Helping nonprofits with their
financial challenges.
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It’s Your Mission to do Good.
Maner Costerisan Financial Services Help You do it Well.
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3 Key Financial Services Every Nonprofit Should Know
Process Reviews
Concerned your team is spinning its wheels on manual or duplicative tasks? Our process review experts collaborate to dig into your current processes and uncover opportunities to make them more effective, efficient and measurable, so you can focus on what matters most.
CFO Advisory Services
Give your nonprofit all the advantages of an experienced CFO at a fraction of the cost. Our senior-level leaders go beyond traditional accounting support to do more for your organization. We’re ready to help with everything from big-picture tasks — supporting your finance department, mapping out strategic planning and outlining KPIs — to hands-on day-to-day work like managing special projects.
Sustainability Planning
We’ll help you set and manage your goals and evaluate your needs to ensure you’re creating a scalable sustainability plan for success. We take into account internal, economic and environmental factors that may impact your organization to ensure that you are set up with an actionable plan to continue your mission for years to come.
We Support All Types of Missions by Helping With All Types of Challenges.
Maner Costerisan is trusted by over 400 nonprofits across the region. Because when we work with your organization, we become an extension of your team. We can help with day-to-day responsibilities, and develop higher-level financial plans that sustain your mission. We know the questions to ask, risks to mitigate and how to develop a plan for the future.
Our team of experts tailor solutions around where your charitable organization, trade association or private foundation is today and where you want to be tomorrow. We then customize a plan to give you exactly the support it needs to make an even bigger difference, no matter your budget, focus, limitations or big-picture goals.
Experts in Action
We understand your unique challenges. From funding, grant-making and reporting requirements to donor/member engagement, technology, and the struggle to get the most out of limited resources — we use our experience and industry connections to help create proactive solutions built to support your goals and long-term success. Trust our team of experts to help guide your next move, so you can focus 100% on your mission.
Sarah Jennings, CPA, CFE, CAE, Principal, Director, Consulting
Sarah is a principal at Maner Costerisan and leads the firm’s Consulting services division. With over 20 years of experience, Sarah is widely regarded as a visionary leader within the firm, always offering new ideas to help Maner better support its clients. In addition to her leadership role providing expert consulting services to Maner’s clients, she spearheads the firm’s nonprofit team, where she’s able to align her work with her passion for advocacy and philanthropy. She also holds the distinction of being its first female board member.
Sarah’s responsibilities encompass overseeing engagements that offer guidance and advisory services to client leadership and teams, with a focus on strategy and change management, financial analysis, projections, and workflow. Notably, her expertise lies in leveraging strategic planning to propel missions forward, instilling a framework for growth, and ensuring accountability for achieving the desired outcomes. In addition, Sarah conducts examinations for diverse organizations to identify and document the magnitude of loss attributable to fraud or abuse.
Passionate about making the community a better place, Sarah has led many of Maner Costerisan’s community engagement efforts, including the development of Maner Cares and its annual Day of Impact. Her efforts demonstrate Maner Costerisan’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, a focus that is both exciting and meaningful. In addition, Sarah has focused on diversity in leadership by helping form Maner’s Women at Work program, founding the Lansing ATHENA Women’s Interest Network, and serving on the ATHENA WIN, Michigan ATHENA and ATHENA International board of directors.
Beyond her client responsibilities at Maner Costerisan, Sarah regularly shares her expertise with colleagues and peers by speaking on industry-related topics, including fraud (risk areas and prevention), financial oversight, board governance and ethics. She founded the local Association of Certified Fraud Examiners to provide resources locally to professionals focused on the prevention and detection of fraud.
Sarah also has received a number of awards, including the MICPA, AICPA Woman to Watch, Experienced Leader – 2017, Greater Lansing Community Champion – 2016, ATHENA Leadership Award – 2015 and 10 Over the Next 10, Lansing – 2010.
As an active member of the community, Sarah volunteers her time with various organizations, including McLaren Greater Lansing Foundation (Chair), McLaren Greater Lansing (Trustee), University of Olivet (Trustee), Michigan Accountancy Foundation (Trustee) and Love is Above All (Chair).
Sarah resides with her husband, Russ, and their son, Kannon. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, gardening, playing golf (generally being active and outside), traveling and spending time with family.
I see curiosity as a lifelong companion, constantly driving me to learn and find solutions. With a focus on strategic thinking, I approach challenges with a big-picture mindset, always seeking ways to help individuals and organizations grow along the way.
