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, 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, Single Audit OMB’s Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) and the implementation of GASB Statement No. 68. 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 associations and committee
- New York State Society of CPA’s (NYSSCPA)
- Public School Accounting Committee
- Government Accounting and Auditing Committee
- Not for Profit Committee
- Professional Ethics Committee
- Ethics Joint Trial Board
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
- New York State, Suffolk County and Nassau County Associations of School Business Officials (ASBO)
- Governmental Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
- Accounting, Auditing and Financial Reporting Committee
- Association of School Business Officials International (ASBOI)
- New York State Association of School Boards Association (NYSSBA)
- Association of Internal Auditors (AIA)
- School District Internal Auditors Alliance (SDIAA)
- Long Island Village Clerks and Treasurers Association (LIVCTA)
- Long Island Water Conference (LIWC)
- Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
Partners
Robert S. Abrams
1926 – 2014
Robert Abrams was the firm’s managing partner. He was also the tax and senior partner and met the requirements to do certified audits over 40 years ago. Mr. Abrams had an extensive background in directing audits for governmental clients. In addition to his experience in directing audits, he had 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 was a graduate of Pace University.
Marianne E. Van Duyne, CPA, MBA
Ms. Van Duyne is managing partner at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. Ms. Van Duyne is a prior chairperson and current member of the NYSSCPA Public School Accounting Committee and NYSSCPA Government Accounting and Auditing Committee. Ms. Van Duyne serves as a mentor through the NYSSCPA Mentor Match program. She is currently an Advisory Board member of the School District Internal Auditor Alliance. Ms. Van Duyne serves on the AICPA Joint Trial Board. She has served as a Board of Directors trustee for St. Catherine Hospital in Smithtown. Ms. Van Duyne has been a presenter for the New York Government Finance Officers’ Association, Association of School Business Officials New York, New York State School Boards Association, the New York State School District Internal Auditors Alliance and the Long Island Village Clerks Treasures Association. Ms. Van Duyne appeared on WLIW “The Learning Curve” as a panelist discussing school district finances. She has been featured in Newsday’s Executive Suite. Ms. Van Duyne has also been honored as a recipient of Long Island Business News’ 50 Around 50 Award and the Long Island Business News’ 50 Most Influential Women in Business Award. 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 Association of School Business Officials New York Distinguished Graduate of School Business Administration Award. She has three years auditing experience with Deloitte & Touche and thirty three years auditing experience with R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. Ms. Van Duyne is a member of the GFOA, the AICPA and the NYSSCPA. Ms. Van Duyne specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit 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 was named the Executive Woman of the Year for the Accounting Profession by the National Association of Professional Women. She has been a presenter for Association of School Business Officials New York, New York Government Finance Officers’ Association and the Long Island Water Conference. Ms. Battaglia is a member of the GFOA Accounting, Auditing and Financial Reporting Committee. She is also Chair of the NYSSCPA Public School Accounting Committee and was co-chair for the Public School Accounting Conference 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 twenty six years auditing experience with R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. Ms. Battaglia is a member of the AICPA, NYSSCPA, GFOA and the Institute of Internal Auditors. Ms. Battaglia specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Brendan Nelson, CPA, BS
Mr. Nelson is an audit partner at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. He has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Rhode Island with a concentration in Accounting. Mr. Nelson has been a presenter for the Long Island Water Conference, Association of School Business Officials New York and New York Government Finance Officers Association. Mr. Nelson is Chairperson of the NYSSCPA Government Accounting and Auditing Community of Practice. Mr. Nelson has eleven years of audit and tax experience with R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP, as well as two years of experience with KPMG LLP working as a senior auditor. Mr. Nelson is a member of the NYSSCPA Government Accounting and Auditing Committee. Mr. Nelson specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Christopher Schneider, CPA
Mr. Schneider is an audit partner at R.S. Abrams & Co LLP. He graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Bachelor of Science in Finance. Mr. Schneider has been a presenter for the Association of School Business Officials New York and New York Government Finance Officers Association. Mr. Schneider has been recognized as a 2024 NYSCPA Emerging Leader. Mr. Schneider has four years of audit experience with R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP as well as seven years of auditing experience at KPMG LLP, specializing in not-for-profit audits and Single Audits. He is a member of the AICPA, the NYSSCPA Not-for-Profit Organizations Committee, the NYSSCPA Government Accounting and Auditing Committee and the NYSSCPA Public School Accounting Committee. Mr. Schneider specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Managers
