Our Team

Our Team:

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Michael J. Minchello, CPA

Partner
  • Phone: (781)734-7216
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Mike became a partner of the firm in 2005. He has over 25 years of experience in public accounting and currently provides a full range of tax, accounting and advisory services to individuals, family groups, trusts, estates, and businesses.  Mike’s focus includes strategic tax planning, trust & estate planning, and business consulting including choice of business entity. 

Mike is a trusted advisor and serves as a professional trustee for many clients.  He has experience in several business industries with an emphasis in real estate and professional services.

Outside the office, Mike is an active member of the community, volunteering his time as a board member and treasurer for many non-profit organizations.  He enjoys golf, skiing, and spending time with his family.  He has volunteered to coach many of his children’s town and club sports teams including baseball and hockey. 

Education:

  • Merrimack College, Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Professional Memberships:

  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants

Community Service:

  • Served as Treasurer of the Carlisle Congregational Church, Carlisle, MA
  • Served as Treasurer of the Discovery Museums, Acton MA
  • Served as Treasurer of the Imago School, Maynard, MA
  • Panel Speaker for Estate Planning Issues, Lexington Library
  • Volunteer Coach for youth baseball and hockey teams

Christopher T. Cullen, CPA, MsF

Partner
  • Phone: (781)734-7228
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Chris became a partner with Howell & Minchello, LLP in February 2020, having already spent over 15 years in the field. Over the course of his extensive career, Chris has acquired a broad range of tax and general accounting knowledge.

Beginning his career as an auditor with a Big 4 firm, Chris later spent 12 years at various prominent universities in the Boston area, most recently serving as Associate Controller. He specializes in audit as well as tax work for places of higher education, small businesses, individuals, trusts, and estates.

Chris loves interacting with his clients of many years and continuing to develop new relationships. He lives in Wayland, MA with his wife and three daughters. In his rare free time, he enjoys hiking, singing, and learning to play the guitar.

Education:

  • University of Massachusetts, Boston, MST, Finance
  • University of Massachusetts, Boston, BS, Accounting

Professional Memberships:

  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants

Community service:

  • Served on the board as treasurer of Wayland Creative Playschool
  • Served as treasurer and board member of First Parish church in Wayland

John D. Howell, CPA, CFP

Partner (semi-retired)
  • Phone: (781)734-7215
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John is a senior partner of the firm and has over 60 years of experience in public accounting. He specializes in solving taxation issues for individuals, trusts, and small businesses. John also has experience in compilation accounting as well as tax preparation for individuals and trusts.

In his free time, John enjoys gardening, reading non-tax journals, financial investing, and cruising oceans and rivers.

Education:

  • University of Massachusetts, Amherst, BBA, Accounting (minor in Psychology)

Professional Memberships:

  • Massachusetts Association of Accountants

Community Service:

  • Served as trustee of several private charitable foundations and trusts
  • Served as treasurer and trustee of two community churches

Gerald W. Howell, CPA, CFP

Partner (semi-retired)
  • Phone: (781)863-2444 ext. 220
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Gerry is a senior partner of the firm and has nearly 60 years of experience in public accounting.  Growing up in Belmont, MA, he became a resident of Lexington in 1965 where he currently resides with his wife Jan.

Gerry specializes in taxation and compliance, but has been recently processing fewer returns as he slowly heads toward retirement. Although he loves working at the firm, Gerry enjoys having more time to spend swimming, skating, dancing, and visiting Cape Cod.

Education:

  • Clarkson University, BBA
  • Bentley University, Graduate Courses

Professional Memberships:

  • Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants
  • Massachusetts Association of Accountants

Community Service:

  • Served as board member for:
    • Replace (non-profit)
    • Dana Home (non-profit)
    • Lexington Savings Bank
    • Brookhaven of Lexington
    • Lexington Council on Aging
    • LexHAB - committee dedicated to building, purchasing, and renting low to moderate income housing
  • Coached town sports in Lexington, MA

Charles E. Duran, Jr., CPA

Partner (semi-retired)
  • Phone: (781)863-2444 ext. 241
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Chuck is a seasoned financial professional with expertise in the field of taxation.  He has been in the practice of public accounting for over 30 years and serves a diverse range of clients.  He has experience with audit and accounting including financial statement reporting.  His focus at this time, includes tax planning and strategies for businesses and their owners.

