Share one of your most memorable professional accomplishments with us.
Upon joining Bernstein, my role was relatively open-ended. However, my role’s primary focus was to grow and support the firm’s international private client business. As I gained my footing and became familiar with the organization, I began to notice ways in which we could make operations more efficient. In addition, I recognized other means to streamline the resources that are required for advisors to attract, and win, international business. That’s when I came up with the idea of having a dedicated Global Families team, which is a group of 30-plus in-house experts that advisors can turn to for premium expertise. The team would make on-boarding, advising and servicing international clients as efficient and user-friendly for both the advisor and client side. As such, I would consider the formation of this team, which I have since been the leader of, to be my biggest Bernstein accomplishment. It’s very rewarding to have a significant impact on the way our business is run.
What passions do you pursue outside of work?
Travel, travel and more travel.
Realistically, juggling a busy work schedule, kids and a family life leaves little free time to travel. However, we do try to go on a family adventure together whenever possible. So far, one of our favorite family trips has been to Iceland where we hiked on a majestic glacier, explored an ice cave, witnessed puffins nesting and even saw the northern lights. Nature’s majestic beauty never ceases to amaze me. I find it incredibly calming and a great way to put things in perspective. Some items that are still on our bucket list: Seeing wildlife on a safari in Africa (I LOVE elephants), the Galapagos Islands and Patagonia.
What are your areas of expertise in solving problems for clients?
I bring over 20 years of expertise in international and domestic trusts and estate issues to Bernstein. Before joining the firm, I was a partner of the full-service law firm Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP in New York City, where my personal focus was international planning. This was perfect training for what I do today working with AB’s ultrahigh-net-worth clients and their professional advisors. I enjoy honing the following areas of expertise to simplify clients’ lives and maintain their wealth: optimizing structures for tax-efficient investment in the US, transferring wealth to US beneficiaries, and creating and administering global trusts. I particularly enjoy marrying legal advice, which I honed in my former career, with the economic and investment perspective I’ve gained at the firm. Fortunately, clients seem to relate to the latter more readily.