Who's Who
Find out more about members of the Praxity Alliance management structure alongside the chairing members of Global Regions, Working Groups and the Praxity Head Office
Kellie Becker - Membership Committee - Chair and Global Tax - Chair
Kellie is an International Tax Partner and the firm-wide leader of Plante Moran’s International Tax Services group. Kellie’s clients turn to her for expertise on navigating the complexities of doing business abroad. Most of her clients are owner managed to large organisations with a focus on outbound operations, inbound services, and global transaction planning. She advises them on taxation of foreign investments in the United States, U.S. investments in foreign jurisdictions, due diligence for multinational acquisitions, and more.
Kellie is the Chairperson of the Praxity Global Tax and a board member with the Praxity membership committee. She is a member of the AICPA and the MICPA and has a B.S. in accounting from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Samantha Louis - CEO
Samantha Louis is Chief Executive Officer of Praxity Global Alliance, having joined in June 2021 from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants where she was Vice President in charge of International Advocacy.
Samantha has served on various local and international boards and senior leadership groups, including the Professional Accountancy Organisation Development Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and has extensive experience in several non-executive directorships. She currently serves on the Council and Finance Committee of Roedean School, UK. She is also an Ambassador for the CIMA Women in Leadership programme. In 2023 she received the inaugural International Accounting Bulletin Accounting Leader of the Year Award.
Samantha is a Fellow of CIMA and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. She holds a Batchelors degree from the University of the Witwatersrand and holds post-graduate courses in public relations and management, as well as a Master’s degree in Business Administration, with distinction, from the Gordon Institute of Business Science at the University of Pretoria.
She is married with two adult children. One of the great attractions of the UK being able to go to some of the best theatre in the world. She particularly likes ballet and attends as much of it as she can.
Steffen Ahrens - Management Board (Chair), Governing Council and Membership Committee
Steffen graduated in Business Administration and Economics from the Universities of Mannheim (Germany) and St. Gallen (Switzerland), and is a Managing Partner at FALK in Germany. He has been practicing accounting with an international focus for more than 20 years following a secondment in his early career to Price Waterhouse, New York.
Next to his national German Certified Tax Consultant and CPA title, Steffen also holds a US CPA title and as such oversees the US Desk at FALK in Germany. He is also engaged in expanding the firm’s international outsourcing capabilities.
Jason Drake - Management Board (Vice Chair) and Governing Council
Jason serves as managing partner at Plante Moran, one of the largest public accounting and business advisory firms in the United States. Previously, he was the group managing partner of the firm’s Illinois, Ohio, and international locations, playing a pivotal role in guiding and connecting leadership throughout the firm.
Jason’s journey with Plante Moran began nearly 25 years ago with an internship. Since then, he’s been fortunate to assist the firm and its people in many capacities, including audit, consulting, and building and expanding the firm’s international practice, which he led for six years. As international practice leader, Jason helped clients expand internationally to over 50 countries, helped foreign companies expand in the United States, and guided the firm as Plante Moran opened offices in China, Mexico, India, and Japan.
In 2015, Jason was recognised by Crain’s Detroit Business as a “40 Under 40” recipient for helping Plante Moran increase international business revenue by 400%. He is a member of the German American Chamber of Commerce, the Asia Pacific Chamber of Commerce, the Detroit-China Business Association, the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Corporate Growth, the AICPA, and the Michigan Association of CPAs. Jason is also an alumnus of Michigan State University, receiving a B.S. in accounting with Honours.
Andy Irvine - Management Board and Governing Council
Andy is Audit and Accounts Partner at Shorts in the UK. He looks after many of the firm’s larger corporate clients for whom he closely monitors their accounting and taxation requirements. Having gained extensive experience working for a ‘Big 4’ firm, Andy is ideally placed to manage and supervise larger assignments.
