Tax Executives Institute
1200 G Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20005
202.638.5601 (p)
General Questions: asktei@tei.org
Membership Questions: memberinfo@tei.org
Meetings Questions: meetings@tei.org
Chapter | Sponsor Connection Portal Questions: sponsor@tei.org
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Pilar Mata is Executive Director for Tax Executives Institute, the pre-eminent global association of in-house tax professionals, comprised of nearly 7,000 members from 3,000 of the largest companies in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Pilar is responsible for leading TEI’s professional staff, guiding and implementing its agenda in consultation with TEI’s International President, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors, and interacting with TEI’s chapters, committees, government relations, and other constituents.
Pilar joined TEI as Tax Counsel in 2015, when she supported TEI’s State and Local Tax, European Indirect Tax, and Canadian Commodity Tax Committees in their advocacy and educational efforts on behalf of the Institute. She was elevated to TEI’s Director of Operations in December 2020, when she assumed responsibility for TEI’s day-to-day operations and led the Institute’s team of professionals.
Before joining TEI, Pilar provided her clients with strategic advice on state and local tax matters and represented them in controversy matters at the audit, administrative, trial, and appellate levels at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP (2009-2015) and Morrison & Foerster LLP (2000-2009). Pilar earned her J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law, her M.S. in Finance from San Diego State University, and her B.B.A. from the University of San Diego. She is a frequent author and speaker, and holds positions on the Advisory Board for NYU’s Institute on State and Local Taxation and New York State’s Tax Appeals Tribunal Advisory Panel. State Tax Notes recognized Pilar in 2017 for her work on the partnership audit rules project.
Contact
Pilar Mata
Executive Director
202.464.8346
pmata@tei.org
Governance & Operations
Responsible for the strategic leadership and oversight of TEI’s governance and operations matters. This department handles the daily administrative operations at TEI’s headquarters including management of the office and liaises with the Institute’s personnel and accounting vendors. This department also works directly with the Executive Director to provide yearly governance support for the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and committees to support their operations, activities, and meetings.
Anastasia Kemper, aPHR is the Governance Operations & Human Resource Manager. She is responsible for governance, administrative and office management, as well as special projects for the organization. Anastasia has over 10 years of experience with nonprofit and trade associations in the D.C. area, and her skills and experience include association governance, executive office and Board of Directors management, task force, and program support, training, and budgeting. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., in her spare time Anastasia enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and going to restaurants.
Contact
Anastasia Kemper, aPHR
Manager, Governance Operations & Human Resource
202.464.8344
akemper@tei.org
Tracy Gibbs is the Director of Finance and Accounting at TEI. Tracy brings with her 25 years of accounting and human resources experience. She graduated, summa cum laude, with a B.S. in Accounting and Business from SUNY Plattsburgh in Plattsburgh, NY.
Tracy recently relocated from the Adirondacks in upstate New York and now resides in Arlington, VA. In her spare time, Tracy enjoys time with her children, sisters, and lifelong friends. She enjoys traveling, pickleball, walking her dog and working in her gardens.
Contact
Tracy Gibbs
Director, Finance & Accounting
202.499.7952
tgibbs@tei.org
Conference Planning
Responsible for planning and coordinating conferences, courses, seminars, and governance meetings, including planning and on-site management. The conference planning staff also has responsibility for securing continuing professional education (CPE) credit for TEI programs and managing the Institute’s event/program sponsorship initiative.
Michael R. Lowery is the Assistant Director of Conference Planning at TEI. Mike joined the TEI staff in 2007. He is responsible for planning and executing TEI’s conferences, courses and seminars.
Prior to joining TEI, Mike worked for an association management company where he was the Director of Conferences and planned conferences, tradeshows and live award shows for the firms various clients.
Mike received his B.A. degree in Communications from Salisbury University. He received his Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation in 2005.
He lives in Arlington, Va. with his wife, two sons and two dog. He is active in his community and coaches a variety of youth sports.
Contact
Mike Lowery
Assistant Director, Conference Planning
202.464.8343
mlowery@tei.org
Jentry Whitehurst Serves as TEI's Event Coordinator. As Event Coordinator, Jentry shoulders a comprehensive array of responsibilities to guarantee the success of every event. This includes meticulous event planning and coordination, managing logistics, overseeing on-site operations, conducting thorough post-event evaluations, and more.
Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, she discovered her passion for event planning while pursuing her B.S. in Business Administration at the University of Mary Washington.
