OUR TEAM
Meet the faces behind Fusion CPA's success. We are proudly the best workplace for entrepreneurial CPAs in Atlanta. We embrace change, technology and learning.
Trevor McCandless
CPA, MTax
Chief Entrepreneurial Officer
- Years of Industry Experience: 18+
- School: University of Florida & Georgia State University
- Degree: B.A. in Accounting and Masters in Taxation
- Industry Specialties: Law, Healthcare, Marketing, Multi-Location Retail, Private Equity, Family Office, Real Estate, and Tech companies
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: I eat, sleep and bleed entrepreneurialism. My work in accounting, tax and consulting allows me to dive into our entrepreneurial clients’ businesses and make truly meaningful impacts.
- Any family or fur babies: Married to the sweet and patient Alexandra, we have a daughter Max as well as a little “Shih-Poo” named Bernie.
- If you could have any superpower what would it be and why: I love traveling and working with people across the globe. I’d love to be able to meet with them at any time.
Katherine Harrington
CPA, MAFM
Senior Tax & Accounting Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 24+
- School: Centenary University
- Degree: BA in Accounting, Masters in Accounting & Financial Management
- Industry Specialties: eCommerce, Retail, Healthcare, Real Estate, Technology, and Private Equity.
- Why you love being an accountant: I have always loved numbers and figuring things out. Now I enjoy applying that passion of numbers toward my clients successes. I work hands on with a proactive approach. I find it very satisfying to provide practical direction and advice to help my clients reach their financial goals.
- Any family or fur babies: I am married with three children, 2 dogs and a cat
- If you could have any superpower what would it be and why: Multitasking
Susan Borkowski
CPA
Accounting Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 15
- School: Santa Clara University
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Accounting
- Industry Specialties: SAAS and Manufacturing
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: My life mantra is “its good to have a plan”… accounting feels like the epitome of this mantra!
- Any family or fur babies: Bronx the Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle cross)
- If you could have any superpower what would it be and why: Being in two places at one time – there’s so much life to experience!
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? “Don’t force it” – words of my father.
Cassie Bell
CPA
Tax & Accounting Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 17+
- School: University of Georgia
- Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration
- Industry Specialties: Medical Offices, Hospitality, Staffing, and Professional Services
- Why you love being an accountant: I enjoying being able to dig into the numbers and help clients have a clear picture of where their business stands, which allows them to make important decisions regarding their business.
- Any family or fur babies: Husband of 18 years, two daughters (Mia,7 and Maddie, 5) and a Peekapoo named Sox.
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? To trust your instinct.
- If you could have any superpower what would it be and why: To time travel! I would love to go back to historic periods and experience events first hand.
Danielle Palmer
BBA
Integrations Manager
- School: Georgia State University
- Degree: BBA in Managerial Science
- Something you do for fun: Reading, spending time with my family, and immersing myself in all things WWE & AEW.
- Why you love being an Integrations Manager: I love to create and implement efficient processes and procedures for an organization. I also love making meaningful connections with others to create opportunities for us all to grow together.
- Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica
- Any family: My immediate family consists of my mom, my dad, my little sister, my husband, and baby boy.
Tara Hartman-Gud
CPA, MBA
Senior Accounting Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 10+
- School: Queens University of Charlotte
- Degree: Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science
- Industry Specialties: Law Firms, Medical Office, Field Service, Advertising and Marketing Agencies
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: I love it all – I’m given the freedom and autonomy to learn what I want to learn and take on what I want to take on. There are lots of growth opportunities.
Petra Assimiti
CPA, MBA
Tax & Accounting Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 15+
- School: Northwood University & Georgia State University
- Degree: B.A. in International Business and Masters in Business Administration with Accounting concentration
- Industry Specialties: Real Estate, Technology, Healthcare, Field Service, and Staffing
- Why you love being an accountant: Being able to help other people with things that may seem overwhelming to them makes for a very satisfying job to me.
- Hometown: Prague, Czech Republic
- Any family or fur babies: Two daughters Annie and Victoria, Bisch-Poo called Puccini.
Steven Sumners
CPA, MAcc
Senior Tax & Accounting Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 10+
- School: Ohio State University, Mercer University
- Degree: Master of Accounting, Bachelor of Business Administration
- Industry Specialties: Professional Services (Law Firms, Advertising and Marketing Agencies), Multi-Location Retail, Real Estate, and Family Office
- Why you love being an accountant: The flexibility to play serve a variety of different types of accounting needs for a variety of types of clients.
- If you could have any super power what would it be and why: Teleportation for the flexibility to travel anywhere.
Blake Gaul
CPA, MTax
Tax & Accounting Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 13
- School: Georgia State University
- Degree: Undergrad – Accounting & Masters – Masters of Tax Law
- Industry Specialties: Real Estate, Entertainment, and Multistate Corporations
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: I love being able to take a project from the creation of accounting records all the way through a finished tax return.
Any family for fur babies: I’m a single dad to a very handsome (albeit a little cross-eyed) Toy Australian Shepherd named Sammy. He even comes to work with me sometimes!
