

Brian Hollingsworth

Partner

Brian Hollingsworth

Partner

Brian Hollingsworth, Partner, brings 25 years of sales and use tax experience to the indirect tax niche of Clarus Partners. The lion’s share of his 25 years was spent with Big Four firms coupled with a brief time in his own practice. Brian’s talents are broad in the indirect tax specialization including but not limited to sales and use tax refund studies, voluntary disclosures, compliance process methodologies, transactional planning (particularly around mergers and acquisitions), percentage use tax reporting implementations, nexus studies, taxability matrices, managed audits, procurement card studies, sales/use tax payables account reconciliations, and audit defenses/protests. Brian also has valuable experience with Vertex, AvaTax, and SAP.

Brian’s education experience is through The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Master’s in Accounting and a BS in Business Administration.

He now calls Idaho his home where he enjoys skiing, winemaking, camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing. He stays busy with his work, hobbies and of course his children—two grown and two younger twins.

Learn about Brian’s favorite hobby, Wine Making.

Read Bio

Steve Hanebutt

Partner, CPA, MST

Steve Hanebutt

Partner, CPA, MST

Steve Hanebutt, Partner, CPA, MST, has more than 25 years working in indirect tax matters, primarily within the state of Texas.  After 10 years with a global public accounting firm and two local public accounting firms, Steve started his own sales and use tax consulting practice, which he had for over 15 years before joining Clarus Partners.

Steve has a BS of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Science in Taxation from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Steve’s outside interests include bowling, golf, travel, TCU football and a love of the theater. In fact, he considers himself an aficionado of the musical “Wicked”, having seen it 22 times in eight cities, five states and two continents!

Learn about Steve’s favorite hobby, Golf.

Read Bio

Sonia Walwyn

Partner, CPA, LLM, J.D.

Sonia Walwyn

Partner, CPA, LLM, J.D.

Sonia Walwyn, Partner, CPA, LLM, J.D., is a key asset to the Clarus Partners team as she’s a renowned expert in matters of abandoned and unclaimed property.  As both a CPA and an attorney, while also being armed with more than 30 years’ experience in this field, she’s a force to be reckoned with. She’s frequently featured as a speaker for countless well-known professional organizations and is often sought after to conduct in-house and external training in the area of unclaimed property. Sonia has also authored numerous articles on the topic in key industry journals throughout the U.S.

Sonia’s background includes serving as Deputy Treasurer/Deputy General Counsel to the Pennsylvania State Treasurer where she successfully defended Pennsylvania’s unclaimed property statute before the state Supreme and appellate courts.  She’s also served a number of years in vital leadership positions with the Big Four accounting firms.

Sonia earned an LLM in taxation from Villanova School of Law, a J.D. from Dickinson School of Law and holds a BS in Accounting from Elizabethtown College.

When she’s not busy successfully slaying unclaimed property dragons she loves to relax with a good book.

Tax Directors and Managers

Meet our extraordinary Managers and Directors – the crème de la crème of the indirect tax business. Their vast expertise and first-class service mindset are invaluable assets to the Clarus Partners family. With their high levels of competence, we ensure a consistent delivery of certainty for you!

Read Bio

Rachel Billing

Senior Manager

Rachel Billing

Senior Manager

Rachel Billing, Senior Manager, has been with Clarus Partners for more than a decade. Rachel played an integral role in the development of our Exemption Certificate Management Software, AkuCert, and provides a myriad of consulting services to the various clients served by Clarus Partners.

Rachel earned an MBA from Ohio Dominican University. While there, she continued her love of playing volleyball and basketball, which she discovered a talent for at a very young age.  She continues with that activity today as she still plays in a weekly sand volleyball league.

Rachel enjoys trying a new food or restaurant while traveling and playing a good game of cards with friends or family.

Read Bio

Dennis Eastman

Director

Dennis Eastman

Director

Dennis Eastman, Director, comes to us with more than 30 years of experience in the Texas State Comptroller’s office working in several leadership roles as state tax auditor and oversaw thousands of sales and use tax audits. He subsequently used this expertise as a formidable Texas sales and use tax audit defender for companies of all sizes, including Fortune 500 companies.

With a BS in Accounting from Angelo State University, Dennis brings heart to Clarus Partners as an avid family man and active participant working in his community and church. He pauses from his work to spend time with his family and to tend to his yard and garden as well as answering the occasional call of trout fishing in Colorado and Wyoming.

