Amy Karson
Chief Executive Officer
Amy Karson founded Brand K Partners in 2013 after a 10+ year career in financial management and reporting. Amy began her career in the private sector as a financial analyst at both IBM and UBS. She subsequently co-developed the Nonprofit Outsourcing Clearinghouse program with Nonprofit New York. She has advised hundreds of nonprofits on fiscal matters and is passionate about helping mission driven organizations achieve success. Amy holds a BS in Finance from Penn State University and an MBA from Yale University. She lives with her husband, 3 sons and dog in northern New Jersey.
Susan DeMarco
Chief Operating Officer
Susan has diverse accounting experience based on her work with numerous private, governmental and nonprofit entities. Both a CPA and MBA, she has held key accounting positions at both Merck & Co and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Susan was subsequently the Accounting Manager at the Passaic County Technical Institute and has also consulted for numerous smaller organizations, including the Lee Memorial Library, in Allendale, NJ. Susan holds a BS in Accounting and an MBA from Rutgers University.
Robert Merlino
Director of Accounting Services
Rob has a diverse background in accounting, financial reporting, and financial analysis. He has worked in public accounting performing audit, tax, budgeting, and consulting services with a focus on nonprofit organizations. Rob has also held Controller and Senior Vice President positions at SEC and NASD registered firms where he was responsible for the firms’ regulatory reporting. Rob has extensive experience presenting financial information to boards and management. Rob is a CPA and holds a B.S. in Accounting from Saint Joseph's University.
Tricia Kindergan
Accounting Manager
Tricia has more than 25 years of experience as an accounting professional. She has held numerous positions across multiple sectors and spent many years with private CPA firms. Tricia is an active volunteer with her local, youth athletic programs. She holds a BS in Accounting from Montclair State University.
Matthew graduated from William Paterson University in May of 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a minor in Economics. While he was a student, he interned in The Office of the Controller. He was also the recipient of the NJCPA Scholarship. Currently, he is pursuing his CPA.
Allison Kucinski
Executive Vice President
Allison has extensive experience in accounting, tax, and financial reporting. While she specializes in nonprofit accounting, she has worked with a variety of businesses throughout her career. Furthermore, her background as a Systems Analyst at AT&T has proven valuable in helping clients get the most out of their accounting systems. Allison has served on boards of nonprofit organizations as well as the finance committee of her local church. She is a CPA and holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame, and a Master’s of Science from Stevens Institute of Technology.
Priya Pachkawde
Vice President
Priya has a strong background in accounting and financial reporting. Her role as Director of Finance at The Silverfern Group has provided her with significant experience in budgeting, financial planning and cash management. She has been invaluable at her previous positions in understanding clients' needs and in providing clients with key financial information in a concise and simple format. Priya began her career at Ernst & Young LLP as an auditor. She is a CPA and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a specialization in Accounting from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.
Mary Beth King
Accounting Manager
Mary Beth joins Brand K Partners after many years as Financial Manager and Administrator for several Episcopal churches in northern New Jersey. Working with both small and larger congregations, she has extensive experience in church administration and finances. She has worked with volunteer boards to help the financial process reflect the mission and ministry of the organization. A graduate of Drew University in Madison, NJ, she has also served as board member and volunteer treasurer of her church and currently serves on the Human Resources Advisory Board for the Episcopal Diocese of Newark.
Alison Ryan
Accounting Manager
Alison has diverse accounting and finance experience through her 20+ years of work with nonprofit organizations. She was the Director of Finance for the Jewish Community Center of Cincinnati from 1995-2014. Alison currently enjoys volunteering with local, nonprofit animal welfare organizations. She holds a BA in Business Administration from Wittenberg University.
Elizabeth Marshall
Senior Accountant
Elizabeth obtained her Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree from William Paterson University in May 2020. She was the president of the Accounting Society, NJCPA Ambassador, and Becker Ambassador. Elizabeth is currently pursuing her CPA.
