Our Staff

Relationships are the cornerstone to Emily’s approach to business. She loves collaborating with clients and their financial and professional advisors. Open dialogue, ongoing relationships, and teamwork put clients in the position to pay the lowest tax allowable.

“It’s our relationships with our clients and their advisors that allow us to help them lower their tax burden and achieve their financial goals. If a client’s child is starting college, or if one of their businesses is about to expand, those things play a part in our decision-making. Having an open dialogue about what is going on in their lives helps us save them the most in taxes.”

Emily first started with the Byrne CPA Firm in 1995. She left the firm in 2000 to earn her Bachelor’s degree and serve our country in the FBI. Seven years later, she returned to Byrne, this time working remotely from Phoenix, Arizona. In 2014, she returned to Mississippi to be closer to family, and has since aided the now Byrne | Zizzi CPA firm in providing the latest tax knowledge and innovative tax strategies to clients in Northeast Mississippi and surrounding areas.

“A major tenet of our firm is being knowledgeable beyond the bare minimum of what’s required. We stay ahead of the curve when it comes to shifting tax laws and the effects they have on our clients, and we bring big ideas to a small town environment.”

Tom Byrne has always been drawn to the concrete nature of numbers but his passion is looking for the larger picture and asking why.

“The numbers are a great foundation for what we do but being able to see the whole picture and having a feel for how a client’s needs work together I think defines us.”

Tom’s goal is to listen to his clients and their other professional advisors to make sure everyone is following the same tax-wise strategy.

“It’s a privilege in public accounting to be able to work with people who have tremendous businesses. Our clients are incredibly accomplished and build these fantastic businesses that I probably couldn’t build, but we get to come in and play a key role that makes such a difference. I don’t want to have this kind of relationship one day each year; I want to watch our clients grow and develop all year.”

He isn’t interested in doing things the way they’ve always been done, unless he knows that is the best way to do it. Tom is interested in bringing high-quality, innovative accounting and tax services to Northeast Mississippi clients who would otherwise not have that access. Tom wants to innovate the way his clients’ money is handled so the end result is more than filing a tax return or preparing financial statements. His aspiration is a successful business relationship. Byrne | Zizzi CPA’s goal is to make a client’s plans and strategies as tax-wise as possible.

Marie never wanted to be anything other than an accountant, just like her mom. When she moved back home from Memphis, Marie applied to and was hired by a firm in Aberdeen, Mississippi. The firm was then purchased by Byrne | Zizzi CPA. When she saw that firm begin innovating after being acquired by Byrne | Zizzi CPA, she knew she wanted to be a part of it.

“Seeing the bigger, better opportunities our growing firm can offer our clients, beyond just the tax return, is exciting. We’re fortunate to have this level of firm in Aberdeen.”

Marie helps arrange her clients’ financial information into the strategy that will minimize their taxes most.

Christyn develops tax strategies that keep working after April 15. She utilizes the entire Byrne | Zizzi team to get as many perspectives as possible on an idea.

“It’s important to talk about the current year’s taxes, but I try to make a plan that looks years down the line. A well-thought-out tax plan can have a significant impact on the lives of my clients.”

When clients have questions or concerns, Christyn is there to answer their questions. Each year, she and her clients review the year’s tax strategy and assess the effectiveness. With this information, they discuss any changes that are necessary for the future.

Emily Jo performs valuations for Byrne | Zizzi CPA clients but also finds herself touching much of the work in one way or another. She approaches her work and clients from a place of empathy.

“I like helping our clients because everyone has to deal with taxes and money so it’s a common experience. I know if I don’t have a good experience I’m not going back, so I want to make sure they have a good experience and stay in good standing with the government.”

Emily Jo is instrumental when Byrne | Zizzi CPA clients are buying and selling companies or gifting property.

Hannah combines a love for helping people with her aptitude for finance. She realizes that one of the most helpful things she can do is to help people manage their money in order to alleviate their stress.

“We work as a team to help our clients get the best possible tax results.”

Hannah wanted to be a part of Byrne | Zizzi CPA because of its solid reputation. She is committed to maintaining that reputation by helping clients get the best tax rate possible.

Taryn always knew she wanted to work with finances. That’s why she started managing the financial records in the dentist office where she was first hired as a dental assistant.

“I’m a nerd. I’ve always known I wanted to work with finances.”

She took her passion to Byrne | Zizzi CPA because of the company’s emphasis on client relationships and work-life balance. Taryn believes maintaining a relationship with clients prepares her to better answer their questions and meet their tax needs.