Read Bio

Cheryl Fields

Director

Cheryl Fields

Director

Cheryl Fields, CPA, CMI, is a Director with Clarus Partners. She comes to us with more than 25 years experience in the sales and use tax industry, with more than 15 years of that spent at the Virginia Dept. of Taxation as an auditor. She is particularly skilled in the sales and use tax needs of the retail, wholesale, distribution, and manufacturing industries, focusing on audit defense, compliance, and various research. Additionally, Cheryl’s extensive talents around process improvement and attention to detail will no doubt benefit our Business License Management division and the onboarding processes associated therein.

Cheryl achieved her BA from the University of Virginia in Government and Public Administration, and her MBA at Strayer University with a specialization in Accounting and Management.

She enjoys volunteering her talents and skills to help local community causes, particularly through her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and the Junior League. She also enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Cheryl enjoys being a part of the Clarus Partners team because she loves the way in which she can assist clients with their indirect tax matters so that they can instead focus on their business goals and strategies. She also finds genuine enjoyment in keeping abreast of the ever-changing sales and use tax regulations.

Read Bio

Jim Heine

Senior Manager

Jim Heine

Senior Manager

Jim Heine, Senior Manager, is serious about his work in indirect taxes and has nearly 20 years of expertise. He’s used those talents to successfully assist several large corporations in the Columbus area with their sales and use tax issues including nexus analysis and audit defense. He’s specialized in sales and use tax, property tax, with additional background in federal and state/local income tax.

Jim also has a light-hearted side that keeps our office smiling—especially when he attempts to convince us that he invented electricity and discovered gravity.

Jim received his BS in Business Administration from The Ohio State University where he was also a member of the marching band playing the tuba in the famous script “Ohio” routine!

Jim works out of our Columbus Office where he lives with his family who all keep him busy with their various activities.

Read Bio

Carolyn Pearson

Manager

Carolyn Pearson

Manager

Carolyn Pearson, Manager, has an impressive 30 years’ experience, 15 of which are made up of sales tax compliance. She also has strong accounts receivable and accounts payable background from her time spent at a local CPA firm, which gives Carolyn tremendous insight into the intricacies of a sales and use tax audit.

Carolyn loves the work/life balance that she finds at Clarus Partners. She also values the flexible work environment and the appreciation she receives for her work from both Clarus Partners and her clients.

Carolyn and her husband love to follow their seven grandkids around to their various sporting events. When she has time to herself, she indulges in reading and travel.

Read Bio

Susan Phillips

Manager

Susan Phillips

Manager

Susan Phillips, Manager, brings decades of sales and use tax compliance experience to Clarus Partners. Susan has been with Clarus Partners since its inception and is invaluable in our sales and use tax compliance team.

Susan earned an Associates in Accounting and Business Management from Hocking College as well as a BS in Business from Franklin University.

She works out of our Raleigh, NC office presently, but has plans to move to FL in the spring of 2023. She enjoys boating as well as watching TV crime series, history documentaries, and visiting wineries.  She has plans to do volunteer work for the sea turtles once she gets settled in FL. Most of all though she loves spending time with her sons who are truly her best friends.

Read Bio

Gillian Roth

Manager

Gillian Roth

Manager

Gillian Roth, as Manager of the compliance department, ensures that each of our sales and use tax compliance clients receive the first-class service that Clarus Partners is known for. In Gil’s unyielding pursuit of excellence, our clients discover a person who thrives in her duties and responsibilities and ensures each of our clients avoid unnecessary liability exposure. Her immeasurable talents enable her to pay close attention to the details, and successfully manage several moving parts at once while bringing a calming influence to those around her.

A graduate of Ohio Dominican University, where she received her Bachelors of Science, Gillian found a balance between the brain and the body as she pursued basketball for two years amidst her studies and activities as a Student Ambassador. Today she uses that same balance, as she wears numerous compliance hats and responsibilities for Clarus Partners while also being very physically active and competitive during her downtime.

Read Bio

Nic Schatte

Director, CPA

Nic Schatte

Director, CPA

Nic Schatte, Director, CPA, has been an accounting expert for 20 years, serving as a state auditor for Ohio, working with a couple of the Big Four firms and handling the income tax planning and indirect tax issues for a Fortune 20 company.

