Our offices are located in California, Nevada, and New York.

Serving the Greater San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Contact us to learn how our services can be customized to address your needs.

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About Navolio & Tallman LLP 

Navolio & Tallman LLP is a full-service accounting and advisory firm headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with offices in Nevada and New York.

We serve clients in local, national, and international markets, offering a broad spectrum of services tailored to meet the evolving and complex needs of today’s financial landscape.
18+

Realized Projects

28

Awesome Clients

320+

Ongoing Projects

10+

Trusted Partners

We specialize in delivering comprehensive tax planning, financial advisory services, and family office solutions for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, their families, and businesses.

Our firm’s expertise in tax, audit, and attest services also extends to the financial services industry, which includes alternative investment entities such as private equity, real estate, broker-dealers and hedge funds and their management companies. We are registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and subject to inspection, qualifying us to provide audit services to Registered Investment Advisors.
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Core areas of expertise:

  • Income Tax
  • Estate, Trust, and Gift Tax
  • Audit and Attest Services
  • Family Office Services
  • International Tax
  • Surprise Examinations under SEC Regulations
  • General Partner Management Services

Industries served:

  • Alternative Investments
  • High-Net-Worth and Ultra-High-Net Worth Individuals and Families
  • Broker-Dealers
  • Closely Held Businesses
  • Foreign Inbound and Outbound Individuals and Businesses

Our distinguishing approach

Navolio & Tallman LLP believes that investing in and developing talented, entrepreneurial, and highly motivated professionals leads to excellent client outcomes. Founded on this principle, the firm is committed to delivering the highest standards of service while helping our clients achieve their financial goals and improve their lives.

People First. Excellence Always.

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Our partners have extensive experience providing tax planning and compliance, audit and attest, advisory, and accounting services to a sophisticated clientele.

A broad spectrum of securities funds, private equity and venture capital firms, real estate firms, high-net-worth and ultra high-net-worth individuals, and closely-held businesses rely on our specialized tax, advisory, audit and attest, and accounting services.
john

John C. Navolio, CPA

Managing Partner
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david-headshot

David S. Tallman, CPA

Partner
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irma

Irma Cayanan Toal, CPA

Partner
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jeffery-new

Jeffrey C. Messerschmidt, CPA

Partner
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celia-haedshot

Celia Lau, CPA

Partner
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stephanie-bio

Stephanie P. Ringrose, CPA

Partner
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monica

Monica J. Lee, CPA

Partner
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dougyoast

Doug A. Yost, CPA

Partner
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elliot

Elliot Isaac, CPA

Partner
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scott

Scott P. Montopoli, JD, LLM

Partner
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thomas-j-parry

Thomas J. Parry, CPA

Partner Emeritus
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John C. Navolio, CPA

[email protected]
John is a founding partner and currently serves as the Managing Partner. As a visionary, he guides the firm's strategic direction while fostering a culture of growth and excellence. With over four decades of public accounting experience, he leverages his deep industry knowledge to mentor emerging leaders and cultivate a high-performing team. Under John's strategic leadership, the firm has significantly increased its service offerings and expanded its market presence. His commitment to mentoring and developing future leaders has created a strong pipeline of highly skilled professionals, building for the firm’s long-term success.

“We believe that once you have this engaged, entrepreneurial-minded, collaborative, committed, and strong team, the clients will benefit greatly.” This philosophy drives John's leadership and underscores his commitment to building a strong foundation for the best client experience and successes.

John began his career with the international CPA firm KPMG (formerly Main Hurdman). He then practiced for 20 years at a San Francisco-based CPA firm that is now part of EisnerAmper LLP. There, in addition to serving his clients, his contributions included growing the firm from a staff of 20 to 100, serving on the firm’s Executive Committee, developing and overseeing the human resources function (including recruiting, staff training, and mentoring), and spearheading the development of an overseas operation based in Mumbai, India.

John is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University, Hayward (now California State University, East Bay) and completed graduate-level courses in taxation at Golden Gate University.

Outside of the office, John enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, is an avid golfer and wine enthusiast, and has traveled extensively through the vineyards of France.

David S. Tallman, CPA

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David is a founding partner and has more than 30 years of tax experience. He specializes in strategic planning to minimize income, gift, and estate tax for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families. His in-depth knowledge of income tax and estate planning is drawn from his extensive experience with complex wealth transfer structures including family limited partnerships, charitable remainder trusts, and various forms of grantor trusts. David is also well-versed in the analysis of qualified small business stock (QSBS) and in providing sophisticated planning with respect to executive compensation, incentive stock options (ISO’s), nonqualified stock options (NQSO’s), and restricted stock units (RSU’s). He serves a wide range of clients in venture capital, private equity, securities trading and dealing, manufacturing and wholesale, real estate industries, and personal services. He is currently the Chair of the firm’s Estate and Trust Committee, and he also sits on the Executive Committee.