As a Chartered Tax Adviser, he actively identifies tax planning opportunities for clients and has considerable experience in leading due diligence assignments. Appointed Managing Partner of Shorts in 2017, Andy has been heavily involved in leading the firm's growth strategy which has seen Shorts treble in size during his tenure.
Bernardo Del Rio - Management Board and Governing Council and Membership Committee
Bernardo Del Rio McKee, CPA, is Managing Partner of J.A. Del Rio S.A. De C.V. He is former president of the Tax Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce, Guadalajara Chapter. He has published several articles on tax issues and given lectures in the US and Mexico.
Bernardo is a founding member of the Guadalajara chapter of the International Fiscal Association (IFA). He has advised companies starting up and operating in Mexico, such as Honda, McDonald’s, Samsung, Sumitomo, Berkshire Hathaway, among others, as well as with clients where Mexico may be the first venture outside of their home country. He currently serves as coordinator of the relationship with the American consulate on behalf of AMCHAM Guadalajara Chapter.
Christian Oberhumer - Membership Commitee
Christian's specialist fields include audit of financial statements, M&A advice, due diligence, and business valuation. The areas of international financial reporting, group accounting, and corporate tax law round off his extensive expertise.
He has a PhD in Business Administration, a Certificate in International Accounting (CINA) and is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA). Prior to joining LeitnerLeitner, he worked for a London-based investment bank.
Christian Oberhumer is a member of the Corporate Finance core team at LeitnerLeitner and also shares his knowledge as a lecturer at internal and external specialist events.
Eric Miles - Management Board and Governing Council
Eric is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Moss Adams. As leader of the firm, Eric plays an integral role in executing the firm’s growth strategy and key initiatives to drive continued firm growth alongside employee and client success.
Eric has practiced public accounting since 1997. Prior to his current role, he led the firm’s consulting services, providing oversight of more than 50 distinct practice areas. Throughout his career, Eric’s experience has covered a wide variety of practice areas, including operations, compliance, accounting, information technology, and fraud prevention.
As CEO, Eric is Chair of the firm’s Executive Committee. He is a frequent speaker on a variety of topics including data analytics, strategy, cybersecurity, and enterprise risk management. He
was a founding member of the AICPA’s Risk Assurance and Advisory Services Task Force, the goal of which is to position the CPA profession as the leader on enterprise risk management.
Jason Tuffs - Management Board and Governing Council
As Chairman & CEO, Jason is responsible for enacting MNP’s strategic vision by anticipating market opportunities and trends, encouraging overall growth, fostering a culture of operational efficiency and inspiring team members to continue to deliver the thought-leading solutions and exceptional client experiences the firm is known for. Jason’s selection as CEO follows a progressive career path with MNP. Since joining the firm in 2004, Jason has held several senior level positions, including National Leader of Public Companies, Regional Managing Partner, Calgary and Executive Vice President, B.C. Jason was also appointed to the Firm's Board of Directors in 2011. He has a Bachelor of Commerce with Distinction from the University of Alberta. Jason is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in 2000. Jason gives back to the community by volunteering his time with youth organisations.
Marco Carlei - Management Board and Governing Council
Marco has been dedicated to the development and expansion of SW International. He was the Managing Director of SW from 2015 to 2017 before becoming the Managing Director of SW International in 2017.
His core expertise is successfully leading and growing professional services firms both at the national and international levels, where strategic growth in a competitive environment is embraced and proactively pursued to create opportunities for the network, partners, staff and clients. The number of SW International member firms doubled since his taking on the role of Managing Director in 2017. Mr Carlei has significant national and international experiences, skills and knowledge across a range of sectors and industries. Marco has been successfully leading SW Australia, quickly becoming one of the most respected and successful accounting practices in Australia, evidenced by both revenue and profitability, increasing by 230% and 350% respectively.
Before joining SW International, Mr Carlei was the Chairman of Moore Stephens Australia and Chairman of Moore Stephens Asia Pacific as well as the Board member of Moore Stephens International from 2010 to 2014.
