Lauren McCall

Lauren McCall is a Property Tax Manager at Merit Advisors, where she has been a dedicated member of the team since 2012. She leads a team of consultants who manage a variety of property types. Lauren focuses on ensuring compliance, identifying tax-saving opportunities, and delivering accurate filings and appeal support across multiple jurisdictions.

With over a decade of experience, Lauren brings a strong understanding of complex property tax matters and maintains trusted relationships with appraisal districts. She is also committed to mentoring team members and enhancing internal processes to support continued growth.

Lauren earned a General Business degree from Texas Woman’s University in 2014 and is a licensed Property Tax Consultant in the state of Texas. She remains committed to ongoing professional development and delivering value to Merit’s clients.

Tanner Franklin

Tanner Franklin joined Merit Advisors in October 2024 and is a Manager in the Property Tax practice, where he works with clients in the industrial manufacturing, energy, and chemical sectors to reduce tax liabilities and navigate complex valuations. He leads a team of consultants committed to delivering results, whether through strategic appeal negotiations, well-supported fair market value opinions, or identifying overlooked opportunities.

Prior to joining Merit, Tanner spent nine years with Kroll’s Valuation Advisory Services group, managing property tax engagements for large, publicly traded industrial portfolios. His background includes leading obsolescence analyses, property tax litigation, and negotiating high-value appeals, with a strong focus on oilfield service and heavy manufacturing assets.

Tanner holds a BBA in Economics from the University of North Texas. He is a licensed Property Tax Consultant in the state of Texas and an active member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT).

Yvonne Kimbrel 

Yvonne Kimbrel is a Manager of Property Tax at Merit Advisors, where she focuses on valuations, negotiations, process improvements and outsourcing services for mineral-related clients. She has 16 years of ad valorem tax consulting and compliance experience.

Yvonne joined Merit in 2009 as an ad valorem tax consultant specializing in oil and gas properties, pipeline gathering systems, upstream producing properties and complex properties. At Merit, she performs valuation and negotiation services for numerous energy, energy service and telecommunications companies. Her experience includes utilizing valuations to minimize ad valorem taxation for upstream oil and gas assets, drilling rigs, oilfield service equipment, telecommunications equipment, pipelines and compressors.

Yvonne also assists in the development of property tax systems designed to provide ad valorem tax outsourcing and management services for companies with substantial assets in several states. The capabilities of these systems include compliance, tax estimating, reporting, scheduling, tax bill processing and general oversight of the property tax function.

Yvonne earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston. She is licensed as a Property Tax Consultant by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Kielyn Lewis 

Kielyn Lewis is a Manager of Property Tax at Merit Advisors, where he oversees a team of consultants. Kielyn is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of team members’ work while providing ongoing support to foster their continued growth within the company. Prior to joining Merit in 2017, he was a salesman at Glenn Polk Ford in Gainesville, Texas.

Kielyn earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management and his master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of the Incarnate Word. He is an active member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation.

Morgan Chase, CPA

Morgan Chase is a Manager in the Sales and Use Tax practice at Merit Advisors, specializing in audit defense, refund recovery and use tax compliance for clients across the oil and gas industry. Morgan also works with other manufacturers, contractors and clients in the petrochemical industry.

Through her eight years of experience in both sales and use tax and severance tax, Morgan has acquired extensive knowledge of oil and gas operations. Prior to joining Merit in 2022, she worked in the Houston office of EY as a Senior Consultant in their severance tax and sales and use tax groups. Before that, Morgan was an Indirect Tax Analyst at Equitrans Midstream, EQT Corporation and Rice Energy in Pittsburgh, PA.

Morgan earned her Bachelor of Science degrees in Forensic Accounting, Accounting and Business Administration at Thiel College in Western Pennsylvania. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the state of Texas.

Dakota Nichols

Dakota Nichols is a Manager of Property Tax at Merit Advisors. Dakota fosters a growth mindset that empowers consultants to execute excellent client-service delivery and maximize value for their clients.

Prior to joining Merit in 2021, Dakota was an educator and baseball coach in Memphis, TN and Los Angeles, CA. He taught 4th-grade math at Knight Road Elementary and 7th grade math at Memphis School of Excellence and STEM Preparatory Academy.

Dakota earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Texas Christian University. He is an active member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT).

Paul Honigman

Paul Honigman is a Manager at Merit Advisors in the Sales and Use Tax practice, where he specializes in audit defense, refund recovery, tax compliance, and tax planning for clients across the oil and gas industry. He works closely with exploration and production companies, midstream operators, and oilfield service providers to identify tax savings opportunities and navigate complex audit matters.

With nearly a decade of experience in sales and use tax, he has developed a deep understanding of oil and gas operations and applies that knowledge to deliver practical, value-driven tax solutions. Prior to joining Merit, he held senior consulting roles at KPMG and Ryan, LLC, where he led multi-state audit and reverse audit engagements, and advised clients on taxability and compliance.

He earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Louisiana State University, where he was recognized on the Dean’s List for academic excellence. As a Manager at Merit, he is dedicated to exceptional client service and committed to fostering the growth of his team and the continued success of the practice.

Chance Parker

Chance Parker is a seasoned tax professional with over seven years of specialized expertise in multi-state sales and use tax, with a deep focus on the energy sector. His ability to navigate the complex and ever-evolving landscape of state tax regulations has made him a trusted advisor for energy companies seeking compliance and operational efficiency.

Chance has spearheaded numerous high-impact projects that deliver measurable results. His portfolio includes conducting reverse sales tax reviews, providing robust audit defense strategies, leading managed audits to streamline compliance processes, developing sophisticated project tax models, and performing in-depth nexus studies to ensure accurate tax obligations. His strategic insights and tailored solutions have consistently optimized tax processes, reduced liabilities, and enhanced financial outcomes for clients.

Known for his analytical precision and client-centric approach, Chance combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of the energy industry’s unique challenges. Chance holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting from Texas Tech University and stays at the forefront of industry trends through continuous professional development.