Nic earned a BS and MS in Accounting from the University of Illinois, with a specialization in Taxation, Nic brings a robust level of expertise to Clarus Partners and an admirable level of focus and dedication.

When he’s not making Clarus Partners look stellar for their clients, he enjoys his time with his schnauzer, cycling, reading, exercising, and gardening, which you can read about here.

Read Bio

Stacie Sedgwick

Manager

Stacie Sedgwick

Manager

Stacie Sedgwick, Manager, brings Clarus Partners decades of experience in indirect tax compliance. She has vast experience in filing sales and use tax returns, food and beverage returns, and business licenses, which lends a unique expertise to our compliance team.

Stacie earned an Associates in Accounting from Marion Technical College and her BS in Business Administration from Franklin University.

When Stacie isn’t at home she’s likely camping or watching her daughter play volleyball and softball at her university or enjoying her grandkids.

Read Bio

Jack Stewart

Senior Manager

Jack Stewart

Senior Manager

Jack Stewart, CMI, is a Senior Manager at Clarus Partners and is approaching more than 20 years in indirect taxes. Jack’s career includes working with two of the Big Four firms. He tends to be the one to approach outside-the-norm scenarios with creative, yet sound solutions. Jack’s solutions have impacted refund reviews, audit defenses, taxability matrices, nexus studies, voluntary disclosure negotiations and settlements, representation of clients before various state administrative boards, development of CPE sales and use tax classes as well as impacting state/county taxing regulations.

Jack earned his BA in History from Rollins College and went on to obtain a Post Baccalaureate in Accounting from Robert Morris University.

He isn’t just a lifelong golf nut—he’s particularly interested in hickory golf which is the art of restoring and playing with hickory shafted golf clubs. He also likes to wind down with his wife and three sons and two dachshunds.

Read Bio

Kimberly Vance

Manager

Kimberly Vance

Manager

Kimberly Vance, Manager in the sales and use tax compliance team, enjoys getting to know her clients and their needs. She likes the pace of her duties with Clarus Partners in that she gets the opportunity to learn new components of the work continually and there’s always a new client scenario to explore.

Having attended the University of Akron, Kimberly began her career in accounting in 1991. Highlights of her lengthy career are inventory control, accounts payable, payroll, and income tax returns.

She enjoys doing just about anything that involves her son and her husband.

Read Bio

Khayyam Zubair

IT Manager

Khayyam Zubair

IT Manager

Khayyam Zubair, IT Manager, is new to the indirect tax industry but has been involved in financial technology operations and development for about seven years. He holds a BA in Computer Science from Ohio Wesleyan University where he was on an academic scholarship and on the dean’s list repeatedly. He also holds an MBA from Capital University.

Khayyam contributes towards the continuing demands of the Clarus Partners software development and the implementation of our many IT projects.

Outside of work, he likes to play tennis and cricket, as well as read about world history, keep up with financial markets, and watch discussions on world affairs. He’s presently working for us out of Toronto.

Team

It takes all kinds to make up a complete family and our Clarus Partners family wouldn’t be complete without the hardworking members that make up the rest of our team. These team members come with equally as impressive backgrounds as their counterparts. Come on in. Sit down. Relax. Get to know us a bit. You’ll be glad you did.

Read Bio

Rachael Appel

Senior

Rachael Appel

Senior

Rachael Appel, Senior, has a lengthy professional background in unclaimed property. She truly values her client-facing position with Clarus Partners, which affords her the opportunity to work one-on-one with her clients on their unclaimed property issues and needs.

Rachel earned a BA in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, majoring in Accounting with a minor in Finance.

When she’s not working hard for her clients on their unclaimed property matters, Rachael loves to wind down with some freshwater fishing, watching baseball, and spending time with family and friends.

Read Bio

Chad Bell

Senior

Chad Bell

Senior

Chad Bell, Senior, was bit by the sales and use tax bug right out of college at his job with JP Morgan Chase and was instantly hooked. He attended West Liberty University where he earned a degree in Business Administration and specialized in Management. He comes to us with an excellent indirect tax and banking background and Clarus Partners is happy to have him on our sales and use tax compliance team.

Chad loves the challenge of always learning something new in the indirect tax niche and discovering the dynamics between state and local tax entities. He also loves establishing quality relationships with our clients.

