Directors & Managers

Amy provides tax and accounting services to individuals, partnerships, corporations, and not-for-profit organizations. Over her two decades in public accounting, she has worked closely with many privately owned businesses, advising and executing accounting and tax services. Amy began her career in Honolulu, Hawaii where she acquired in-depth experience with professional services companies specializing in law, dentistry and real estate partnerships. She is a licensed CPA in California and Hawaii and a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the California Society of CPAs and the Hawaii Society of CPAs. Amy holds a B.S. in accounting from the University of Hawaii and an M.S. degree in taxation from Golden Gate University.

Stephen has been with the firm since 2013, working on a variety of commercial accounts and as a key member of the team serving some of the firm’s most complex clients. His experience includes closely held businesses, real estate partnerships, professional services and high-net-worth individual clients. He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the California Society of CPAs and the North Carolina Association of CPAs. Stephen is a licensed CPA in California and North Carolina. He holds a BS in Managerial Economics from the University of California, Davis.

Derek joined Hood & Strong in 2014, initially serving both commercial and not-for-profit clients but now focused exclusively on exempt organizations. His expertise includes compliance, UBIT analysis and transactions between exempt and for-profit fiduciary entities. He holds a BS in Business Administration from San Francisco State University.

With more than seven years of increasingly responsible experience, Allison oversees the audit process for closely held businesses and not-for-profit organizations, including public charities, foundations, and colleges and universities. She holds a BS in Accounting from San Francisco State University.

Matt joined Hood & Strong in 2014 after spending two years with a large regional firm based in Texas. As an audit manager, he oversees the audit process for closely-held businesses, non-profit organizations and employee benefit plans. Matt has been a member of Hood & Strong's Audit Efficiency Group and has led several in-house trainings. He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the California Society of CPAs. Matt received his accounting degree from Texas Christian University and received a master’s in accounting from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Sherry began her career with Price Waterhouse and went on to serve as an audit manager for several CPA firms and publicly traded businesses in the Bay Area before bringing her expertise to Hood & Strong in 2021. With extensive audit, quality assurance and GAAP experience, Sherry leads the review, monitoring and implementation for Hood & Strong’s rigorous audit quality controls and standards, as well as provides support for the firm’s triennial peer review process. She holds a B.A. in accounting from California State University-Chico.

Sean brings more than a decade of tax and audit experience to Hood & Strong. Prior to relocating to San Francisco in 2021, Sean served in increasingly responsible roles at a major CPA firm in Austin, TX, where he provided comprehensive tax management services to more than 100 clients and led a cross-locational team responsible for technical training of interns and associates. Sean holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in taxation from Texas A&M University.

Jill has worked with Hood & Strong for over a decade and has deep technical knowledge and experience helping not-for-profit clients strengthen their internal control policies and procedures. She manages and oversees financial statement audit reviews and other consulting projects for a variety of clients, including foundations, universities, charitable organizations, and professional services firms. She also performs employee benefit plan audits. Jill is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the California Society of CPAs and co-chairs Hood & Strong's Volunteer Committee. She earned a B.S. from the University of the Pacific and an M.B.A. from Saint Mary's College of California.

Jennifer McDonald leads the experienced and entry-level recruiting efforts for Hood & Strong's Assurance, Tax and Consulting practices. She brings more than 10 years of recruiting experience to the firm, with prior experience including a partnership role with a Bay Area boutique retained search firm and work with a large international accounting and finance recruiting firm where she specialized in the placement of tax, audit and general accounting professionals. Jennifer is responsible for managing all aspects of recruiting for Hood & Strong, including campus recruiting and direct marketing efforts. She holds a B.S. in business administration from San Francisco State University.

Beginning her public accounting firm with Hood & Strong in 2013, Emily oversees the audit process for closely held businesses and non-profit organizations. She is a member of the firm’s Quality Control Committee and assists with technical research projects for client matters and in-house training. She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the California Society of CPAs. Emily earned a business management economics degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Kim brings over a decade of high quality tax services and accounting experience to the Commercial Tax team in federal and multistate partnerships, limited liability companies, real estate investment trusts, S corporations, and high-net worth individuals. She holds a B.B.A. in Accounting & Finance from California State University Fullerton.

Samantha has two decades of experience in public accounting, specializing in providing tax services to high-net worth individuals and closely held businesses. Samantha began her career in the East Bay, where she acquired in-depth experience with defined contribution plan audits, taxation of high-net worth individuals, professional service companies, trucking companies, and real estate partnerships. Samantha is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the California Society of CPAs. She earned a B.S. in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Sonoma State University and an M.S. in taxation from Golden Gate University.

Dan has been an audit team member at Hood & Strong since 2015. He works with both exempt organizations and commercial clients and is a member of the Hood & Strong Process Innovation group. He earned a BS in Accounting from the University of San Francisco.

Nick joined Hood & Strong shortly after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in economics and accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Since that time, he has worked with a variety of non-profit and commercial clients in audit planning and performance, including identifying risks, testing control methodologies, and ensuring government compliance. Nick oversees internal operating controls, processes and practices and shares his knowledge and enthusiasm for the accounting profession in audit staff training videos and as head of the firm’s Process Innovation group.

After beginning his career at Hood & Strong upon graduation from the University of Colorado Boulder, Matt moved to the client side and served 12 years in various cross-functional financial roles with a Fortune 500 company in Arizona. Matt rejoined Hood & Strong in 2021 and brings more than 15 years of experience in improving and automating processes to enhance operational efficiency and drive business growth. By bridging the gaps between business, IT, and finance, Matt applies his versatile skills to achieve enterprise-wide results for Hood & Strong clients.

Lauren started her public accounting career with Hood & Strong and for more than a decade was instrumental in developing proposals, coordinating in-house training, and serving as a member of the firm’s Audit Efficiency Group. As an Audit Manager, Lauren oversees the comprehensive audit process for closely held businesses and non-profit organizations. She holds a B.S. in accounting and information systems from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Jacob is a tax director with Hood & Strong with over a decade of experience in public accounting. He is responsible for coordinating tax engagements and advising clients from public charities, private foundations, schools, and social clubs. His prior experience includes serving as a senior tax analyst for one of America's leading integrated health plans, and as tax senior for a major accounting firm's partnership tax services group. Jacob holds a B.S. from the University of California, Berkeley

Kaelyn joined Hood & Strong’s exempt organizations tax team in 2014, overseeing tax planning, preparation, review, and IRS assistance for a wide variety of not-for-profit clients. She received a BS in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley and an MS in Taxation from Golden Gate University.

Erin has over a decade of experience in public accounting, primarily in tax compliance, planning and consulting for closely held businesses and high-net worth individuals. Her industry focus includes high-tech, real estate and professional services. Erin is a member of CalCPA State Committee on Taxation and is a council representative. She also serves as a board director of the CalCPA Peninsula Silicon Valley Chapter. Erin earned a Master of Science in Accountancy from San Jose State University.