Caroline (Carly) Brooks is Associate Counsel with the Advanced Markets Group for the U.S. Individual Life operations of John Hancock. In her role as an advanced markets attorney, she provides life insurance, tax, estate planning, and business planning expertise to home office employees, field personnel, and producers. She serves as a lead author and editor of technical advanced marketing materials and is a frequent speaker at industry events across the country.

Carly received her Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in Criminal Justice and Political Science from the University at Albany, SUNY, in Albany, New York. Carly received her Juris Doctor with a concentration in Estate Planning and her Masters of Business Administration from Western New England University School of Law, Springfield, Massachusetts.

Carly is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP^®) designation. She currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Tax Facts, a publication of The National Underwriter Company, is a co-author of the 19th Edition of the Tools and Techniques of Estate Planning, a Leimberg Library publication, and has been published in Broker World.

Katherine (Katie) Sheehan is a Director and Senior Trust Officer at Boston Private. Prior to joining Boston Private Katie was a Partner at DesRosiers, Tierney & Sheehan, LLC, and also practiced at Cody & Cody, LLC and Ruberto, Israel & Weiner. Her private practice career concentrated in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, charitable planning, long term care planning and elder law. Prior to private practice Katie served as Trust Counsel for Boston Financial Management.

Katie received her undergraduate degree from Boston College (B.A., magna cum laude, 1998), and her law degree from Suffolk University Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 2003). While in law school, Katie served as a research assistant for Professor Charles E. Rounds, Jr., aiding in the completion, of Loring A Trustee’s Handbook (2002 Edition). Katie has given numerous presentations on a variety of estate and long term care planning topics, and serves regularly as a faculty member for MCLE. Katie is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Boston Estate Planning Council. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts.

Katie lives in Duxbury with her husband and three children. In her free time Katie enjoys yoga, cooking and heading to the beach with friends and family.

Nikki Marie Oliveira is a Trusts & Estates Attorney at Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP. Her practice focuses on sophisticated estate and tax planning, probate administration, Medicaid planning, special needs planning, as well as delicate situations requiring guardianships and conservatorships. Nikki guides clients in achieving their estate and tax planning goals by tailoring individualized plans to fit each client’s unique situation. Nikki also counsels families, personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries in connection with the proper administration of estates and trusts. Nikki is the author of Chapter 13 of Estate Planning Law and Taxation – Planning for Incapacity and Financing Long-Term Care, and a contributing author of The Elder Law Forms Manual. Nikki was named as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Nikki earned her LL.M. in Taxation from Boston University School of Law, her J.D. from New England School of Law and her B.S. in Mathematics, magna cum laude, from Roger Williams University. She is admitted to the Massachusetts and Florida Bars.

Professional experience and education: Liza Connelly is a Senior Vice President and Fiduciary Advisor at CIBC Private Wealth Management. Prior to joining CIBC Private Wealth Management, Liza worked at Boston Private Bank & Trust Company as a Wealth & Fiduciary Strategist, providing extensive estate and tax planning strategies for clients with sophisticated estate plans and complex tax issues. She previously practiced as an associate in the Trusts & Estates Department of Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster PC, where she focused on estate planning, estate administration, trust administration and tax work for her clients.

Prior to law school, Liza worked in offshore relationship management and marketing at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co in Boston and in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Liza received her Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University, her LL.M. in Taxation from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts from Miami University.

Professional groups: Liza is an active member of the Boston Bar Association and a Board member of the Boston Estate Planning Council (BEPC). She is the recent Past President of the Trusts & Estates Consortium (“TEC”) in Boston, a group of over 160 trust and estates attorneys, trust officers, wealth planners and private client professionals. During her time as President, Liza launched the Women’s Forum and the Philanthropy Committee.

Community Involvement: Liza is a member of the Council of Overseers at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. She is also the Vice Chair of the Professional Advisors Committee of the Brookline Community Foundation, and she is on the Alter Guild of the Brookline Episcopal Church of Our Savior.

Personal note: Liza enjoys travelling and going on safaris with her husband as well as running and playing tennis.

Catherine Olender Neijstrom is a lawyer at Gilmore Rees & Carlson PC. Catherine serves clients in the areas of estate planning and estate and trust administration. She is a graduate of Yale University and Boston University School of Law. Catherine is a member of Boston Probate Forum, has been a speaker at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) and Boston’s Trusts & Estates Consortium and was recognized as a “Rising Star” by Massachusetts Super Lawyers in the field of Estate Planning & Probate (2013 and 2014). Catherine was a Board Member of the Yale Glee Club Associates from 2008-2014 and is a founding member of the Concord Carousel Preschool Scholarship Committee.

Nicole A. Hostettler is an associate at Bass, Doherty & Finks, P.C. and focuses her practice on estate planning and estate administration. She has served as on various TEC committees and is an active member of the Boston estate planning community. Nicole is a member of the Boston Estate Planning Council (BEPC) and the Society for Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). Nicole earned her LL.M. in taxation from the Graduate Tax Program at Boston University School of Law and her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School where she served as content editor of the Journal of High Technology Law. Nicole also holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in English Literature and a minor in music performance. She is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Sara A. Wells founded the Trusts and Estates Consortium in 2005, and served as its President until 2015. Sara, a Partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, devotes her practice to estate planning, estate and trust administration, tax planning, and business succession planning. Sara assists clients in the creation of their estate plans, including establishing various irrevocable trusts to help clients make tax-efficient transfers to family members. She also administers estates, including the preparation of probate court documents and estate tax returns, and advises Personal Representatives on their fiduciary duties. Sara is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, an Accredited Estate Planner of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils, a Massachusetts Super Lawyer, a “Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly” 2015 Top Woman of Law, and the Founder of the Trusts and Estates Consortium. Sara has her B.S. in Economics from the University of Florida, her J.D. and LL.M in Taxation from Boston University, and is licensed in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York.

