(404) 874-0555
WPG is hiring. This is an excellent opportunity for auditors to advance their careers. Join our team. Apply now.

Meet Our Experts

At Your Service


Our Executive Team

Donald K. Murphy, CPA, FCPA, CFE, CGFM, CGMA

CEO and Managing Associate
Mr. Murphy is the CEO and managing associate of our firm. He is a certified public accountant, forensic certified public accountant, certified fraud examiner, certified government financial manager and chartered global management accountant. Mr. Murphy has over 30 years of hands-on experience in higher education. He has served as vice president of finance on several occasions, most notably for Atlanta University, Clark Atlanta University, Benedict College, Allen University and Morehouse School of Medicine. Mr. Murphy also has served as an independent auditor and advisor to a number of colleges and universities. He has been a member of and served as an advisor to the Southern and National Associations of College and University Business Officers. He maintains an active membership in a number of professional organizations, including the AICPA, NICFE, AGA, GSCPA, and NABA. Mr. Murphy is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of South Carolina. As CEO and managing associate, his responsibilities include managing the overall operations of the firm.

Keith X. Terrell, CPA, CRFAC, FCPA, CGMA

Vice President, COO and Senior Associate
Mr. Terrell is a certified public accountant, certified forensic accountant and a chartered global management accountant. He holds two certifications in forensic accounting and has over 30 years of extensive audit, accounting and technical assistance experience. He performs a wide array of services, primarily for colleges, universities and schools, including accounting software implementation, database reconciliation, asset valuation, indirect cost proposals, fiscal operational assessments, fraud and forensic investigations, and business office staff training. Mr. Terrell has served as vice president of fiscal affairs on several occasions. As senior vice president of our firm, he is responsible for quality assurance on all engagements. He is a cum laude graduate of Alabama A&M University. His professional memberships include the AICPA, GSCPA, ABFA and FCPAS. Mr. Terrell is also an Elder at Salem Bible Church.

Carol Byrd, CPA, CITP, CGMA

Vice President and Senior Associate
Ms. Byrd, a graduate of Stetson University in Deland, Florida, is a certified public accountant, certified information technology professional, and chartered global management accountant. She serves as a vice president and senior associate for attestation and assurance. When Ms. Byrd joined WPG, she had over 25 years of hands-on experience with nonprofit organizations. She continued in that vein and also is our manager and supervisor of audits of colleges, universities and other non-profits for over 10 years at our firm. Ms. Byrd is a member of several professional and civic organizations including the AICPA and GSCPA. She is also a member of the AICPA Not-for-Profit Section and holds a Certificate 1 in the AICPA Not-For-Profit Certificate Program.

Shelia Brown, CSFAA

Vice President and Senior Associate
Ms. Brown is our Vice President and Senior Associate for Student Financial Aid Services. She has enormous experience in working with both small and large colleges. She has served as a financial aid director at several institutions, including Fayetteville State University, Clark Atlanta University, Benedict College and LeMoyne-Owen College. Ms. Brown works closely with our clients and the U.S. Department of Education to resolve Title IV program liabilities, improve financial aid delivery systems and resolve student financial aid issues. She is a graduate of Fayetteville State University and has been active with the National and Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

Jennifer C. Moore, MS, CPA, CFE, CITP, CGMA

Vice President and Senior Associate
Ms. Moore is certified public accountant, certified fraud examiner, certified information technology professional and chartered global management accountant, who holds a master's degree in Public Accountancy. Ms. Moore is a specialist in fraud and audit related data analysis and has designed proprietary analytics for these purposes. She is also responsible for the UNCF member institutions benchmarking report. Ms. Moore began her accounting career as an auditor with the New York State Comptroller’s Office and served as an audit manager with an Atlanta-based public accounting firm. Over the years, Ms. Moore has taught accounting principles and productivity software at two community colleges. She has written data analysis-related articles, authored continuing professional education coursework and published books. Ms. Moore is a member of the AICPA, GSCPA, and ACFE. She serves on the AICPA's CITP exam development team as well as nonprofit and civic boards.