David began his career with Arthur Andersen LLP working in the private client and real estate service areas. After Arthur Andersen, he practiced for eight years as a tax specialist at the staff and partner levels at a San Francisco-based CPA firm that is now part of EisnerAmper LLP.

David is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Management from The Master’s College and a Master of Science degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University.

In addition to being a tax aficionado, David enjoys golfing and mountain biking, is a soccer fanatic, and enjoys family time with his wife and children.

Irma Cayanan Toal, CPA

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Irma is a founding partner and the Partner in Charge of Personnel. She also serves on the Firm’s Executive Committee.

Irma has more than 20 years of public accounting experience, including nine years in both audit and tax at a San Francisco-based CPA firm that is now part of EisnerAmper LLP in San Francisco. She serves a variety of clients spanning many industries, including real estate, registered investment advisors, investment securities partnerships, private equity firms, hedge funds, fund of funds, broker-dealers, and private foundations. In addition to providing a broad range of audit and attest, review, compilation, and agreed-upon procedures services to her clients, she provides surprise examination services under the SEC and California custody rules. Using a practical, entrepreneurial-based approach, Irma works closely with her clients to consult, help identify, and fulfill various business needs to bring added value on all engagements.

Irma is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Nevada Society of Certified Public Accountants.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco and has completed additional graduate-level coursework in taxation at Golden Gate University.

In her spare time, Irma enjoys traveling to Hawaii, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

Jeffrey C. Messerschmidt, CPA

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Jeffrey is a tax partner at the firm with over 16 years of tax experience and is head of the family office practice. He works closely with wealthy families and their complex estate structures and balance sheets as their most trusted advisor. He also has extensive experience in the alternative investment fund industry. Jeffrey has a deep commitment to developing meaningful relationships and partnerships with his clients, which provides him with insights that allow him to provide strategic advice on income tax and family office issues. In addition, he is recognized nationally as a leading provider of professional services in the venture capital ecosystem and has spoken nationally on the topic of qualified small business stock.

Jeffrey is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a double concentration in accounting and financial management from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Upon graduation, he joined Navolio & Tallman LLP as a staff accountant.

His passions outside of the office include family time with his wife and three sons, hiking and traveling, listening to Frank Sinatra, popping bottles of champagne and burgundy, and mixing your favorite cocktail.

Celia Lau, CPA

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Celia is a tax partner and head of Navolio & Tallman LLP’s tax practice, where she brings over 20 years of expertise in tax planning, compliance, and consulting. Her practice focuses on high-net-worth individuals, and partnerships and LLCs across various industries, including real estate, private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, start-ups, and privately-held businesses. She also has extensive experience researching complex tax issues and representing clients in income tax examinations with the Internal Revenue Service and the California Franchise Tax Board.

She began her career at Deloitte, specializing in high-net-worth individuals and real estate partnerships, before joining Navolio & Tallman LLP as a tax manager in 2010. Celia earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Managerial Economics with a minor in Communications from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Science in Taxation with highest honors from Golden Gate University.

Beyond her client work, Celia is an active leader in the tax community. She serves as chair of the Tax Committee for the San Francisco Chapter of CalCPA and is a member of CalCPA’s statewide Committee on Taxation. She has been a board member of the San Francisco Chapter since 2016 and is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Celia values spending quality time with her family, especially her husband and young daughter, as well as with close friends. Whether it’s enjoying boba at a favorite local spot, taking an annual vacation to Hawaii, or engaging in a friendly competition at the bowling alley, she enjoys the chance to recharge and share laughs with loved ones.

Stephanie P. Ringrose, CPA

[email protected]
Stephanie is an audit partner with over 16 years of public accounting experience specializing in audit, review, compilation, and accounting services. Her areas of expertise include helping alternative investment managers, investment advisors, broker‐dealers, private foundations, real estate, and privately‐owned businesses meet their regulatory and investor reporting needs. Additionally, she provides surprise examination services in compliance with SEC custody rules for clients in the financial services industry that have custody or deemed custody of assets. Stephanie is head of the firm’s audit and IT departments.

Stephanie combines her technical acumen with a collaborative approach, working closely with entities to identify risks, enhance internal controls, and deliver actionable insights. By staying abreast of evolving regulatory changes and industry trends, she ensures entities are well-prepared for current and future audit and compliance requirements. Stephanie is dedicated to providing exceptional audit services that transcend mere compliance. Through tailored solutions, transparent communication, and a focus on industry-specific challenges, she empowers entities to build trust with stakeholders, streamline operations, and achieve their strategic objectives.

