We’re all a little familiar about taxes, but what would it mean to pursue a career in taxation?
Assistant Professor, Dr. Kristina Kesselring hosted our virtual “Exploring Your Path to Taxation” event this week, first walking us through a brief overview of the tax profession. Then joined by two more of our MSU Denver MPAcc alumni, she then launched into an informal and candid conversation with them as they all shared their paths to taxation, insights, and advice for future tax professionals.
Here is a recording of the presentation portion of the event, featuring our 3 speakers:
Speaker profiles:
Kristina Kesselring, PhD, CPA, MPAcc | Assistant Professor at MSU Denver
Kristina recently earned her PhD from the University of Denver. She is also a 2018 graduate of MSU Denver, where she obtained the Master of Professional Accountancy; emphasizing in taxation. Undergraduate education was completed at Colorado State University, Pueblo, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting. Currently a full-time lecturer at MSU Denver and enjoys sharing her knowledge and expertise in the area of public accounting. Married 27 years to husband, Michael, she has three children and enjoys spending time with her family. A Colorado native, she is passionate about community and the well-fare of the state.
Luis Paredes, CPA, MPAcc | Managing Member at Paredes & Huffman CPAs
Luis Paredes graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver in December 2018 and started his career in public accounting in 2019. After gaining experience at several firms, Luis became the controller for a large construction business. Pursuing a growing passion for tax preparation, he began offering tax services on the side, specializing in construction and real estate. In July 2024, Luis acquired an existing accounting firm, which is now Paredes & Huffman CPAs, serving clients from a wide range of industries with comprehensive tax and accounting services.
Kerry Wilfert, CPA, MPAcc | Corporate Tax Manager at Plante Moran
Kerry is a 2018 graduate of MSU Denver, where she earned her Master of Professional Accountancy with an emphasis on taxation. This was a change of course in her professional career, as she originally obtained her Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Indiana University. But clearly that wasn’t the right path for her, as she landed in Colorado and went back to school at MSU Denver. Since graduating, she has worked in public accounting and gained knowledge and expertise in the world of tax. Just this last May, she started a new position focusing on corporate tax compliance and ASC 740 tax provisioning. When she is not at work, she enjoys running, spending time with her dogs and absorbing every and all true crime documentaries she can.