Years of Experience
20+
Memberships
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA)
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
Lansing Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
American Society of Association Executives
Michigan Society of Association Executives
Council of Michigan Foundations
Michigan ATHENA
McLaren Greater Lansing Foundation (Chair)
McLaren Greater Lansing (Trustee)
University of Olivet (Trustee)
Michigan Accountancy Foundation (Trustee)
Certifications
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
Certified Association Executive (CAE)
Sarah Jennings, CPA, CFE, CAE, Principal, Director, Consulting
Sarah is a principal at Maner Costerisan and leads the firm’s Consulting services division. With over 20 years of experience, Sarah is widely regarded as a visionary leader within the firm, always offering new ideas to help Maner better support its clients. In addition to her leadership role providing expert consulting services to Maner’s clients, she spearheads the firm’s nonprofit team, where she’s able to align her work with her passion for advocacy and philanthropy. She also holds the distinction of being its first female board member.
Sarah’s responsibilities encompass overseeing engagements that offer guidance and advisory services to client leadership and teams, with a focus on strategy and change management, financial analysis, projections, and workflow. Notably, her expertise lies in leveraging strategic planning to propel missions forward, instilling a framework for growth, and ensuring accountability for achieving the desired outcomes. In addition, Sarah conducts examinations for diverse organizations to identify and document the magnitude of loss attributable to fraud or abuse.
Passionate about making the community a better place, Sarah has led many of Maner Costerisan’s community engagement efforts, including the development of Maner Cares and its annual Day of Impact. Her efforts demonstrate Maner Costerisan’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, a focus that is both exciting and meaningful. In addition, Sarah has focused on diversity in leadership by helping form Maner’s Women at Work program, founding the Lansing ATHENA Women’s Interest Network, and serving on the ATHENA WIN, Michigan ATHENA and ATHENA International board of directors.
Beyond her client responsibilities at Maner Costerisan, Sarah regularly shares her expertise with colleagues and peers by speaking on industry-related topics, including fraud (risk areas and prevention), financial oversight, board governance and ethics. She founded the local Association of Certified Fraud Examiners to provide resources locally to professionals focused on the prevention and detection of fraud.
Sarah also has received a number of awards, including the MICPA, AICPA Woman to Watch, Experienced Leader – 2017, Greater Lansing Community Champion – 2016, ATHENA Leadership Award – 2015 and 10 Over the Next 10, Lansing – 2010.
As an active member of the community, Sarah volunteers her time with various organizations, including McLaren Greater Lansing Foundation (Chair), McLaren Greater Lansing (Trustee), University of Olivet (Trustee), Michigan Accountancy Foundation (Trustee) and Love is Above All (Chair).
Sarah resides with her husband, Russ, and their son, Kannon. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, gardening, playing golf (generally being active and outside), traveling and spending time with family.
I see curiosity as a lifelong companion, constantly driving me to learn and find solutions. With a focus on strategic thinking, I approach challenges with a big-picture mindset, always seeking ways to help individuals and organizations grow along the way.
Years of Experience
20+
Memberships
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA)
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
Lansing Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
American Society of Association Executives
Michigan Society of Association Executives
Council of Michigan Foundations
Michigan ATHENA
McLaren Greater Lansing Foundation (Chair)
McLaren Greater Lansing (Trustee)
University of Olivet (Trustee)
Michigan Accountancy Foundation (Trustee)
Certifications
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
Certified Association Executive (CAE)
Jeff Allen, CPA, ABV, Principal
Jeff brings more than 18 years of experience to the Maner Costerisan team. Passionate about diving into new problems and devising thoughtful, out-of-the-box solutions for clients, Jeff specializes in valuation, expert witness testimony, financial and treasury management, forecasting, budgeting, executive leadership training and financial consulting. With his ability to simplify highly-complex concepts, combined with his drive to help clients solve their problems – Jeff is exceptionally talented in devising unique solutions tailored entirely to a business’s unique needs.
After joining Maner in 2006, Jeff left the firm to work at a global medical manufacturing product corporation, gathering essential skill sets that help him more closely relate to issues and perspectives facing clients. Since returning to the firm in 2018, he’s been promoted to Principal and has taken on additional responsibilities, helping lead the firm’s growing consulting practice.
As part of his day-to-day work, Jeff provides fractional CFO services to Maner’s several small and mid-size business clients. Additionally, he focuses on providing financial consulting services to startups and distressed businesses. He also leads the firm’s business valuation services specialty and provides a wide range of valuation-related services to multiple industries.
An avid camper, hiker and outdoorsman, Jeff lives in the woods of Williamston, Michigan, with his wife, Megan, their two boys, Jonas and Evan, and their three-year-old schnoodle.
I enjoy the breadth and expanse of projects and clients I get to work with at Maner. No one client is ever exactly the same as the previous or next, which means I’m constantly challenged.
Years of Experience
18
Memberships
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA)
Certifications
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV)
Rod Taylor, Senior Governmental Consultant
Rod joined Maner in 2023 as a senior governmental consultant. An active member of Maner’s growing Government Industry Committee, he leads the firm’s new Municipality Consulting Services team within the Consulting Solutions division of the Accounting and Outsourced Solutions department.
