Ardella Conner is a seasoned tax professional and co-founder of Nowakowski & Conner.  She has nearly two decades of experience across public accounting, corporate tax departments, and federal government service. Her career began in public accounting at a prominent Big Four firm, where she gained a strong foundation in tax compliance and advisory services.  Working with a wide variety of clients early in her career, Ardella developed a thorough understanding of tax reporting requirements and honed her analytical skills in a fast-paced environment. Her experience in public accounting laid the groundwork for her future roles.

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Following her time in public accounting, Ardella moved into the private sector and worked in the tax departments of several Fortune 500 companies, where she gained a broad range of experience.  This experience expanded her knowledge of corporate and international taxation and exposed her to premium taxes and sales & use taxes.

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Her expertise deepened during her nine years at the Internal Revenue Service where she held roles as a Revenue Agent, Lead Revenue Agent, and Supervisory Internal Revenue Agent.  She worked in the Small Business & Self-Employed Division and the Large Business & International Division.  In these roles Ardella led examination teams, analyzed books and records, conducted analytical income tests, investigated fraud indicators, trained agents, and worked on some complex federal tax issues facing individuals and businesses. Her time at the IRS expanded her knowledge of federal tax law and provided her with a unique perspective on tax enforcement and policy interpretation.

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Ardella’s unique blend of public, private, and regulatory experience allows her to approach tax from multiple perspectives. She is passionate about empowering others with knowledge, clarity, and actionable strategies—whether they’re launching a new business, facing an audit, growing their business, or simply trying to stay compliant in an ever-changing tax landscape.

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Ardella holds a Master’s degree in Taxation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from Western Michigan University.

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Outside of work, Ardella enjoys attending Chicago Bulls games with her family, playing board games, and traveling, especially trips that take her to sunny, beach destinations such as the Caribbean and southeast Asia.