Nikolas Hatzistergos - Management Board and Governing Council and Membership Committee
Nikolas Hatzistergos is Chairman of William Buck. He qualified from the University of Sydney in 1979 and commenced his employment with a medium sized firm of chartered accountants. He rose quickly through the ranks to become a partner in December 1983. Nikolas is still one of the youngest ever members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants to be granted a practising certificate.
Over the last twenty-five years, Nikolas has acted as an advisor to a large number of businesses involved in the manufacturing and services sector. Nikolas also frequently presents papers on leadership and business management issues and he has authored a number of technical papers that have been published both in Australia and overseas. He is also frequently sought by the Press for his views on accounting and business-related issues.
Yuri Zugolaro - Management Board and Governing Council
Yuri Zugolaro is a Partner at Pirola Pennuto Zei & Associati. He Graduated in Business and Economics at the University of Bologna and is registered with the Padova Association of Chartered Accountants and the Register of Auditors. He is also a member of the Board of Statutory Auditors of major national and international companies.
Yuri has specific expertise in tax and corporate issues, both nationally and internationally, alongside Transfer Pricing operations and M&A transactions. He was a temporary lecturer at the University of Bologna from 2001 to 2007 (matter of degree "Auditing") and taught at the Order of Chartered Accountants of Bologna from 1996 to 2008. Yuri has also been a speaker at various conferences involving tax and corporate issues.
Alexander Rasink - Global Mobility - Chair
Alexander Rasink is Tax Partner with Mazars Netherlands, providing solutions to companies and individuals who are faced with cross-border tax, social security and legal issues. Alexander joined Mazars in 2002 and leads the Employment Tax and Global Mobility practice in Amsterdam. Alexander advises on all international mobility issues including tax, social security, labour and immigration law, assignment policies and related compliance issues relating to the movement of expatriates across the globe. In his 15+ years development in the field, he demonstrates a pragmatic and personal approach in offering high quality advice to the business. Over the past decade, Alexander has taken active part in developing and growing global mobility services within the broad international network within Mazars and Praxity. Currently, Alexander is the acting chair for Praxity & Mazars Global Mobility steering group.
Martin Stoevesandt - Mergers and Acquisitions - Chair
Martin is licensed as a lawyer since 1999, admitted to the New York Bar in 2000 after having received his LL.M. degree from the University of Chicago. He has been with FIDES for 20 years, becoming a partner in 2006, founding his own law firm Noelle & Stoevesandt (as part of the greater FIDES group) in parallel in 2005, where he still is managing partner. Within FIDES Martin is one of three partners in charge of international advisory services.
Martin specializes in international transactions with an industry focus on energy, renewable energy, construction and shipping. Transactions have ranged from low seven figures to ten figures. Most transactions have U.S. or East Asian background or involvement. While Martin is trained as a lawyer, he usually tries to tie the entire deal together form the legal and tax, but foremost from the financial side.
Martin is a member of the German Bar, chapter Bremen, the New York Bar Association and the German-American Lawyers Association (DAJV)
Benjamin Luk - Core International Tax - Chair
Benjamin is a member of MNP’s International Tax Services team in Toronto. Benjamin specialises in inbound Canadian tax matters, helping foreign businesses expand into Canada. He guides inbound investors through the tax implications of conducting business in Canada.
Benjamin works with businesses in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, real estate, entertainment, technology and consulting. He develops and implements timely and effective cross-border solutions and advises on a wide range of tax planning and compliance solutions, including tax-efficient business structuring, financing, repatriation and exit strategy considerations.
Benjamin’s practice includes Canadian tax due diligence and assisting clients with their Canadian tax compliance needs. He provides expert assistance and representation when dealing with Canada Revenue Agency authorities.
Benjamin earned a Master of Accounting (MAcc) from the University of Waterloo in 2007. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in 2010. Benjamin is a facilitator with CPA’s Part II and Part III Group Study and In-Residence In-Depth Tax Courses. He has presented at Praxity’s North American tax conferences and webinars.
