Our Team

Susan J. Myers, CPA, MBA

Susan has operated her own tax practice since 2004, specializing in comprehensive tax planning and preparation for high-net-worth families. Her expertise includes individual, trust, and closely held business tax returns, as well as family office management. She also brings extensive experience serving clients in the private equity and venture capital sectors.

Susan's professional journey began with 11 years at PwC and Deloitte in Ohio. After starting her family, she worked for a family office in Cincinnati, overseeing the financial operations. In 1999, Susan relocated to California, where she spent five years with a mid-sized accounting firm before founding her own practice in Menlo Park in 2004. Additionally, she managed the family
office of a private equity firm founder during this time.

Susan holds a degree in accounting from Miami University and an MBA from Xavier University. She is a licensed CPA in both California and Washington.
Outside of her professional life, Susan enjoys biking, drinking wine, relaxing on the beaches of Mexico or unwinding in the mountains of Lake Tahoe. She values spending time with her family, especially spoiling her two grandsons.

Katie Ruzicka, CPA, MPACC Tax

Katie began her career at PwC in Seattle, specializing in tax services for hedge funds, private equity, and venture capital firms. Katie then joined Berntson Porter & Company, a respected local CPA firm later acquired by CBIZ, where she focused on serving mid-sized, often family owned businesses and their owners. She continued her work at CBIZ, expanding her expertise and serving a diverse client base with a niche in real estate. In January 2023, Katie joined
Meritage Tax Advisors, where she combines her technical expertise in tax compliance and planning with a commitment to building strong client relationships. She enjoys working alongside her mom, Susan, and is excited to be part of a growing team dedicated to delivering exceptional tax solutions.

Katie graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with an undergraduate degree in accounting in 2014 and a master’s degree in taxation in 2015. Katie is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and is dedicated to maintaining a high level of professional development in tax and accounting.

Katie lives in Woodinville, WA, with her husband, two young sons, and their dog. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, visiting wineries, traveling to new places, and of course attending Husky tailgates—Go Dawgs!

Patrick O'Donnell

Patrick began his career in New York City at BCRS Associates, a boutique firm specializing in providing tax services to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their family entities. He later joined EY, where he spent four years in their Private Client Services division, continuing his focus on high-net-worth clients, particularly within the hedge fund space. Patrick then expanded his expertise at Apercen Partners LLC, working for four years with primarily billionaire clients from Silicon Valley’s tech sector. He is currently part of Meritage Tax Advisors, bringing a wealth of experience in personalized tax strategies for affluent clients.

Graduating from the University of South Carolina in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in accounting, he has successfully passed all four sections of the CPA exam and is currently pursuing his Master's degree to complete the credit hour requirements for full CPA licensure.

Now residing remotely in Seattle, WA, Patrick relocated from New York City at the start of the pandemic and has since set down his roots. He enjoys spending quality time with his wife, two dogs, and young son. In his free time, Patrick loves traveling, hiking, snowboarding, and passionately follows his alma mater's sports teams.

Heather Conrad, MBA

Heather joined Meritage Tax Advisors in February 2025 as a Tax Associate, bringing with her over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. Before transitioning into tax, Heather specialized in calculating complex commission payouts for two separate companies and also gained valuable experience working at a law firm in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is currently working toward earning the Enrolled Agent designation with the IRS.

Heather holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Cincinnati's Lindner College of Business, graduating in 2010. She furthered her education by earning an MBA from the University of Dayton, completing the program in 2021.

Heather works remotely from Middletown, Ohio where she was born and raised. Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys traveling, attending sporting events, spending time at the lake, and exploring the outdoors with her son.