FEI Austin - January 2026 Breakfast Meeting - "Key Accounting and Tax Updates from ML&R"

Mayela Limas, CPA, serves as a Tax Partner in Maxwell Locke & Ritter’s Tax Compliance & Advisory practice. She draws on her background advising high-net-worth individuals, trusts, family-limited partnerships, and estate planning clients to deliver thoughtful, tailored tax compliance and consulting services. Mayela holds both a Master of Professional Accounting and a Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin. Before joining ML&R, she spent several years at a national accounting firm, and she is an active member of Texas Society of CPAs. Known for her client-centered approach and commitment to clear communication, Mayela helps individuals and families navigate complex tax and planning needs. 

Punja Patel, CPA, is an Audit Partner at Maxwell Locke & Ritter, where she leads attestation and financial-statement advisory services for clients across a range of industries, including technology, business and professional services, consumer products, nonprofit, life sciences, manufacturing, retail and construction. After beginning her career at Deloitte & Touche, LLP in 2006, Punja joined ML&R in 2012 and now brings more than a decade of public accounting experience to her role. She holds a Master of Professional Accounting from Southern Methodist University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin. Known for her thoughtful approach and deep technical expertise, she partners with clients to strengthen financial transparency, enhance audit readiness and deliver tailored, practical solutions.

Anna Stepan, CPA, is a Tax Partner at Maxwell Locke & Ritter, where she provides federal and multi-state tax compliance and consulting services, with a primary emphasis on clients in the real estate and technology industries and on the U.S. tax aspects of international operations. She started her career in the Austin office of Ernst & Young before joining ML&R in 2007. Leveraging decades of experience, she has guided numerous clients through acquisitions, mergers, and financing transactions, helping them navigate complex tax issues effectively. Anna holds a Master of Professional Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and a B.S. in Business Administration with an accounting concentration from Trinity University.