Drake Richey is a partner at Bush & Company in 2015, a firm that specializes in financial planning for individuals and closely held businesses. For 40 years, Bush & Company has been a trusted advisor to families and businesses across the US, helping with integrated personal, estate, and business planning.

Drake started his career working for the Fellowship of Christians in Universities and Schools (FOCUS) for two years, an organization that helps support Christian ministries at independent schools across New England. He then worked as a Director as Fitch Ratings in Public Finance and then as a Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo in New York City.

Drake has a BA in Economics and Chinese language from Trinity College in Hartford, CT. He holds his FINRA Series 65 and 7 and AIF designation. He and his wife Sarah live in Charlestown, MA and have three kids, Draper, George, and Beatrice.

Emily Beekman is an associate attorney at Casner & Edwards where she concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and tax planning. Emily advises individual clients and generations of families regarding estate planning, estate and gift taxes, probate law, probate avoidance, estate and trust administration, and philanthropy. She also specializes in estate planning for disabled persons, guardianship and conservatorship matters, and long-term-care planning and other elder law matters. She advises personal representatives, trustees, and other fiduciaries on the legal aspects of administering complex estates and trusts. This representation also includes the preparation and filing of gift and estate tax returns on the state and federal levels. Emily is admitted in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She received her JD from Syracuse University in 2013 and her BA from Colby College, with honors and cum laude, in 2008.

Michael P. Rose is a Senior Financial Advisor at Modera Wealth Management, LLC. Michael works with clients to identify and implement a custom-tailored investment management and financial planning strategy designed to help each client achieve their particular financial objectives. Michael has particular experience in advising senior-level business executives regarding the management of employer stock options and concentrated stock positions, in addition to the wide variety of financial matters that are unique to these individuals.

Professional Experience: Michael has worked in the wealth management industry since 2009. Prior to joining Modera, he worked as a financial advisor at Proctor Financial, where he provided financial planning and investment management services to the firm’s clients. Michael started his career as an industry analyst at IDC. Michael earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and a Master of Science in Taxation from Bentley College. He obtained the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification in 2013.

Outside of Modera: Michael is an active member of the Bentley University Alumni Association and the Boston Estate Planning Council. He and his wife reside in Newton, Massachusetts.

Sarah Roscioli is an associate in Nixon Peabody’s Private Clients group. Her practice focuses on the development of sophisticated estate plans tailored to the planning and wealth transfer goals of individuals and families. Sarah is a co-author of Chapter 16 of Massachusetts Nonprofit Organizations– Administering a Private Foundation. She earned her J.D. from Boston College Law School and her B.A. in political science and history from the University of Vermont. Sarah is admitted to the Massachusetts bar.

Jennifer Civitella Hilario works with families and individuals to develop creative estate and tax planning strategies customized to meet her clients’ specific needs. Her approach is to understand each client’s unique goals and objectives and to develop an appropriate estate plan, often through tax-sensitive strategies. Jennifer’s estate planning practice also includes complex gifting strategies, charitable planning, advice to fiduciaries, special needs planning, and business succession planning for owners of closely-held businesses. Ancillary to estate planning, Jennifer serves as an advisor to private foundations on governance and compliance matters. She practices before the IRS and has successfully obtained Private Letter Rulings on behalf of closely-held businesses.

Jennifer has practiced as an estate and tax planning attorney since 2003. Prior to starting her own firm, Jennifer was a partner at a Boston business law firm that provided comprehensive legal services to closely-held businesses and their owners.

Jennifer received her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Rosemont College in 2000. She is a 2003 graduate of Boston College Law School and received the Boston College Graduate School Association Award for Outstanding Community Service. After receiving her J.D., Jennifer attained an LL.M. from Boston University’s Graduate Tax Program in 2006, graduating with her class’s highest cumulative GPA.

Jennifer is an active member of the Boston Estate Planning Counsel, having served on its Young Professionals Committee (2009-2010), its Sponsorship Committee (2010-2011) and its Programs Committee (2011-2012). She is also an active member of the Boston Bar Association, for the BBA’s Trust & Estate’s Committee, having served as a co-chair of the Practice Fundamentals Subcommittee (2012-2014) and a co-chair of the Communications Subcommittee (2015-2016). Jennifer served on The Boston Foundation’s Professional Advisor Network from 2009 until 2011. She served as a volunteer attorney with Shelter Legal Services Foundation Inc. (SLSF) from 2003 until 2011 and served as a board member of SLSF from 2009 through 2011. Jennifer is currently the chair of the Pro Bono Committee of the Boston Trusts & Estates Consortium.

Micah Williams is a Wealth Advisor at Heritage Financial, a firm focused on holistically serving the wealth management needs of its clients, integrating both sophisticated planning strategies and custom tailored portfolio solutions. Prior to joining Heritage, Micah worked at Lake Street Advisors as a Financial Planner and RBC Wealth Management as a Sr. Business Associate.

Micah graduated from Bentley University with a degree in Economics & Finance, while playing ice hockey for the Falcons. He obtained the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ certification is 2016. He and his wife Courtney live in West Newton, MA with their daughter Rosie.