From the outset, our founding partners realized they wanted to build more than a typical accounting firm. They wanted to build an accounting firm wherein the relationships fostered with clients pulled them, happily, into the office each day. Each and every one of our clients must trust that our counsel is wise, our actions on their behalf prudent, and that the interests served are theirs alone. Our staff appreciates that. As a result, the longevity of our client relationships, not to mention the tenure of our staff, have enabled our firm to grow and thrive for the last quarter century. Our commitment to client relationships, team-oriented approach to service, and outstanding quality of work have led to exceptionally high client satisfaction and retention. That’s the sole reason for our success.
Carpenter and Langford, PLLC was founded in 1991 by Jean Carpenter-Backus, CPA and Joe Langford, CPA. Our aim then, as now, was to provide the quality service associated with large national firms and the personal attention expected of a small, local firm. We´ve enjoyed steady growth since we first opened our doors. In 1999 we added an additional partner, James T. Ragland, CPA, and Kevin Lenahan, CPA became a partner at the end of 2009. Crystal Smith, CPA and Brett Laine, CPA became partners in early 2015.
Carpenter and Langford, PLLC´s partners and clients derive great benefit from our professional and paraprofessional staff, many of whom have years of experience. Our growth in professional staff has afforded us the opportunity to broaden the scope of resources available to our clients. We remain a leading provider of accounting and tax planning and preparation services, as well as business consulting services, bookkeeping, audit, compilation, and IRS representation.
Principals
Joe D. Langford, CPA
Managing Partner
Joe began his accounting career immediately following his graduation from Texas A&M in 1985 with a Bachelor of Business Administration. Before founding Carpenter & Langford, PLLC, he gained valuable real-world experience, first with Gibson, Johnson & Co. and later with John Winn and Associates. Joe enjoys working closely with businesses to help them manage and control all their financial-related activities. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Austin Chapter of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. Joe remains involved in a variety of community and leadership organizations, and he currently serves on the Board of Directors for Breast Cancer Resource Center, the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, with the Capital Area Dental Foundation, and on the Senior Aggie Leadership Council.
Kevin Lenahan, CPA
Partner
Kevin has more than 30 years of experience in tax and accounting services. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 1984 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, Kevin joined the Houston accounting firm of Tyler, Ellis & Tufley. In 1989, Kevin returned to Austin to work in Bob Finley´s CPA practice, where he remained for 16 years. Kevin joined Carpenter & Langford, PLLC in January of 2006 and became a shareholder in December 2009. He is the treasurer on the Zilker Hillside Theatre oversight board.
James T. Ragland, CPA
Partner
Jim´s 21-plus years of accounting experience and tax knowledge are an invaluable asset to our clients and us. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from The University of Texas at San Antonio, and worked for Johnson & Co. (later Johnson Smith & Co) until 1996, when he joined Carpenter & Langford, PLLC He became a shareholder here in 1999. Jim is a member of the Austin Chapter of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Crystal Smith, CPA
Partner
Crystal received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2002. After an early career as a sales tax consultant, she joined Elms, Faris & Company in Midland, Texas in 2006. She has been with Carpenter & Langford, PLLC since January 2007, and earned her Master in Professional Accounting degree from the University of Texas in 2008. Crystal received her CPA license in March 2010, and has grown in her role at Carpenter & Langford, PLLC from staff to manager to shareholder.
