The Enrolled Agent Advocate

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, Brandy Spears sits down with Raven Deerwater, EA, former president of the California Society of Enrolled Agents, NAEA governance leader, SSLA faculty member, Mentor of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and EA Idol winner. Raven’s path from Harvard, mathematics education, and university teaching to tax practice on the Mendocino Coast is anything but or...

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, Brandy Spears sits down with Emily Aprea, an enrolled agent, nonprofit executive, and incoming president of the National Association of Enrolled Agents Board of Directors. Emily has spent more than 30 years in tax preparation and financial leadership, beginning with a tax course she took to better understand her own return before building a flexible...

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate , Brandy Spears sits down with Dave Haase , CPA, entrepreneur, and founder of Juno , for a timely conversation about AI, automation, and the future of tax practice. Dave shares why he first saw AI as both a threat and an opportunity after watching ChatGPT complete a tax return, and how that moment pushed him to rethink the way firms handle busy work,...

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, we join Brandy Spears as she interviews Yehuda Tenenbaum, an enrolled agent and founder of Y10 Tax Solutions in Baltimore. Yehuda’s path into the profession wasn’t linear, from music and tech to HR, finance startups, and law firms  but his relentless curiosity and focus on systems led him to build a modern, human-centered tax practice. In this episod...

Welcome back to The Enrolled Agent Advocate . Today I’m joined by Megan Killian, CAE , Executive Vice President and Chief Staff Executive of the National Association of Enrolled Agents . Megan has more than 25 years of experience guiding organizations through growth, change, and reinvention. At NAEA, she works closely with the Board of Directors to shape strategy, support enrolled agents, advance...

Welcome back to The Enrolled Agent Advocate. Today I’m joined by Dannie Lynn Fountain, EA, a professional whose career spans tax, HR, coaching, writing, and workplace equity and accessibility. Dannie Lynn has built what she describes as a portfolio career across multiple roles, including Leave Manager at Roseburg Forest Products, Seasonal Tax Manager at Intuit TurboTax, and Career Coach at General...

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, host Brandy Spears sits down with Joshua Scott, EA, a former IRS Senior Tax Advisor who has built a career at the intersection of tax strategy, fiduciary governance, and long-term wealth design. Joshua shares how a personal journey through entrepreneurship, IRS experience, and even temporary blindness shaped his approach to leadership and planning. T...

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, host Brandy Spears sits down with Jeffrey Thompson, a tax pro whose career sits at the intersection of tax, storytelling, and performance. Jeff works almost exclusively with creative artists, supporting them with tax preparation, bookkeeping, and tax controversy representation and he’s built a practice that grew from 30 clients to about 500. Jeff bre...

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, Brandy Spears sits down with Kesha M. Dawson Harris, EA—better known as Agent K—founder of The Resilient Tax Group and a leader in IRS representation, collections, and taxpayer advocacy. Agent K shares the moment that sparked everything: sitting in an IRS meeting beside her husband, holding her two-year-old, feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and shut...

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, we join Brandy Spears as she interviews Valaise Smith, a purpose-driven financial leader with over 25 years of experience in tax strategy, compliance, and executive leadership. Valaise shares her inspiring journey of becoming an Enrolled Agent (EA) and how her background in finance and C-suite leadership shaped her approach to tax and financial guida...

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, Brandy Spears is joined by Phyllis Jo Kubey, an enrolled agent, certified financial planner, and NTPI Fellow, who’s been in the tax profession since 1986. Phyllis brings over three decades of experience navigating tax law changes, IRS reform, and representing taxpayers in complex cases. She’s also an advocate for the profession, having served on the...

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, host Brandy Spears speaks with Al Beatty, an Enrolled Agent, longtime practitioner, and assistant professor of accounting at Tryon University. Al teaches tax and accounting courses while also running a VITA site where students earn college credit by helping low-to-moderate income taxpayers—meaning they don’t just “learn tax,” they actually do tax. Al...

What does it take to build a tax practice that spans borders, tax systems, and cultures—and why is the Enrolled Agent credential uniquely suited for that work? In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, host Brandy Spears speaks with Julie Harvey, EA, NTPI Fellow, and Certified Acceptance Agent, founder of My US Tax Advisor LLC. Julie’s practice focuses exclusively on international and cross-...