She currently lives in Arlington, VA with her two cats, Shadow & Sailor. In her free time she loves spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants, and reading.
Contact
Jentry Whitehurst
Coordinator, Events
202.464.8354
jwhitehurst@tei.org
IT/Web Services
Information Technology/Web Services – Coordinates, implements, and maintains TEI’s IT systems and services that keep essential data and technology solutions available to the rest of the organization. Manages and maintains infrastructure, including association management systems, internal network, cloud assets, and data/network security. Manages technical side of websites. Trains staff and members on the use of the organizations IT resources. Assists in the setup and coordination of TEI’s virtual events and online education.
Lynn Spence is originally from Southern California, but has lived in the DC metro area collectively for 4 years. She is a US Army combat veteran, serving for 8 years in multiple positions and areas of the world. She has been working in Information Technology on and off since 2003. She graduated, cum laude, from National University with a BS in Information Systems and a concentration in Information Technology Management.
She lives in Woodbridge, VA with her husband, two children, and three dogs. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and going hiking.
Contact
Lynn Spence
Director, IT & Web Services
202.464.8359
lspence@tei.org
Judi Raigns is the AMS Administrator and Data Analyst. She leads efforts in forming data governance standards and serves as the central source for reporting membership, events, and sponsorship trends from database transactions to ensure that association leaders are able to make data-driven strategic decisions to help grow the organization. She brings to TEI years of experience in both non-profit and government sectors.
Judi has a bachelor’s degree from Towson University and a master’s in Business Administration from American University. She also holds a Project Management Professional certification.
Judi is a Washington, D.C. metro area native. She enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and friends, and reading.
Contact
Judi Raigns
AMS Administrator & Data Analyst
202.464.8358
jraigns@tei.org
Paul Riley is a seasoned IT professional with a strong background in managing complex IT infrastructures and web platforms. His military experience in the United States Marine Corps has cultivated his skills in problem-solving, leadership, and attention to detail. Paul plays a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth operation of the institute's technology systems.
Paul graduated from Liberty University as Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in Information Technology: Data and Application Development.
Paul is passionate about traveling, playing soccer and going to different events & concerts.
Contact
Paul A. Riley
IT & Web Support Specialist
202.464.8348
priley@tei.org
Legal
Serve as technical assistants to the President and Standing Committee Chairs (including the committees focused on internal TEI matters such as awards and membership); monitor pending and proposed tax legislation, regulations, and other tax administrative and judicial pronouncements; oversee the preparation of position papers, liaison meeting agendas, and testimony; prepare communications for TEI publications (both print and electronic); and maintain liaison with government representatives. Members of the legal staff are also frequently assigned special projects.
Patrick Evans is the Chief Tax Counsel of TEI. In this role, he serves as the Institute’s lead technical tax adviser, leading a team of three other lawyers and overseeing TEI’s advocacy efforts and initiatives including those related to pending or proposed tax legislation and regulations, treaties, legal judgments and administrative pronouncements.
Prior to joining TEI, Patrick was a Counsel in the Washington, D.C., office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP where he advised clients in a wide variety of complex compliance, procedural, transactional, and administrative controversy matters. He joined Skadden Arps upon his graduation with High Honors from George Washington School of Law, where he was elected to Order of the Coif and served as Editor-in-Chief of the George Washington Journal of International Law and Economics. He holds B.B.A. (Accounting) and Master of Taxation degrees from Baylor University.
Contact
Patrick Evans
Chief Tax Counsel
202.464.8351
pevans@tei.org
Benjamin R. Shreck is a Tax Counsel for TEI. In this role, his responsibilities include supporting the activities of TEI’s U.S. International and European Direct Tax Committees in their advocacy and educational efforts on behalf of the Institute. Ben has extensive experience in a wide range of U.S. international and multilateral tax issues. In his role as Tax Counsel for TEI, Ben has assisted the Institute in filing comments with the United States Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service regarding the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, revisions to the revenue procedures for advance pricing agreements and requests for competent authority assistance, the U.S. Country-by-Country reporting regulations, and submitting items for the Institute’s annual liaison meetings with U.S. government officials. With respect to the Institute’s European Direct Tax Committee, he has been active in submitting comments to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development regarding its Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project, its work on the transfer pricing aspects of intangible assets, and the definition of a permanent establishment under the OECD’s model tax convention. Ben has presented at several OECD public consultations in Paris on issues surrounding the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project. Ben has also assisted the Institute in submitting comments to the European Union, United Nations, United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Government of India.