Brett Laine, CPA
Partner
Brett received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Masters of Business Administration from Texas State University. After graduation, he worked at Ernst & Young, LLP and regional firms, and as a controller for a public relations company. Brett specializes in income tax, franchise tax, entity selection, dissolutions and tax authority examination assistance for the wholesale/retail, manufacturing, professional services, investment services and real estate industries. Affiliations include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Staff
Mandy Klein, CPA
Tax Manager
Mandy is an accomplished CPA, having spent 8 years at Weaver to start her career, and joining Carpenter & Langford, PLLC as a CPA/Tax Manager in 2023. Originally from Dripping Springs, Texas, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M in 2009, and returned to A&M to complete an MS in Accounting in 2013. Mandy moved back to the Austin area in 2014. She is a member of the Texas Society of CPAs – Austin Chapter, and serves on both the Tax Conference Committee and the Scholarship Committee. Mandy is also a member of the AICPA. She volunteers with the Austin Pets Alive! Cat Foster Program. Mandy uses her spare time to travel and get as much water time as she can — whether it’s floating the river, taking boat rides on the lake, visiting beaches outside of Texas or whitewater rafting. And, she ensures that there’s still enough time for playing with her Basset hound, Brisket, as well as her nieces and nephew.
Robert Rogers, CPA
Client Relations Manager
Robert earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Taxation from the University of Denver. He spent the early part of his career as an operations director in the manufacturing industry. Thanks to that experience, he brings a deep understanding of fixed operations and client relations to his role at Carpenter & Langford. Robert has also served as a Revenue Agent for the Internal Revenue Service, providing him with a wealth of knowledge regarding tax planning, tax consulting, and tax compliance. Robert is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the states of Texas and Colorado. He originally joined C&L in 2016 as a staff accountant. He enjoys cycling, spending time with family, and volunteering in the community.
Joe Engel, CPA
Senior Staff Preparer
Joe has been with Carpenter & Langford, PLLC since 2012. Previously, he served as an Adjutant in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a Master of Accounting degree from St. Edward’s University.
Rupendra Srivastava
Senior Staff Preparer
Rupendra became a member of the Carpenter and Langford, PLLC team in 2017. He holds a BBA in Accounting from Texas A&M and an MS in Accounting from the University of Texas at Dallas. He served as a tax preparer with an accounting firm in Dallas prior to moving to Austin. At C&L, he performs business and individual tax planning and preparation.
Kristofer Dahlstrom
Staff Preparer
Kristofer (Kris), earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics/Accounting from Western Washington University in 2008. After working one tax season as a temporary staff preparer in early 2009, Kris moved to Austin to find more opportunities. In early 2015, he joined Carpenter & Langford, PLLC as a temporary staff preparer during the busy tax season. He rejoined Carpenter & Langford a year later, and was hired on full-time. He prepares individual, trust & business tax returns.
Isheeta Gandhi
Staff Preparer
New to Austin and Texas, Isheeta came to Carpenter and Langford, PLLC by way of Atlanta, Georgia. She holds a BBA in Accounting from Kennesaw State University. Previously, she worked at PYA, PC (Pershing Yoakley & Associates), a national leader in healthcare consulting. Away from the office, Isheeta is a volunteer at MedShare.
Ashley Hawkins
Staff Preparer
Ashley earned both a BA and an MA in Accounting from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Prior to joining Carpenter and Langford, PLLC in 2018, Ashley worked at Padgett Stratemann & Co and RSM US, LLP. She has significant experience in both individual and business tax planning and preparation. She enjoys gardening and is also a bit of a trivia fan.
Daniel Chew
Staff Preparer
Daniel joined Carpenter and Langford, PLLC in 2018. Before joining the firm, Daniel worked at PMB Helin Donovan in a similar role and served as a youth pastor at Hope in the City. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Accounting from Biola University in Los Angeles. Daniel provides business and individual tax planing and preparation. Away from the office, Daniel plays soccer in the Austin Men’s Soccer Association, coaches youth soccer, and volunteers with his church’s youth group.
Ana Devic
Staff Preparer
Ana began her Carpenter and Langford career in the summer of 2019, a year after moving to Austin from Anchorage, Alaska. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Accounting concentration from University of Alaska – Anchorage. Previously, she was a staff accountant at Ray CPA, P.C. worked in both the satellite and real estate industries handling full-circle accounting, payroll, and HR services. She is currently on track to earning her CPA license in Texas. Outside of her work at C&L, Ana is deeply involved in ongoing service endeavors. She volunteers at her church, and also serves as a remote medical and court interpreter in Serbian, Bosnian, and Croatian for the Alaska Immigration Justice Project. Ana, her husband, and their twins also spend as much time as they can exploring the great state of Texas.