Nicholas Hennessy, CPA
Mr. Hennessy is a manager at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. Mr. Hennessy graduated from Baruch College with a Bachelor of Business Administration. Mr. Hennessy has six years of auditing experience with R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. Prior to joining R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP, Mr. Hennessy had experience with Gould, Kobrick & Schlapp P.C. auditing labor unions and not-for-profits. Mr. Hennessy specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Thomas Lake, CPA, MBA
Mr. Lake is a manager at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Marist College and a Master in Business Administration with a concentration in Professional Accountancy from Molloy College. Mr. Lake has five years of auditing experience with R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. Mr. Lake specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Supervisors
Joann Mills, BS, MS
Ms. Mills is a supervisor at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Science in Accounting from SUNY Stony Brook. Ms. Mills has six years of auditing experience with R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. Ms. Mills is currently pursuing her Certified Public Accountant license. Ms. Mills specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Saad Mahmood, BBA, CPA
Mr. Mahmood is a supervisor at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accountancy from Baruch College. Prior to joining R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP, Mr. Mahmood worked at Katz, Sapper & Miller auditing governmental, non-for-profit and transportation clients. He has five years of auditing experience at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. Mr. Mahmood specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Senior & Semi-Senior Accountants
Ryan Madrose, BS, MS
Mr. Madrose is a senior auditor at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. He has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Science in Forensic Accounting from SUNY Albany. Prior to joining R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP he had over 3 years of experience with Newman, Newman & Kaufman LLP and Grassi Advisors & Accountants. Mr. Madrose is currently pursuing his Certified Public Accountant license. Mr. Madrose specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Gabriella Martino, BS, MS
Ms. Martino is a senior auditor at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. She has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Science in Accounting from Sacred Heart University. Prior to joining R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP she had over 4 years of experience with Hall CPA Group and Ambrosio & Bellotti, CPA’s P.C. Ms. Martino is currently pursuing her Certified Public Accountant license. Ms. Martino specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Scott Silberberg, BA
Mr. Silberberg is a semi-senior auditor at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Accounting from Hofstra University. Prior to joining R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP he had over five years of experience with Ambrosio & Bellotti, CPA’s P.C. Mr. Silberberg is currently pursuing his Certified Public Accountant license. Mr. Silberberg specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Zuhair Rizvon, CPA, MS
Mr. Rizvon is a semi-senior auditor at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Northeastern University and a Masters of Science in Accounting from New York University, Stern School of Business. Prior to joining R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP he had three years of auditing experience at KPMG LLP. Mr. Rizvon specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Patricia Castaldo
Ms. Castaldo is a senior accountant at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. Prior to joining R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP she was the Director of Business Services at the Three Village Central School District. Ms. Castaldo worked at Three Village Central School District for seventeen years. Ms. Castaldo specializes in school district accounting.
Michael Catalano
Mr. Catalano is a semi-senior auditor at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. He graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo with his Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Prior to joining R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP, Mr. Catalano commissioned into the National Guard as a Finance officer. He will soon be pursuing a Masters in Accounting. Mr. Catalano specializes in school district, governmental and not-for profit audits.
Russ Fragala, BS, MBA
Mr. Fragala is a semi-senior auditor at R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP. He has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Tampa and a Master of Accounting from Florida Institute of Technology. Prior to joining R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP, Mr. Fragala had two years of auditing and tax experience interning at BDO USA, LLP. Mr. Fragala is currently pursuing his Certified Public Accountant License. Mr. Fragala specializes in school district internal, external and claims audits.