Laurie Hoose - ESG - Chair
Laurie Hoose is the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practice lead, where she works with clients on their ESG programs. This includes helping to align stakeholder requests for ESG disclosures to the organisation’s strategic goals and determine what disclosures are material and how they should be gathered to ensure timely, accurate information that is transparent and reliable. Laurie helps her clients to align their strategies, identify opportunities, and reduce organisational and investor risk through actionable, measurable, and continuous improvements.
Laurie’s educational background includes a BS in computer science from the University of Michigan, and an MBA in international business from Brandeis University, where she focused on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). She also obtained a minor in Corporate Environmental Governance from Copenhagen Business School. She is a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI), a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), and a Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) credential holder.
Gerhard Meyer - Financial Advisory Services - Chair
Graduated in BA at the University of Mannheim, Germany. After being employed at Deloitte, Paris where he was mainly assigned with consulting and audit services for multinational companies, he joined FALK & Co in 1984. In 1985 he built up and developed since then FALK’s international business division. His main focus is on international transaction services, audits of international groups and forensic accounting. He is especially experienced in the sectors IT, automotive, furniture, ecological technologies and real estate.
He is fluent in English, French as well as Spanish (full professional proficiency in each) and has an elementary proficiency in Italian. He chairs PECC (Praxity European Coordination Committee) and also serves Praxity as Chairman of the Membership Committee.
Marc Feigelson - North America
Mr. Feigelson is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Kaufman Rossin and a member of the firm’s management committee, where he works closely with the executive management team to develop strategy for the firm’s future sustainability, growth and profitability.
Marc focuses on Kaufman Rossin’s financial and operational plans in addition to risk management. For nearly 26 years, he has responded to the changes and challenges of public accounting and has been a mentor for young professionals and a champion for the profession. He also retains his involvement in practice as a relationship partner, where he continues to provide advisory services to several long-standing clients.
Marc has a concentrated focus in the real estate, healthcare and professional services sectors, along with substantial experience in transaction advisory services, including M&A deal structuring and complex financial diligence matters.
Mr. Feigelson is a published author and has been quoted in several professional and industry publications. He is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Florida Institute of CPAs (FICPA). He has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Florida. Marc lives in Miami with his family, which includes his wife, Lisa, along with a son and daughter aged 15 and 11.
We are delighted to introduce him as Chair of the North American Region.
Dr. Daniel Ternes - Europe
Daniel is a Public Auditor (since 2009) and Tax Advisor (since 2007) at German firm FGS, as well as a partner at the firm since 2020. Having studied economics in Bonn (2003 Dipl.-Volkswirt), he received his Doctorate at the Schumpeter School of Business and Economics of the University of Wuppertal (BUW) (2018 Dr. rer. oec.), joining Flicke Gocke Schaumberg in 2003.
As well being a firm partner and practicing professionally, Daniel is a lecturer in finance and corporate governance at the University of Wuppertal.
Daniel's particular focus is on the auditing of annual and consolidated financial statements, national and international accounting and the auditing and implementation of (tax) compliance management systems.
Daniel’s deep experience and extensive academic grounding in business and finance helps him to understand the European region intimately.
Robert (Bob) Borrill - Africa and Middle East
Bob is the Managing Partner of Nwanda Incorporated. Since his election in 2011 he has shaped the growth and development of the firm.
After graduating from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1984, he specialised and consulted for a number of years in tax and financial management.
Bob subsequently worked in commerce for 13 years and was involved in all levels of management in various groups of companies before returning to the audit profession in 2004, when he joined Nwanda Incorporated.
A key voice in the region with a solid and rigorous background, Bob skilfully handles tax and financial management for Nwanda’s clients. His approach blends practical expertise with a strong dedication to quality, helping clients achieve their financial objectives. With an intimate knowledge of local and international markets, Mr. Borrill is the perfect chair for the rapidly-growing Africa & Middle East region.
