All key professional staff members are licensed to practice in the State of New York. All staff members have taken the proper amount of continuing education classes primarily in the area of governmental accounting and auditing as required by Government Auditing Standards (1994 Revision), the New York State Education Department and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Some of these classes include Governmental Auditing and Accounting updates, the School District Accounting update, and the Single Audit OMB A-133 update. Members of our firm have also been speakers at these seminars. All our professional staff members are reviewed on an annual basis. We have had a very low turnover rate over the years which translates into better service for our clients.

The key members of our firm are active members of the following professional societies:

• New York Society of CPA's (NYSSCPA)
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• New York State, Suffolk County and Nassau County Associations of School Business Officials (ASBO)
• Governmental Financial Officers Association (GFOA)

Robert S. Abrams

He is the managing partner of our firm, and has more than forty years of experience in school district audits.  Mr. Abrams has an extensive background in directing auditing and accounting services for governmental clients.  In addition to his experience in directing audits, he has experience in other areas, such as fund balance projections, annual school district budget reviews, flexible spending plans and audits of rate based Pre-School Handicapped Programs.  He also has served several years on the Smithtown Board of Education.

Marianne E. Van Duyne, CPA

Ms. Van Duyne is an audit partner at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP.  Ms. Van Duyne is a prior chairperson and current member of the NYSSCPA Public School Accounting Committee.  Participation on this committee keeps us very current on any changes in accounting and auditing standards affecting school districts.  She is currently an Advisory Board member of the School District Internal Auditor Alliance (SDIAA).  She has served as a Board of Directors trustee for St. Catherines Hospital in Smithtown.  Ms. Van Duyne is an annual speaker at the New York State ASBO June Accounting and Auditing Workshops, New York State School Boards Association Annual Conference and the New York State School District Internal Auditors Conference.  She was also recently appointed as a member of the Business Association Advisory Committee for New York State ASBO. She has also presented for the Nassau Suffolk School Boards Association, ASBO International School Business Affairs Institute.  Her most recent presentations included Implementation of GASB 45, Implementation of SAS 112, Internal auditing in school districts, Internal Controls and Fraud in School Districts and Red Flags in Financial Statements.  She is the recipient of the New York State ASBO Joan Colvin Starfish award for her article written in the ASBO Reporter titled “Is your District in Danger of Being a Victim of Fraud?”.  She has also written an article for NYSSBA On Board titled “Federal Stimulus Money Comes With Strings”.  Ms. Van Duyne appeared on WLIW “The Learning Curve” as a panelist discussing school district finances.  Ms. Van Duyne is a Certified Public Accountant with a Masters in Accounting from Hofstra University. She has earned her School Business Administration Certification from C.W. Post. She is also the recipient of the New York State Association of School Business Officials 2000-01 Distinguished Graduate of School Business Administration Award. She has three years auditing experience with Deloitte & Touche and seventeen years auditing experience with R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP.  Ms. Van Duyne is a member of the AICPA and the NYSSCPA.  Ms. Van Duyne specializes in school district, not-for-profit and state and local government audits.

Alexandria Battaglia, CPA

Ms. Battaglia is an audit partner at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP.  She has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from C.W. Post.  She was the recipient of the School of Professional Accountancy College of Management’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Accounting.  She presented for the Nassau Suffolk School Boards Association on internal controls in school districts and for New York State Association of School Business Officials on Basic School District Accounting.  Ms. Battaglia is a member of the NYSSCPA Not-for-Profit and Government Accounting Committee.  She is also a member of the NYSSCPA Public School Accounting Committee.  Prior to R.S. Abrams & Co. LLP, Ms. Battaglia worked for Advanced Health Care Resources as a staff accountant for four years.  She has ten years auditing experience with R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP.  Ms. Battaglia is a member of the AICPA and the NYSSCPA.  Ms. Battaglia specializes in school district, not-for-profit and state and local government audits.