Kelley Huang, CPA
Staff Preparer
Kelley earned Bachelor of Business Administration and Master in Professional Accounting degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. She grew up right here in Central Texas and came to Carpenter and Langford, PLLC in the fall of 2019. Prior to joining C&L, Kelley served as a Senior Tax Associate at BDO and National Instruments. She is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas. In her free time, Kelley enjoys trading the fluorescent lights of the office for a dimly lit movie theatre, especially for a dose of “so bad they’re good” films at Alamo Drafthouse’s “Weird Wednesdays”.
Zachary Cooper
Staff Preparer
Zachary grew up in Leander and Boerne, Texas. He attended The University of Mary Hardin Baylor in Belton, Texas where he earned a Bachelor of Accounting degree. Zachary joined Carpenter & Langford as a Staff Preparer in 2022. Zachary’s extracurricular interests include spending time with his family, working out, and going fishing.
Isiah Mason
Staff Preparer
Isiah joined Carpenter & Langford, PLLC in June 2022 on a part-time basis, and he was hired full-time in January 2023. He studied for an Accounting major with a Finance minor at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in December 2022. Isiah has spent most of his life in Cedar Park, Texas, but he recently moved to Liberty Hill for a quieter lifestyle. In his free time, he practices drawing and enjoys going to the arcade.
Surbhi Khandelwai
Staff Preparer
Surbhi is a Chartered Accountant from India. She moved to the United States in 2019, and has since passed the Certified Management Accounting exams to practice in the U.S. Surbhi initially resided in Austin for a short time after arriving, but then moved to Seattle for three years. After returning to Austin in the latter part of 2022, Surbhi was hired as a Staff Preparer at Carpenter and Langford, PLLC. When not in the office, she enjoys hobbies and interests to fill her time. Among her favorites are cooking, hiking in a variety of spots around Central Texas, and spending time with her friends and family.
Bookkeeping Staff
Maire & Associates, LLC Professional Bookkeeping Services merged with Carpenter and Langford, PLLC effective July 1, 2019. This move improves some operational efficiencies and allows us to provide greater value to our clients. Maire & Associates have been providing exceptional bookkeeping services to Central Texas businesses for nearly four decades, and Carpenter and Langford has been working with them for 28 of those years.
Kim Maire
Managing Bookkeeper
In a world of increasingly automated account services, Kim’s business philosophy strongly emphasizes the importance of providing personalized, one-on-one care, and simplified financial statements relevant to each client’s business needs. This philosophy is at the heart of Maire & Associates exceptional reputation in the Austin bookkeeping/accounting industry.
A native Texan, Kim completed her degree at the University of Houston in 1979. Seeking a change of pace, Kim moved to Austin where she worked in the dental field for several years before forming her company in 1982. With more than 35 years of experience, Kim specializes in bookkeeping services for professional clients in fields such as dentistry, medicine, law, consulting, physical therapy and real estate. In her spare time she is a sports enthusiast!
Margie Soto, CPA
Bookkeeper
Margie comes to Carpenter and Langford, PLLC with a broad range of accounting experience in the healthcare industry. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Texas State University in 1992 and her CPA in 1996. Previously, Margie worked as an auditor for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and a financial analyst for CHRISTUS Health System. She is a Quickbooks Certified ProAdvisor and a member of the Austin Chapter of the TSCPA. Margie volunteers at her church, trains for half-marathons, and loves spending time baking and spending time with her family.
