Ellis CPA, LLC

Meet the Team

Rachel Ellis, CEO and Founder

Rachel spent over a decade working for Big Four Accounting Firms providing Executive Level Financial Statement audit services to Federal Government, State and Local Government, Department of Defense and Commercial Industry clients.

She started Ellis CPA, LLC in June of 2023 with a focus on Political Finance, Fundraising, Financial Statement Compilation, Financial Statement Reviews and Accounting Consultation services for start ups, small businesses, non- profits and local governments.

Ellis CPA, LLC is MBE, DBE, SBR and ACDBE certified. Her experiences in the corporate world, along with her CPA license in MD, VA DC, and her CISA credentials, give clients the assurance they need.

Myles Ellis

Myles Ellis serves as an Ellis CPA, LLC finance consultant. Myles is an economic consultant from Charles County, Maryland. He is currently earning his Ph.D. in economics from Brown University in Rhode Island. He is a National Science Foundation fellowship award winner and recipient of the Orlando Bravo Center Research grant. Myles is interested in political economy, finance and applying machine learning towards challenging problems.

Prachi Patankar

Prachi is an Ellis CPA, LLC data and analytics Summer Intern. Prachi Patankar is a dedicated professional pursuing a Master of Science in Business Analytics at the University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business. With a strong academic background that includes a BTech in Electronics and Telecomm from Cummins College of Engineering for Women in Pune, Maharashtra, India, she has developed a robust skill set in data analysis, visualization, and modeling.

Prachi has hands-on experience with Python, R, SQL, MS Excel, PowerBI, Tableau, AWS, Azure, and more. Her professional experience as an Analyst in the Cloud Data Platform team at Capgemini Technologies involved using AWS ETL tools and Snowflake SQL for data engineering tasks. She has also contributed to various projects, such as customer churn analysis and text summarization of news articles using natural language processing techniques.

In addition to her technical expertise, Prachi has demonstrated leadership and a commitment to community through her involvement in the Smith Impact Consulting team, the Adobe Analytics Challenge, and the Net Impact Coalition. Her research on text summarization has been published in the Springer lecture series, and she has been recognized for her photography skills in a Sony Corporate contest. Prachi's dedication, technical skills, and leadership abilities make her a valuable asset in the field of business analytics and data engineering.

Gaurav Sharma

Gaurav is an Ellis CPA, LLC accounting and finance Summer Intern. Gaurav Sharma is pursuing his undergraduate studies with a double major in Accounting and Finance at the University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business with a perfect GPA. Gaurav is a member of the Interdisciplinary Business Honors College. He has honed his managerial accounting skills

through a specialized program at the Applications and Research Laboratory, where he was one of 50 selected students from Howard County. Additionally, Gaurav graduated in the top 5% of his class at Glenelg High School, earning the Principal's Award of Excellence.

Gaurav's practical experience includes his role as a Digital Navigator with the University of Maryland Extension, where he facilitated one-on-one coaching sessions to help individuals navigate online resources, collaborated on a $6 million grant project, and analyzed data to optimize operations. He also interned at Samson Properties, handling technical aspects of business operations, mastering real estate databases, and organizing marketing events. Furthermore, Gaurav has served as an assistant teacher at HindiUSA, where he taught Hindi to children and managed Zoom meetings. His leadership roles include co-president and vice president of FBLA, where he significantly grew club membership and organized events. Gaurav's technical skills span MS Excel, Word, Google Office, and Canva, and he is fluent in English with conversational proficiency in Spanish and Hindi.

Elisabeth Underwood

Elisabeth began working with Ellis CPA, LLC as a Senior Auditor in April 2024. With a robust background in public accounting, she brings experience and a keen eye for detail to her role. In her current position, Elisabeth is responsible for conducting substantive testing for financial statement and

compliance audits, coaching new team members, and assisting with accounting cleanup services.

Her career began at a public accounting firm in the Middle Tennessee area, where she quickly advanced to a senior audit position. During the pandemic, she gained valuable industry experience through an accounting role at a manufacturing company. Elisabeth returned to the public accounting sector in 2024, eager to work with a diverse range of companies and organizations in need of audit services.

In addition to her professional work, Elisabeth is dedicated to giving back to the community. She serves on the board of two nonprofits, demonstrating her commitment to using her skills and expertise to make a positive impact beyond the workplace.

What We Offer

Audit

External Financial Statement Audit
Financial Statement Review
Audit Readiness
Internal Control Testing
Cor Accounting Services

Consultations

Internal Control Development
Financial Statement Compilation
Financial Policy and Procedures

Political Finance

Campaign Finance Report Filing

Campaign Finance Report Reconciliation

Fundraisers

Working with CEO Rachel Ellis and her firm, Ellis CPA LLC, has been an absolute game-changer for our organization, MBOC. Rachel's expertise in accounting and bookkeeping has proven to be nothing short of phenomenal. Her professionalism and deep understanding of financial intricacies have been paramount in navigating through chaotic profit and loss sheets and uncovering lost revenue streams for many of our clients.

Rachel's meticulous attention to detail and strategic approach have not only streamlined clients financial processes but have also significantly enhanced their bottom line. Her ability to identify areas of improvement and implement effective solutions has been invaluable to their success.

I wholeheartedly recommend Ellis CPA LLC to any company in need of top-notch accounting and bookkeeping services. Rachel and her team's dedication, expertise, and commitment to excellence make them a trusted partner in achieving financial clarity and prosperity.

Eric Marshall MS, PMP CBC

MBOC Program Director

What They Say

On March 18, 2024, Ms. Rachel Ellis, Owner & CEO of Ellis CPA, LLC provided a consultation to my office on consumer price index and audit services. Ms. Ellis was very knowledge about the subjects and provided a presentation with illustrations to further explain her points. Ms. Ellis was very patient and concise in presenting the information. She has outstanding customer services skills! As a newly elected Mayor, I will recommend my co-leagues to Ms. Ellis company. You will not be disappointed.

Keith R. Sydnor (USN Ret)

Mayor City of Laurel, MD

On behalf of the Maryland Black Mayors, I commend Ellis CPA, LLC

on their commitment and pursuit of excellence.

It sets a high standard for everyone.

The firm’s honesty and attention to detail is commendable.

MBM is moving forward to complete the recommended findings.

Petrella Robinson, President of Maryland Black Mayors

Mayor Town of North Brentwood, MD

Media