About PTAG
Delivering High Value and Quality Results
Our mission is to help all types of businesses manage their tax expense effectively and optimally. We strive to be the trusted tax advisors of our clients. Outside of our Team we are connected with Industry Experts and other Tax Professionals in our network to ensure that we are up to date on latest trends in tax strategies, regulations, and issues facing businesses. The Perceptive Tax Advisory Group has provided services to over 150 businesses to date.
Serving Clients Since 2020
Meet the Members of the Perceptive Tax Advisory Group
Craig Winchester | Partner
Based in Newport Beach California, Craig serves multi-state and multi-national companies throughout the country. He has more than 30 years of experience in multi-state taxation as a tax consultant with Ernst & Young (“EY”) where he retired as a principal in fall of 2020. Craig assists clients with income and franchise tax advisory services, including multi-state corporate merger and acquisition structuring, state filing and refund reviews, state tax implications of business reorganization, and state tax due diligence reviews. One of his core specialties is negotiated and statutory incentives.​ Craig joined PTAG in 2021.
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Cherry Kiely | Partner
Cherry is an indirect tax professional who brings over 17 years of experience serving a broad spectrum of clients on various State and Local Tax (SALT) areas
including sales and use tax (SUT) refund studies, taxability matrices, nexus studies, audit defense, voluntary disclosure negotiations, and corporate restructuring to support income and sales tax planning. Her SUT approach includes assisting clients in developing focused solutions to optimize the client’s strategy in managing its SUT expenses. Cherry was part of the Ernst & Young (EY) LLP’s indirect tax practice and continues to provide contract work for this practice. Additionally, Cherry assists clients in the areas of employment taxes and tax credits. Early on in her career, Cherry held various
controllership positions in industry for over 13 years where she gained practical experience in accounting systems and the inner workings of businesses. She is a licensed CPA in the State of California. Cherry co-founded PTAG in 2020.
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Michael Coumides | Executive Advisory Board
Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to PTAG. Mike has extensive experience with IPOs, tax minimization strategies, executive compensation, accounting for income taxes, as well as tax structuring for M&A. Since joining the firm, Mike focuses on bringing high value tax incentives to clients in the life sciences, biotech, tech, pharma and manufacturing industries.
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Leslie McBride | Executive Advisory Board
Leslie has served two gubernatorial appointments with the State of California. Her responsibilities as Deputy Director, CalBIS in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development provides clients the advantage of first - hand knowledge of federal, state and local economic development incentives and the relationships needed to navigate those programs
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Laura Anderson | Tax Senior Manager
Laura has over 7 years of tax experience at Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) serving a wide range of clients with an emphasis on state and local tax assistance. Laura has worked with PTAG for 4 years.
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Experience | Education
Julie Weber | Tax Manager
Julie has over 19 years of experience in accounting, working for various companies ranging from small privately-held to large publicly traded companies in the retail, financial services, and biotech industries. Julie has worked with PTAG for 4 years.
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Experience | Education
Ryan Kiely | Tax Senior
Ryan graduated with honors from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Economics with Financial Applications. Experienced in data wrangling and IT work, Ryan has assisted the Team with data analysis, in-depth research, compliance work, and workpaper compilations over the past 2 years.
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Experience | Education