JAMES C. KIECKHAFER
PARTNER
Over the past 35 years, James (Jim) Kieckhafer has created a thriving accounting practice that provides customized tax, audit, and business advisory solutions to a diverse set of clients across numerous industries. The experience and breadth of knowledge he brings to each client engagement continues to solidify his reputation as one of Orange County’s most trusted and sought after business advisors.
Jim’s client portfolio includes organizations of all sizes and stages of the business lifecycle, with a concentration on strategic and financial planning for closely held businesses, partnership taxation, private placements, acquisitions / dispositions, estate planning, and succession planning.
As one of KS LLP’s founding partners, Jim’s commitment and contribution to the personal and professional development of his team is a testament to the value the partnership places on its employees. Jim, along with his co-founder and executive team members, are guided by the belief that the investments we make today shape the next generation of leaders. As a result, Kieckhafer Schiffer LLP enjoys a remarkably low turnover rate, exceeding the industry standard for employee engagement and retention.
Scott SCHIFFER
PARTNER
Scott has been in the practice of public accounting since 1986. After receiving his MBA from the University of Colorado he began his career with Arthur Andersen & Co. in Southern California. Scott joined Jim in 1993 at which time the firm was renamed Kieckhafer Schiffer & Co., LLP. Primarily focused on servicing private companies, he has worked with his clients in all phases of the business lifecycle from initial start-up through Pre-IPO. Scott’s background includes working with companies conducting business internationally and domestically in almost every state in the US.
Over the course of the last 35 years Scott has assisted his clients in meeting the challenges faced by his business and individual clientele. He works extensively with clients in merger and acquisition transactions and has been involved in numerous due diligence engagements to support client growth. He has also taken the role in many situations as an outsourced Chief Financial Officer overseeing client financial efforts with an emphasis on streamlining procedures and overall improvement of systems in order to enhance profitability. In recent years Scott has also assisted companies in obtaining various sources of financial capital to meet venture, acquisition, working capital and real estate funding requirements. Additionally Scott works with clients in choosing appropriate business structures, compensation structuring, family wealth planning and many other strategic planning needs.
Scott Bivens
Partner
Scott joined KS LLP in 2012 as an Audit Director, bringing with him fifteen years of experience in public accounting. Prior to joining the Firm, Scott managed the delivery of Audit and Attest services to clients within a variety of industries, including manufacturing and distribution, real estate, construction, technology, nonprofit and service.
Scott is a trusted provider of consulting and attestation services for nonprofit organizations, including those subject to Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200 of the Single Audit Act, with special focus on federally qualified health centers, trade associations, weatherization service providers, and private foundations. Scott also has extensive experience with employee benefit plan audits, routinely managing an average of 20 to 30 audits per year.
Scott earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from San Diego State University in 1993, and obtained licensure as a California Certified Public Accountant in 2000.
Ian Hornstein
Partner
Ian joined the firm in 2007 and was promoted to Tax Manager in December 2008. Ian’s experience includes a strong technical background in accounting, tax preparation and audit. Ian specializes in tax return compliance, tax planning, IRS representation, wealth management and consulting for high net worth individuals and their closely held entities. He also maintains strong client relationships by providing a high–quality work product and exceptional client service.
Prior to joining KS LLP, Ian served as a Staff Accountant and was promoted to Senior Accountant in the Audit department at Deloitte, LLP in Orange County. There he gained valuable experience working on various types of financial audits and, in 2005, became a California Certified Public Accountant. After working at Deloitte for three years as an auditor, Ian worked at a small firm in their tax department in Orange County. There Ian gained a solid foundation in preparing and reviewing various types of tax returns.
In order to offer full financial advisory service to his clients, Ian obtained his license as a Registered Securities Representative (Series 7 and 66).
Education
University of Southern California – BS, Accounting
Brandy Lee
Director of Operations and Human Resources
Brandy is KS LLP's Director of Firm Operations and Human Resources, responsible for the direct oversight of accounting, recruiting, and human resources. She is heavily involved in organizational development and is a trusted advisor to the KS LLP partner group.
Brandy also leads the HR Services Group at Kieckhafer Schiffer LLP. A trusted HR practitioner, Brandy delivers practical solutions to organizations in need of strategic assistance with both short and long term initiatives. She has successfully facilitated program development, policy and procedure implementation, and compliance management programs for companies in a wide variety of industries.
Certifications:
Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) Certification – HRCI
SHRM-Senior Certified Professional – Society of Human Resources Management
Education:
Chapman University College - Master of Science – Human Resources Management
Graduate Certificate – Organizational Leadership
University of Phoenix - Bachelor of Science – Business Management
Christopher Scarbrough
Director of client services
Chris has gained invaluable experience in today’s complex business environment, and how technology plays an ever increasing role in how organizations meet their business obligations. Chris has a CPA’s perspective and ability to understand the complicated business implications associated with technology.
Chris joined the firm in June of 1998 as a staff accountant and gained considerable experience in federal and state taxation. Chris has focused on servicing our clients with their corporate and partnership compliance and planning needs, as well as in accounting and auditing needs. Over time, Chris migrated to the Information Technology area addressing both implementation and maintenance of information systems.
