Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Issued January 2015
About the firm
A Tampa tax firm built on audit-side experience
Alleviate Tax exists because most tax problems are not really tax problems: they are process and documentation problems that surface at the worst possible moment. We were built to address both.
Our story
Why the firm is narrow
Alleviate Tax serves small and mid-size businesses, the segment that is consistently underserved at both ends of the market. National firms price them out and staff them with juniors. Local generalists cover everything from bookkeeping to insurance and rarely have the depth for a multi-state nexus study or a research credit that will survive examination.
We took the opposite approach and deliberately narrowed the practice to tax planning and compliance. That decision is what allows a firm our size to do work that would normally require a much larger one, and to do it at partner level.
The second thing that shapes us is where our managing partner started. Donna began in audit at Dixon Hughes Goodman before moving into tax at RSM US and then Crowe. Auditors are trained to ask how a number was arrived at and what evidence supports it, and that habit, applied to tax, produces filings that hold up.
Managing Partner
Donna R. Byrd, CPA, CIA
Managing Partner · Tampa, Florida
Donna is a highly experienced tax partner, CPA and Certified Internal Auditor with extensive expertise in tax planning, compliance and risk management. She advises both individual and corporate clients, with a proven record of navigating complex tax regulations and developing strategies that minimize liability while ensuring full compliance.
Her understanding of both domestic and international tax allows her to build solutions around a client's actual circumstances rather than a template. Known for attention to detail and strategic thinking, she works with businesses to optimize their tax position, manage examinations, and stay ahead of changing law.
CPA, Florida
Certified Internal Auditor
GAAP financial reporting
Risk assessment & internal controls
Credentials
Licensed, certified and examined
Two professional credentials and two degrees from Florida Atlantic University.
Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
The Institute of Internal Auditors
Issued January 2018
Master's Degree in Accounting
Florida Atlantic University
2008 – 2010
Bachelor's Degree in Accounting & Finance
Florida Atlantic University
2004 – 2008
Career
Fourteen years across audit and tax
Three national and regional firms before Alleviate Tax and, unusually for a tax partner, a start on the audit side.
Jan 2020 – present
Tax Partner
Alleviate Tax, Tampa, Florida
Providing comprehensive tax solutions for individuals and businesses, helping clients navigate the complexity of federal and state tax law. Leads the firm's planning, compliance and representation work.
Jan 2017 – Dec 2019
Senior Tax Manager
Crowe LLP, Tampa, Florida
Led tax engagements for mid-size to large businesses across a range of industries, providing in-depth tax analysis, IRS audit representation and compliance solutions.
Jan 2014 – Dec 2016
Tax Supervisor
RSM US LLP, Tampa, Florida
Managed tax compliance and planning for corporate, partnership and individual clients. Provided financial statement audits and advised clients on GAAP reporting.
Aug 2012 – Dec 2013
Staff Auditor
Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, Tampa, Florida
Conducted financial audits, risk assessments and compliance evaluations, and assisted clients in strengthening internal controls and optimizing financial reporting.
How we work
Four things we will not compromise on
Specialize, then go deep
A firm that does everything does nothing exceptionally. We chose tax planning and compliance and stayed there.
Document as you go
A position you cannot support is a position you do not really have. We build the file at the time, not under pressure years later.
Say the unwelcome thing
If a strategy is weak, a credit will not survive scrutiny, or an offer will not be accepted, we tell you before you spend money on it.
Be early
Almost every good tax outcome comes from acting sooner. Our calendar is built to put decisions in front of clients while they are still open.
Strong controls are not created once. They need to evolve with the business. Strong organizations don't rely on perfection. They rely on discipline.
Donna R. Byrd, CPA, CIAManaging Partner, Alleviate Tax