Roy Lo - Asia Pacific
Mr Lo is the Managing Partner of SW Hong Kong, Board Member of SW International and the Chairman of the SW International Brand and Marketing Committee.
He has extensive experience in auditing, business mergers and acquisitions, business appraisal, profit anticipation and listing arrangement for 31 years. He has been involved in numerous IPO projects and has successfully assisted many companies listed on the Main Board and GEM of the HKEX. He regularly contributes articles on corporate governance and internal control to newspapers and professional publications, and was the compliance reviewer of the Best Corporate Governance Awards of Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants consecutively from 2013 – 2024.
He has exceptional insights into China, Hong Kong and global markets more generally, and working closely with regulatory bodies and professional institutions across the regions and beyond.
With his professional knowledge and expertise, Mr Lo assumes the roles of:
• Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Association of Registered Public Interest Entity Auditors (PIEAA)
• Chairman of the Accountancy Training Board of Vocational Training Council
• Honorary Court Member of Hong Kong Baptist University
• Member of School Allocation Committee under Education Bureau of HKSAR Government
• Member of 14th Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference
• President and Founder of Accountancy Industry of Young Professionals Alliance.
Roy was also the member of the Financial Reporting Review Panel of Financial Reporting Council from 2015-2018, Divisional President 2019 – Greater China of CPA Australia and the President of The Hong Kong Independent Non-executive Director Association (2021 – 2022).
Wesley Montechiari Figueira - Latin America & Caribbean
Mr. Figueira has commanded many audit teams over his career and has been in charge of several IPO processes in the Brazilian markets. He has held senior positions in several industries previously to his current role, with a great deal of responsibility. From this experience, he brings an expert approach to the Brazilian and Latin American markets, as well as the global landscape. Wesley is also fluent in English, French, Spanish and Italian alongside his native Portuguese.
Alongside his role at VBR, Mr. Figueira’s positions include:
Professor of Business Valuation and Assessment in the Business Administration Post-Graduate Centre of the Federal University of Paraná State.
Executive Professor of Estação IBMEC – Brazilian Institute of Capital Markets Studies – Valuation.
A true senior figure in the Brazilian market, Mr. Figueira brings his deep experience in Latin America as Regional Chair.
Heather Weber - Indirect Tax and VAT - Chair
Heather Weber, CPA, CGA, is the leader of MNP’s Indirect Tax Group. Since 2001, Heather has specialized in assisting her clients with all their indirect taxation needs, including: GST, PST, Excise Taxes, Property Taxes and more. Working closely with her team, Heather serves business owners, Indigenous organizations, Hutterites and clients in the health care, winery, construction and public company sectors.
Heather’s in-depth understanding of indirect tax issues helps her develop customized tax minimization strategies for her clients. She also helps organizations capture the compliance information they need to claim all the benefits they are entitled to. Heather also has extensive experience in real property and cross-border transactions.
Through extensive dealings with both the federal and provincial governments as an auditor for the Canada Revenue Agency, Heather has the insight and experience her clients need when dealing with government authorities at the audit and appeal stage.
Before earning her Certified General Accountant (CGA) designation in 1995, Heather received her Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University in 1991. She is also a member of both the Kelowna Tax Discussion Group and the Vancouver Commodity Tax Discussion Group.
Jill Morris - Outsourcing - Chair
With over 25 years’ experience of working in practice, Jill Morris is PM+M’s cloud team partner, and a proud fellow of the ICAEW. Jill is an expert in high quality outsourcing services and leads on the delivery of digital and automated solutions for clients.
Heading up PM+M’s cloud accounting team, Jill supports a wide range of clients with the transformation of their digital systems. From providing a fully outsourced finance team service flexible to each client’s requirements, to helping businesses gain visibility from day one with the implementation of apps such as Xero, Futrli and Dext (to name a few). As a cloud accounting specialist, Jill has unrivalled expertise in supporting clients in this area and advising on the best platform for their needs.