Tiffany loves the diversity that small-town accounting affords her — meeting with people of all businesses and backgrounds.

“I work with everyone from pig farmers and factory workers to doctors and business owners. I get to see what different people do and help keep their businesses going.”

Tiffany started managing the books of a small local business at the age of 16 years and has been taking care of other people’s finances ever since.

Tom’s favorite part of his job is putting people at ease when it comes to their taxes. He said it’s scary for a lot of taxpayers – after all, they are handing over their hard-earned dollars.

“I enjoy helping clients better understand how taxes work and understand how we’re helping them.”

Tom likes working with the tight-knit team of Byrne | Zizzi. He’s there for his clients all year, not just during tax season, to assist with payroll needs, bookkeeping, financial reporting, and any other matters that need attention.

Byrne | Zizzi will never leave you in the dark. We’re here every step of the way.

Byrne | Zizzi is interested in looking at the bigger picture, rather than preparing as many tax returns as possible.

Michael spent his whole career working in the banking and gaming industries, but when he moved to Tupelo he wanted to use his CPA license to help the public.

“The fact that this accounting firm provides more than just tax, but also financial reporting services, allows me to educate and help our business owner clients. I’m always looking for ways to educate and equip people to make better, more efficient decisions.”

Michael coordinates Byrne | Zizzi CPA’s financial reporting staff and makes sure every client has a neat, organized set of financial statements so financial reporting and tax strategies flow smoothly.

Allison works with Byrne Zizzi’s financial reporting group. She prepares the financial statements, monthly management reports, sales and use tax returns, and performs all aspects of payroll services.

“I create financial statements using all of the raw financial information our clients accumulate throughout the year. I enjoy creating a product and providing a service that is valued by our clients.”

Her career in corporate accounting has made Allison a stickler for structure and organization — a perfect fit for Byrne | Zizzi. It has also given her a unique perspective, one which allows her to see holes and inefficiencies from a different angle.

Melissa actively manages the month-to-month payroll and financial statements of Byrne | Zizzi CPA clients.

“My job is to keep everything straight on our side — communicating with clients to make sure their records match our records and look the way they need to.”

Melissa brings 14 years of managing the day-to-day operations of a local small business to the Byrne | Zizzi CPA team.

Michelle makes it her personal mission to see that her clients’ employees are paid correctly and paid on time.

“When you’re dealing with other people’s money, you want to make sure it’s done right.”

She manages the taxes and employee payroll for Byrne | Zizzi CPA clients, making sure her clients are in good standing with their employees and their employees are in good standing with their taxes.

Scott’s focus is business intelligence, an emerging field within consulting services that analyzes clients’ financial architectures – the raw data – to correlate outcomes with their business activities and deliver insights aimed at achieving defined goals. It’s about more than just the tactical considerations of cost controls, data collection, or cash management; business intelligence is about creating and executing complex strategies, responding quickly to changing conditions, and staying on target. Scott seeks to use the accounting and related data to support company leaders with actionable intelligence.

“Every company leader can learn to use its data to create accurate reports, design realistic budgets, and make better decisions.”

Scott helps translate accounting language into financial ratios that define a company’s baseline profitability, cash flow, and growth rate into a plan of action for the future; skills that require the same discipline, commitment to excellence, and military precision that Scott developed as a U.S. Marine.

When she’s at work, Stacy cares about three things: clients, accuracy and efficiency.

“I’m an accounting nerd. I’ve always enjoyed it, and I find numbers interesting.”

As a friendly, self-proclaimed accounting nerd, Stacy is a perfect fit for her role: helping business owner clients keep their books organized. She is tasked with properly classifying expenses and income; she then follows up with updated financial reports.

Megan has always loved puzzles—a passion she happily carries into her day-to-day work at Byrne Zizzi. Through careful analysis of each client’s financial records, she develops strategies and solutions tailor-made for their needs.

“I get to show clients how we are making the most of their financial opportunities so they can remain comfortable and confident in the work we do for them.”

Allowing somebody else to work with your finances is stressful, so Megan keeps clients informed by preparing regular statements that answer the big questions.

As a member of Byrne Zizzi’s financial reporting team, Lindsey works diligently to properly maintain her clients’ financial records. She keeps a close eye on each business’ transactional history to ensure that every client is maximizing its financial potential.

“Some clients want to see reports every month—others not so much. My job is to cater to each client’s needs and preferences.”

Lindsey always keeps tax season in mind, compiling the necessary information from each client’s records throughout the year to prepare accurate, efficient returns.