Education:

  • Bentley College, High Honors

Community Service:

  • Actively involved in the Massachusetts Chapter of the Jimmy Fund Association:
    • Receiving awards for fundraising efforts
    • Participating in the annual Boston Marathon 26-mile Jimmy Fund walk for 8 years

Felicia Harrison-Lewis, CPA (MA and VA)

Manager
  • Phone: (781)734-7221
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Felicia is a Certified Public Accountant with over 20 years’ experience in public accounting both in Florida and Massachusetts. She has provided taxation and accounting services for all types of entities, but focuses primarily on small businesses, individuals, and non-profit organizations. Felicia is also skilled in QuickBooks troubleshooting and has been a QuickBooks ProAdvisor since 2016.

Graduating from the University of Miami, Florida, Felicia received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Accounting. In 2007, she relocated from Miami, Florida to the Boston area, where she now applies her skills in taxation and accounting at Howell & Minchello, LLP.

During her free time, Felicia enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time outdoors with family and friends.

Education:

  • University of Miami, Florida, BBA, Accounting

Dianna L. McNeish, CPA (MA and CT)

Manager
  • Phone: (781)863-2444 ext. 222
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Dianna joined Howell & Minchello, LLP in 2010 and has over 35 years of experience as a Certified Public Accountant in Connecticut and Massachusetts. She currently provides tax, accounting, and business advisory services for a client base of individuals, small businesses, and non-profit organizations.

Dianna has a passion for serving the community, and has herself been an active member of numerous non-profit organizations over the years.

In her free time, Dianna loves to cook, hike, garden, and travel with her two adult daughters. She has also recently started taking golf and pickleball lessons.

Education:

  • University of Connecticut, BBA, Accounting

Community Service:

  • Arlington EATS
  • RIA House Inc
  • Acton Boxboro Youth Softball League
  • Merriam Elementary School PTO
  • Salem Elementary School PTO
  • Bethsaida Community, Inc.

Andrea Hoff, CPA, MBA

Professional Staff
  • Phone: (781)863-2444 ext. 235
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Andi has worked in public accounting for over 30 years, starting her career while in college with an internship at one of the Big 4 public accounting firms. She has experience in several industries, including Real Estate, Financial Services, Manufacturing, and other businesses, with a specialty in Non-profit accounting and consulting. Throughout her career, Andi has been both an auditor and an audit liaison, responsible for both internal and external financial reporting, cash flow management, month-end closing, and the budgeting and forecasting process. Andi began working with QuickBooks in 2005 and is a Certified Advanced QuickBooks ProAdvisor.  Her tax experience has included individuals, trusts, partnerships, and small to mid-sized businesses.

Joining the team at Howell & Minchello, LLP in the fall of 2023, Andi looks forward to meeting and helping our clients with their tax returns.

In her free time, Andi enjoys spending time with her large extended family, friends, reading for enjoyment, and being in nature.

Education:

  • Boston College, BS, Accounting
  • Boston College, BS, Finance
  • Bentley University, MBA, Entrepreneurship

Community Service:

  • Served as Treasurer for 9 years at West Chelmsford United Methodist Church
  • Served as Assistant Treasurer for 4 years at West Chelmsford United Methodist Church
  • Lead Girl Scouts for 12 years with the Girl Scouts of Eastern MA
  • Helped the Lowell Humane Society as a Foster Mom for cats

Sunil Kumar, CPA, PhD

Professional Staff
  • Phone: (781)863-2444 ext. 217
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Sunil has over 15 years of experience in both domestic and international accounting. Over the course of his career, Sunil has acquired extensive knowledge in the areas of tax preparation and planning for individuals and small businesses. He is also an expert in financial analysis, forecasting, budgeting, and valuation to support mergers & acquisitions.