Managing a diverse portfolio of clients, Jill covers a wide range of services that include everything from statutory compliance, Making Tax Digital and cash flow management, to business advice, forecasting and tax planning.
Jill has a passion for creating a true partnership with her clients to provide detailed insights, support their businesses, drive change, and help them reach a positive end goal.
Randall Janiczek - North American International Tax - Chair
Randall has more than 20 years of public accounting experience in both the US and Germany and is the leader of Plante Moran’s International Tax Services Group. He has extensive experience working with both public and private companies within a wide variety of industries such as manufacturing and distribution, real estate, and the service industry in both an inbound and outbound context.
Randall has significant experience with U.S. international tax planning and compliance, transfer pricing, and transaction related planning and compliance matters. Randy’s practice focuses on business tax matters, specifically working with clients to minimize global tax burdens and structuring to efficiently manage assets. While working in Frankfurt, Germany, he gained valuable experience working with multinational companies on US/German and cross-border EU tax issues. He has also served as a speaker on international tax topics for the Chicago Tax Club and Michigan Bar Association, Praxity International conferences, internal trainings, in addition to web-based international tax updates.
Randall holds a BBA and MSA from the University of Notre Dame and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is a licensed public accountant in both Michigan and Illinois. Randy is married with two children and enjoys golfing, fishing, and spending time with family.
Ken Rios - SALT - Chair
Ken is a principal in Kaufman Rossin’s tax department and leads the firm’s state and local tax practice. With more than 20 years of experience, he assists clients with his expertise in state and local income tax, franchise tax, sales and use tax, as well as property tax and unclaimed property. Prior to joining Kaufman Rossin, Ken led the South Florida state and local tax practice of a national firm. He also manages state and local tax consulting projects, including state tax minimisation strategies, M&A restructurings, buy/sell tax due diligences, tax simplification, sales sourcing studies, state voluntary disclosures and more. He frequently speaks and lectures on state taxes for the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Council on State Taxation, Praxity and other organisations. Ken is a member of the New Jersey State Bar.
Pascal Jauffret - Membership Committee
Pascal Jauffret joined Mazars in 1997 and is a member of the Group Executive Board for Mazars. He started his career as an auditor in Paris before pioneering the IFRS technical team. In 2009, he moved to Singapore to further develop Mazars in Asia-Pacific. He has been instrumental in the penetration of the firm in new markets such as Australia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and developing existing practices in Japan, Korea, India, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 2015, he became the Managing Partner of Mazars in Italy, where he spearheaded a major transformation of their operations.
Pascal graduated from HEC in France. He holds a PhD in Management from Panthéon-Assas university in Paris and an Executive MBA from the NextMBA. He is a CPA and Chartered Accountant in France, and a fellow member of the ICAEW.
Helen Jennings - COO
Helen joined Praxity 13 years ago to help the Board execute planned activities and achieve agreed strategies. A qualified accountant with a background in auditing and education, she also has extensive experience as a financial controller in different sectors.
As Chief Operating Officer, Helen ensures the smooth running of Praxity’s Executive Office. This includes supervising the office team, managing HR and accounts and overseeing the conference and business development teams. Helen attends the Praxity Board, Governing Council and Membership Committee meetings. Amongst her varied tasks in fostering the strategies set by the Board, Helen assesses the quality of the Praxity Alliance member firms, carrying out all the Tri-Annual Assessments as well as examining the suitability of potential new members.
After graduating in accounting & finance, Helen began her career as a lecturer in accounting at Kingston University in England, where she helped encourage young talent to enter into the profession. Training as an auditor with Macintyre Hudson, her next progression was to move up to Audit Manager at BDO. Embarking on a new challenge, she became Group Financial Controller at an investment bank in the City of London, followed by a similar role in a software company before joining Praxity in 2010.
Helen lives with her two young children in Epsom, England, and devotes much of her time to her family. As well as keeping abreast of changes within the profession, she is also learning to play the guitar, alongside a keen interest in both nutrition and epigenetics.
