R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC
Knowledge | Perspective | Partnership
THE TEAM
Debbie Townsend
President & Executive Professional Associate
Prior to joining the firm in 1997, Debbie spent 19 years as a professional internal auditor for JCPenney and EDS where she was responsible for managing various audit functions including construction auditing. In 2012, she became President of R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC assuming primary responsibility for managing our Plano based construction audit staff. She is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, a Certified Construction Auditor, and a Certified Fraud Examiner.
Rich Townsend
Executive Professional Associate
Rich founded the company in 1984 and has served as the in-charge project manager for construction cost control engagements for a wide variety of organizations throughout the United States and Canada. He is also active as a seminar leader for professional development training programs associated with construction auditing and construction cost control. He is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Construction Auditor.
Chris Irpino
Chris joined R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC, in January 2008, and is a Senior Professional Associate. Chris joined the firm after attending one of R. L. Townsend's seminars and subsequently saving his company a total of over fifteen million dollars in construction-related cost recoveries. He brings a wealth of experience gained during his twenty years with a major pharmaceutical company. Chris is a Certified Construction Auditor.
Trey Walker
Prior to joining R. L. Townsend & Associates, Trey served as an Operations Specialist 2nd Class in the United States Navy. After being honorably discharged, Trey graduated magna cum laude from The University of Texas at Dallas with a Masters of Science in Accounting. Trey is a Certified Public Accountant. His construction auditing experience includes analysis of project GMPs ranging from $35M to over $200M.
Rachel Townsend Smith
Rachel is a Licensed Professional Engineer (Mechanical) and Senior Professional Associate who joined the firm in 2016. She graduated in 2012 from Baylor University and holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. From 2012 to 2016, she was a Project Engineer for a large Oil and Gas Contractor in Houston, Texas.
Ashley Humphries
Ashley is a Senior Professional Associate. She joined the firm in 2015. She is a graduate of University of North Texas. Her previous work experience involved work with international oil and gas service firms. She is a Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Construction Auditor.
Gevonia Brown
Gevonia began working at R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC in 2016. She is a Professional Associate. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing.
Brian Arnett
Brian began working at R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC in 2022 as a Professional Associate. He graduated from Brigham Young University - Hawaii with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration. He has worked as a Project Manager in the home building industry.
Tonia Waller
Tonia joined R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC in 2018. She is a Professional Associate who graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Master's Degree in Industrial Engineering. She has previously worked as a Director of Process Improvement in the healthcare industry.
Marie Jones
Marie has worked with R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC as a Professional Associate Assistant since 1992.
Gayla Gunderson
Gayla joined R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC, in August 2021 as a Professional Associate Assistant. Gayla holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Hawaii Pacific University and an MBA from Trident University International. Her background is in accounting and finance.
Patricia Farrell-Shear
Patricia joined R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC, in September 2008 and is a Project Executive. She has over 25 years of professional experience in Construction and IT Project Management, Contract Administration, Vendor Relations, Facilities Maintenance, and Audit Management. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Certified Construction Auditor.
Clay Addison
Clay joined R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC as a Senior Construction Cost Control Consultant in 2015. Clay has over 25 years of Owner oriented construction management experience. He is a graduate of Clemson University with a degree in Building Science and Construction Management. He is a LEED AP and a Certified Construction Contract Administrator.
Lanna Bacchus
Lanna began working with R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC in 2014. She is a Senior Professional Associate. Lanna graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
Patrick Ferrell
Patrick joined the firm as a Professional Associate in 2021 and is a licensed Professional Engineer (Environmental) in the State of Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's Degree in Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology. Patrick served as a Senior Project Engineer and Project Manager in the Enivornmental Consulting and Engineering Sector.
Arbeline Medina
Arbeline began working at R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC in 2016. She is a Professional Associate. She graduated from University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting.
Megan Grund
Megan began working with R. L. Townsend & Associates in 2018 as a Professional Associate. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Ocean Engineering. From 2011 until 2017, she was a Project Engineer in the Oil and Gas Industry in Houston.
Blade Wayne
Blade joined the firm as a Professional Associate in 2022. He graduated from the University at Buffalo with a Bachelor's of Science in Civil Engineering. Prior to his experience as a field engineer for train station and power plant projects, Blade served as a Contract Negotiator and Representative for the U. S. Army Corp of Engineers on Army/Air Force projects and as a Captain in the Army Reserves.
Melissa Heinz
Melissa began working with R. L. Townsend & Associates, LLC in 2016 as a Professional Associate Assistant. Melissa graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Finance.
