About Katie Walker, CPA
Founder of Tenax Accounting
Enterprise systems. Strategic tax. Human care. No bullshit.
Enterprise systems. Strategic tax. Human care. No bullshit.
Hi, I'm Katie Walker, CPA and founder of Tenax Accounting in Phoenix. Here's a little about me.
I grew up outside St. Louis and graduated from the University of Missouri–St. Louis with degrees in Psychology and Accounting—a combination that made sense because understanding people matters as much as understanding numbers. People's histories and nervous systems show up in their businesses, whether anyone names it or not. I'm neurodivergent, a systems thinker, and deeply skeptical of the version of capitalism that prioritizes profit over people. Those things shape how I work and who I work with.
Early in my career, I worked at a boutique general contractor and saw what enterprise-level accounting looks like: dedicated systems, real visibility, and leadership that could move with confidence. Then I moved to Colorado and worked in public accounting at Brock & Company, where I saw how most small businesses operate: messy books, under-qualified help, owners flying blind and hesitant to ask questions. The gap wasn't just technical. It was human.
I started my first firm in Colorado to close that gap. Over four years, I built it to over 100 clients and proved that small businesses could have the same quality of accounting that big companies get—with clarity, with dignity, and with someone who actually cares about getting it right.
One example: I helped anchor a nonprofit through a messy audit full of red flags to a clean financial review—all while the executive director retired after almost two decades, a new leader stepped in, and COVID hit. The organization didn't just survive; it came out stronger because the financial systems held steady through the chaos.
That kind of work defined St. Vrain Financial, which continues serving OUR Center and other clients today under new ownership—proof that well-built systems outlive their creator. After I successfully sold the firm, I moved to Phoenix ready to bring everything I'd learned—and a vision for something even better—to Tenax Accounting.
Growing a business is hard enough without wondering whether your financials are accurate, whether your accountant will actually respond when you need them, or whether you're making decisions on solid data. You don't need reassurance—you need infrastructure, insight, and someone who understands that your humanity and your ambition aren't at odds.
...who need their financials dialed in so they can focus on growth, not QuickBooks.
...and needing real responsiveness, strategic insight, and answers that actually help them move faster.
...especially medical device and AI startups—who need investor-grade accounting, not cleanup work.
...ready to transition your book of business to someone who will protect the legacy and client relationships you've built over decades—with flexible acquisition terms, including seller financing.
Everything I am, I offer to you as Tenax Accounting: enterprise-grade systems, automated processes, clean books, meaningful reporting, and year-round clarity—delivered by someone who sees you as a person and makes room for who you really are.
As a QuickBooks ProAdvisor and CPA, I bring both the technical expertise and the fractional CFO-level insight that growing companies need to make confident decisions.
That's not aspirational. That's what working with Tenax looks like.
Whether you're a Phoenix startup preparing to raise capital, an Arizona business ready to scale, or a retiring CPA in the Phoenix area ready to transition your practice, you don't have to become a giant corporation or sacrifice your humanity to compete. You just need enterprise systems, strategic tax, human care—and no bullshit. That's Tenax Accounting, and that's what I'm here for.