The Enrolled Agent profession is growing—and the momentum is real. In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, host Brandy Spears sits down with Megan Killian, Executive Vice President of the National Association of Enrolled Agents, to talk about what’s new, what’s changing, and what’s next for enrolled agents. Meg shares a wide-angle view of the profession at a pivotal moment. With new federa...

In today’s increasingly digital world, protecting client data is no longer optional for tax professionals—it’s critical to your practice’s integrity and trustworthiness. In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate, host Brandy Spears speaks with Jatin Narang, an authority on cybersecurity and compliance challenges unique to the tax and accounting industry. Jatin, with over 15 years of experienc...

In this episode, Brandy Spears is joined by Josh Youngblood, founder of The Youngblood Group, a firm that blends technology with tax expertise to serve individuals and small businesses. With over 30 years of IT experience, Josh has leveraged his unique skills to shape a tax practice that emphasizes representation, cybersecurity, and client trust. A National Tax Practice Institute Fellow, Certified...

In this episode, host Brandy Spears is joined by Jay Shah, founder of Hell’s Kitchen Tax in New York City. Jay's career is a testament to how passion and dedication to both tax expertise and client education can fuel business growth. From his early days volunteering with VITA to becoming an Enrolled Agent (EA), earning a Master's in Tax Law from NYU, and ultimately acquiring two tax practi...

In this episode, host Brandy Spears sits down with Edward J. Ryan, Jr., EA, a seasoned financial professional who’s spent his career bridging the gap between tax expertise and wealth management. As the founder of Ryan Financial Group, Ed has built a thriving practice that serves more than 1,200 individuals and 100 small businesses, helping clients achieve financial confidence through an integrated...

In this episode, host Brandy Spears sits down with Terry Lemons, former Chief of Communications and Liaison at the IRS , to explore what really happens behind the scenes at one of the most complex federal agencies in the U.S. For more than 25 years, Terry helped shape how the IRS communicated with the public, Congress, and the tax professional community—serving under six commissioners and leading...

In this episode, host Brandy Spears is joined by Jeremy Wells, an Enrolled Agent, Certified Public Accountant, and the newly appointed Editor-in-Chief of the EA Journal. Jeremy shares his journey from teaching political science to becoming a tax professional and how his unique path has shaped his approach to tax law, client service, and leadership in the profession. Jeremy talks about his decision...

Feeling overwhelmed, underpaid, or stuck in a model that doesn’t serve you or your clients? In this episode, host Brandy Spears sits down with Colin Dunn , Chartered Accountant and Co-Founder of Renew Group, to talk about redesigning tax and accounting firms for clarity, profitability, and sanity. Colin shares what it means to truly “design a firm that works for you,” how to rethink your client mi...

In this episode, host Brandy Spears sits down with Nayo Carter-Gray , an Enrolled Agent and the founder of First Step Accounting , a fully virtual, eco-conscious accounting firm. Nayo, a proud tech enthusiast and educator, talks about how her journey from high school accounting class to becoming an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the profession has shaped her career and her practice. Nayo...

In this episode of The Enrolled Agent Advocate , host Brandy Spears sits down with David King , CEO of Optima Tax Relief , a leading tax relief firm. With over 12 years of experience in financial services, David shares how he built a client-first culture at Optima, focusing on customer service and creating a company where clients feel heard and supported through the tax resolution process. David d...

In this powerful episode, host Brandy Spears is joined by Ruben D. Valdes, EA , one of fewer than 250 non-attorneys admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court. From preparing returns in his mother’s office to becoming a nationally recognized instructor and advocate, Ruben shares how the EA credential helped him elevate his career — and expand taxpayer access to justice. Ruben opens up...

In this episode, host Brandy Spears speaks with Timalyn Bowens, EA , founder of Bowens Tax Solutions and known by many as “America’s Favorite EA.” From long nights at Crowe Horwath to launching a nationally recognized tax resolution firm, Timalyn shares how a career rooted in empathy, advocacy, and education transformed both her life and the lives of her clients. She opens up about a defining mome...