Esharaka Westbrook

About Esharaka Westbrook

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY Strategic payroll, accounting, & system data leader with 15+ years of experience directing payroll, compliance, and finance operations for organizations of employees and payroll volumes exceeding $200M per pay period. Proven expertise managing multi-state and multi-country payrolls across 40+ countries, guiding payroll tax compliance, and leading teams of 30+ managers and analysts throughout the U.S, Canada, EMEA, APAC, and LATAM. Recognized for building scalable payroll systems (Workday, ADP, Oracle, SAP), overseeing state tax registrations and quarterly filings, and serving as a trusted advisor to executive teams and clients. Adept at streamlining processes, ensuring regulatory compliance, and elevating client satisfaction through consultative, solutions-oriented leadership.Key Skills & Competencies: Management, Payroll, Accounting, & Compliance•Global Payroll Leadership & Department Oversight (U.S. & 40+ Countries)•Staff Development: Training, Mentoring, & Performance Management•KPI Reporting, Data Analytics, & Efficiency Optimization•Strategic Process Design Improvement, SOP Development, & Audit Readiness•Payroll System Implementations & Transformations (Workday, Oracle, ADP, SAP)•Client Relationship Management & Advisory Services•Payroll Tax Compliance & Filings (State, Federal, International): Multi-State Registrations, Quarterly/Annual Filings, 940/941, W-2s, 1099s, T-4s•Equity Compensation (ESPP, RSU, RRSP, DPSP, ISO)•Auditing, Risk Management, & Regulatory Adherence• Financial Reporting & GL ReconciliationTECHNOLOGICAL COMPETENCIESExcel Expert: Macros | Pivot Tables | VLOOKUPs | Advanced Formulas | Solver | Goal Seek What-If Analysis | Data Analysis ToolPakData Visualization & Analytics: Power BI | Tableau | KPI Dashboards | Variance/Audit ModelsSystems: Workday | Oracle (Cloud, Fusion)| SAP | ADP (Smart Compliance, GlobalView, WorkforceNow, Vantage, Enterprise, ezLabor, pay@work; Run by ADP)| PeopleSoft | Netsuite | Reflexis |QuickBooks | Time & Attendance | JD Edwards | UKG (Dimensions, Kronos)| Lawson |Salesforce | JIRA | Slack | My Time & Schedule | Lotus Notes | Document Express | Isolved |Dovetail | Master Tax | Drake | Tax Slayer |I\'m open to new opportunities.

Experience

1. Independent Tax Professional

   Private Company

   Jan 2005 — Present · Houston, TX, US

   Provide full-service individual, business, and nonprofit tax preparation, tax management, and IRS compliance support for clients across diverse industries.Core Tax Expertise:+Tax Preparation (Full Scope):Prepare and review 1040, 1120, 1120-S, 1065, Schedule C, and Form 990 for individuals, small businesses, S-corps, C-corps, partnerships, and nonprofits.+Tax Reviews & Tax Management:Conduct annual tax reviews, quarterly tax management, withholding adjustments, compliance checks, and multiyear tax strategy planning.+Strategic Tax Planning:Perform income planning, depreciation planning, MACRS, Section 179 & bonus depreciation, basis tracking, capital gains/loss planning, and long-term tax forecasting.+Audit Preparation & Compliance:Prepare clients for IRS and state audits, organize records, perform documentation cleanup, create audit binders, and support clients with responses and representation coordination.+Nonprofit Tax Support:Prepare and review Form 990, assist with IRS 1023/1023-EZ readiness, evaluate program alignment, review governance documentation, and advise on compliance requirements.+Business Advisory:Support entity selection (LLC, S-corp, C-corp), bookkeeping organization, payroll-tax alignment, and financial record structure to optimize compliance and audit readiness.+Quarterly & Year-End Planning:Provide estimates, year-end planning, compensation adjustment strategies, and withholding analyses+IRS Resolution & Compliance: OIC preparation, installment agreements, penalty abatement, audit support, compliance planning.What Sets Me Apart:Deliver highly detailed, documentation-driven tax work with emphasis on accuracy, compliance, and audit readiness.Offer proactive tax strategy to help clients reduce liabilities, avoid IRS issues, and maintain clean, organized financial records.Support nonprofits and small businesses with tax + policy + operational readiness, creating a complete compliance ecosystem.

Education

• San Jacinto College

  Associate of Arts (AA), Business Administration & Mathematics

• University of Houston

  Business/Corporate Communications

• Western Governors University

  Master of Business Administration - MBA

• University of Oklahoma

  Master of Accountancy, Accounting

• Texas Southern University

  Bachelor of Business Administration, Management

• Ohio University

  Master of Accounting & Analytics