Kai Schwinger - Transfer Pricing - Chair
Kai is active as Head of Transfer Pricing in Falk’s international tax service division in Heidelberg. He is chair of the Praxity transfer pricing working group.
His main practice areas are advising international clients on all transfer pricing related issues, such as transfer pricing documentation and design, tax audit defence and economic analyses as well as valuations in the context of transfer pricing, in particular the valuation of tangible and intangible assets in the context of relocation of functions.
Kai is a graduate from the University of Mannheim with a degree in economics and he worked at various international professional service firms before joining the FALK team.
Keith Piwko - Praxity Assurance Committee - Chair
Keith Piwko is a leader in the international assurance practice, where he focuses on advising manufacturing, distribution, and service companies on their worldwide growth and expansion strategies. Specialising in international audit, international tax, and global expansion, as well as employee benefit plans, Keith is dedicated to helping his clients navigate the complexities of the global market.
Keith regularly works with other partners to expand the international practice. Recognising the increasing global operations of companies today, he played a significant role in establishing various teams and initiatives, including the International Concierge Desk, the international tax services team, the international assurance team, as well as contributing to the growth and expansion of international offices, the Plante Moran Alliance, and the Praxity team.
Outside of his professional endeavours, Keith is actively involved in various professional and community organisations. He is a member of the AICPA, the MICPA, the International Business Steering Committee of the Detroit Regional Chamber, the Association of Corporate Growth, and the German American Chamber of Commerce. Committed to giving back to his community, Keith also dedicates his time to organisations such as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Detroit Athletic Club. He holds both a B.S. and M.S. in accounting from Michigan State University.
Lisa Cawley Ruiz - Marketing - Chair
Lisa Cawley Ruiz is a marketing and communications director at the Kaufman Rossin Group where she drives the alignment of marketing strategies with overarching business goals to attract, convert and retain prospects and clients.
With 20 years of experience spanning marketing, communications, and journalism, Lisa is a recognised leader in marketing strategy, content planning, and leading teams to maximise impact throughout the sales funnel. Her specialised expertise in developing targeted marketing content and communications drives engagement and results for both B2B and B2C organisations. As a marketing thought leader, Lisa chairs the global Marketing Working Group for Praxity and has delivered presentations on a range of marketing topics.
She holds several certifications, including Google Analytics, Google Ads, and ICAgile certifications in Leading with Agility and Agility in Marketing, reflecting her commitment to embracing innovative and dynamic marketing practices. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications and is pursuing a Master of Science in Marketing from Florida International University.
Becky Belanger - International Project Manager
Deborah Poulter - Head of Business Development
Deborah joined Praxity in January 2011. She is a people person with great communication skills, which helps to deepen connections, improve teamwork, and facilitate problem-solving across the Alliance.
Deborah brings a grounded approach to her role as Head of Business Development and Marketing at Praxity. With over two decades of experience, a teaching degree and diplomas in marketing and business management, she manages a variety of responsibilities at the head of the team. These include website deployments, managing Praxity marketing initiatives, onboarding new firms, collaborating with the team on content and thought leadership materials and contributing to international conferences. She collaborates directly with the Chief Executive Officer and COO to support Praxity’s overall strategy.
In her spare time, Deborah enjoys running and HIIT at the gym. She is also a qualified reflexologist and holds a diploma in nutrition, reflecting her commitment to health and fitness.
Tom Simmons - Brand Reputation and Marketing Executive
Tom joined Praxity in 2024 as Brand & Reputation Executive. With six years of marketing experience in both B2B and B2C sectors, as well as two years of international event experience, he manages the brand and reputation efforts, helping to promote Praxity's events, news, insights, and member firms. Tom uses his digital marketing expertise to support the Praxity team by promoting their knowledge, experience, and expertise to a wider audience.
In his free time, Tom is a photographer and a keen athlete, being a fan of rugby, MMA, F1, as well as expanding his perspectives through travelling.
