History
Ann Pedretti, founder and CEO of DFAScenter, began her career more than thirty years ago as an auditor at Deloitte & Touche. Through years of experience at different companies, Ann recognized an opportunity to find her niche in the complex world of federal grant management. Her goal was to create a company that provided quality service to clients, while offering unique development opportunities and flexible work-life balance to her employees. This is DFAScenter.
Since 2012, the DFAS team has grown from just Ann to six women serving over twenty clients regularly. Each DFAS team member is dedicated to building a business that can serve its clients with integrity and efficiency.
The DFAS Team
Founder & CEO
Ann Pedretti
Ann began her career as a public accounting auditor serving primarily broker/dealer companies and the Mayo Clinic. She then moved to the private sector working for a fortune 500 company while completing her MBA. After obtaining her MBA, Ann began teaching accounting while doing contract consulting for small businesses and raising her family. Through consulting, Ann was introduced to medical technology companies that received federal grant awards, and began the twenty-five years of work with these companies that lead to the creation of DFAS.
Education & Affiliations
University of St. Thomas
M.B.A., 1991
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
BS Accounting, 1985
AICPA, Member
MBA, CPA (Inactive)
Regulatory / Compliance and Subcontract Manager
Kaitlin Donnay
Kaitlin started her professional career at QRS Diagnostic, a medical device company, where she was responsible for many aspects of the business including sales order processing, purchasing, quality assurance, and administrative tasks. She briefly transitioned to work for a medical device research and development company that is currently a DFAS client before officially joining the DFAS team.
As the DFAS Regulatory / Compliance and Subcontract Manager, Kaitlin is responsible for Accounting and Administrative tasks including daily budget management (visa and accounts payable), federal grant documentation and information requests, grant proposals, month end closeout tasks and reporting, and subcontract and purchase order management.
Education & Affiliations
College of St. Benedict
Business Management major, Spanish minor (2012)
Human Resources Manager
Monica Fisher
Monica joined the DFAS team with more than fifteen years of experience in customer service, having had multiple leadership and HR related roles throughout her professional career. Monica was previously working as a staff accountant with marketing duties at WENCK before she transitioned to the role of Human Resource Manager for DFAS.
As the HR Manager for DFAS, Monica is responsible for all HR functions including new employee onboarding, client benefit administration and renewals (including medical, HSA, retirement plans, and employee out of pocket reimbursements), payroll processing, new client set up and registrations, and other day to day bookkeeping tasks such as month end reporting, credit card entry, bill entry, and administration.
Education & Affiliations
Metropolitan State University
B.A. Business Administration, minor Environmental Communications & Child Psychology (2014)
Project Manager / Client Controller
Steph Washam
Steph started her career in tax at PricewaterhouseCoopers where she specialized in State & Local tax returns, audit defense, and statutory research for retail, financing, and manufacturing clients. After three years of public accounting experience, she joined the DFAS team in 2017 as a project manager.
In her current role, Steph is responsible for the day to day monitoring of federal grant projects, onboarding new grants and reviewing Notice of Award terms and conditions, monitoring cash flows to support short term cash needs, Tax and Audit preparation, pension calculation, monitoring financials and indirect rates, and meeting with clients to discuss grant spending and budgeting.
Education & Affiliations
St. Norbert College
Accounting major, Spanish minor (2014)
CPA (Inactive)
Part-time Contracted Controller
Rebecca Warner
Rebecca has spent the last 7 years helping clients reach their full potential by providing accounting and financial support. Prior to becoming an independent contractor, Rebecca spent 8 years in various accounting and finance positions at Sleep Number Corporation where she supported their senior executives as well as marketing and international teams with in-depth analysis and strategic reporting. Prior to that, Rebecca served as an assistant controller at Accellent Cardiology and started her career as an auditor with Ernst & Young.
Rebecca now serves DFAS as a contract controller by providing day to day accounting support and monthly reporting.
Education & Affiliations
University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management
Accounting major (BSB 2002)
CPA (Inactive)
MN Society of CPAs, Member
AICPA, Member