Chad gets plenty of support from his co-workers and his incredible wife, Jamie with whom he has a son. Chad says he spends most of his spare time watching his son play sports for his school but occasionally gets the opportunity to golf, fish, and enjoy some light travel with friends and family.

Read Bio

Audrey Bensman

Staff

Audrey Bensman

Staff

Audrey Bensman is a Staff team member with Clarus Partners. Audrey has an associate degree in Applied Business from Edison State Community College and is currently working towards obtaining a Business Management Certificate. She is planning to return to school in the upcoming Spring of 2024.

When Audrey is not busy with her professional commitments, she loves spending quality time with her family and friends. She also has a great passion for basketball and enjoys staying active in the outdoors, where she finds solace in the beauty of nature.

 

Read Bio

Kelli Bensman

Staff

Kelli Bensman

Staff

Kelli Bensman, Staff, joins Clarus Partners with a decade of experience in healthcare as a Respiratory Therapist.. Her genuine passion for working with people shines through as she embarks on this new journey with us. Thrilled to join the Clarus family, Kelli has found everyone here to be supportive and eager to help her succeed in her new role.

Kelli is a graduate of Columbus State Community College, holding an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science. She resides in Minster, OH, with her husband Kevin and are the proud parents of three energetic children – Remy, Nolan, and Jace – whom they love to chase around and spend quality time with.

Outside of work and family life, Kelli enjoys indulging in her hobbies of baking, running, and biking. She’s also a passionate Cleveland Browns fan, and her family loves to embark on outdoor adventures. We’re excited to have Kelli on board, bringing her vibrant energy to our team!

Read Bio

Jacqueline Billing

Staff

Jacqueline Billing

Staff

Jacqueline Billing, Staff, has loved the challenges that the indirect tax space at Clarus Partners has provided her. She readily tackles the requirements of the sales and use tax compliance division and thrives in it.

Jacqueline earned a BS and MS in Education from The Ohio State University.

Her husband and daughter benefit from her passion for cooking as do her family and friends with whom she enjoys spending time. She also loves being outside with all that those activities entail.

Read Bio

Hannah Brightbill

Senior

Hannah Brightbill

Senior

Hannah Brightbill, Senior, shares her great smile and sunny attitude as an asset to the Clarus Partners family where she loves working with great people and coming together as a team to accomplish a common goal. She loves seeing the project develop from its beginning to its end and takes great pride in her work. Her aptitude serves us well as a vital part of the AkuLicense team here at Clarus.

Hannah earned a BS in Accounting from Ohio Dominican University. Her left brain thrived in extracurricular activities such as Treasurer of the Future Accounting Professionals Club while her right brain basked in her duties as the campus DJ.

When she’s not spending time with her family at the family farm you can find Hannah playing piano or shopping.

Read Bio

Alex Delong

Staff

Alex Delong

Staff

Alex Delong, Staff, has enjoyed his indirect tax career at Clarus Partners where he initially began as an intern. Alex now works on our consulting team.

Alex earned a BA in Political Science in international relations from The Ohio State University with a minor in international studies as well as a paralegal studies post-baccalaureate certificate from Columbus State Community College.

He enjoys the flexibility of his work with Clarus Partners and the opportunity to master his craft in working with some of the nation’s best indirect tax specialists.

Alex also enjoys watching basketball and football (Go Buckeyes!), playing video games, and learning about politics, economics, and history.

Anel Dorhauer, Senior Tax
Read Bio

Anel Salinas Dorhauer

Senior
Anel Dorhauer, Senior Tax

Anel Salinas Dorhauer

Senior

Anel Salinas Dorhauer, Tax Senior, joins Clarus Partners with a strong background in Louisiana and Colorado sales and use taxes as she was an auditor in both Departments of Revenue as well as with one of the parishes. Considering Louisiana and Colorado are two of the more problematic states from a sales and use tax perspective (i.e., the home rule local jurisdictions), Anel’s knowledge and skillset will be extremely beneficial to Clarus Partners and its clients!

Prior to joining Clarus Partners, Anel worked as an Indirect Tax Consultant at EY. Anel is excited to bring her knowledge and skills to our consulting team and help companies navigate the complexities of sales and use tax regardless of the jurisdiction. Her goal is to educate businesses on reducing their exposure and ensuring compliance.

