SALT Mastery Series: Washington B&O and Sales Tax Including Focus on Investment Income (2 hours - morning) - NEW! - Webcast

Harriet Strothers, State and Local Tax Partner, Aprio

Harriet Strothers has nearly 40 years of experience in providing state and local tax advisory and compliance services to large multi-state and multinational companies. With extensive experience managing tax compliance and audits for all areas of state taxation as well as IRS LMSB "Large Case" audits, Harriet also performs state and local due diligence related to mergers and acquisitions.

Harriet spent almost half of her career in industry with The Ryland Group, a Fortune 500 home builder and mortgage lender that operates in 28 states. Upon her return to public accounting in 2007, Harriet observed that there was a need for business leaders to better understand how State and Local Taxes affected their financial decision making. Rather than developing an industry-specific concentration, Harriet focused on state tax minimization through planning and remediation strategies for taxpayers who operate in multiple states. These strategies include multi-state income/franchise tax refund engagements and reverse sales/use tax audits, as well as state voluntary disclosures to mitigate past tax liability. Harriet's experience in industry included extensive audit defense. She has leveraged that experience into numerous successful audit strategies that she regularly employs when defending clients under audit by taxing authorities.

A frequent presenter on multi-state tax issues, Harriet has managed many large multi-state income/franchise tax refund engagements and reverse sales/use tax audits. She has managed and delivered numerous voluntary disclosure services and audit defense services in almost every state. Harriet has substantial experience advising clients on product sales/use taxability for different types of transactions and on nexus-related issues in 50 states.

After a two-year stint at Schnitzer Steel, Harriet worked with Moss Adams for six years before joining the team at Delap in 2014.

(3/3/21)

Sonjia Barker, Shareholder, State and Local Tax, Perkins & Co

Sonjia joined Perkins & Co in 2022 and leads their State and Local Tax (SALT) consulting practice as a shareholder. With more than 24 years of experience in state and local taxation, she brings deep expertise in multistate compliance, audit defense, and strategic tax planning. She is also a frequent presenter on multistate taxation, regularly speaking to industry groups, trade associations, and professional organizations on emerging SALT trends and complex state tax developments.  Her background includes serving as a lead excise tax auditor with the Washington State Department of Revenue and as a B&O tax program auditor for the City of Kent, giving her unique insight into regulatory expectations and enforcement.

Prior to Perkins, Sonjia spent nine years at BDO USA LLP, where she rose to SALT Managing Director and guided clients through complex projects involving multistate income/franchise and sales/use tax, nexus analysis, due diligence for mergers and acquisitions, and system implementation support. She has advised companies across industries—including technology, software, manufacturing, distribution, retail, and e-commerce—helping them navigate compliance while identifying opportunities for tax efficiency. Recognized as an expert in Washington and other gross receipts and sales/use taxes, Sonjia is a trusted advisor for businesses expanding across jurisdictions.

(12-29-25)