Ben joined the Institute’s legal staff in 2010. Prior to joining the legal staff, Ben was an attorney with the Washington, D.C., offices of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, and King & Spalding LLP, where he practiced in the areas of international taxation and the taxation of financial products. Ben received his B.A. in Economics from Stanford University, his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and his LL.M. in Taxation from Boston University, where he was the valedictorian.
Contact
Ben Shreck
Tax Counsel
202.464.8353
bshreck@tei.org
Todd A. Lard is tax counsel for Tax Executives Institute in Washington, D.C., where he supports the advocacy and educational activities of TEI’s State and Local Tax Committee. While new to the role, Todd will advance TEI’s state and local tax priorities, which will include legislative, administrative, and judicial advocacy involving complex state and local tax issues affecting multistate corporations.
Prior to joining the TEI legal team in 2022, Todd was a partner in Eversheds Sutherland (US)’s state and local tax practice. His work focused on state and local tax policy, planning, and controversy. Before joining Eversheds Sutherland, Todd spent five years as Vice President and General Counsel at the Council On State Taxation (COST). His work there included legislative, administrative, and judicial advocacy on complex state and local tax issues for multistate corporations. Todd also served as a Tax Research Manager for Nextel Communications and worked in the Washington National Tax Office of KPMG. Todd received his B.A.B.A. in accounting from Dallas Baptist University, his J.D. from Oklahoma City University, and his LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. Todd is a frequent author and speaker and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he teaches a course on state income and franchise taxes.
Contact
Todd Lard
Tax Counsel
202.236.3868
tlard@tei.org
Kelly Madigan is Tax Counsel for Tax Executives Institute in Washington, D.C., where she supports the advocacy and educational activities of TEI’s Federal Income Tax Committee, Canadian Commodity Tax Committee, IRS Administrative Affairs Committee, and Tax Reform Task Force.
Prior to joining TEI, Kelly was a Senior Counsel in the Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Corporate) at the Internal Revenue Service. In that role, she was responsible for regulatory guidance, private letter rulings, and IRS field matters. She also was a frequent invited speaker at national tax conferences and taught internal and university classes. Kelly previously worked in the corporate tax group of Deloitte’s Washington National Tax practice, where she focused on Subchapter C and consolidated return matters. She advised corporations on domestic and cross-border transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, spinoffs, and internal restructurings. She received her B.A. from the University of Virginia, her J.D. from Emory University School of Law, and her LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center.
Contact
Kelly Madigan
Tax Counsel
202.470.3600
kmadigan@tei.org
Marketing and Communications
TEI’s Marketing & Communications department oversees the coordination of all forward-facing marketing and communications. In addition, the team is responsible for the development of printed and electronic materials, including Tax Executive and promotional materials for educational programs. The team is also responsible for updating TEI's website, and provides support to the Chapters in managing the Chapter websites.
Martin Schuebel is the Director of Marketing, Communications, and Events. His team’s priorities include leading TEI’s educational and event offerings (both live and virtual), optimizing communications and engagement with the membership and chapters, providing strategic direction for technology and website improvements to enhance the member experience with TEI, and elevating the experience between TEI members and sponsoring organizations.
Before joining TEI, Martin was at Baker McKenzie in Washington DC, leading Business Development, Marketing, and Communications for the North American Tax Practice. He has also worked at Bloomberg Tax for several years, leading the development and delivery of educational products/courses and customized event experiences to Bloomberg Tax clients. Additionally, Martin spent significant time working at leading industry associations in the DC area, including the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), where he honed his skills as a team leader in the professional association environment. Martin is a graduate of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing).
Contact
Martin Schuebel
Director, Marketing, Communications & Events
202.638.5601
mschuebel@tei.org
Amy Mazur is the Manager of Marketing & Communications. She has more than twenty years of experience in marketing and communications, often exploring creative ways to launch new efforts. Before joining TEI, she held positions with Bloomberg BNA, CPA.com, the American Institute of CPAs, Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University School of Medicine.
Amy holds an integral role in the Institute’s content production, publications, and communications efforts, including TEI’s monthly newsletter, Thought Leadership Bulletin, its website and social media initiatives, and Tax Executive. Amy is a native Floridian and has lived all over the East Coast. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.