Jillian Jacobs
Bookkeeper
Originally from Dallas, Texas, Jillian moved to Austin in 2009 and earned her Bachelor’s degree from St. Edwards University. She received 3 years of bookkeeping/accounting experience from an Austin-based CPA firm prior to joining Maire & Associates. She enjoys working with her clients to consistently produce accurate financial reports, and she prides herself in always completing her work in a timely manner. When she isn’t working with numbers, Jillian exercises the creative side of her brain via freelance photography, and also enjoys kayaking and exploring Austin.
Kathy Sawyer
Bookkeeper
Kathy and her family moved to Austin in 1982. She joined Maire & Associates in 2019, bringing thirty seven years of bookkeeping/accounting experience. She hit the ground running when she joined the firm, and we are thrilled to have another dependable team member with so much knowledge and experience. Kathy attended University of Texas El Paso. Away from the office, she loves to read, go on walks, and enjoy Austin music!
Connie Mullins
Bookkeeper
Connie grew up in a military family, which gave her the opportunity to travel all over the world as her family moved from military post to military post. She carried the travel bug into adulthood, and continued traveling with her husband. When asked, Connie calls Del Rio, Texas home simply because it is the city she has lived in the longest. She attended Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, earning an Associate degree in Computer Information Systems. Connie joined Carpenter & Langford in June of 2020, bringing 25 years of bookkeeping experience to the firm. She has also spent the last 17 years working with nonprofits. Away from the office, Connie enjoys sewing and spending time with her family. She also takes nature photos and goes camping in her RV.
Michelle Eubanks
Bookkeeper
Michelle earned a bachelors degree in philosophy from the University of Texas Pan American. They are originally from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, and joined Carpenter & Langford in 2020. Their move to Austin should provide plenty of enjoyable distractions outside of work as Michelle’s hobbies include puzzles, baking, hiking, swimming, yoga, live music, and independent films.
Scott Carlin
Bookkeeper
A lifelong Red Sox fan, Scott hails from New Bedford, Massachusetts. He later moved to Houston and came to Austin to attend the University of Texas. He holds a degree in engineering from UT-Austin, and earned an AA in business from ACC, as well as a BBA with a major in Accounting from Texas State University. Previously, Scott has been a staff accountant with Techcomp USA, a tax associate at BDO, a tax preparer and staff accountant/bookkeeper for Stockwell & Whitfield, CPAs, and a senior accountant for Renew Data. He joined Carpenter & Langford in November of 2020. Scott is an IRS Registered Tax Professional, an AICPA member, and a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. He volunteers as Treasurer for Girl Scout Troop 1118, coaches baseball for the Oak Hill Youth Sports Association, and throws an outstanding annual birthday bash featuring music, writers, and artists with all proceeds benefitting SAFE Austin. In his remaining spare time, Scott enjoys hiking and biking, classic LEGO building/collecting, and attending, performing, producing and promoting music.
Administrative Staff
Dawn Truex
Office Manager
Dawn has been a member of the Carpenter & Langford, PLLC team since July 1999. She was initially hired as receptionist and went on to work as a tax administrator. In November 2003 Dawn was promoted to office manager, a position she has continued to excel at for us to the present day. Dawn is excited to announce the birth of her baby girl, Paisley on October 12, 2022.
Jackie Siddons
Tax Administrator
In addition to her bookkeeping skills, Jackie has first-hand entrepreneurial experience; before joining Carpenter & Langford, Jackie and her husband owned a successful public storage company. When the couple sold their company after 14 years, Jackie joined our firm in 2008 as receptionist. She has since advanced to tax administrator and bookkeeper.
Sam Jaime
Administrative Assistant
Sam serves as the administrative assistant for Carpenter and Langford, PLLC. She joined the firm in August 2015. Her previous professional experience includes work as an assistant with Hill + Knowlton Strategies, a global PR consulting firm based in New York with offices in Austin. She brings great experience and know-how to the many tasks involved in keeping the C&L office running smoothly. Away from the office, Sam plans to continue studying herbal medicine practice at Austin Community College.