Jerry L. Hanes, Jr., MAcc, CIA

Associate Vice President and Senior Associate
Mr. Hanes, a certified internal auditor, leads the advisory practice for our firm. His responsibilities include the strategic direction, overall quality control and client satisfaction for our advisory engagements. Jerry has more than 15 years of experience serving as a strategic, collaborative leader. Prior to joining our firm, Mr. Hanes was the internal audit director for Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc., a 3,300 restaurant international franchisor. He was the global internal audit director for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., a 2,300 restaurant international franchisor. He was also a senior manager in the advisory service practice of a Big 4 firm in Raleigh, NC and Atlanta, GA. Mr. Hanes serves on the advisory board of NABA's Atlanta chapter and is a member of IIA. He holds a Master in Accountancy and Bachelor of Science Degree, both earned at North Carolina State University.

Dedicated Professionals


Our Associates Team

Dane Alexander, JD, CPA

Senior Associate
Mr. Alexander is vastly experienced in internal and external auditing, including employee benefit plans and Sarbanes-Oxley engagements. He serves our firm’s higher education, government, nonprofit and business clients. He has a juris doctorate degree and is a certified public accountant. Before joining WPG, Mr. Alexander worked with both Big 4 and local accounting firms on Fortune 500, banking, government, nonprofit and higher education engagements. He also served as business and finance vice president for Alabama A&M University, chief financial officer for Capitol City Bank in Atlanta, as well as other leadership and advisory positions for the City of Atlanta. Mr. Alexander is a member of the AICPA and GSCPA..

Clotell L. Bolton, MS

Senior Associate
Ms. Bolton is an accounting and auditing professional who earned her master's degree in public accountancy from Keller Graduate School of Management. She is a lead auditor responsible for coordinating and managing audits of higher education, governmental, business and nonprofit clients. She serves as external chief financial officer, controller and accountant at various times for our clients who require temporary staffing. Ms. Bolton is a member of the AICPA and GSCPA and is also a CPA candidate.

Trecye F. Coleman

Associate
Ms. Coleman’s passion for serving people makes her a valuable asset to our higher education clients where she often provides on-site services working directly with students and parents. She also performs student financial aid compliance audits, on-site processing services and reconciliations. She has over 10 years’ experience in student financial aid and customer service. Prior to joining our firm, Ms. Coleman held many positions such as processor, counselor, and consultant. She is currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts degree program and does volunteer missionary work through her church.

Timothy R. Foster, CPA, CIA, CFE

Senior Associate
Mr. Foster is an accomplished professional with a diverse background. Prior to joining WPG, Mr. Foster worked as an independent consultant on a variety of projects, such as SOX compliance including information technology general controls (ITGCs) and SEC financial reporting. Mr. Foster has experience with Big 4 and other accounting firms, as well as various companies in a broad range of industries. Mr. Foster is a certified public accountant, certified internal auditor, and certified fraud examiner. He attended Cornell University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He is a member of the AICPA and GSCPA and also enjoys volunteering and mentoring.

Sheri Jefferson, MS

Associate
Ms. Jefferson is a financial aid professional with over 20 years of experience in higher education administration. She has a strong expertise in Title IV compliance with proven results in reducing and/or eliminating audit findings. Her experience expands to areas of student accounts, registration and enrollment management. Ms. Jefferson has experience streamlining the financial aid processes to improve administration and data flow. She has a broad knowledge of various systems such as Jenzabar EX, PowerCAMPUS, EdConnect, EDExpress, Populi, Banner, Datatel and PowerFAIDS. Prior to joining WPG, Ms. Jefferson has served as financial aid director and associate vice president for student affairs. Sheri holds a Master of Science degree in Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

Melanie D. Johnson, MS

Associate
Ms. Johnson has over 20 years of experience in student financial aid services. She has served in a number of important roles such as default manager, financial aid counselor and Perkins liquidation coordinator. Ms. Johnson has also served as director and interim director of student financial aid. She works with a variety of financial aid software including PowerFaids, CampusVue, Datatel, CAMS, Banner and Jenzabar (CX).  Ms. Johnson holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from LeMoyne-Owen College and a master's degree in human resources from Central Michigan University.