After earning his PhD in Business Administration at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, Sunil began helping Howell & Minchello, LLP clients in the spring of 2023. In his spare time, Sunil enjoys watching documentaries, reading biographies, and spending time with his family.

Education:

  • University of Massachusetts, Boston, PhD, Business Administration
  • Boston College, MBA
  • Maharshi Dayanand University, MBBS

Professional Memberships:

  • American Institute of CPAs
  • American Accounting Association

Janeen Polito, EA

Professional Staff
  • (781)863-2444 ext. 212
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Janeen joined the team at Howell & Minchello, LLP in January of 2024. Prior to helping clients at our firm, Janeen’s 17 years of experience included providing individuals and closely-held businesses with tax and accounting services. Her areas of expertise include tax planning and compliance and accounting assistance to businesses the professional services, real estate, manufacturing, and construction industries.  

During her free time, Janeen enjoys gardening, quilting, and spending time by the ocean with her husband and son.

Education:

  • Completed accounting and tax coursework at Bunker Hill Community College and Northeastern University

Phyllis M. Reynolds, MBA

Professional Staff
  • Phone: (781)863-2444 ext. 223
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Phyllis joined Howell & Minchello, LLP in 2008. She provides bookkeeping and taxation services to our clients.  Her focus includes preparation of individual income tax returns.  In her free time, she enjoys travel and spending time with her family. 

Education:

  • University of Lowell, MBA, Finance
  • Merrimack College, BS, Accounting

Anne Rogan

Professional Staff
  • Phone: (781)863-2444 ext. 218
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Anne has been working at Howell & Minchello, LLP for 4 years. She specializes in tax preparation for individual returns. During the off season she enjoys hosting friends and family, landscaping and gardening, co-leading a book club, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Education:

  • Rivier University, BS, Paralegal Studies

Community Service:

  • Anne is an active member of her church community at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Acton, MA and has volunteered in several areas including:
    • Teaching Sunday School
    • Leading teens and young adults in youth group
    • Serving on the Stewardship Committee

Minal Shingavi

Professional Staff
  • (781)863-2444 ext. 245
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Minal has been working in the accounting field for over 7 years. She joined Howell & Minchello, LLP at the beginning of 2024, specializing in tax preparation for small business returns.

During the off season she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies, cooking, hiking, and listening to music.

Education:

  • Pune University, India, BS, Electrical Engineering

Certifications:

  • Minuteman Community College, Accounting Fundamentals I & II

Fran De Oliveira

Professional Staff
  • Phone: (781)863-2444 ext. 213
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Fran joined Howell & Minchello, LLP in 2020, and has been preparing individual tax returns for nearly 10 years. In 2016, she started a sole proprietorship, which provided her with experience in preparing small business returns as well. Fran is also an excellent bookkeeper.

   In her free time, Fran enjoys traveling, spending quality time with friends and family, and volunteering.

Education:

  • Keiser University, AA, Accounting

Karen Cocca

Administrative Staff
  • Phone: (781)863-2444 ext. 210
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Karen joined Howell & Minchello, LLP in 2020 and has 8 years of experience in administrative work.  She provides significant and valuable support to our professional staff and clients.    

In her free time, Karen enjoys cooking, hiking, gardening, going to the beach, and spending time with her family. 

Rachel Conti

Administrative Staff
  • Phone: (781)863-2444
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Rachel is a student at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and joined the team at Howell & Minchello, LLP in the spring of 2022. She is grateful for the opportunity to experience working in an office environment and to explore the field of accounting. In her free time, Rachel enjoys singing, dancing, watching movies, studying the Bible with friends, and spending time with her family.