Register Today—Crypto Assets & Taxes: What You Need To Know

Meet The Experts

Steven Ehrlich:

Steven is the director of research for digital assets at Forbes and editor of Forbes CryptoAsset & Blockchain Advisor. He was recently the Social Media/Copy Lead at Kraken, a cryptocurrency exchange based in the United States. Before joining Kraken he served as Chief Operating Officer at the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance, a non-profit trade association dedicated to the comprehensive adoption of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies across global markets. Before joining the WSBA, he was the Lead Associate within the Emerging Technologies practice at Spitzberg Partners, a boutique corporate advisory firm that advises leading firms across industries on blockchain technology.

Don Fort:

John D. (Don) Fort is the Director of Investigations at Kostelanetz & Fink, LLP, and the immediate past Chief of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation (CI) Division. Having spent nearly 30 years in law enforcement for the federal government, Mr. Fort has deep expertise in financial crimes, and has developed an extensive network of connections both within the government and in private industry. At K&F, he now assists clients facing governmental investigations involving all manner of alleged financial and economic crimes, including tax controversies or suspected tax crimes, money laundering, and Bank Secrecy Act violations. Mr. Fort also is involved in conducting internal investigations and advising clients on compliance regimes. He is available as an expert witness and for voluntary or court-mandated monitorships.

Shehan Chandrasekera:

Shehan is one of the handful of CPAs in the country who is recognized as a subject matter expert on cryptocurrency taxation. He is the Head of Tax Strategy at CoinTracker, a Forbes Crypto Tax Analyst and a CPE instructor who has won multiple awards: 2020 & 2019 CPA Practice Advisor 40 under 40 accounting professionals, Outstanding Young CPA of the year, Rising Star of Texas & Among 21 accountants mentioned on Accounting Today who will be helping shape (and reshape) accounting in 2020 and beyond by Accounting Today. Shehan is a renowned speaker who has done speaking engagements with many organizations including Google, Coinbase, Square, Consensus, Coindesk, Lyft, AICPA, American Bar Association, and a plethora of state CPA Societies.

Kristin Smith:

Kristin is the Executive Director of the Blockchain Association, the Washington DC-based trade association representing the most prominent and reputable organizations in the crypto industry. The mission of the Blockchain Association is to improve the public policy environment so that crypto networks can thrive in the United States. Kristin sets the association’s public policy strategy and leads engagement with industry and outreach to policymakers. Prior to leading the Blockchain Association, Kristin helped blockchain and technology companies achieve their public policy objectives in Washington. She served as a Senate and congressional aide on Capitol Hill for nearly ten years, much of which was spent focusing on technology policy. She co-founded HODLpac and currently serves on the organization’s board of directors, sits on the Board of Advisors of the Filecoin Foundation, and is featured on Fortune’s 2020 40 Under 40 list.

Lawrence Zlatkin:

Lawrence Zlatkin is the Vice President, Tax at Coinbase, the leading cryptocurrency exchange in the US and a global market leader. He joined Coinbase in January 2020 and has been an active proponent for clarity and dialogue in the tax regulation of the digital asset economy. He is an active participant in tax policy discussions regarding crypto and lectures frequently. Lawrence took on his role as the Vice President, Tax at Coinbase following a long standing career as a senior tax executive at General Electric and as a tax lawyer at a number of global US law firms. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School (JD) and McGill University (BA) in his native Canada.