About Us

LOUIS ZONA CPA, P.C.

Management Consultant
Certified Public Accountant

About Us

Our team of professionals is dedicated to simplifying your problems and working with you to create a solution you can understand.

Louis Zona, CPA
President

Lou is the founder and current owner of the firm. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University in 1968, he started the company in 1971. He graduated with a degree in Science and Health and did graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh in Exercise Physiology. While teaching in the public schools he decided to change careers. Acquiring the required credits from both Penn State and the local Community College he sat for and passed the CPA exam in his initial effort.

A skillful negotiator and public speaker, Lou learned the accounting profession by experience. Working in the economically booming western Pennsylvania steel mill environment in the 1970's and the same economically devastated areas in the 1980's and 1990's had a great effect on how to translate accounting to reality. Lou's strength is communication and that strength has allowed his firm not only to survive but to prosper during the turbulent 1980's and 1990's. He has represented numerous clients in both criminal and civil courts as an expert witness. Additionally, Lou represents clients before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for compliance, negotiation and settlement purposes.

He is currently a member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA).

He is an avid outdoorsman who has a pilot's license and races his BMW. Lou is also a buyer and seller of American coins and currency and operates a retail shop in the Cranberry Township location.

Lori Zona, CPA
Senior Accountant

Lori began working with the firm, full time in 2004 as an accountant. She previously worked during the summer for the firm while both in high school and college. Her duties then were everything from janitorial to junior accountant. Lori received her accreditation as a Certified Public Accountant in 2010.

She specializes in corporate taxation and financial statement preparation. She has experience as an expert witness in criminal court cases and represents clients before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Lori has a B.S. in Finance, with minors in Business Law and Kinesiology, from Pennsylvania State University, graduating in 2000. After graduating, Lori opened Zona’s Coffeehouse and Creamery, a joint coffeehouse and ice cream shop. She owned and operated that through 2003, and continued running her spin-off Internet gift basket business until 2009. Her experience as an actual owner/manager of a business provides her with comprehensive insights to the real problems that businesses have.

In her spare time, Lori competes in regional and national physical fitness competitions and loves to spend time with her son.

Roberta Zona
Senior Accountant

Roberta began working with the firm in its' inception in 1971. She has a B.S. in accounting from Geneva College. She performs all accounting, audit, and tax functions for the firm but specializes in income tax and financial statement preparation. As an experienced communicator, Roberta related well with the firm's clients. Problem resolution for clients' minor problems is her strength. She specializes in bookkeeping computer set-ups for small businesses.

Her 35+ years of experience in public accounting makes her an integral member of the firm.

She enjoys reading and walking.

Terri Bernabie
Office Manager & Payroll Specialist

Terri began with the company in 1987 as an administrative assistant. Currently she is the office manager which involves managing all internal office functions. She is primarily responsible for payroll and bookkeeping services. She prepares non-business tax returns and is responsible for accounts receivable and payable functions for the firm.

She and her husband, Dan, enjoy walks with their dog and fine dining. In addition to being an ardent reader, Terri is an avid gardener.

Mary Jena
Tax Specialist

Mary joined the firm in 1997. She is an income tax specialist with greater than 25 years experience in tax preparation. She most recently was an H&R Block office manager, and brings outstanding problem solving and communication skills to the firm. Additionally, Mary was a trainer of income tax law for the H&R Block Company.

She enjoys traveling to warm ocean front climates. Mary is an accomplished collector and owns an extensive collection of teddy bears.

Valerie Huffman
Staff Accountant

Valerie Huffman began working at the firm as a tax preparer and bookkeeper in January 2006. She attended Kent State University on an athletic basketball scholarship and graduated with a degree in Marketing in 2003. Valerie worked as an Assistant Manager at Enterprise Rent-a-Car in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Her role consisted of negotiating government contracts in addition to working with car dealerships and insurance companies while managing the branch's financial position.

Valerie is married to Jeremy, an inactive Marine Corp sergeant. They have two daughters, ages three and one.

Wendy Zona
Staff Accountant

Wendy Zona joined the firm in May of 2009. Wendy graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelors degree in Accounting and an emphasis in Finance in 1999. Wendy has significant experience from various corporate finance departments and brings her 10 years of financial services experience to the firm.

She began her career as an internal auditor at PaineWebber (now UBS) in New York City. Subsequent to her audit role she transferred to Morgan Stanley Corporate Headquarters and began working as a Trading Assistant and Product Controller in the Mortgage Backed Securities trading area. Her roles included reporting daily trading profit & loss and managing balance sheet inventory. Wendy relocated to Pittsburgh in July of 2004 and assumed a role at an asset management firm as a Portfolio Accountant before joining the accounting firm.