In 2007, Chris earned the Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) credential. A CITP is a Certified Public Accountant recognized for their technology expertise and unique ability to bridge the gap between business and technology. Unlike other certifications that recognize only a narrow scope of skills, the CITP credential recognizes technical expertise across a wide range of business-technology practice areas.
In 2018, Chris became the firm's Director of Client Services. Chris oversees our client service operations to insure we deliver a high quality and efficient client experiance by intergrting the latest training, technologies, procedures and techniques with the vast experience and knowledge of our staff.
Education:
Chapman University - BS, Accounting.
Ana Felkai-Aleman
Manager
In December of 2004, Ana joined Kieckhafer Schiffer as a Senior Auditor and was promoted to Supervisor in 2008. Ana spends the majority of her time servicing midsize, closely-held businesses in a range of industries and focuses her time providing services such as reviews, audits, and employee benefit plans compliance. Ana directs her efforts to develop and maintain strong client relationships by providing high-quality service and a work product that exceeds expectations. Ana has been commended for providing great client service and honored as an outstanding team member.
Prior to joining the KS LLP team, Ana worked for a public accounting firm in Orange County as a staff accountant and soon after was promoted to Senior Accountant. Her responsibilities included performing attest work, assisting clients with the preparation of audit schedules, and preparation of corporate tax returns.
Ana graduated from California Polytechnic University in 2002 obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration - Emphasis in Accounting. She spends time away from the office with her husband, Reggie, at their home in Huntington Beach. Ana enjoys outdoor activities, working in her garden, and taking care of her loving old cat.
Education:
California Polytechnic University - BS, Business Administration - Emphasis in Accounting
Jason P. Gutierrez
Manager
Jason started with the firm as a staff in January 2008, advanced to Senior Auditor, and was promoted to Audit Supervisor in January 2014. Jason has been involved in many engagements for private companies in a variety of industries, specializing in manufacturing, distribution and software entities. Jason also has experience with employee benefit plan audits.
Prior to joining KS LLP, Jason worked as a staff accountant for private companies in the manufacturing and service industries where he prepared financial reports.
Jason graduated from California Polytechnic University of Pomona in 2008 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting.
Education:
California Polytechnic University, Pomona - BS, Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting
Josa Lam
Manager
Josa joined the firm as a staff accountant in 2011 and was promoted to Tax Manager in January 2017. She manages and performs tax compliance, planning and research projects for multistate corporations, pass-through entities and their owners.
Josa also has experience in preparation and review of income tax provision (ASC 740) for publicly and privately held companies.
Prior to joining the firm, she served as an escrow officer for a title company in City of Industry, CA. There she gained valuable experience in handling residential and commercial real estate transactions.
Josa enjoys travelling, playing golf and cycling in her spare time.
Education:
University of Southern California - BS, Business Administration
California Polytechnic University, Pomona - MBA, Emphasis in Accounting
Marc Wong
Manager
Marc joined the firm as a senior accountant in 2021 and was promoted to Tax Manager in January of 2022. Marc has worked in public accounting since 2015, serving a wide range of industries and entity types. Primarily working with closely held businesses and high-net worth individuals. He manages and performs tax compliance, planning and consulting.
Prior to joining KS LLP, Marc worked for public accounting firms in San Francisco, CA. There he gained valuable experience preparing and reviewing various types of tax returns.
Education:
California State University, Long Beach - BS, Accounting
Claudia Ventura
Manager
Claudia is an accomplished accounting professional with a bachelor's degree in business, with emphasis in Accounting, earned in 2014 from California State University - Fullerton. With over nine years of experience in the accounting industry, Claudia began her career at our firm as an intern in January 2015 and transitioned to a full-time associate in May 2015 after successfully completing our internship program.
In their current role as a Tax Manager, Claudia provides comprehensive support to small business entities and their owners, assisting with compliance, financial reporting, and other accounting services. She is also a key member of the hiring team at KS LLP, actively involved in recruiting and on-boarding new talent to ensure the continued growth and success of the firm.
Known for their attention to detail, strong problem-solving skills, and commitment to delivering exceptional client service, Claudia is dedicated to fostering positive relationships and driving value for both clients and colleagues.
Michael Schiffer
Manager
Michael is a Tax Manager in KS LLP’s Business Tax Services group, having served clients in Orange County, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area. He has 5 years of experience with KPMG’s business tax services team and has provided audit support services to companies in technology, healthcare, banking, and financial service-related sectors.
Michael has experience with end-to-end tax compliance for clients with significant exposure to Federal and multi-state filing requirements, as well as tax planning for companies in all phases of their business life cycle. He has experience with large, consolidated tax returns for companies under reorganization. His experience includes assisting companies with foreign tax reporting requirements and tax implications under GILTI and BEAT regulations. Michael has also served as a tax specialist on both public and private companies. He is proficient in ASC 740 and the associated reporting requirements.
Michael has provided consultation to his clients in matters pertaining to current and potential revisions to the tax law. During his career he has also had exposure relating to tax matters involving the restructuring and expansion of his clients’ businesses.