Johnson Messal Bristow PLLC Promotes Three Team Members, Reinforcing Its Commitment to Growing Local Talent
Johnson Messal Bristow PLLC is proud to announce the promotion of three members of its team: Amariah Dawes to Senior Operations Manager, Josselyn Wilson to Tax Supervisor, and Kobe Cassidy to full-time Tax Staff. The announcement reflects the firm’s continued investment in developing talent from right here in the Sarasota/Manatee community and keeping young professionals engaged and growing in the area they call home.
Amariah Dawes Promoted to Senior Operations Manager
Amariah Dawes has worked alongside Johnson Messal Bristow’s partner group for eight years and has become a driving force behind the firm’s culture, client service standards, and community engagement. She is a dedicated mentor to Johnson Messal Bristow’s interns and junior staff, helping shape the same kind of career path she once walked herself. Her commitment to Manatee and Sarasota Counties extends well beyond the office: Amariah was recently honored with the MYP Legacy Award and named Big Sister of the Year for the Suncoast Region by Big Brothers Big Sisters. She serves on the board of directors for the Pace Center for Girls and is an active member of two Manatee Chamber committees, the Tech Committee and the Chamber Ambassadors. Amariah also recently graduated from Leadership Manatee, joining all three of the firm’s founding partners as alumni of the program, a tradition that reflects Johnson Messal Bristow’s long-standing, firm-wide commitment to investing in the Manatee and Sarasota community.
“I am honored to grow alongside a firm that has invested in me every step of the way,” said Amariah Dawes, Senior Operations Manager. “Watching our interns come in unsure of themselves and leave as confident professionals, many of them staying right here in Bradenton to build their careers, is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.”
Josselyn Wilson Promoted to Tax Supervisor
Josselyn (“Jossy”) Wilson began her first internship with Johnson Messal Bristow’s partner group in 2020, an experience cut short by the pandemic. She returned the following year to complete her internship and has been an integral part of the team ever since. Josselyn is a core member of Johnson Messal Bristow’s Team Culture Committee, helping plan the office events and team-building activities that keep the firm’s culture strong, and she is well loved by clients for her calm, reassuring presence. Earlier this year, she earned her Enrolled Agent (EA) license, a credential that reflects both her technical growth and her commitment to the profession.
“Jossy’s journey, from an internship that didn’t go as planned to becoming one of our most trusted team members, is exactly the kind of story we hope for,” said Lisa Johnson, Partner at Johnson Messal Bristow PLLC. “She came back, put in the work, and earned this promotion. We couldn’t be prouder to see young professionals like her choose to build their careers right here in our community.”
Kobe Cassidy Promoted to Full-Time Tax Staff
Kobe Cassidy recently completed his second internship with Johnson Messal Bristow and is set to graduate with his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting & Analytics from the University of South Florida this August. As a second-year intern, Kobe has already begun showing leadership among Johnson Messal Bristow’s newer interns, helping guide first-year interns through their own onboarding, and his bright, upbeat personality has made him a favorite across the office.
“I’ve had the privilege of supervising Kobe directly, and watching his growth over two internships has been incredible,” said Amariah Dawes, Senior Operations Manager and Kobe’s direct supervisor. “He already leads by example with our first-year interns, and his work ethic and positive energy are exactly what we look for in the future of this firm.”
A Firm Built on Growing Its Own
Josselyn and Kobe’s paths from intern to team member are not the exception at Johnson Messal Bristow, they are part of a pattern the firm has built intentionally over the years. Several current members of the Johnson Messal Bristow team started their careers as interns and have grown into experienced, trusted professionals over many years with the firm. For the firm’s partners, that track record is central to the firm’s mission: giving young accounting professionals a reason to build their futures in Bradenton and the greater Sarasota/Manatee area, rather than looking elsewhere.
“One of the things we’re most proud of is how many members of our team started with us as interns and are still here, years later, in bigger roles,” said Jennifer Messal, Partner at Johnson Messal Bristow PLLC. “Keeping talented young professionals engaged and invested in this community is good for our firm, and it’s good for Manatee and Sarasota Counties. These promotions are a celebration of that.”