Executive Bios

Amy Karson
Founder
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.

JENNIFER LUI, CPA, CFA, MBA
VP of Accounting & Operations
Jennifer has diverse experience as an accounting and finance professional.
Throughout the course of her career, she has held numerous positions including as an auditor at Arthur Anderson and Vice President at Goldman Sachs. Jennifer most recently served as Chief Administrative Officer for Portfolio BI, an investment management software and services firm. In this role, she oversaw all finance, administrative and human resources functions of the organization. Jennifer is both a CPA and CFA and holds a BS in Accounting and MBA in Finance/Economics from New York University.

Susan De Marco, CPA
Since 2014, Susan has held numerous key leadership roles at Brand K Partners, including Chief Accounting Officer and Chief Operating Officer, which has helped build the firm to its current position of strength. Susan has a strategic focus on client and organizational needs with a foward thinking mindset. In her prior role at Merck Pharmaceuticals, Susan was awarded Merck's Award for Excellence for implementating a process that resulted in significant savings. Both a CPA and MBA, she has held key accounting positions at Merck Pharmeceuticals, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Passaic County Technical Institute. She is a CPA and holds a BS in Accounting and MBA from Rutgers University.

Matthew Rief
Accountant
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.

Priya Pachkawde, CPA
Chief Client Officer
Since joining Brand K in 2019, Priya has been instrumental in Brand K’s consistent growth. She places immense value on enriching client relationships and ensuring unmatched client experience. She is invaluable in understanding the clients' needs and in leading teams that deliver key financial information to clients in a timely and effective manner. Priya has an extensive background in accounting and financial reporting. Prior to joining Brand K, her role as the Director of Finance at The Silverfern Group provided her with significant experience in budgeting, financial planning and cash management. 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

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.