A cornerstone of financial planning is the recognition that everyone's economic and life situation is unique. Personalized service is essential when matching clients with the right financial products and services.
A commitment to professionalism and the cooperative development of unique, personal goals forms the foundation of any strong financial plan.
A financial plan must reflect the stage of life its owner is in: whether purchasing a first home, financing a child’s college education or planning for retirement. A plan must reflect its owner’s personal or business situation, and highlight those financial products that best fit it. A custom-tailored financial plan must also be continually reviewed to measure its achievements against stated aims, and ensure the owner is comfortable everything is moving forward according to plan.
If you ever have questions about your plan or about specific financial products, contact me. We will set up a time to meet to review your needs and address any questions you may have. Contact me today.
Damara has over 19 years of experience as an accounting associate. She specializes in human resources and preparing and analyzing accounting records, and financial statements and reports.
She began her career in accounting as a Unit Controller, then Human Resources Manager and General Ledger Accountant for a large investment corporation in New Orleans, and has since worked in that capacity in Indianapolis and Virginia and Texas. She joined the firm in 2015 as Accounting Manager for the Firm.
Brent has over thirty years of experience advising affluent and entrepreneurial clients, regarding matters affecting their individual tax, estate & gift planning, investment portfolios, financial planning, and closely-held business enterprises. He has extensive experience serving business clients in a variety of roles including consulting, compliance, and transaction support in connection with a variety of closely-held businesses, including private equity/venture capital, real estate developers, private REIT’s, foreign investment, and professional service firms. Brent has extensive experience in partnership taxation, including complex targeted allocation regimes, pre-contribution gain issues, capital account maintenance, issuance of carried and service partner interests, and partnership M&A.
Brent is a frequent speaker on taxation, estate and financial planning, and investment portfolio planning and structure, and has participated as guest speaker for the Annual TSCPA State Tax Institute on effective tax-efficient portfolio design and current tax planning topics. He has also served as an instructor for national tax training courses for two international accounting firms.
Brent is a founding partner of Durbin Bennett. Prior to forming the Firm with Richard Bennett in 1987, Brent was with PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG. Brent holds a Master of Science in Taxation degree from Texas Tech University and is a CPA and PFS. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (member of the Taxation and Personal Financial Planning Sections), and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. Brent is a past Secretary/Treasurer of the Rotary Club of Austin, a former Board Member of Good Shepherd Episcopal School, and is currently a member of the Professional Advisory Council at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School.
Conor graduated from the University of Houston with both his B.S. in Business Administration in Accounting and M.S. in Accountancy. After graduation, Conor went to work with a firm in Houston where he was a Tax Associate. During his time at the Firm, he also spent a year as an Audit Associate. Conor’s experience has focused on high net-worth individuals, multi-tier partnerships, and corporations with multiple states as well as international filings. Conor has industry experience ranging in professional services, oil & gas, biotechnology, and transportation & logistics. Conor is very comfortable with technology and utilizing it to streamline processes and maximize efficiencies.
Conor is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for the state of Texas. Additionally, he is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Conor, a native Houstonian, enjoys playing disc golf, taking his Corgi to the park, and cooking. Conor joined Durbin Bennett in 2020 as a Senior Advisor.
Melissa began her career in Georgia in banking and relocated to Texas. While in Lubbock, she worked as an Office Manager and Bookkeeper where she was responsible for all A/P, A/R, and Administrative Support. She joined the Firm in 2020.
A Brewster County native, Luciana Rios attended Sul Ross State University. She began her career as an accountant with Preventative Care Health Services. Luciana graduated Magna Cum Laude from Sul Ross with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accountancy. Seeking to further her education, Luciana joined Texas Tech University and received a Master of Science in Taxation. She is currently working towards completing her CPA certification.
Prior to joining the firm, Luciana worked at Bolinger, Segars, Gilbert & Moss LLP in Lubbock, Texas. Luciana is fluent in Spanish and experience serving both the accounting, income tax preparation and planning needs for businesses, estates, and trusts. Luciana joined Durbin Bennett as an Advisor in 2022.
A Houston native, Lana obtained an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Management from Amarillo College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Wayland Baptist University. She joined Durbin Bennett in 2022 as a member of the Administrative Team. Prior to joining Durbin Bennett, she was in a similar role in the Dallas area before relocating to Austin to be near her family. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren in Texas and Florida.
John has over 40 years of tax experience. He worked in his home state of Illinois for 3 years, before moving to Austin in 1985 joining Peat Marwick Mitchell, now KPMG. At KPMG, his tax focus areas included community banks and other corporate entities, high net worth individuals and their closely held businesses, and US taxation of expatriates and foreign nationals. In November 1989 John moved to Washington DC for a temporary assignment in the KPMG National Tax Office and worked on projects in various tax focused areas, returning to Austin in July 1991. After 14 years with KPMG, John moved to private industry and lead the tax department for Tokyo Electron US Holdings, parent company of the US operations of Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL), a Japan based manufacturer of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. While at TEL John was responsible for all aspects of US corporate taxation, but also heavily involved with international tax issues including permanent establishment concerns, transfer pricing issues, Advanced Pricing Agreements, and tax treaty related matters. John also provided tax related guidance for foreign nationals on temporary assignments in the US (200 foreign nationals per year), as well as US expatriates on temporary assignments overseas. After 7 months of “retirement”, John joined Durbin Bennett in February 2022.
Ben has over fifteen years of experience working at the federal, state, and international levels to provide partnership, corporate, and individual tax advice to high net-worth individuals. He joined Durbin Bennett in December 2013.
Prior to joining the firm, Ben worked as a Senior Tax Associate for Eide Bailly, LLP in their Boulder, Colorado office. Working for one of the 25 largest public accounting firms, in an area of the country known for its innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, Ben knows the tax planning and financial blueprint a company needs to grow successfully.
