Our Team

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.

Throughout his career as a CPA, Tony has always strived to provide the highest value to his clients. However, it wasn’t until joining the Byrne Zizzi team that Tony felt this was being accomplished. Byrne Zizzi’s focus on providing continuous and comprehensive tax planning has equipped Tony with the tools needed to truly feel like a trusted advisor to his clients.

“Since joining Byrne Zizzi, I have found a true passion in forming tax strategies for my clients that allow them the freedom of knowing they are in the best tax situation possible. Well prepared and continually evolving tax strategies should be part of any sound financial journey.”

Tony has provided comprehensive tax preparation, planning and consulting services to a diverse client base. While Tony’s experience spans a number of areas, he has spent a significant portion of his career working with closely held businesses, real estate holdings, and high net worth individuals. Tony’s industry experience includes manufacturing & distribution, healthcare, entertainment, and retail.

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.

Jen is passionate about helping clients navigate the complexities of tax law. With an educational background in finance and economics, Jen redirected her career to tax when she realized the universal need for a trusted advisor to help people strategize and eliminate fear/confusion behind taxes. With experience working for a large firm in large cities, Jen loves the close client relationships formed and maintained at Byrne Zizzi and the ability to truly see our clients thriving in our own community.

Jen lives in Oxford with her husband Charlie, son Boston Maverick, and two dogs. Any time outside of work is spent running after her toddler and cheering on the Ole Miss football team.

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.

In school, Haleigh always had a love for math and majoring in accounting seemed like the perfect fit for her. Haleigh loves number-crunching and solving problems.

“We get to help all sorts of people from doctors and lawyers to local mom and pop stores. It’s a great feeling to know I have a part in easing the stress for our clients.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

Daniel has been keeping his own business books in order for the past 8 years and has experienced what many of our clients are going through today. He has combined his love for helping people and his love for accounting into serving Byrne Zizzi’s clients.

Daniel has accumulated experiences from working as a financial analyst for a multi-national corporation to being a controller/small business owner in Brazil. His diverse background and love for numbers make him a perfect fit for his role.

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.

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.

Business owners turn to me to process payroll and ensure that payroll taxes are filed timely. This allows them to put more focus on running and growing their business.

Byrne|Zizzi CPA information requests and portal help starts with Leslie at our Taxdesk.

Leslie assembles, prints, and sends out all tax Returns and financial statements. She also handles our client portal. Requests for information comes from the TaxDesk.

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

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.

Haley Campbell is the first point of contact when it comes to compiling and organizing a client’s tax information in the Aberdeen office. She works with the clients to help them gather all of the information the tax preparer needs. Clients who need tax returns prepared often meet with Haley to get the project started. She organizes and files all of the information related to the client’s tax return for the tax preparer.

“I work to understand where each client is coming from and then use that understanding to customize the tax preparation services we provide. It helps me better serve them when I can truly evaluate their needs. Knowing their expectations allows us to meet and exceed them.”

Angel is in our Oxford office expressing her friendliness and kindness to every client. Angel stores and retrieves documents and materials, as well as filter, process and distribute incoming mail and communications. She answers and manages multiple incoming calls. She also welcomes guests and visitors, coordinates various meetings and events, including preparing agendas and presentations.

Angel has been working in a medical office for the past 5 years. She’s joined our team for a new career in the accounting world. She has a lot of experience in customer service. Her daily goal is to make sure each client is taken care of and has a wonderful experience with our company. She was edgy taking on this new career opportunity, but she now feels like this job is gratifying.

I have been fortunate and blessed to have fallen into the world of HR many years ago. I have grown through my career by being a dedicated self-starter with a positive and “get the job done” attitude who strives to provide both internal and external clients with the service they need to thrive. Additionally, I have been blessed to work with many strong and great leaders who have spent their time and energy into making me a better leader.

Joining the Byrne Zizzi team, is a great opportunity for me to use my knowledge and skills while having the opportunity to help others grow and develop in the career they are passionate about with this great team of people and leaders!

My job is to manage day-to-day firm transactions, monitor the firm budget, and help move the firm forward in any way I can. I enjoy being a team player and supporting our team members in their efforts to provide the best service to our clients.

Molly is a smile that will greet you at the Tupelo office. She works with clients to make sure they have everything they need to start the tax process. Molly is also a familiar voice when you call Byrne Zizzi. She directs calls to the correct staff members and coordinates meetings between clients and staff members. Molly works hand and hand with the tax preparers to help the tax process move along smoothly.

“It’s all about being kind and making sure the client’s tax needs are being taken care of. We want clients to feel like family. When the clients receive great care, trust will grow”.

After building a career as a sales manager and embarking on multiple real estate investments, Baker grew to realize that all of his professional passions lied within the accounting field. Baker would eventually decide to transition from sales and follow his true calling to pursue an accounting degree at Ole Miss’s nationally ranked Patterson School of Accountancy. While at Ole Miss, Baker was selected for an internship at Byrne Zizzi’s Oxford office and served as a financial management technician in the Army Reserve. Upon graduating he found a permanent home at Byrne Zizzi, where his unique experience and thorough approach bring quality service to our clients. Baker lives in Oxford with his daughter Eden, where they enjoy playing tennis and running the South Campus Rail Trail.