Contact
Amy Mazur
Manager, Marketing & Communications
202.464.8352
amazur@tei.org
Traci Williamson is the Content and Education Manager. Prior to joining TEI, Traci was the Senior Manager of Events at FiscalNote’s CQ Roll Call in Washington, D.C. She worked within a dynamic, dedicated team of sales and marketing professionals to execute policy briefings, social engagements, and other editorial events for CQ Roll Call’s advocacy and corporate clients. Traci led the overall audience acquisition and marketing strategy and employed new tactics for attracting audiences. Traci brings over 12 years of experience in the event and media industry, specifically as it relates to Capitol Hill and Policy.
Prior to joining FiscalNote, Traci held multiple positions at Bloomberg Industry Group and The Choice Inc. She is a native Floridian and received her Master’s degree in Event Management from George Washington University’s School of Business. Traci also volunteers her time as a board member of Friends of Kindness, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, whose mission is to end hunger and clothing insecurities. Growing up, Traci developed a strong sense of devotion for the nonprofit sector as she watched her dad start a non-profit homeless shelter from the ground up. This experience gave her a deep appreciation for how nonprofits seek to improve the quality of life for our fellow humans — one program at a time. Outside
of work, Traci enjoys traveling, crafting, gardening, and spending time with her husband, baby daughter and dog.
Contact
Traci Williamson
Manager, Content & Education
202.464.8341
twilliamson@tei.org
Sarah Adler is the Digital and eLearning Manager at TEI, focuses on TEI’s educational and event offerings, emphasizing a commitment to facilitating learning experiences and ensuring accessibility in educational settings. Her expertise lies in blending technology tools with pedagogical strategies to create engaging learning environments. Prior to joining TEI, Sarah honed her skills at an association management company, where she managed programming and educational strategies for multiple associations. She holds a Master’s degree in Education and Human Development from the George Washington University. Having lived and worked in France for multiple years, she brings a global perspective to her work, enhancing cultural understanding and inclusivity.
Contact
Sarah Adler
Manager, Digital & eLearning
202.464.8356
sadler@tei.org
Membership and Chapter Engagement
TEI’s Membership & Chapter Engagement department oversees all membership operations and services. The Membership team processes member applications, renewals, and member information updates, and also supports Chapters in their operations.
Brenda Zelada brings more than twelve years of experience in the non-profit arena. Her skills and experience include event management, donor and sponsor/partner development, social media, and membership. Brenda’s focus is on membership recruitment and retention as well as building relationships with members. Brenda is a Washington D.C. metro area native and studied at the University of Pittsburgh. She is an active runner and enjoys hiking, trying new recipes and spending time with her family.
Contact
Brenda Zelada
Manager, Membership & Chapter Engagement
202.464.8357
bzelada@tei.org
Jamea Rouse serves TEI as the Manager, Membership & Chapter Engagement. She brings 8 years of non-profit experience to TEI, with 7 of those years focused on membership. She is versed in membership onboarding, recruitment, retention, and compliance while also holding certifications in Association Membership Growth and Creative Marketing. Jamea graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina A&T State University with a BA in Psychology, minor in Criminal Justice.
Jamea is a D.C. native and enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family and friends in her free time.
Contact
Jamea Rouse
Manager, Membership & Chapter Engagement
202.464.8347
jrouse@tei.org
Sponsorship
TEI's Sponsorship Director oversees the involvement of tax firms to demonstrate ongoing support for the important efforts of our organization worldwide.
Amanda Sturdevant is TEI’s Sponsor Relations Director. She is a marketing strategist, project manager and people connector with more than fifteen years of experience working for accounting, law and consulting firms. Prior to joining TEI she served as Marketing
Director at True Partners Consulting (TPC), a national tax-only accounting firm with nine offices across the U.S., which was acquired by Baker Tilly in 2022. During her time at True Partners, she led the firm’s sponsorship of TEI and will bring creative ideas and best practices to TEI’s sponsor firms. Prior to True Partners, Amanda was the Marketing Director at MorrisAnderson, a 30-year-old restructuring and turnaround firm in Chicago.
Amanda earned her MBA in Marketing Strategy & Planning and Brand Management from DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business in Chicago. She is also a proud alumna of the University of Wisconsin – Go Badgers! She works remotely from her home in Connecticut which she shares with her husband and two sons. She is an avid Peloton rider (#togetherwegofar), enjoys live music, good food and traveling.
Contact
Amanda Sturdevant
Director, Sponsor Relations
202.464.8350
asturdevant@tei.org