The Speakers
David Aughtry
Chamberlain Hrdlicka Attorneys at Law
David Aughtry's practice focuses on civil and criminal tax litigation. He is recognized as a national authority in tax litigation in Chambers USA and the US Legal 500 Litigation Guide. He is a nationally recognized speaker, including presentations for TEI, Mississippi Tax Institute, American Tax Institute, Georgia Tax Conference, Tennessee Tax Institute, Kentucky Tax Institute, AICPA Valuation Conferences, and various other tax programs.
Craig Banks
Alabama Department of Revenue
Craig Banks is the Chief Counsel for the State of Alabama Department of Revenue, leading the Legal Division of the Department and supervising Department-involved litigation. He joined the Alabama Department of Revenue in 2012 as an Assistant Counsel and began serving as the Chief Counsel for the Department in 2019.
Lauren Hyde
Alabama Business Intelligence Center
Lauren Hyde is the first Executive Director of the Alabama Business Intelligence Center, offering expertise through an investment lens. . She is well-versed in public and private company analysis with work experience spanning economic and financial market research, private market due diligence, investment modeling, client-facing advising, and fund operations.
Stephen Bigge
Regions
Stephen J. Bigge, CPA, is a partner with Keebler & Associates, LLP whose emphasis is in developing comprehensive financial, estate and income tax analyses and wealth transfer techniques including FLP, GRATS, CRTs, ILITs and IDGTs. He specializes in estate, gift and retirement planning, charitable gift planning, as well as trust and estate administration
Maya Brill
Regions
Maya is a member of the Wealth Strategist Group serving the closely held business owners and high/ultra high net worth individuals within Regions’ Private Wealth Management. Maya’s focus is developing strategic business succession planning as well as advanced estate planning. She approaches her clients’ needs with a view towards wealth preservation and protection, but with an acute awareness that everyone has unique family dynamics that require balancing tax efficiencies with personal family needs.
Mike Brand
BMSS
Known as a nationally acclaimed, accounting industry expert and speaker, Mike has been involved in all aspects of public accounting, with an emphasis in providing accounting, auditing and review services to clients in the for-profit, nonprofits and governmental sectors. He is also involved in various committees at both the state and national levels.
Bruce Ely
Bradley Arant
Bruce Ely is a partner in the Birmingham, Alabama office of the multistate law firm of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP and founder of its SALT Practice Group. He represents taxpayers before various state and local government taxing authorities as well as the tax tribunals and circuit and appellate courts of Alabama and Mississippi, and before the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Tax Court.
Skip Fox
McGuireWoods LLP Retired Partner
Skip Fox is a retired McGuireWoods LLP partner. Prior to joining McGuireWoods in its Charlottesville, Virginia office in 2005, Skip practiced at Schiff Hardin LLP in Chicago, Illinois. While at McGuireWoods, Skip served as chair of the firm’s Tax and Employee Benefits Department and Private Wealth Services Group. Skip was on the faculty of the American Bankers Association’s National Trust Schools from 1987 to 2021.
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Marc Hamilton
CDG Engineers and Associates, Inc.
Marc is a strategy-oriented Finance executive with proven successes in Change Management. He has over 25 years of extensive practical experiences with data analytics, process design and technology implementation. His roles have provided broad exposure to functional, operational and management challenges facing organizations in the era of systems intelligence.
Meredith Harper
Deloitte Tax LLP
Meredith, a Senior Manager in Multistate Tax Services in Birmingham, AL, has 14 years of experience with transaction advisory and multistate tax issues. She supports clients across industries with mergers, acquisitions, and tax optimization. As the Alabama and West Virginia Jurisdictional Tax Specialist, she handles complex state tax matters and liaises with local revenue departments. Meredith also leads the office’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion group.
David Humber
Maynard Nexsen
David is a Shareholder at Maynard Nexsen, specializing in Corporate Securities & Tax, including Tax, Economic Development & Incentives, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Charitable Foundations. He advises on entity choices, joint ventures, business planning, and taxation. David holds an LL.M. in Taxation from NYU, a J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Alabama, and a B.S., magna cum laude, from Birmingham-Southern College. He is recognized in Best Lawyers in America and by Chambers and Partners for his expertise in Tax Law.
Lisa McKinney
Culverhouse School of Accountancy
Lisa is a Senior Instructor of Accounting and the Director of Culverhouse LIFT at the University of Alabama's Culverhouse College of Business. Her research interests include financial accounting and tax accounting.
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Karen Miller, CPA
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Culverhouse School of Accountancy
Karen currently serves as a member of State Taxation and Legislation Committee for the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants. She is a frequent speaker at continuing education events and seminars sponsored by the society, and she has published several articles on taxation topics for the society’s quarterly publication for its members. Karen also serves on the Undergraduate Council for the University of Alabama, and she is a member of the Capital Campaign Committee and the Board of Visitors for the Culverhouse College of Business.
Mary Martin Mitchell
Alabama Department of Revenue
Mary Martin Mitchell currently serves as Executive Counsel of the Alabama Department of Revenue. Mary Martin received her bachelor’s degree in finance, magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia. She received her juris doctor degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2010. As Executive Counsel, Mary Martin is responsible for serving as a liaison between the department and the Alabama Legislature, advising on tax administration procedures, and providing tax policy analysis.
Benetta Y. Park
Bessemer Trust
Benetta is a Managing Director, Regional Director, and Senior Fiduciary Counsel at Bessemer Trust, based in the Palm Beach, Florida office. In her role as Regional Director, Benetta is responsible for Bessemer’s client relationships within the Florida East Coast region, as well as the management of Bessemer’s Palm Beach and Stuart offices.
Chris Colee
Alabama State Bar Association
Chris Colee is the Practice Management Advisor for the Alabama State Bar and has led the Law Practice Management program since December 2021. Chris provides law practice management advice and assistance to bar members as well as manages the bar's member benefits.
Hale E. Sheppard
Chamberlain Hrdlicka Attorneys at Law
Hale E. Sheppard is a Shareholder in the Tax Controversy Section of Chamberlain Hrdlicka in Atlanta. Hale defends individuals and businesses during tax audits, tax appeals, and tax litigation.
Jim B. Sowell
KPMG
Sowell is a Principal at KPMG LLP and leads the Real Estate Practice in KPMG’s National Tax Office. Jim’s practice is focused primarily on tax issues relating to partnerships, REITs, and debt workouts with respect to such entities. Jim previously was an Associate Tax Legislative Counsel in the Office of Tax Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department where he was responsible for legislation and guidance relating to partnerships, REITs, and like-kind exchanges.
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