The history of Desmond & Ahern is built upon a tradition of service, technical expertise, and innovative thinking to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world. The experience and academic credentials of our partners and staff provide our clients with the expertise of larger firms, while our commitment to superior customer service offers a personal, one-on-one approach.
Meet Our Staff:
Adam Goyke has over a decade of accounting and tax experience in a wide-range of industries. He serves as virtual CFO for a number of clients, assisting them with management activities, banking relationships, tax planning and personnel decisions. He brings extensive experience in preparation of multi-state tax returns, as well as, assistance with IRS-related tax matters resolution.
Mr. Goyke has a double major in accounting and finance from the University of Iowa. He is a CPA licensed in the State of Illinois and holds membership in the American Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society. Adam also volunteers as a coach for children's athletic teams and for school-sponsored events.
Paul Betlinski, CPA
Partner
Phone: (773) 831-9733
Fax: (773) 831-9752
Email: paul@desmondcpa.com
Paul Betlinski is an audit principal at Desmond & Ahern, Ltd. Mr. Betlinski has over fifteen years of public accounting and audit experience focusing primarily on auditing. Paul received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Northern Illinois University. He is a certified public accountant licensed in the State of Illinois and holds membership in the AICPA and Illinois CPA Society.
Mr. Betlinski also contributes and oversees the content and quality of the quarterly client newsletter “Profitable Solutions for Non-Profits” as well as producing other articles of special interest for our clients. In the past, Paul has spoken at the “On Board” event for non-profits presented by the University of Chicago Booth School. Paul is a member of the Illinois CPA Society's Not-for-Profit Committee that is responsible for researching and educating the public about non-profit accounting issues. He served as the treasurer of Esperanza Health Centers, a federally qualified health center on the south side of Chicago. He is currently on the board of Housing Forward which run several homeless shelters and rehabilitation programs.
Adam Kennedy, CPA
Audit Director
Phone: (773) 831-9733
Fax: (773) 831-9752
Email: adamk@desmondcpa.com
Adam Kennedy is an audit director with Desmond & Ahern with 10 year of public accounting experience specializing in auditing of not-for-profits including public charities, schools, private foundations, associations and social clubs.
Mr. Kennedy earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Loras College and holds memberships in the AICPA and Illinois CPA Society. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Illinois.
Patrick Comiskey, CPA
Tax Director
Phone: (773) 831-9735
Fax: (773) 779-8310
Email: patc@desmondcpa.com
Patrick Comiskey is an accounting and tax manager at Desmond & Ahern with 8 years of diverse tax, financial and business consulting experience for small to medium-sized businesses. Patrick has expertise in providing comprehensive accounting services, including preparation of individual, corporate, partnership, sales and payroll tax returns; financial statement preparation, consultation, bookkeeping and review services; audits, compilations, reviews and financial projections. He also brings experience in Quickbooks Desktop and Online setup, maintenance and review.<
Mr. Comiskey holds a Bachelor's degree in accounting from St. Ambrose University. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Illinois.
Vince Walczak, CPA
Tax Manager
Phone: (773) 831-9712
Fax: (773) 779-8310
Email: vince@desmondcpa.com
Vincent Walczak is a tax manager with Desmond & Ahern specializing in the preparation of trust, individual and corporation tax returns, including multi-state filings. His depth of experience also includes compiling and analyzing financial statements and preparation of payroll and sales tax returns for clients in the manufacturing, contractor, professional corporation and retail service industries.
Mr. Walczak earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Michigan State University and holds memberships in the AICPA and Illinois CPA Society. Vincent also enjoys playing baseball during the summer months in several 40 an over leagues.
Melinda Urbas, MBA
CFO Consultant
Phone: (773) 831-9708
Fax: (773) 779-8310
Email:melinda@desmondcpa.com
Melinda Urbas joined Desmond & Ahern Ltd. in 2008. She has over 25 years of management experience in accounting operations, corporate treasury and bank financial services in both large corporate and small business environments. Her current focus is on servicing the accounting and business advisory needs of clients in the nonprofit sector. Ms. Urbas holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Northern Illinois University and a Masters of Business Administration with Distinction from DePaul University in Chicago.
Prior to joining Desmond & Ahern Ltd., Ms. Urbas managed the corporate treasury department of a Fortune 500 corporation overseeing the company’s cash management and cash accounting functions, commercial paper and debt programs, bank relationships and the integration of various financial functions during corporate acquisitions and divestitures. She has a working knowledge of many accounting, treasury, and bank software applications.
Kaitlin Ferrara
Audit Manager
Phone: (773) 831-9730
Fax: (773) 779-8310
Email: kaitlin@desmondcpa.com
Kaitlin Ferrara has over 10 years of auditing, accounting and tax experience with an emphasis on auditing and tax preparation for not-for-profit organizations including public charities, schools, private foundations, associations and social clubs. She also has 7 years of experience performing Single Audits and audits of employee benefit plans.
Ms. Ferrara has volunteered with numerous not-for-profit organizations, as well as, for The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
Kaitlin holds a Bachelor's of Science in Accountancy from Roger Williams University with a minor in Finance.
Mel Padillo
Tax Manager
Phone: (773) 831-9725
Fax: (773) 779-8310
Email: mpadillo@desmondcpa.com
Mel Padillo is a tax manager at Desmond & Ahern, Ltd. Mr. Padillo has over 20 years of experience in accounting, finance, and information systems. He became a part of the Desmond & Ahern team in 2023 and is responsible for preparing over 300 Form 990 returns each year.
Mr. Padillo earned bachelor's degrees in both accounting and computer science from Northern Illinois University. He is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in accounting and data analytics, adept at navigating financial data analysis for both large and small scale businesses, among several industries. He possesses a comprehensive understanding of financial systems, regulatory compliance, and a track record of effectively leveraging data analytics to optimize operations and drive strategic decision-making.