Rod brings more than 27 years of experience working in governmental entities to the firm. Most recently, he served as a division administrator at the State of Michigan, assisting local governments with maintaining strong fiscal and operational health. He leveraged statistical analysis to identify local units with fiscal or operational distresses and proactively worked with them to address their challenges. Prior to his time at the State, Rod worked for 11 years as the DeWitt Township manager.
In his new role as a senior governmental consultant, Rod will support Maner’s government clients in strengthening their fiscal and operational structure.
Rod believes by helping local governments with best practices, good governance and long-term planning, he can play a part in ensuring that critical public services are delivered efficiently and effectively. Helping to drive change is Rod’s favorite part of his job, and he believes assisting local governments to make positive decisions will strengthen them and make them more resilient. Local government officials are dedicated to achieving their objectives, growing their communities, and ensuring that they are vibrant. Rod and the rest of the experts at Maner look to assist these communities with this mission.
Rod chose Maner because of the great work environment filled with devoted professionals that want to make a positive impact.
A graduate of Ferris State University and Central Michigan University, Rod has a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Business Administration. He lives in DeWitt, Michigan, with his wife and two kids. He enjoys woodworking, classic cars, fishing, hiking and hunting.
I enjoy breaking down problems or challenges into the smallest elements to help identify and find creative solutions to problems.
Years of Experience
27
Dennis Theis, CPA, CVGA, Principal, Director
Dennis is a principal in the Audit and Accounting and Outsourced Solutions departments. He focuses his practice on providing financial statement related services to clients throughout various industries including manufacturing and distribution, nonprofit organizations, and governmental and retail entities. Providing clients with opportunities for improvement is a key goal in each relationship.
Beyond his client service responsibilities, Dennis plays numerous other roles at Maner Costerisan and is an integral part of the firm’s success and execution; for example, he serves as director of the small and midsize businesses niche. Dennis is a member of Maner Costerisan’s Marketing Committee and Education Services Group, and is the leader of the Manufacturing and Distribution Solutions group. He also assists clients in utilizing the additional resources of the BDO Business Resource Network (BRN), which is designed to improve performance by reducing costs and improving technology and operational efficiencies.
Dennis was inspired to go into the accounting field because he recognized that accounting gave a broad perspective on many different facets of business. Dennis attributes his success to always listening to and anticipating client needs, the vast resources of Maner Costerisan and a strong work ethic.
Dennis was raised on a dairy farm in Central Michigan, the youngest of 11 children. He currently resides in Lansing with his wife, Luann, and their three daughters. In his free time, Dennis can usually be found outdoors where he enjoys boating, kayaking and fishing with his family at his cottage. He also likes to run, and play catch and lawn games with his family.
I get excited about helping others reach their potential. Using what I know to produce the best result with our team for our clients is what is most rewarding to me. It has not only stretched me professionally but has provided me great personal satisfaction.
Years of Experience
31
Memberships
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA)
Certifications
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) – Michigan and Washington, D.C.
Certified Value Growth Advisor (CVGA)
Bethany Verble, CPA, CFE, CBPA, Senior Manager
Bethany is a senior manager in the Consulting division of Maner Costerisan’s Accounting and Outsourced Solutions department. She began her career as an intern with the firm’s Audit team in 2015 and was hired full-time shortly after. Bethany’s passion for helping her clients strengthen their internal controls and operations as an auditor led her to a new focus, providing consulting and advisory services to clients of all industries. In this role, she helps organizations plan for the future and achieve their goals. She also offers investigation services to organizations that have been victimized by or have suspicions of fraud, helping determine any losses and implementing controls to prevent loss and mitigate risk in the future.
Bethany regularly presents on fraud prevention and internal controls to organizations across the state, including the Michigan Township Association (MTA), Michigan School Business Officials (MSBO), Michigan State Association of Accountants, Auditors, and Business Administrators (SAAABA), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and others.
In addition to her client-focused responsibilities, Bethany is passionate about learning, growing, and supporting her team. She served as head of the internal audit department training team and chairs Maner’s Employee Engagement Committee – a group dedicated to furthering culture and engagement for associates at all levels.
Outside of Maner, Bethany is the Vice President of the Lansing Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and joined the Michigan Women in Finance board in 2022. In 2023, Bethany was named to Lansing Symphony Orchestra’s Board of Directors.
Bethany graduated from Lansing Community College and Davenport University with a bachelor’s in Accounting, Fraud, and Investigation. A resident of Mason, Mich., she loves to read, bake, exercise, and is actively involved in a community choir.
My mission in life is to end each day with a sense of accomplishment. What I've learned in public accounting is that you'll never get everything done, but if you've learned even one thing, or helped one person that day, you've accomplished a lot!
Years of Experience
9
Memberships
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA)
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
Lansing ACFE (Vice President)
Michigan Women in Finance (Board Member)
Lansing Symphony Orchestra (Board of Directors)
Certifications
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
Certified Business Process Associate (CBPA)
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