Our clients deserve exceptional expertise.
Shared beliefs, causes, and purpose make our team a foundational component to our clients’ success.
As a business advisory firm, we are not your average public accounting firm. Our priority is our ongoing relationship with our clients. That can only be accomplished through an empowered team that is passionate about the impact they have on clients, their career development, and their work-life balance.
Ernie J. Villany, CPA
Founder & President
With more than 30 years in public accounting, Ernie has dedicated his career to proving that anything is possible for business owners when they have proactive tax and business advice.
Ernie formed Boulder Valley in 2012, 2 years after relocating to Colorado from Brooklyn, NY. As the President and CEO, he is the chief strategist, principal advisor, and organization leader. While Ernie is passionate about helping business owners grow, accumulate wealth, enjoy their businesses, and then exit successfully, what inspires him daily is his team. Ernie considers his team the finest human beings he has known. In his words, “The fearlessness they have and new ideas they bring to the table to help our clients exceed their goals is pure fire.”
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Ernie’s Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration is from Baruch College, City University of New York in 1997. He went on to get his CPA.
Outside the office, Ernie’s wife, sons, family and friends are his top priority. He has raised his boys to run through brick walls, listen more, and speak less in order to build long, deep, and strong relationships with people. In addition to mountain biking at night off trail, hiking, skiing, golf, and beer, Ernie may be the only person you’ll ever meet who has been on the David Letterman Show…twice! Ernie on tv.
Deb Croarkin, CPA
Tax Manager
Deb has over 11 years of experience working in the tax profession. She’s passionate about working with SMBs to help them achieve their financial goals. Deb brings an astute and critical understanding of tax policy to the firm and is committed to providing the same level of understanding to her clients.
Rudy Murdock
Accountant in Charge
As he studies to sit for the CPA exam, Rudy is diving in headfirst to assist the client service team and get to know clients. He is also working alongside Ernie to become a valued advisor who guides business owners through the financial planning and analysis that result in wealth accumulation.
Rudy enjoys personally engaging with business owners to understand their goals as well as the intricacies of their operations. He is energized by seeing clients go from a state of uncertainty to a place of assurance regarding their financial future. And, as you’d expect from an accountant, he loves solving complex problems that would make most people’s heads spin.
When Rudy is not immersed in his work or engrossed in studying for his CPA exam, he cherishes his hiking trips with Scout, his two-year-old Pitbull. However, as soon as the landscape turns white with snow, you’ll find Rudy pursuing his childhood passion. An enthusiastic skier since the tender age of four, he navigates the backcountry ski trails, with a loyal Scout trailing close behind him down the mountain.
Jenn McLaughlin
Administrative/ Client Services Team
Jenn McLaughlin
Jenn joined the Boulder Valley CPAs team in January 2023 as a member of our Client Services team. Prior to joining the firm, Jenn worked in hospitality management. Her passion for serving others and ensuring their experience is second to none makes her a tremendous resource for clients. From getting answers to your questions to sitting in on meetings to ensure a deep understanding of your business and your goals, Jenn’s superpower is her ability to break down a situation and communicate in terms a non-CPA understands.
Originally from Tallahassee, FL, Jenn loves the outdoors and the beautiful scenery of Colorado. When she isn’t working, you might find her hiking with her best buddy and Australian Shephard, Roscoe. And when it comes to time off, Jenn’s wanderlust takes her all over the world- 14 countries and counting!
Jen Ribeiro
Administrative/ Client Services Team
New to our team in 2023, Jen brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our client services team. In this role, she serves as the primary point of contact for customers and assists them with their inquiries, collects and sorts their tax workpapers, and delivers advisory services.
A natural problem solver, Jen loves learning about accounting, tax, and business strategy. But, more than anything, Jen will track down answers to any question a client has. Being able to help clients get answers to their questions fires Jen up. In fact, you may just catch her in the middle of a happy dance!
Prior to joining BVCPAs, Jen worked in the mortgage industry for over 20 years, gaining experience in processing, underwriting, closing, and title. Outside of work, Jen is an avid fiction reader and also enjoys painting with watercolor or acrylics.
Brittany Casarez
Director of Operations
Brittany joined the team in 2021 and is a versatile operational leader with expertise in leading managerial and technical initiatives. Her big picture approach to managing the day-to-day tactical details enhances efficiency and drives sustainable growth. Her strong communication and interpersonal skills help fulfill our promise to maintain strong and long-lasting relationships with our clients.
A Colorado native, Brittany has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and over 15 years of operational management experience. A mama to a daughter and another on the way, Brittany is also a mama bear at work- fiercely protective of the vision, the positive culture in the firm, the team, and our clients
Lara Gonzalez
Head of Bookkeeping and Payroll
Lara owned and operated her own business for over sixteen years prior to joining Boulder Valley CPAs at its inception in 2012.
Lara’s passion for helping people started with her degree as a D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) from New York Chiropractic College after undergraduate at Muhlenberg College in PA. In addition to her chiropractic work, Lara did her own payroll and bookkeeping, ultimately finding that helping businesses with accounting, bookkeeping and payroll was her true career calling. Lara is also QuickBooks Pro Advisor, and enjoys working directly with clients on their bookkeeping needs.
Married and a mom to 2 grown sons, Lara also teaches Body Pump fitness classes and loves reading, puzzles, gardening, and traveling.
Mariya Pioszak, CPA
Tax Manager
Mariya has over 20 years of experience in the industry. Her strengths lie in her ability to organize the chaos of data into orderly financial reports and converting them into dynamic planning strategies. Mariya is an invaluable asset to our team and to the clients she works with.
Chris DeGrandis
Tax Accountant
Chris joined the team in early 2023. After taking a hiatus from the workforce to raise her children, Chris’ longing to strategize with and advise business clients brought her back into the world of business and tax advisory services (lucky for us!).
With an undergraduate degree in accounting from The Ohio State University and a practicing CPA for many years who specialized in corporate, partnership, and individual taxation, the modernized role of business advisor allows her to go beyond tax strategy to have a bigger impact on the businesses she serves.
Outside the office, you’ll find Chris involved in ‘all things Colorado’ from hiking, skiing, and biking to weaving, knitting, and quilting.
Tori Bartels
Administrative Operations
Tori joined our team in January 2023. After 6 years teaching elementary school (one in Madrid, Spain!)Tori wanted to transition her skills and passion for helping people into a professional services environment. Lucky for us, Tori decided to come on board and support the firm’s business operations as well as the client services team.
Tori’s formal education is in Dance Performance and Education with both a Bachelor’s degree from Chapman University and a Master’s from the University of Massachusetts. Her strengths lie in working with people and solving problems.
No two days are ever alike in Tori’s role, and she enjoys the camaraderie, positive culture, and flexible work environment at the firm. Outside of work, Tori has a serious case of wanderlust and a lofty goal of running out of pages in her passport. From safaris in Tanzania to Tahiti and Moorea- Tori has many travel adventures!
Danille Shaw
With a Master’s Degree in Education from UCLA, she has been an educator her entire career, switching professions to join our team. She is passionate about educating and advising clients- a perfect transition from the classroom and a huge asset to our clients.
A mom to two teenagers, Danielle is a homebody with wanderlust. She loves exploring new places in her travels. She also loves organizing absolutely anything and says she finds that relaxing. No wonder she is such a great bookkeeper and advisor!