Our Story
We've built our firm on the mission of meeting the needs of
small businesses and helping them reach their financial goals. When Joseph Bearden and Elizabeth Stroup started working together almost 20 years ago, they shared a
passion for excellence in the field of small business accounting
and tax.
As we’ve walked through the successes and the struggles of building a business
with hundreds of wonderful clients, our mission has become more important
than ever. We are committed to providing our clients with financial insight and game-changing advice that will move their business forward.
Our family of clients continues to grow as members share their experiences working with the Bearden Stroup team!
The phrase Working Together defines our team’s focus. It’s more than our motto. It's exactly how we do business every day.
Our Team

Joseph Bearden, CPA, EA
When Joseph Bearden started his public accounting career he had the privilege of working for and being mentored by Bryan Mason. Joseph now serves as President of Bearden, Stroup & Associates. He has earned degrees in Accounting and Violin Performance. He was presented with the Faculty Academic Award from Pensacola Christian College where he graduated at the top of his class.
Joseph finds satisfaction in using his technical skills to meet the needs of clients. He says, “I love when clients walk out of my office with a feeling of relief knowing their tax burden is lighter, and they can stay out of trouble with the IRS.”
Joseph enjoys using his talents on the violin, viola, piano, and organ. He frequently appears as a guest musician at weddings and other events. He lives with his family in Toney, Alabama.
Areas of emphasis include:
- Corporate tax planning and tax return preparation
- Employee benefit consulting
- Tax exempt organizations
- Multistate and international taxation
- Estate and trust tax planning and return preparation
- IRS representation

Elizabeth Stroup, CPA, CVA
Elizabeth Stroup serves as Managing Partner at Bearden, Stroup & Associates, CPAs. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in Accounting from Pensacola Christian College, and started her career in public accounting. In 2005, she received the prestigious Elijah Watts Sells award in recognition of achieving one of the top 10 CPA exam scores nationwide.
Elizabeth manages many of the day-to-day aspects of the business. She says, “I love working in a place where people who come in feel welcomed and valued.”
Elizabeth lives in Huntsville with her husband Ben. She serves on her church’s finance committee and tech team. She has been involved as a coach at the Women's Business Center of North Alabama and as a mentor at Christian Women’s Job Corps. In her spare time, she enjoys collecting and playing board games.
Areas of emphasis include:
- Small business consulting
- Business valuation
- Corporate tax planning and tax return preparation
- Financial analysis and trend reports
- Budgeting, projections, and planning
- Business setup and entity selection
Kevin Diehl, CPA
(Extension 18)
Tax Manager
Tax Planning
QuickBooks Pro Advisor
IRS Representation
Ashley Harper, CPA
(Extension 20)
Senior Tax Accountant
Tax Planning
Financial Analysis & Business Consulting
QuickBooks Support
Stephanie Tanner, CPA
(Extension 27)
Senior Tax Accountant
Tax Planning
IRS Representation
Jasmine Hawkins
(Extension 30)
Senior Tax Accountant
Tax Planning
Business Setup and Entity Selection
Anna Luneau, CPA
(Extension 17)
Senior Tax Accountant
Tax Planning
Business Setup and Entity Selection
Sarah Gibson
(Extension 43)
Tax Accountant
Tax Planning
Trust and Estate Taxation
Alex Frederick
(Extension 31)
Accounting Manager
Amanda Moore
(Extension 14)
Accounting Specialist
Maggie Estes
(Extension 44)
Accounting Specialist

Monica Hill
(Extension 45)
Accounting Specialist
Kaylee Thomascik
(Extension 25)
Payroll Specialist
Wylie Trammell
(Extension 11)
Client Care Specialist
Laura Dyer
(Extension 12)
Client Care Manager
Alana Dyer
(Extension 42)
Client Care Specialist
Jaime Hedden
(Extension 41)
Client Care Specialist
Lauren Stokes
(Extension 24)
Payroll Manager
Amber Bray
(Extension 21)
Client Care Specialist
Juan Guevara
(Extension 22)
Sales
Our Values
We believe . . .
- in listening to your story – because advising starts with understanding you and your goals.
- in helping you increase your profit – and keep more of it.
- in giving you the information and advice you need to make smart decisions with your finances.
- in making it easy for you to focus on what's most important to you.