Anel holds a Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Louisiana Tech University, and she is fluent in Spanish. When she’s not working, Anel is spending time with her husband Craig and their three pups. She also enjoys hiking, traveling, cooking, music, crafting, and being actively involved in the community.

Read Bio

Sarah French

Staff

Sarah French

Staff

Sarah French, Staff, shares two decades of focused accounting and finance work with Clarus Partners. She loves digging into numerical and logistical research and coming up with solutions. This experience is highlighted with her work on our AkuCert team.

Sarah enjoys life at home with her family which includes her husband, daughter, and a very high energy Labrador!

Her favorite activities outside of her family are quilting, knitting, and learning about American history with an emphasis on quilting and textiles.

Read Bio

Paula Fuchs

Staff

Paula Fuchs

Staff

Paula Fuchs, staff, come to Clarus Partners with a solid background in business and prior experience as an office manager. Paula brings a wealth of knowledge to our compliance team.

Based in South Bend, IN, Paula is eagerly anticipating the arrival of her fourth grandbaby, adding to her joy of being surrounded by her five grown children and soon-to-be four grandchildren. Outside of work, Paula finds solace in knitting, crocheting, and indulging her passion for gardening.

Read Bio

Michael Givens

Staff

Michael Givens

Staff

Michael Givens, Staff, possesses an extensive background in payroll, AP and AR matters which she’s cultivated through more than 30 years of working in that space. Clarus Partners is grateful that she’s using those talents to now assist in the needs of some of our biggest clients with their sales and use tax compliance.

Why did Michael choose Clarus Partners? Michael expresses it in one word—“Opportunity!” She loves being surrounded by the expertise of her coworkers and soaking up tips and tricks of the trade from their prowess. She claims that “opportunity abounds in education, camaraderie and growth with Clarus Partners”.

When she’s not focused on Clarus’ clients, she’s contentedly spending time with her family.

Read Bio

Barbara Hoersten

Senior

Barbara Hoersten

Senior

Barbara Hoersten, Senior, comes to Clarus Partners with a BS in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and an impressive background that makes her a great asset to our indirect tax consulting team. She worked as a state auditor for Florida for several years as well as seven years in the North American Tax Dept. for a Global Fortune 500 Company.

Barbara comes from a hardworking family where she grew up working in the family restaurant. Today she loves hiking, particularly in the mountains of New Mexico. She also enjoys gardening and Cleveland Guardians Baseball. She still harbors a dream to become a Blackhawk pilot someday.

Read Bio

Mac Knaus

Staff

Mac Knaus

Staff

Mac Knaus, Staff, began as one of our returning interns at Clarus Partners. He specializes in our ERTC program compliance and data collection. He’s educated at Capital University as a Financial Economics major, on a full tuition scholarship (CIC Tuition Exchange). He’s a part of the Tau-Mu chapter of Kappa Sigma where he plays for their recreational basketball team in the winter.

Mac loves all that he’s learning at Clarus Partners and helping in the growth of the firm and the success of our clients.

His passion for playing, watching, and practicing golf has led him to also work as a caddy in his spare time at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin which hosts the Memorial Tournament every year.

Read Bio

Vanessa Lindsay

Staff

Vanessa Lindsay

Staff

Vanessa Lindsay, Staff, comes to Clarus Partners with the skillset to make our sales and use tax compliance team that much more stellar. She has over 15 years working in various capacities with the State of Ohio including Accounts Payable and Budgeting.

Vanessa obtained an Associate of Arts degree with an emphasis in Psychology and Sociology from Columbus State Community College.

Vanessa is drawn to Clarus Partners because of the opportunity to use her passion for Excel data manipulation from a remote working environment.

Vanessa is also passionate about her cat, Agatha, who’s a snuggle muffin and constant companion. She also adores her only child, Josiah, and his wife, Brooke as well as their puppy, though not necessarily in that order. She enjoys crocheting and going to festivals and playing Euchre. Spending time with her family and best friends is her ultimate happy place.

Read about Vanessa’s Crochet hobby here

Read Bio

Abhishek Mahajan

Staff

Abhishek Mahajan

Staff

Abhishek Mahajan, Staff, enjoys the hardworking culture at Clarus Partners and the dedication to providing quality service. He also enjoys deepening his skill level with Excel and indirect tax exposures. Abhishek also values the friendly environment at Clarus. “Ahbi” works within our consulting practice as well as our Employee Retention Credit projects.

