Joseph Calianno

• Partner
• BDO USA, LLP

Joe Calianno is a tax partner and serves as the firm’s International Technical Tax Practice Leader in BDO’s National Tax Office. He practices in all areas of international taxation.  Prior to joining BDO, Joe was a partner with Grant Thornton’s National Tax Office and served as the firm’s International Technical Tax Practice Leader for over 10 years.  He previously served as Special Counsel to the Deputy Associate Chief Counsel (International) in the Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service. As Special Counsel, he served as a technical advisor to the Associate and Deputy Associate Chief Counsel (International) and was involved in reviewing international tax regulations, revenue rulings, Notices, TAMs, PLRs, and providing technical advice to IRS field offices. He also spent several years in private practice at a large law firm and PWC’s National Tax Office advising clients in several areas of tax law, including international, corporate and partnership taxation.

He previously served as the chair of the ABA’s Foreign Activities of U.S. Taxpayers Committee as well as the chair of the AICPA’s International Tax Technical Resource Panel.  Joe also served on the AICPA’s Tax Executive Committee.  

He received his M.B.A. from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, his L L.M. in Taxation, New York University School of Law and his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.

Clarissa Potter

• Principal, Corporate Group, Washington National Tax
• KPMG LLP (U.S.)

Clarissa Potter has more than 25 years of experience in federal income tax, including in the government and in the private sector, with particular focus on international tax issues and financial institutions and products. She has extensive background in restructuring international businesses, foreign tax credit planning, domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, transfer pricing issues, and tax policy. 

Before joining KPMG, she was Deputy Director of Tax and Head of Global Tax Strategy at American International Group, Inc., where she directed a globally integrated tax strategy and transfer pricing group a time of significant change.

Clarissa previously served with the IRS, including as Deputy Chief Counsel (Technical) and Acting Chief Counsel. She led the IRS Chief Counsel’s Office during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, martialing IRS resources to respond to constant challenges and working with all parts of the U.S. executive and legislative branches to help protect the U.S. economy. Clarissa has an AB degree from Miami University and a JD degree from Yale Law School. She is a member of the New York Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Reema Patel

• Practice Lead, US International
• Bloomberg Tax

Reema Patel joined Bloomberg Tax & Accounting in October 2019 as a Practice Lead for the US International group. Prior to joining Bloomberg she served as the Tax Manager for eight years at Finnegan LLP focusing on US, State & International taxation. During her time at Finnegan, she has worked on opening three new international offices and has experience in international planning and structuring. Previously, she worked at Volkswagen Group of America and prior to that at Ernst & Young on various corporate tax issues in different industries. Reema is currently a licensed CPA in the State of Virginia.

Alexa Woods (Moderator)

• Tax Law Analyst
• Bloomberg Tax

Alexa Woods joined Bloomberg Tax & Accounting in October 2018 as a tax law analyst. She works in the U.S. International group. Alexa earned both her J.D. and LL.M. in taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. She is a member of the Florida Bar and the District of Columbia Bar.