Directors & Managers

Amy has more than 16 years of experience in public accounting, providing tax and accounting services to individuals, partnerships, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. 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 service companies, specializing in law and dentistry, as well as real estate partnerships. She is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in the states of California and Hawaii. Amy earned her Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Accounting from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She also has her Master of Science Degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University. Amy is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the California Society of CPAs, and the Hawaii Society of CPAs.

Carol has more than 10 years of public accounting experience in domestic and international tax. Her experience includes tax preparation, accounting advice, tax planning, estate planning, researching complex tax issues, and representing clients before the IRS and Franchise Tax Board. Carol's industry experience includes professional services, high-tech, venture capital, health care, and real estate. Prior to joining Hood & Strong, Carol worked for two CPA firms in Bay Area where she played leading roles in serving various domestic and international clients, including high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, start-up companies and well-established multinational companies with complex tax issues. Carol holds a master of accountancy from Golden Gate University. She is licensed in California and is a member of the AICPA and CalCPA.

Jill has worked with Hood & Strong for more than eight years 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 service 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.

Gavin has been with Hood & Strong for more than a year and was recently promoted to tax manager. He brings more than nine years of experience to his role as tax manager, where he is responsible for coordinating tax engagements and advising partnerships, corporations and S corporations in the real estate, food distribution, venture capital, communications, and engineering services industries. Prior to Hood & Strong, Gavin worked as a tax supervisor at an East Bay CPA firm and as a staff accountant at a South Bay CPA firm. Gavin graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in Economics. He is licensed in California.

Jennifer McDonald brings more than 10 years of recruiting experience to Hood & Strong. Her prior experience includes a partnership role with a successful Bay Area boutique retained search firm, as well as three years with a large international accounting and finance recruiting firm where she specialized in the placement of professionals focusing on tax, audit and general accounting. Jennifer leads the experienced and entry-level recruiting efforts for Hood & Strong's Assurance, Tax and Consulting practices. She is responsible for managing all aspects of recruiting for the Firm, including campus recruiting efforts.

Gia brings more than eight years of audit and accounting experience to her role at Hood & Strong. As assurance manager, Gia manages audit engagements for various types of clients that include technology companies, international software development companies, death care service companies, and not-for-profit organizations including universities and foundations. Prior to Hood & Strong, she worked as a staff accountant for a regional financial institution and a life insurance underwriter for an international insurance company. Gia is co-chair of the Scholarship Committee of California Society of CPAs East Bay Chapter, serving to recognize potential young professionals and engage them to the community. She is also a member of the American Institute of CPAs and California Society of CPAs. She acquired a teaching credential and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in French Language and Literature at Mok-Won University in South Korea.

Ngu offers over 15 years of public and private tax experience. His focus is primarily corporate income tax compliance, tax minimization and planning across a range of niches including manufacturing/distribution, technology, private equity, professional services and real estate. Ngu also brings four years of experience managing the global tax functions of a publicly traded, Fortune 500 on-demand technology company. Ngu is a member of the California Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. He earned his B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Washington and his M.S. in Taxation from Golden Gate University.

As an assurance and advisory manager in the Not-for-Profit Service Group, Pinder brings more than 10 years of experience in financial reporting, auditing and compliance work for a wide variety of clients, including audits in compliance with the Single Audit Act Amendments and OMB Circular A-133. Her expertise touches a number of disciplines and industries, including employee benefit plan audits, software and manufacturing industry audits, and corporate tax return preparation. Pinder is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the California Society of CPAs. She has a B.S. in Accounting from Fresno State University.

Tammy specializes in the preparation, review and processing of nonprofit tax returns and related consulting. She previously worked for a Bay Area accounting firm for more than seven years, where she specialized in providing tax services to tax-exempt organizations. Before this, Tammy worked at a local CPA firm and for a sole proprietor CPA in Oakland. Tammy offers more than 10 years of public accounting experience. Tammy is an enrolled agent with the IRS and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. She chaired the CalCPA Nonprofit Interest Group of the East Bay committee from 2010-2014. She graduated from Pacific Union College in 2005, and in April 2014, Tammy graduated from Golden Gate University with a Masters of Science in Taxation.

Jacob is a tax director with Hood & Strong LLP. With seven years 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 a position as a senior tax analyst for one of America's leading integrated health plans, and tax senior for a major accounting firm's partnership tax services group. Jacob holds a B.S. from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. He is a licensed CPA in California.