Abhishek earned his BS in Business Administration with a specialization in Finance from The Ohio State University.

He is a diehard Ohio State Buckeyes football fan, loves traveling with his friends, and enjoys exploring the Short North area arts district.

Read Bio

Brooke March

Senior

Brooke March

Senior

Brooke March, Senior, comes to Clarus Partners with an extensive background in bookkeeping, forensic accounting, and other vital supporting roles which are clearly demonstrated in her work ethic. You’ll find her to be a motivated problem solver if you ever have the opportunity to work with her directly. She’s typically found working in our indirect tax compliance department working with our Exemption Certificate Management System, AkuCert.

Problem-solving is Brooke’s happy space. She’s renowned in our team as a go-to person for finding solutions which may challenge others. She also loves to create streamlining options and enhance those skills every opportunity she gets. This environment is what she loves about her work here at Clarus Partners.

In her personal life she winds down with her two dogs, close friends, and is very close to her family, including her sister who also works at Clarus Partners. She finds time to do several hours of volunteer work each month and is an avid gardener, crocheter, quilter, and baker.

Read Bio

Kendal March

Staff

Kendal March

Staff

Kendal March, Staff, can be succinctly described as working in a field of expertise in which she thrives. She genuinely LOVES working in spreadsheets. Her entire career has been spent in the accounting world. Kendal works primarily on our Business License Management team with our groundbreaking software, AkuLicense. She loves the flexibility of working remotely or in office with Clarus Partners and the caliber of people with whom she gets to work.

When Kendal isn’t entertaining herself in Excel, she enjoys playing with her dog, a rescue terrier mix.

Read Bio

Brooke Dixon-Mertz

Senior

Brooke Dixon-Mertz

Senior

Brooke Dixon-Mertz, Senior, began her accounting career at Clarus Partners. Brooke values the experience she gets in learning the indirect tax space at Clarus Partners as it’s not taught in any accounting classes. She also feels that the teamwork she experiences on the sales and use tax compliance team is unmatched.

Brooke earned a BS in Financial Mathematics from The Ohio State University where she also played the cymbals in the legendary OSU Marching Band.

Outside of work, she loves to spend time with her dog and her husband with whom she plays disc golf and watches Marvel movies and tv shows.

Read Bio

Lauren Sedgwick

Staff

Lauren Sedgwick

Staff

Lauren Sedgwick, Staff, is learning to excel in indirect tax matters, specifically on our Business License Management team and working with our groundbreaking software, AkuLicense.

She enjoys the friendliness of everyone at Clarus Partners as well as the flexibility in being able to work from home where she can also keep an eye on her young daughter and her Labrador retriever.

Read Bio

Journey Scott

Staff

Journey Scott

Staff

Journey Scott, joins Clarus Partners in her final year at Boise State University where she attends as a first-generation college student in pursuit of her BS in Accounting. She’s been awarded the Western Undergraduate Exchange Scholarship for the past four years. She’s highlighted her education with multiple statistics and business intelligence classes which makes her a great asset to Clarus Partners as a part of our indirect tax consulting team.

Journey loves the kindness and support of everyone that she associates with in the Clarus Partners family. You’ll find her highly goal-oriented and focused.

Journey’s name is unique in that it places her in the three generations of family members who are named with the first letter of “J”.

Read Bio

Jared Warfield

Staff

Jared Warfield

Staff

Jared Warfield is a Staff with Clarus Partners, where he finds great satisfaction in the monthly compliance work for his clients. Being both a math and geography aficionado, he enjoys keeping their sales and use tax compliance processes exceptionally organized and well-run.

Jared earned a degree in Math Education from Miami University and was a math teacher (11th grade mostly) where he discovered an affinity for working with students. Jared says that he’s learned way more geometry than anyone needs to know!

Outside of work, Jared is a confessed diehard Baltimore sports fan (Go Orioles and Ravens!). He plays fantasy football religiously and is on a slow-pitch softball team. He also loves to watch films—he’s up to more than 1,450 of them and loves to learn the trivia connected to them. He’s presently raising a bernedoodle puppy with his fiancé.