Jess Honey - Webmaster
Jess is an integral part of Praxity’s public-facing persona and brand, working with developers and engineers to implement and update software, technologies and processes tailored to the Alliance. She also assists the Conferences team by maintaining onsite-hardware and additional software resources to guarantee digital competence at all events. A key point of contact for all aspects of Praxity’s running, she provides ultra-modern and futureproof capability.
A born and bred South Londoner, Jess is a skilled artist and illustrator. She enjoys heading to the coast to surf whenever the opportunity arises, and loves spending quality time with her dog, Red.
Carla Brew - Graphic Designer
A talented and experienced multi-disciplinary graphic designer, Carla takes charge of all Praxity materials and communications, ensuring they look informative, logical and beautiful. She is also in charge of actioning Praxity’s visual brand guidelines, keeping all of Praxity’s output consistent, whether online or at conferences. Bringing a project to life from its infancy is an exciting journey for Carla, beginning with from something simple and turning it into something unique and engaging.
The Sydney native is a keen and talented crocheter, creating everything from hats to full jumpsuits. She is interested in ceramics as well as being a keen cook, and is a student of Italian.
Jo Webster - Head of Events
Jo joined Praxity at the start of 2022 bringing with her more than 15 years of expertise in the management of exhibitions and events in the aerospace sector. Jo has a wealth of experience in organising successful events, from large-scale showcase exhibitions at important industry events to gatherings for investors, suppliers, partners, and workers.
Jo's position involves project managing the five annual Praxity conferences as well as implementing the yearly conference plan to support our conference attendees and the Praxity leadership team.
Jo is skilled in a variety of project management tools, such as robust file sharing networks and conference management software. She studied French and German and finds enjoyment in travelling and experiencing local cultures. Attending conferences, when everyone gets together, reconnects, and makes new connections, is a strong highlight of Jo’s role within the Praxity team.
Lani Jefferies - Events Conference Manager
Lani is Events Manager at Praxity, where her role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, from sourcing venues and negotiating contracts to coordinating with hotels, delegates, speakers, and Destination Management Companies (DMCs). With over 11 years experience at Praxity, Lani finds great fulfilment in overseeing the entire planning process of conferences, from inception to execution, and seeing Praxity members come together to experience the full scope of what these events offer.
Before joining Praxity, Lani worked at CIPD, where she organised events in the not-for-profit sector, further honing her expertise in event management. Her background also includes various other roles in event organisation, equipping her with a comprehensive understanding of the industry and a strong commitment to delivering exceptional event experiences.
Natalie Giles - Financial Controller
As a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Natalie earned her chartered accountant certification in 2010. She has a wide range of expertise, including roles as a financial controller, financial business partner, strategic business manager, and auditor in a mid-tier corporation. She has extensive experience in company change, strategy, restructuring programmes, financial reporting, and business collaboration. Natalie has exceptional analytical abilities whilst handling challenging assignments and juggling competing demands.
Leading the financial department of Praxity's main office, Natalie maintains tight relationships with the Praxity conference team, the Praxity Board, and Praxity member firms. Natalie is a proficient user of Xero and Oracle R12 accounting packages, and an expert at Microsoft Excel. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, spending time with family and is conversational in Greek.
Tanisha Mittee - Accountant
Tanisha has been an accountant with Praxity for the past six years, supporting the Accounts team to help them stay on top of finances and resources, both at the executive office and across the Alliance.
Before joining Praxity, Tanisha worked in a range of roles in the accountancy industry, moving from practice to pension payroll and then onto accounts payable. Working for different companies in different sectors, she enjoys finding ways to improve efficiency with accounts, learning new software and new techniques. Tanisha also helps to train colleagues to get up to speed with systems, with proficiency in Excel, Word, Xero, Sage and Microsoft Great Plains.
Outside of her working hours, Tanisha is a keen sportswoman, with a FA level 1 in football coaching and a 2nd Dan in Kickboxing.