Stephanie is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the New York Society of Certified Public Accountants. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a double concentration in accounting and information systems from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Outside of the office, Stephanie enjoys spending quality time with family and friends (especially doting on her young daughters), cooking, golfing, and vacationing/visiting family in Maui.

Monica J. Lee, CPA

[email protected]
Monica is a tax partner with over 10 years of experience specializing in tax planning and compliance for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals as well as privately held businesses. She currently leads the firm’s tax controversy practice and serves on the firm’s Tax Committee.

Monica earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and a Master of Science in Accountancy with an emphasis in taxation from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Prior to joining Navolio & Tallman LLP in 2018, she gained valuable experience at Deloitte, serving both the Los Angeles and San Francisco markets.

She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Outside of the office, Monica enjoys spending time with her family and going on hikes.

Doug A . Yost, CPA

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Doug is a tax partner with over 10 years of experience specializing in tax planning and compliance for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, with particular expertise in complex estate and trust planning techniques. He has extensive experience with various trust structures, including ESBTs, QSSTs, and INGs, as well as entity structuring for multi-state operations. Doug serves clients across a range of industries, particularly private equity and family groups within financial services, investments, real estate, and oil and gas. He currently sits on the firm’s Estate & Trust Committee.

Doug earned his degree in Accounting from the University of Central Oklahoma. Prior to joining Navolio & Tallman LLP in 2021, he worked for large national firms focusing on family groups, including family-owned businesses, trusts, and estates.

He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Oklahoma City Estate Planning Council.

Outside of work, Doug enjoys listening to all kinds of music and exploring different cuisines.

Elliot Isaac, CPA

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With over 25 years of experience, Elliot serves as an audit partner specializing in the financial services sector. He provides assurance services to a broad spectrum of investment entities—ranging from domestic partnerships to offshore structures—including long/short equity funds, master-feeder arrangements, fund-of-funds, distressed debt funds, and private equity funds. His client base also includes broker-dealers and management companies.

Elliot earned his degree in accounting from Touro College in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to joining Navolio & Tallman LLP, he spent his career with RSM US LLP and its predecessors, where he gained extensive experience providing both assurance and tax-related services to his clientele.

He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Outside of work, Elliot enjoys spending quality time at home with his wife and children.

Scott P. Montopoli, JD, LLM

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Scott is a partner with over 25 years of experience in public accounting, specializing in complex corporate and international tax matters and transactions. He focuses on inbound and outbound tax planning for individuals, passthrough entities, and corporate multinationals, and has served clients across diverse industries including diversified industrials, retail, technology, private equity and real estate fund families, life sciences, and financial services.

He has deep expertise in strategic global effective tax rate and cash tax planning for international businesses, including supply chain and intellectual property management structures; cash access and foreign tax credit planning; tax-efficient structuring of international operations, such as buy/sell-side M&A transactions; cross-border financing and capital arrangements; CFC rules; tax treaties and residency issues; withholding and branch tax matters; and transfer pricing and penalty mitigation. He also has significant experience with U.S. international tax reporting and has served as the international tax provision lead on multiple Fortune 250 and other public attest engagements.

Prior to joining Navolio & Tallman LLP, Scott led Grant Thornton’s Central and Desert Mountain West international tax practices and held partner and leadership roles at EY and KPMG.

Scott is a licensed attorney in Florida and Pennsylvania and a member of the American Bar Association and its Section of Taxation. He frequently speaks at tax industry events including TEI, BNA, CPA and bar association conferences, as well as firm and client training sessions. He is also an adjunct professor at SMU’s Dedman School of Law and previously taught international and corporate taxation at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a Juris Doctor from Villanova University School of Law, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from the University of Miami School of Law.

Outside of work, he is a passionate Red Sox fan who enjoys dark roast coffee and leisurely breakfasts with his family.

Thomas J. Parry, CPA

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Tom is a highly experienced CPA with over 45 years in public accounting. He has provided audit and accounting services to investment funds, not-for-profit organizations, and foundations, as well as tax and advisory services to businesses and individuals. His expertise lies in reviewing quality control policies and procedures for other AICPA member firms and acting as the quality control reviewer for audit and accounting services provided by other firms to both public and privately held clients.

Tom has a passion for sharing his knowledge and has long been active in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is a past chair of the AICPA Peer Review Board and currently serves on the Board’s Oversight Task Force and the California Peer Review Committee.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Santa Clara University and a Master of Business Administration in Taxation from California State University, East Bay.

With his extensive education and decades of experience, Tom is well-positioned to provide valuable insight and recommendations to clients and fellow professionals – helping streamline accounting procedures, increase the efficacy of internal accounting controls and management reports, and forecast the tax consequences of significant business transactions.

Outside of work, Tom enjoys attending college football games and spending quality time with his wife, grown children, and grandchildren. He also loves vacations and getaways to the beach and mountains.