Ben is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Colorado Society of CPAs. He received a Bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the University of Colorado. While attending CU, Ben’s ice hockey team won the national championship in his sophomore year.
Deepa is an Enrolled Agent with a Masters in Accounting and Auditing from Mumbai University. She has more than 8 years of experience in U.S. Taxation. Deepa has worked with several smaller CPA firms in Texas as well as spending 5 years at Ernst and Young in India.
Stephanie has extensive public accounting, industry management, and accounting experience. She focuses primarily on complex planning and tax compliance for affluent clients, their families and related business, planning, and philanthropic entities. With this focus, a significant amount of Stephanie’s practice is devoted to trust, and estate and gift tax matters. She joined Durbin Bennett in 1997.
Prior to joining the firm, Stephanie provided integrated tax, financial planning, and investment management services as founder and partner of her own CPA and Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firms. She began her career with KPMG in Dallas. Later she became controller of a movie and television production company and then assumed divisional controller responsibilities for the largest private homebuilder in the United States.
Stephanie graduated summa cum laude from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. She is an active volunteer for various business, professional and philanthropic groups with past and present board service. Her current service includes the Endowment Committee of the Settlement Club and Diocesan Delegate for the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd.
Vickie has over thirty years of experience working with accounting and tax firms.She began her accounting and tax career with Coopers & Lybrand in Fort Worth. Before that, she was with an accounting and tax firm in Lubbock for 16 years before ultimately moving to Austin. She joined Durbin Bennett in 2004.
Rebecca has extensive experience in the technical aspects of federal and state returns for corporate, pass-through entities, individuals, and trusts. She joined Durbin Bennett in June 2012.
Prior to joining the firm, Rebecca worked for accounting firms in the Indianapolis, IN and Boston, MA areas as an accountant.
Rebecca holds a Master’s degree in Professional Accountancy from Indiana University, Kelly School of Business and a Master’s degree in Finance from Renmin University in Beijing, China. She graduated from Peking University in Beijing, China with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts. Rebecca is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Robert received his B.S. from Florida International University in Miami, FL dual majoring in Accounting and Finance in 2014. He obtained his M.B.A in 2015 at the same institution.
Robert worked in the tax financial services department at Kaufman Rossin & Co. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His focuses were private equity, hedge fund tax matters, several complex partnership and corporate returns and filings related to foreign investors. He joined Durbin Bennett in 2018 as a Senior Advisor and became Supervisor in 2022.
Robert is currently a CPA in Florida and in Texas.
Jon has over 45 years of tax experience working with high net worth individuals and business clients. He has substantial experience in income, estate and gift tax matters.
Prior to joining the firm, Jon spent 26 years with Ernst & Young, serving as a Partner and Director of Tax for the firm’s Austin, Texas and Louisville, Kentucky offices.
Jon has his L.L.B. from the University of Texas Law School and his BBA degree in accounting from Texas Tech University. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants and the State Bar of Texas, as well as other professional organizations. He is currently serving as Treasurer of the Barbara Jordan 2010 Charitable Trust. Jon is a past President of the Austin Chapter of Certified Public Accountants and has served in executive and Board positions with the Boy Scouts of America and the Knights of the Symphony.
Deepa has over 8 years of experience in tax preparation. She is an Enrolled Agent with a Masters in Accounting and Auditing from Mumbai University. She joined Durbin Bennett in 2020 as an Advisor.
Valarie has over thirty years of tax experience in public accounting and industry. Her primary area of focus is partnership taxation and she has extensive experience within the real estate, investment fund, and healthcare industries. Valarie also works with entrepreneurs and high-net worth individuals. Valarie joined Durbin Bennett in 2020.
Valarie began her career with KPMG and then spent sixteen years with PwC advancing to Tax Director. She subsequently accepted a job opportunity with a client, CBRE, where for eleven years she served as Vice President of Tax for the Trammell Crow subsidiary. At Trammell Crow she consulted regarding partnership agreements, drafting and reviewing complex allocation and other provisions, and managed the tax team with responsibility for hundreds of federal and state income tax returns, international reporting, and other related matters.
Valarie graduated from the University of North Texas with a Master of Science in Taxation and is a licensed CPA with the state of Texas.
Lisa has over twenty years of tax and accounting experience, working primarily for Durbin Bennett as a Tax Advisor. Her primary focus is partnerships, corporations, and trusts. She also works with individuals and some private foundations. She currently assists Durbin Bennett on a flex-time basis and spends her personal time focusing on family and community service endeavors. Lisa first joined the firm in November of 1998.
Prior to joining Durbin Bennett, Lisa has worked for Clear Channel Communications as a Tax Senior handling all State and Federal tax compliance reporting for the Broadcast segment’s parent corporation and several hundred subsidiaries. Lisa also worked for St. David’s Healthcare Partnership in Austin, where she assisted with audit and tax compliance work and was responsible for all general ledger account activity, including monthly and yearly closing entries and reconciling and tracking patient days and employee hours.
Lisa holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Texas State University. She is the President of the Board of Trustees for Calvary Episcopal School in her hometown of Bastrop, Texas.
Molly has over thirty years of federal, state and international tax experience serving private businesses, real estate ventures and REITs, professional services firms, and high net worth individuals involving complex trust, gift, and estate issues. Throughout her career, Molly has been a trusted advisor for complex tax entities and has extensive experience managing large tax engagements. Molly joined Durbin Bennett in January 2002.
Prior to joining the firm, Molly was an embryologist with Cross Country Genetics in Normangee, TX.
Molly has a Master's in Professional Accounting (MPA) from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Science in both Agriculture and Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, TX. Molly is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.
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