Matt Leonard, CPA
Matt Leonard is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Tax Coach, and co-founder of Leonard & Associates, CPA PLLC. He brings over 10 years of experience in strategic tax planning and accounting to his clients.
Matt started his career in auditing at Grant Thornton and then moved on to private accounting at King's Greenhouses Inc. He also received specialized training in taxation as a Certified Tax Coach and has used these skills to save clients thousands through targeted, proactive tax planning. He left to start his own CPA firm in 2013 with his mother, who has been a CPA since 1984.
His education includes a BS in accounting from North Carolina State University where he was number one in his class and graduate school at Appalachian University.
Matt lives in Concord with his two children Sophia and Brady and his wife Stephanie. In his spare time he enjoys going to the lake and spending time with his family.
NC Certified Public Accountant Certificate #33262
Jean Leonard, CPA
Jean Leonard is a very knowledgeable Certified Public Accountant boasting over 30 years of experience in the industry. She started her career in public accounting and audits and later opened a small practice offering accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and tax services for businesses and individuals. She eventually started a business with her husband and handled all the accounting and tax planning. Growing her own successful operation has enabled Jean to know first-hand what it’s like to meet the challenges of running a small business. She appreciates playing a role in the success of other business owners by helping them manage their finances and reduce taxes so she started Leonard & Associates, CPA PLLC with her son Matt in 2014.
Jean enjoys traveling all over the world with her husband. She also loves spending time with her children and grandchildren at their lake house.
NC Certified Public Accountant Certificate #14586
Alicia Marshall, CPA
Alicia Marshall is a Certified Public Accountant and partner of Leonard & Associates, CPA PLLC. She began her career with a large global public accounting firm in 2008 and then moved to a Fortune 100 company before joining the team at Leonard & Associates in 2019. Her experience includes individual and business tax compliance with a focus on state corporate tax. She received both her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Accountancy Degrees from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Alicia lives in Mount Pleasant with her husband, Chris, and their three daughters. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading and watching her kids play sports.
NC Certified Public Accountant Certificate # 35405
Sherry Garrett
Sherry Garrett joined the firm in 2016 as a tax preparer. She has a broad range of public and private accounting experience spanning 24 years. Her experience includes assisting individuals, small to large businesses and not-for-profit entities with both payroll and tax preparation. Sherry graduated from UNC Charlotte in Charlotte, NC with a BS in Accounting and a BSBA in Finance in 2006. She is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society.
Sherry and her husband reside in Concord, NC with their 2 adult children and 2 dogs. She is a New Yorker by heart but has resided in NC for 26 years.
Jennifer Dozier
Jennifer Dozier has been our administrative assistant since 2017 but has been working in the accounting industry for 27 years. Her experience includes general office duties, as well as bookkeeping, accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll. In her spare time Jennifer can be found spending quality time with her husband of 21 years, her children and her friends. She also volunteers for several organizations in her community. She truly strives to put God first and family second so that everything else can fall into its place.
Toni Smith
Toni Smith is a bookkeeper at Leonard & Associates with over 30 years of experience in bookkeeping as well as individual tax, sales tax and payroll tax. She is very knowledgeable in Quickbooks (Desktop and Online), including Accounts Payable and Receivable. She was a small business owner for many years which provides additional insight into our clients’ needs. When she is not working, she loves spending time with family and friends, especially her grandchildren. She also enjoys puzzles and crafting. Her happy place is the beach.
Karen Gilsdorf
Karen Gilsdorf is a tax preparer at Leonard & Associates who has 17 years of combined experience in personal and corporate tax, as well as corporate accounting, financial reporting, and process improvements. She enjoys any project that allows her to use excel and is always eager to try out new technology. When she isn’t working on your tax returns, she enjoys traveling, going to Disney, and doing anything outside with her husband, daughter, and german shepherd.
Paola Vergara, CPA
Paola Vergara is a Senior Tax Accountant at Leonard & Associates, CPA, where she prepares and reviews individual, partnership, corporate and trust tax returns. She has over 15 years of experience in accounting for income tax and over 10 years of experience in tax compliance. Paola is a Florida licensed Certified Public Accountant who is an expert in foreign tax matters. Paola is known for her customer service skills as she is passionate about helping clients and communicating effectively in both English and Spanish. Her goal is to become a tax planning consultant as she grows within the firm. When she is not at work, she loves spending time with her family and growing in her faith.
FL Certified Public Accountant Certificate #AC52845
Jill Miller, CPA
Jill Miller is a Certified Public Accountant with over 30 years of experience. Her areas of expertise include individual, corporate, partnership and state tax returns with additional experience in tax planning and financial reporting. She earned her degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. Outside of work, Jill is active in her church and enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters.
NE Certified Public Accountant Certificate #5813
Morgan Garrett
Morgan Garrett is an administrative assistant with Leonard & Associates, CPA. Her role includes general office duties and behind-the-scenes administration. Her skills include being detail-oriented, self-motivated and reliable. Morgan is assisting our office part-time while she explores her passion of sea creatures. When she is not here, she is working at one of her other 2 jobs, doing homework for her Master’s classes or hanging out with her fiancé and her chocolate lab, Goose.
Amanda Eller
Amanda Eller started with Leonard & Associates as a bookkeeper in 2022. She handles monthly reconciliations and bookkeeping for clients primarily in the Construction and Retail businesses and specializes in Quickbooks Online. Amanda is a North Carolina native and a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alum. When she is not working, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and three kids.