Mei Zhu
CPA, MAcc
Tax & Accounting Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 5+
- School: Mercer University
- Degree: Master of Accounting, Bachelor of Business Administration
- Industry Specialties: Law Firms, Medical Office, Field Service, Advertising and Marketing Agencies
- Why you love being an accountant: I enjoy being able to help clients understand the complex US Tax Law.
- Hometown: Liaoning, China
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Keep learning, keep thinking and keep changing.
- Any family: My son, Jeff
Carlos Cortes
CPA, CMA
Accounting Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 8
- School: Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico
- Degree: Bachelor : Public Accounting Management
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: Not only do I get to provide value by being an advisor to our clients, but I’m also in a position that allows me to develop tools that drive efficiencies in their processes and allows me to create custom solutions that help solve their unique needs.
- Any family or fur babies: Married to the lovely and awesome Kelly and father to two amazing boys, Sebastian and Gustavo.
Dorcas Jewel Manalang
CPA, CMA
Accountant
- Years of Industry Experience: 2+
- School: Polytechnic University of the Philippines
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Accountancy
- Industry Specialties: SMEs in general, Manufacturing, SaaS, Law Firms, Marketing and Consulting Agencies
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: The gratitude the clients show you for helping them on the technical side of a business is absolutely rewarding. The ability to help people maximize their rights as a taxpayer is very fulfilling. In short, I love helping people. Plus, I get to work with highly-skilled professionals whom I know will contribute a lot in my career growth as a tax accountant.
Ishumael Mutambirwa
Accounting Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 15
- School: University Of South Africa
- Degree: Currently completing B-Compt in Financial Accounting
- Any family or fur babies: Spouse and Son.
- If you could have any superpower what would it be and why: Anything that makes me able to help others
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Always try to be at peace with everyone.
Camille Morales
Junior Integrator
- Years of Industry Experience: 10
- Degree: Bachelor in Accounting, Minor Degree: Marketing
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: Being part of a team oriented organization has been my dream job, and finally I get to have the chance to execute my passion of communication, helping others, and providing solutions, all in one place.
- Any family or fur babies:Husband, teenager daughter, and two dogs. Maltese (Rambo) and Aussiedoodle (Luna)
Leigh Botha
Recruitment Coordinator
- Years of Industry Experience: 10+
- School: Cape Peninsula University of Technology
- Degree: Bachelor of Technology: Human Resources Management
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: Recruitment has always been my passion! I’m doing what I love in the remote environment that I love for a company that’s innovative and passionate. Who wouldn’t love that!
- Any family or fur babies: My husband, Rowan, and I have two fur babies, our English Bull Terriers, who drive us nuts but we love them to bits!
Andrea Govender
Recruitment Assistant
- Years of Industry Experience: 10
- Degree: Bcom : Human Resource Management
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: I love working at Fusion CPA because it’s the first job I’ve had that provides a work life balance. Other reasons why I love Fusion CPA: the people, job flexibility and amazing benefits!
- Any family or fur babies: One cheeky Jack Russell named Groot.
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? The only constant in life is change.
Sandra Olivier
Digital Marketing Manager
- Years of Industry Experience: 15+
- School: University of Potchefstroom
- Degree: Bachelor of Commerce : Business Communication
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: The culture and the way in which we work are unbeatable!
Focused, clear on expectations and responsibilities, and open to new ideas.
Accountability and solving problems together that’s what I really enjoy about my job. - Any family or fur babies: Big extended family and one dog, Emma.
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Make the day, don’t let the day make you.
Roneque Janse van Rensburg
Marketing Coordinator
- Years of Industry Experience: 5
- School: University of Pretoria
- Degree: Bachelor of Commerce : Marketing Management
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: Fusion CPA truly lives and breathes its Business Values and the trust, accountability, and teamwork makes for assured top-notch customer service for our customers. Joining the team came with a very warm welcome and I feel enthusiastic about my work every day on the job.
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Life is not fair, but you can continue to make the best of your situation and those around you everyday to make sure you aren’t part of the injustice.
Deepa Kesa
Video Production Team
- Years of Industry Experience: 5+
- School: Rhodes University
- Degree: Bachelor of Arts : Journalism and Media Studies
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: I love my role at Fusion because it pushes me out of my comfort zone. I have always wanted to be a presenter, but I never had the confidence to do so. So this role gives me that confidence, plus I get to do my own post production, which I LOVE. Win Win situation
- Any family or fur babies: Mom, Dad, Older brother, 3 dogs and one bird.
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? To not care about what others say and to always take a risk
Yentl Barros
Content Coordinator
- Years of Industry Experience: 10
- Degree: Bachelor of Arts : Honors
- Why you love your role at Fusion CPA: I absolutely enjoy trying to understand how online audiences prefer to consume content, and then to create content that will not only enthuse but also educate those audiences is super exciting for me.
- Any family or fur babies: My 4 year-old son.
- If you could have any superpower what would it be: Make people believe in themselves!
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? To show up as the person I dream of being.
Bernie McCandless,
Shih-Poo
Chief Pup
Read More About Our Values