Freddie Johnson, CPA

Senior Associate
Mr. Johnson is a certified public accountant who has a plethora of senior level administrator experience in higher education. Notably, he served as controller at Morehouse College, vice president for fiscal affairs at Paine College, Fort Valley State University and Atlanta Metropolitan College. Mr. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in accounting from Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Milton V. Jones

Senior Associate
Mr. Jones has over 40 years of experience in public accounting which includes 25 years working with colleges and universities. Prior to joining our firm, Mr. Jones served as accounting manager for a local university and controller of a large insurance company. His experience includes Sarbanes-Oxley services. Mr. Jones is one of our lead auditors. He serves as a temporary external chief financial officer when requested by clients. He is an active member of 100 Black Men of Atlanta and a number of other social, fraternal and religious organizations.

Marian Jones

Associate
Ms. Jones is a student financial aid associate with over 25 years of experience. She has worked in college and university financial aid environments as a director, counselor, file reviewer, student accounts processor and as an auditor. Ms. Jones is a cum laude graduate of Virginia State University with graduate studies in economics at George Washington University.

Anitra Lester, MBA

Senior Associate
Ms. Lester is a graduate of Savannah State University and has an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. She has a wealth of professional experience that spans over 20 years in audit and accounting. Ms. Lester serves our firm with distinction on higher education, government and nonprofit financial audit engagements. Ms. Lester also performs compliance and employee benefit plan audits, assists clients with audit preparation and general accounting consulting.

Michael Mayer

Senior Associate
Mr. Mayer has over 30 years of experience in auditing, accounting, financial management and project consulting. He holds degrees in accounting and economics from Rutgers University. Mr. Mayer has served in the capacities of vice president, controller, IAD manager, auditor, financial analyst and consultant. He has extensive experience in higher education, having served as accountant and auditor for nine different institutions. He is also experienced in strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, and cause and effect problem resolution. Mr. Mayer is a lead auditor of WPG's higher education, government and nonprofit clients. He also performs long-term managerial engagements as external chief financial officer and controller.

Yvonne Shanks

Senior Associate
Ms. Shanks has over 20 years’ experience in accounting and auditing our firm’s higher education and nonprofit clients. She has assisted with indirect cost proposal policies and procedures manual preparation. Ms. Shanks has served as controller, lead auditor and has conducted training in student financial aid. She is an active member of her church and a member of the Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary. Ms. Shanks is an alumna of Xavier University of Louisiana.

Phyliss M. Spragin, MPAcct, CIA

Senior Associate
Ms. Spragin is a senior associate of our firm. She is a certified internal auditor and a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors. Having over 10 years in higher education administration, and 17 years in nonprofit accounting, she brings a wealth of experience to WPG. Ms. Spragin has served as director of internal auditing and controller for Grambling State University and vice president of finance for Talladega College. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from Dillard University and a Master of Professional Accountancy from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi.

Natasha M. Thomas, MBA, MAFM

Associate
Ms. Thomas is a dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in accounting, taxation and financial management. Prior to joining our firm, Ms. Thomas worked with Fortune 500 companies as a staff accountant and payroll tax manager. She serves our higher education clients as an auditor and consultant. Ms. Thomas is proficient in QuickBooks, Peachtree, MAS 90 and Timberlin softwares. In addition, she prepares corporate, nonprofit and employee benefit plan tax returns. Ms. Thomas is a graduate of Clayton State University where she earned a bachelor's degree in business and marketing. She earned both a Master of Business Administration degree and a Master of Accounting and Financial Management degree from Keller Graduate School of Management. She is a member of AICPA, GSCPA, NABA and NBMBAA.