Patricia has always excelled at numbers and math, and went into accounting straight out of high school. A true people person, she quickly added human resource skills to her already strong accounting background. Her combined skill set enables Patricia to manage the administrative aspects of the firm while also functioning as a calming presence in the office, keeping things on track and making other employees’ days go smoothly. She understands that the relational aspect of her position is vital.

“As crazy as public accounting can be, we are very committed to providing work-life integration. We want people to buy in to what we are doing. We want our staff to feel they can have a career with us and not just a job.”

Patricia is committed to Byrne | Zizzi CPA’s vision for the future and is excited about the direction they are headed. She is proud of their staff and looks forward to the opportunity to mentor them and grow the company.

PJ is the assistant manager of Byrne Zizzi’s administrative staff. She handles billing during tax season and assists teammates in all aspects of payroll services.

“I love my job and the people that I work for and with. I’m a very dedicated worker and strive my best to make our clients feel that they’re an essential part of making Byrne Zizzi who we are.”

PJ’s previous experience is quite detail-focused, which allows her to support Byrne Zizzi’s tax and financial reporting teams. Her efforts help ensure that Bryne Zizzi continues to deliver the highest quality service to our clients.

Carol is the last stop for tax filings. She finalizes returns and ensures clients have access to all the tax information they need through the Byrne | Zizzi CPA client portal.

“When Tom and I decided to move back to Houston, Mississippi, we wanted to be sure we could be heavily involved in our business and heavily involved in the community. We wanted to know our clients and their children in a way that really allowed us to plan for their future.”

She understands the need for small-town businesses to have full access to their accounting team and the innovative accounting solutions they provide.

Ginger Young is an office administrative veteran. The tax service involves a large number of informational documents; she scans, faxes, and stores these items appropriately. She makes sure clients have the materials they need based on their goals.

“We make our clients happy because we work with their particular situation in mind. Our work is suited to them, and that gives them confidence in us.”

It may sound meticulous, but Ginger thrives on structure, on filing and processing information the right way every time. As the work flow leading up to tax season increases, she knows she can count on her Byrne | Zizzi coworkers to keep operations running efficiently and to keep work sharp for Byrne | Zizzi clients.

Most Byrne | Zizzi CPA interactions begin and end with Leslie. She gets people where they need to go and connects them to the person who can best help.

“I think showing our clients we care about what they need and getting it done fast makes them happy and goes a long way.”

Leslie connects the calls, relays client concerns and keeps everyone in line, with the client’s satisfaction as her number one goal.

Misty is the Houston office’s front line. She collects all tax information, whether through mail, emails or in person, and starts the tax process. She electronically files all tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service. She knows it takes a great deal of trust for someone to hand over all their financial information, and because of that she gives them her full attention.

“Our clients work with us because we build trust, we get back to them with answers and take care of their needs as timely as we can. A client once said he could kiss me for something I did. He appreciated us because we really do take care of our clients.”

Misty has to keep open lines of communication with Byrne | Zizzi CPA clients so she can keep all of the tax documents up to date, whether because of the birth of a child or a business acquisition.

Kayla is the first face you’ll see when you visit Byrne Zizzi’s Oxford office, but aside from making everybody feel welcome, she’s also the epicenter of office efficiency.

“All the information that enters the office hits my desk first. So when a client calls in with questions about his or her account, I help them find the answers they need in as little time as possible.”

Aside from information management, Kayla works to develop systems that ensure clients receive the best possible quality of service. She’s actively involved with all departments throughout our office and empowers her coworkers to deliver their best work.

Kori gathers the information Tom and Emily need in order to assess a client’s taxes with accuracy and efficiency. She runs Byrne | Zizzi’s social media advertising and helps keep the office organized. A fixture in client meetings, Kori takes detailed notes that help paint a complete picture of the client’s tax situation.

“The work we do here is exciting to me. Our clients always leave with more peace of mind. I’ve literally seen them hug their tax preparer when they’re done.”

After an eight-year career in retail management and a year’s experience in sales, Kori prizes customer service above everything else. Like the rest of the Byrne | Zizzi staff, she works tirelessly to make sure clients are happy and well taken care of.

Karis works at Byrne Zizzi’s Tupelo office preparing the tax documents that allow Byrne Zizzi’s CPAs to complete clients’ tax returns.

“I enjoy working with clients. It’s interesting to figure out how all their entities fit together.”

Though she is still an undergraduate student, she brings her strong talent and work ethic to her role at Byrne Zizzi.