Sales & Marketing Team

Meet our exceptional sales and marketing team - your perfect gateway to the world of Clarus Partners. Embodying a "service-first" approach, they work in perfect harmony to consistently deliver the finest products and services in the industry. Prepare for an unparalleled experience every time you need us.

Read Bio

Natassia Butler

Sales and Marketing Coordinator

Natassia Butler

Sales and Marketing Coordinator

Natassia Butler, Sales and Marketing Coordinator, considers her most satisfying duties to be that of Mother and COO of her household with three young boys and her husband. We’re fortunate that she shares her extensive customer sales and service experience with us at Clarus Partners. She deftly focuses on expanding the satisfaction and services of our clientele and Alliance Partners.

Natassia loves that she can thrive as both a mother and a professional in the flexible work environment of Clarus Partners and she loves being able to interact with the high caliber clientele that Clarus Partners attracts.

Natassia enjoys quality time with her family and the occasional rare outing with close friends. She has a passion for animals and loves to relax with a good bottle of wine, a Netflix series, and a roaring fire in the fall.

Read Bio

Becky Forbush

Director of Product Solutions

Becky Forbush

Director of Product Solutions

Becky Forbush, Director of Product Solutions at Clarus Partners, brings a wealth of experience in the sales tax industry, both in compliance services and related software solutions, and has proven herself as a seasoned sales professional. Not only has she excelled in her field, but she has also guided and mentored newer sales professionals to reach their full potential.

Outside of work, Becky is an active member of the philanthropic group, Women’s Life. She and her colleagues empower local women in their community, making a positive impact in the lives of others. Becky also values quality time with her family, especially her mom. Additionally, she holds an associate degree in sign language from Oakland Community College, showcasing her commitment to personal growth and communication.

When it comes to leisure activities, Becky finds joy in boating on the stunning Higgins Lake. Recognized as the 6th most beautiful lake in the world by National Geographic, it’s no wonder she enjoys spending time there. Cooking is another passion of hers, and she loves to whip up delicious dishes in her free time. Becky and her husband Rod have had the pleasure of raising her nephew, Ethane, who now has two little ones, Ridge and Lilly. Being grandparents to his children brings them immense joy. They also have two biological children, Grace who is 24 and Ben who is 22. Last but not least, their family is completed by a sweet (and crazy) rescued Goldendoodle named Chloe.

Amanda Johnson Team
Read Bio

Amanda Johnson

Director of Product Solutions
Amanda Johnson Team

Amanda Johnson

Director of Product Solutions

Amanda Johnson, Director of Product Solutions at Clarus Partners. With over 12 years of direct sales expertise and two decades in customer service spanning diverse industries, including hospitality, finance, SaaS, and tax compliance, Amanda possesses a keen understanding of customer needs and excels in delivering exceptional, value-driven solutions.

In her previous leadership roles, Amanda demonstrated her commitment to fostering employee and organizational growth through comprehensive training, mentorship, and process improvement initiatives.

Amanda’s contagious enthusiasm for life and new experiences is matched only by her dedication to providing top-tier customer service. She eagerly anticipates the opportunity to embark on a journey of learning and growth with Clarus Partners, driven by her passion for assisting individuals and businesses alike.

Amanda attended Cal State University Fullerton and studied business administration. Residing in Helendale, CA, with her husband Michael and son, Aiden, Amanda finds joy in cooking, gardening, and spending quality time with her family by the lake. Her unwavering dedication to both her family and professional excellence make her a highly valuable addition to our team at Clarus Partners.

Read Bio

Laura Lacey

Director of Product Solutions

Laura Lacey

Director of Product Solutions

Laura Lacey, Director of Product Solutions, serves as a well-seasoned sales professional with Clarus Partners with 5 years in the tax industry and 10 years in SaaS sales. She also has extensive experience in successfully guiding other sales professionals who need a mentor in order to reach their sales goals.

Graduating from the University of Sioux Falls with a Business and Economics Degree, Laura also volunteered heavily in the community by teaching English in the local refugee and immigration center. Today she involves herself in a local Feed My Starving Children organization as well as coaching youth sports.

Laura loves the integrity of the culture she’s witnessed at Clarus Partners and how they treat and appreciate their clients. She loves helping people achieve their goals and believes that Clarus can play a key role in helping business owners to do just that.

Laura and her husband enjoy watching their two children grow, as well as traveling, trying new restaurants, being out on the lake during the summer, and skiing and snowboarding during the winter.

