Kay Vogler

Kay Vogler is a Senior Manager in the Property Tax practice at Merit Advisors, where she leads a team of dedicated consultants focused on minimizing annual property tax liabilities and ensuring accurate valuations for the firm’s clients. Kay joined Merit in 2022, bringing over 30 years of property tax experience. Over the years, she has represented properties all over the United States. Kay started in the property tax business at Jimmy G. Myska, Inc. in 1994. Vann Vandervoort partnered with Jimmy G. Myska in 2005 to form Myska and Vandervoort, LLC. In 2016, that firm merged with Stancil Property Tax , which was acquired by Merit in 2022.

Steven Carlile

Steven Carlile is a Senior Manager of Tax Technology at Merit Advisors, where he helps clients in the energy industry unlock hidden value and optimize their financial performance. Steven brings a deep understanding of the energy value chain, from exploration and production to midstream and downstream operations. Leveraging proprietary technology and a collaborative approach, he works closely with clients to identify opportunities, mitigate risks and drive sustainable growth. Steven’s expertise in state and local tax regulations ensures that clients maximize their savings and achieve their financial goals.

Steven earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Oklahoma State University. As someone who is passionate about empowering others to harness the power of data analytics, Steven co-leads the Oklahoma Alteryx User Group, fostering a community where professionals can enhance their data analytics skills and explore the full potential of Alteryx software.

James Holzer

James Holzer is a Senior Manager in the Severance Tax department at Merit Advisors, where he focuses on finding tax savings opportunities for oil and gas producers in a variety of jurisdictions. James and his team uncover these opportunities by analyzing each jurisdiction’s statutes, regulations and case law to identify all possible incentives and deductions. He then coordinates with Merit’s clients to develop a plan to claim these tax credits in alignment with their company’s business model.

Prior to joining Merit in 2023, James was a severance tax manager at Ryan, LLC for more than seven years. His diverse experience includes working as a meteorologist in the military for six years, serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones, and working for the Louisiana Department of Revenue as a law clerk for two years. These experiences have given James insights that aid him in his current role of securing maximum savings for oil and gas producers.

James earned his bachelor’s degree in social sciences with a specialization in history. He then completed his MBA in international business and earned a J.D. with a heavy focus on tax law.

Kersey Tse

Kersey Tse is a Senior Manager of Sales and Use Tax at Merit Advisors, specializing in sales and use tax strategy, audit defense and transaction tax planning. In this role, Kersey leads complex tax projects, providing strategic solutions that drive measurable results.

Kersey joined Merit in 2023, bringing more than 10 years of tax experience within the energy sector. Previously, he served as Lead Tax Analyst at CenterPoint Energy, where his responsibilities included sales and use tax process improvements, SOX compliance enhancements, and identification of tax benefits. Kersey has also served as a Senior Accountant at Chord Energy Corporation and Senior Consultant at Ryan, LLC.

Kersey graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with dual degrees: Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) and Bachelor of Arts (Sociology). He minored in Accounting and Management Information Systems. Kersey is an active Sales Tax Certified Member (CMI) of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation.