Our People |
Dermody, Burke & Brown's team of professionals are focused on anticipating and addressing the unique needs of our diverse client base. You will see our team has a wide-range of experience, specializations and technical expertise, but one thing we all have in common is our commitment to quality client service.
Alonzo T. Bertron, CPA
Alonzo has over a decade of experience in public accounting and private enterprise working with a diverse range of industries and business structures. As a Senior Manager in the Tax Department, he assists clients with complex tax compliance and accounting matters. He also helps clients develop tailored tax plans that fit their unique situations. His experience includes issues in construction accounting, multi-state taxation, real estate transactions (including 1031 exchanges), business sales, acquisitions, and reorganizations, as well as domestic tax reporting for foreign activities.
Alonzo received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from State University of New York at Geneseo. He is a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
Tina D’Agata
Tina is a Senior Manager at Dermody, Burke & Brown in the Retirement Plan Design and Administration department. As an employee at the Firm for over fifteen years, her seasoned experience in the Industry allows her to efficiently design, prepare and administer retirement plans for a variety of clients. Tina personally meets with clients and staff to discuss employee benefit options and assists the CPA Firm with their audits of employee benefit plans. Tina is proactive in her retirement planning approach and attends educational seminars to keep abreast of the many changes that occur within the industry.
Tina is a graduate of Hartwick College and a leading member of Dermody, Burke & Brown’s Young Professional Committee and Wellness Committee. She is a board member and Finance Committee member of the Gingerbread House of Syracuse, a board member and Secretary of the Thousand Island Park Cottage Owners Association, Inc., a member of the United Way of CNY Young Leaders United, and is actively involved with the Blessed Sacrament School. Tina is a 2016 graduate of the Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders Program, designed to increase the diversity of not-for-profit boards and leadership in the Central New York area. She is also a 2016 40 Under Forty Honoree.
Mary Beth Madlin
Mary Beth has been with Dermody, Burke & Brown since 1985. As a Senior Manager of the Retirement Plan Design and Administration department, Mary Beth focuses on all facets of retirement planning from plan design to daily administration. She specializes in managing define contribution plans and provides on-going administration of retirement plans for a range of clients.
Mary Beth also provides outside consulting services and reviews plan design, cost structure and administrative practices. Mary Beth is a graduate of Bryant & Stratton College and continues to shape her thirty-two years of knowledge in the industry by attending continuing educational seminars.
Sean McKenna
Sean will serve as the Audit Manager for the audit engagement. Sean joined Dermody, Burke & Brown in 2016. He has eight years of experience in public accounting with a demonstrated history of providing audit and attestation services to clients in the contractor, insurance, manufacturing and non-profit industries.
Sean received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from St. John Fisher College and his Master of Business Administration Degree from Le Moyne College. Sean is a member of the Dermody, Burke & Brown Young Professionals Group. He is a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Account Accountants (NYSSCPA) and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Natasha Newbury
Natasha M. Newbury is an Accounting & Audit (A&A) Manager with Dermody, Burke & Brown. She has been with the firm for over 15 years and specializes in single and multi-employer benefit plans, serving the role as an EBP Technical Lead. Her experience includes a variety of audit, review, and compilation engagements, consulting services, as well as internal audits. Natasha is a graduate from State University of New York at Oswego where she earned the Diversity Achievement Award. Natasha enjoys being actively engaged in the community and was a 40 Under 40 honoree in 2022. She co-chairs on the Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession (COAP) Committee, which is organized through the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and focuses on promoting diversity in the accounting profession. She is also a member of the SUNY Oswego Accounting Program Advisory Group, whose goal is to remain current in developments of the accounting profession and advise the faculty for their curriculum. She is a Board member and Treasurer of the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance (UMEA); whose mission is to harness the economic power of the minority community for the benefit of the region.
Christian Samara, CPA
Christian joined Dermody, Burke & Brown in 2016. As a Manager in the Tax Department, he enjoys serving as a trusted advisor to his clients. He assists clients with matters of tax compliance, tailored tax planning, complex accounting issues, and bookkeeping. His experience includes working with large multi-state corporations in manufacturing, wholesale, and retail as well as local family-owned businesses in a variety of industries.
Christian graduated from Le Moyne College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. In 2023 he was honored by the CNY Business Journal as a 40 Under 40 recipient for his professional achievements and his contributions to the community. He is a Board Member and Treasurer of the Syracuse Sunrise Rotary Club as well as a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
Elizabeth Stapleton, CPA
Elizabeth Stapleton, CPA is a Manager in the Tax department at Dermody, Burke & Brown. She specializes in trusts and estate accounting, tax and advisory services. As a Tax Manager at the firm, Elizabeth provides tax preparation and consulting to individuals who are creating or revising their estate plans, estate executors and administrators, and grantors and trustees of both lifetime and testamentary trusts.
Elizabeth received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Public Accounting Master of Business Administration degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego, and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Albany Law School. Before transitioning to public accounting, Elizabeth practiced trusts and estates, elder, and real estate law for a private practice law firm in the Southern Tier. During her time as a practicing attorney, Elizabeth counseled clients during both the estate planning and administration and probate processes, and handled a variety of real estate issues, including both transactional and litigated matters. Elizabeth’s past law experience positions her with a unique, full-range of expertise in trusts and estates that is very beneficial to her tax clients.
She is a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA).
Thomas Tartaglia, CPA
Tom has been a member of the Dermody, Burke & Brown Tax department since 1991. He has over 29 years of experience in both industry and public accounting with over twenty years in taxation. As a Tax Senior Manager at the Firm, Tom specializes in corporate and partnership taxation. His clients include those in construction, medical and legal practices and various other industries. Tom has significant experience with special areas of taxation including sales tax, flow thru entities and acquisitions and dispositions of ownership interests in corporate and partnership entities.
He is a member of the Liverpool Village Planning Board and a past member of the Cazenovia College Board of Trustees. Tom is also a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He is a 1981 graduate of Niagara University.
Amie Vanderpool, CPA
Amie joined Dermody, Burke & Brown in 2009. She provides tax, compilation and review, and bookkeeping services to a variety of industries including physician groups, professional service firms and closely-held family businesses.
Amie graduated from Le Moyne College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. She is a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the United Way of Central New York Young Leaders United, the NYSSCPA Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession Program and the NYSSCPA NextGen Syracuse Chapter.
Danielle Wright, MBA, CFE
Danielle is a highly accomplished accountant with over 20 years of diverse experience in financial management. She holds an MBA in Fraud Management from Utica College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Syracuse University. Danielle is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and a Notary Public.
Her expertise is further reinforced by specialized certifications, including the Data Analytics & Visualization Fundamentals Certificate from the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and the Certified Specialist in Accounting and Finance (CSAF) credential from the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). Danielle’s career spans multiple sectors, including Healthcare, Education, Not-For-Profit, Start-ups, and Manufacturing, demonstrating her versatility and depth of knowledge.
As a seasoned Chief Financial Officer, Danielle has a proven track record of driving financial strategies, enhancing operational efficiency, and leading successful projects. She also serves as the Corporate Treasurer for the Financial Managers Association of New York State (FMA), where she contributes her expertise to advance the field of financial management.
Danielle’s blend of practical experience, advanced qualifications, and leadership roles positions her as a leading professional in her field, dedicated to achieving excellence and fostering financial integrity.