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Gaby Acosta
Tax Strategy Advisor
Q: What drew you to tax and accounting?
A: When I was in college, the accounting field always had opportunities. I planned to go into auditing, since it has a lot of opportunities for travel, but post-grad I started an internship at a small tax firm. I realized that my job wasn’t just keeping clients in compliance -it was to educate my client and make sure we were strategizing in a way to keep money in their pocket. Where auditors can be viewed as the “bad guy”, tax professionals are there to help their clients learn and save.
Q: What part of your job feels the most meaningful to you?
A: Helping others resolve their issues, whether it’s my own team or my clients. I also love connecting with clients on a personal level. Establishing long-term relationships with my clients is important to me. I want my clients to feel comfortable with me, so they know I’m always their to relieve their burden!
Q: When I’m not at work, I…
A: Spend time with my family cooking different foods, going on walks, hikes, bike rides, or watching Dodgers games.
Tiffany Vaught
CEO
Q: What drew you to tax and accounting?
A: One of my friends on the swim team’s mom would always come to our meets in a suit. I thought she looked powerful, intelligent and in charge of her destiny – and I had never met a woman that had a career. When I found out that she was a partner in an accounting firm, I decided to shadow CPAs at local firms to see if I might like it. By the time I was 16, I knew accounting was what I wanted to do.
Q: Do you have a moment with a client that felt particularly meaningful?
A: It’s usually never one moment. As a consistent, reliable thought partner for clients, you get to experience the culmination of moments both big and small that lead to their success. I especially LOVE when clients pro-actively ask me questions. When they’re curious about their situation, it creates synergy for us to co-create solutions. That’s what I enjoy the most.
Q: Why Encurio?
A: I didn’t particularly jive with how traditional accounting firms were run and how they service their clients. I wanted more… so I built it.
Q: When I’m not at work, I…
A: I’m still busy! Taking workout classes, working with clay, gardening, hiking, listening to a podcasts, cooking, playing games… I am a little obsessed with board games, card games and puzzles.
The decisions you make about your business affect your life and aspirations.
That’s what makes it so exciting and so overwhelming, right? If running a business was easy, everyone would do it. Right now things are moving so fast you don’t know where to invest your time and energy.
That’s what we’re here to help you figure out.
Whitney Wilkes
Client Services Advisor
Q: What do you love about helping clients?
A: I’ve owned a few small businesses, so I love helping clients avoid the same mistakes that I made along the way. Sometimes we all could use a little help and coaching, and it’s awesome when you see a client having a successful year.
Q: Do you have a moment with a client that felt particularly meaningful?
A: I can recall several times where I’ve worked with a client in a season of stress and anxiety. It was really meaningful to be there to assist them with tough decisions from reducing expenses to reducing labor. I think sometimes just having an ally in your corner in those moments is really helpful.
Q: What’s a fun fact about you?
A: I guess I’d say I’m a very creative person – I used to design flowers for weddings and make perfume. I’m also somewhat of a jack of all trades. I have worked in several different industries and filled in for so many different roles, so I have a lot of knowledge about random things and can generally step into anything to help carry the load.
Mackenzie Magaoay
Accounting Associate
Q: What drew you to tax and accounting?
A: I switched my major in college to finance and accounting with the intention of educating myself for my personal finances. However, after taking the required tax class, I knew that was the field I wanted to work in. After 3 years of experience my favorite part of the job is being exposed to so many different industries and learning how they operate while also learning new strategies.
Q: What do you love about helping clients?
A: I love seeing how grateful clients are when we educate them on different strategies that will not just reduce their overall tax liability, but also just help their business in general. Being able to take the burden off of a client and see the relief it brings to them is the most rewarding part of my job.
Q: When I’m not at work, I…
A: I’m outside or in the kitchen. I love going on bike rides, hikes, runs, walks, or learning new recipes and trying new foods!
Andrew Fausto
Accounting Associate
Q: What do you love about helping clients?
A: I enjoy helping clients feel relief. When they feel overwhelmed or don’t understand anything that is going on, I love that we can step in and basically say “we got you.” What drives me is when a client cares and wants to learn and be involved. It makes it fun to work with them. I love being that go-to person that a client looks to for advice or help.
Q: What do you want to see in the future of tax and accounting?
A: I would like our company to be the business for the younger generation. While the older generations are transferring their business to their kids or selling to younger entrepreneurs, the next generation is just getting started. Many of them don’t have a good grasp of their finances or how to manage them. They have no idea that help is out there or that there are strategies that they can use to thrive. I would also like for it to be “cool” to be involved with your business’ finances.
Q: When I’m not at work, I…
A: Go to the gym, try out new food and restaurants, and travel. I like to collect paintings by local artists from each place I visit to hang in my future home.
Mallory Sage
Operations
Q: What part of your job feels the most meaningful to you?
A: I love “putting out fires” – if there’s a problem, I’m gonna solve it! I love being the person my team can turn to with tech and process problems and pride myself on being quick to respond and help. Being able to support their success makes me so happy.
Q: Why Encurio?
A: What drew me to Encurio was the upfront promise of not “dying at our desk” and beyond that, our mission to help small businesses thrive. Coming to Encurio after five years with a local coffee shop, small businesses hold a special place in my heart. My coffee shop helped me thrive, and I like to think that through Encurio, I’m paying that back by helping other businesses flourish.
Q: When I’m not at work, I…
A: Am spending time with my lovely wife and our cats! I love knitting, reading, and bingeing TV and podcasts. On weekends, we play DND with friends, relax with family, or squeeze in a game at Dodger Stadium!
Alaina Garnett
Accounting Associate
Q: What drew you to tax and accounting?
A: I sort of fell into it, honestly. I was a newly single mom with an administrative assistant job that allowed me to help with accounting tasks, and it sort of went from there. I am currently working on obtaining my BS in Accounting, with a concentration in forensic accounting.
Q: What do you love about helping clients?
A: Accounting is sort of like putting together a puzzle, and it’s super frustrating when you can’t find that one piece you need to complete it. I like finding that lingering piece for clients to make everything make sense.
Q: When I’m not at work, I…
A: Can be found reading, cooking, watching sports, listening to live music, or hanging out on the river.
Sheri Miyashiro
Accounting Associate
Q: What do you love about helping clients?
A: I enjoy helping people, and taxes and finances are areas where many feel overwhelmed or unsure. Being able to guide clients through that process, answer their questions, and make things feel more manageable is rewarding. Getting to support clients through life changes—whether it’s selling a home, launching a new business, or planning for what’s next—is one of the most fulfilling parts of what I do.
Q: Why Encurio?
A: To me, Encurio stands out as a company with a real growth mindset—one that’s focused on staying ahead of the curve. I appreciate the emphasis on planning and strategy because that’s where the real value is created for clients. It feels like the right place to be if you want to make an impact and keep pushing forward.
Q: When I’m not at work, I…
A: When I’m not at work, I try not to think about work too much! Finding balance is really important to me. I love being outdoors, staying active, and traveling with my family whenever I get the chance. I would love to visit all the National Parks, ideally on a fun road trip! I can scratch some off the list but have a ways to go!
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