Sonja M. Walker, MBA

Associate
Ms. Walker is an experienced student financial aid professional with over 15 years of service. Combining a mixture of skillful leadership and professional knowledge, Ms. Walker provides exceptional service for our higher education clients and their students. In addition to student financial aid audits, Ms. Walker also provides on-site processing, reconciliation and other specialized services. Prior to joining our firm, Ms. Walker worked as a financial aid consultant for Peter's Principles. She also served as a director of financial aid for Laurus Technical Institute, a proprietary school in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Walker has served on the boards of GASFAA and SASFAA, two professional student financial aid organizations, on both the local and regional levels. She earned her master's degree in business administration from American Intercontinental University.

LaToya Washington, MBA, M.Acc

Associate
Ms. Washington is a tax preparation and auditing specialist with our firm. She earned dual master's degrees from Mercer University. Prior to joining our firm, Ms. Washington worked with Big 4 and local accounting firms where she gained expertise in nonprofit, partnership, corporate, and international taxation. Her financial and employee benefit auditing responsibilities include higher education, governmental, business and nonprofit. Ms. Washington developed a passion for working in the nonprofit sector from serving in accounting and finance roles in a church. She is an active member in her church and participates in leadership and volunteer initiatives. Additionally, she is a member of the AICPA and GSCPA.

Cynthia Wheeler, CPA

Senior Associate
Ms. Wheeler is a certified public accountant and higher education specialist. Prior to joining our firm, she served as business manager for The Children’s School, controller for Morris Brown College and accounting manager for Atlanta Area Technical College. Ms. Wheeler has also served as accountant for Ivan Allen Company and financial analyst for Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. She has a wealth of experience in performing accounting, auditing, financial management and budgeting functions for educational and related institutions. In her various capacities, she has worked directly with a variety of enterprise management software including SCT Banner and Datatel Colleague. Ms. Wheeler holds a cum laude degree in accounting from Dillard University and has done graduate studies at the University of Georgia.

G. Paul Foster II, MPA , RFI

Associate
Mr. Foster has served as an Accountant for over a decade, with approximately six years of extensive experience in auditing.His public accounting experience includes single audits, HUD audits, preparing and filing Form 990, conducting audit interviews (entrance and exit conferences and internal controls) with CFOs, CEOs, Accountants, Controllers and Comptrollers. Mr. Foster has experience performing federal compliance testing, analytical reviews, trial balance testing and internal control testing. Mr. Foster graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Management. Mr. Foster earned a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Capella University. Mr. Foster is a registered forensic investigator and a member of the American Board of Forensic Accounting. Additionally, Mr. Foster is a member of the AICPA and is also a CPA candidate.

Justin Spates

Intern
Mr. Spates is working with our firm as an intern. He is a student of Business Administration at Georgia State University. He is a member of the AICPA and the GSCPA. Under the guidance of the Wesley Peachtree Group, he has worked on a variety of projects including data analytics, audits, and social media management.

Sandra Davis

Editor
Ms. Davis is the editor and writer of our HBCU News monthly newsletter. An avid researcher, she brings her skills and training together to produce a unique and dynamic publication. Ms. Davis is a graduate of Hofstra University where she earned a bachelor's degree in mass communication.

Office Management


Our Administrative Team

Lakita McCoy

Administrative Assistant
Ms. McCoy is central to crafting our services into printed bound products. An honorably discharged veteran who rose to the rank of captain, Ms. McCoy uses her military experience to execute her duties with precision. She has been with WPG for 25 years. Ms. McCoy is our HBCU Forum coordinator and serves the firm with honor and distinction. She is a graduate of the University of West Georgia with a bachelor’s of business administration.

Natashia Melvin Brown

Executive Administrator
Ms. Brown is a dedicated team player with over 25 years of administrative experience. She has a wide range of responsibilities including human resources management, scheduling, travel planning, conference and meeting planning, maintenance of appointment calendars and computer technical support. She handles a host of day-to-day administrative duties and is a most valuable WPG asset.