Read Bio

Kareem Najdawi

Director of Product Solutions

Kareem Najdawi

Director of Product Solutions

Kareem Najdawi, Director of Product Solutions, has a proven track record of 12+ years of success in leading teams to achieve their goals. Adept at cultivating client relationships, he possesses an innate ability to understand customer needs and effectively communicate the value of products and services.

Educated at Fresno State University and Cal State Fullerton, Kareem was driven in his studies and graduated with a 3.6 GPA. He received a Bachelor of Science in Marketing.

In his approach to the professional arena, he consistently upholds the principles that define him: honesty, reliability, and the fusion of diligent effort with strategic acumen. These core values serve as the bedrock of his interactions, both with clients and colleagues alike.

“By actively listening to their needs, providing tailored solutions, and maintaining consistent communication, I ensure my clients feel valued and supported throughout our partnership.”

Kareem loves spending quality time with his family, romantic date nights alongside his wife, and eagerly anticipates the birth of their soon-to-arrive son.

Administrative Team

Our dedicated admin team ensures seamless day-to-day operations, employing their organizational skills to keep everything running smoothly and working to create an efficient and productive work environment.

Read Bio

Ashli Stonerock

Manager

Ashli Stonerock

Manager

Ashli Stonerock, Attorney at Law, is a Manager with Clarus Partners and comes to us with vast experience that strengthens our sales and use tax service experience. Her focus will be in our human resources department as well as our ERTC reviews and documentation.

Ashli has over two decades working with Ohio’s CAT tax as well as exemption certificates and tax determinations. Ashli’s law experience is also vast. She’s worked as a Guardian Ad Litem and representing juveniles in court for more than a decade and has served in various capacities as an attorney in human resources, employment law, unemployment, and worker’s compensation, as well as in-house counsel for more than two decades. She’s also served as an assistant prosecuting attorney and as a board of trustees member for several years.

Ashli was educated at Capital University where she received her BA while studying criminology and sociology. She then attended Capital University Law School and graduated summa cum laude and was subsequently admitted to the Ohio Bar. Even with her busy schedule, Ashli still focuses on continuing education such as the leadership training of the highly acclaimed Focus 3 she recently attended.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two daughters as well as her friends and family. She loves the outdoors especially mushroom hunting for the elusive morel mushroom. And she’s always looking for a reason to bake!!

Ashli joined Clarus Partners because she admired the talent which the partners had—especially as she observes them thinking outside the box. Ashli loves a good challenge so when the idea to assist the HR team came up, she was ecstatic. Having long been a part of the HR world she’s discovered that she absolutely loves working with people and watching them grow personally and professionally. Ashli says that being a part of that experience makes her smile on the inside.

Read Bio

Carolyn Cutri

Administrative Assistant

Carolyn Cutri

Administrative Assistant

Carolyn Cutri, Administrative Assistant, is one of the select few who are trusted in keeping our office running smoothly. She fills this vital role with a cheerful demeanor and deft skills developed over the past seven years she’s served in such a role.

Carolyn is a master at finding quick ways to update processes and keep the organization in place throughout the Clarus Partners firm. She loves the ability to have a work/life balance with Clarus Partners, which also affords Carolyn the opportunity to manage and operate a theater company where she designs, acts, and directs.

Carolyn earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater from The Ohio State University. It was a natural choice for her since she’s been singing since she was seven years old. She also studied abroad in London and was the President of her theater fraternity, Alpha Psi Omega.

Carolyn declares her dog, Dobby, as her most favorite thing in the world, with sleep running a close second.

Read Bio

Jeannine Hamilton

Administrative Assistant

Jeannine Hamilton

Administrative Assistant

Jeannine Hamilton, Administrative Assistant, is a keen asset to our team. She plays a key role in onboarding all of our new sales and use tax clients and our ERTC file management. She comes to us with nearly 15 years as a trusted executive administrator. Jeannine thrives amidst a jumble of data, be it numbers or research, and has a knack for orchestrating order out of chaos.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from The Ohio State University.

She was raised on a small grain and pig farm, where she learned the value of hard work—a value she still demonstrates to this day. She regularly volunteers at a cat shelter because she’s particularly fond of the “purrsonality” of cats, her favorite being her long-haired domestic cat, Greyson.