Ms. Elizabeth Anne Faist Related Seminars and Products

Duncan Spratt P.A.

Elizabeth Faist is a shareholder at Djuric Spratt, and she serves clients in the areas of trusts, estates, and charitable planning. She manages a variety of matters, including gift and generation-skipping transfer tax issues, preparation of estate-planning documents, administration of estates, and tax advice regarding private foundations and public charities. Elizabeth also counsels clients on tax and succession planning for their businesses. Prior to joining Djuric Spratt, Elizabeth practiced with Eversheds Sutherland in Atlanta and Williams Parker in Sarasota, Florida.

Kelli E. Brown Related Seminars and Products

Goldberg Simpson

Kelli E. Brown is a partner at Goldberg Simpson, where she chairs the Trusts and Estates
Department, focusing on estate planning, probate, trust administration, and estate litigation. With 
a B.A. from the University of Dayton, a J.D. from Northern Kentucky Salmon P. Chase College of Law, 
and an LL.M. in Estate Tax from the University of Miami, she brings both academic depth and 
practical expertise to her practice.

Licensed in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Federal Tax Court, Ms. Brown is a Fellow with the 
American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel (ACTEC), having recently concluded her term as ACTEC 
Kentucky State Chair in early 2025. She’s also a Justice Thomas B. Spain Award recipient, 
recognized for her dedication to the field.

A seasoned speaker and prolific author, Ms. Brown has presented widely on estate planning and 
probate topics. She has published two books tackling unique estate planning challenges: Estate 
Planning When You Have an Addicted Child (2017) and Estate Planning When You Have Pets (2020).

Ms. Brown’s passion lies in helping families. She is married to Walter Hawkins and they have two
human children and one with fur.

Ms. Kimberly Gimson Ader Related Seminars and Products

Harrison LLP

Kimberly G. Ader is a partner in the Atlanta office of Harrison, LLP.  Kimberly has practiced exclusively in family law since her graduation from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law and bar admittance in 2007. Kimberly is a lifelong Georgia resident who attended Atlanta Public Schools and the University of Georgia, where she received her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, in political science.

Prior to joining Harrison, LLP in 2024, Kimberly practiced with several well-regarded family law firms in metro Atlanta where she received invaluable mentoring from seasoned lawyers Nancy F. Lawler and Elizabeth Green Lindsey. Kimberly’s speaking engagements include Georgia’s Family Law Institute, Family Law Section seminars and Fulton and Cobb Counties’ Family Law Workshops.

Kimberly advises clients in a variety of family law matters including divorce and separation cases, custody disputes, legitimation and paternity suits, child support, contempt and modification actions, as well as negotiation of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She has particular experience helping clients with complex income and financial assets as well as high-conflict custody disputes. Using her skills as both a trained Guardian ad Litem and Parent Coordinator, Kimberly steers clients toward workable custodial arrangements that aim to minimize future strife and promote the children’s on-going best interests.

When not practicing law, Kimberly and her husband spend the majority of their leisure time cheering for their two daughters’ various sports teams (lacrosse and flag football). She also enjoys playing tennis, camping and watching the Bulldawgs play.

Ms. Kim Christine Martin Related Seminars and Products

Harrison LLP

Kim Martin is a trusts and estates attorney in Atlanta. Her practice focuses on estate planning for families with a disabled family member. Her areas of expertise also include guardianship/ conservatorship and divorce settlement agreements in cases that involve a child with special needs.
As the mother of two beautiful children, one of whom has Autism, Kim brings to her practice an appreciation for the unique challenges and joys of parenting a special needs child.
Kim was admitted to the practice of law in Georgia in 1999. She earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1999). She has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Virginia (1990). 
Kim's publications include articles in Trusts and Estates Magazine and Family Lawyer Magazine. She is a frequent speaker on subjects related to special needs issues. Her appearances as a speaker include numerous workshops hosted by Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS); the annual Special Needs Conference at Stetson University (October 2021 and 2022); the Chattanooga Estate Planning Council (October 2021); and the Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Atlanta Bar Association (December 2019). 

George W. Kern, V Related Seminars and Products

Bessemer Trust

Mr. Kern is Managing Director, Regional Director, and Senior Fiduciary Counsel at Bessemer Trust. In this role, he is responsible for Bessemer’s client relationships in Delaware, as well as the management of our Delaware office and Delaware trust company.

In addition, he works with clients and their advisors to develop practical and efficient wealth transfer plans involving Delaware law, and for guiding the firm on fiduciary issues.
 

Prior to joining Bessemer in 2006, George served as Fiduciary Manager with J.P. Morgan Trust Company of Delaware. Before that, he was a practicing estates and trusts attorney in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
 

He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and a member of the Delaware Bar Association, where he serves on its Trust Act Drafting Committee and previously served as Chair of its Estates and Trust Section. George also serves on the Delaware Bankers Association Board of Directors and is a member of the Delaware Estate Planning Council and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
 

George earned an LL.M. in tax from Villanova University School of Law, a J.D. from the Delaware Law School of Widener University, and a B.A. from Ursinus College.

Benetta Y. Park Related Seminars and Products

Bessemer Trust

Benetta Y. Park is a Managing Director and Senior Fiduciary Counsel at Bessemer Trust, based in the West Palm Beach, Florida office.  In her role as Senior Fiduciary Counsel, Benetta assists clients with the development of comprehensive, multi-generational wealth transfer and tax planning strategies and guides the firm on fiduciary issues.  Prior to Bessemer Trust, she was the President of a multi-generational, single-family office in the Midwest.  Throughout her career, she has been a national resource in many areas, including family office structuring, family governance, trust design, fiduciary issues, international estate planning, planning for business owners, including Qualified Small Business Stock, sustainable investing, Qualified Opportunity Zones, and planning with cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens.  She also previously was a partner in the Private Client Department of the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery in Chicago.

Benetta is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and was invited to join the College as part of its inaugural class of Fiduciary Counsel Fellows.  She serves on ACTEC’s Board of Regents and as a member of the Board of Directors of the ACTEC Foundation.  She is a member of the Business Planning, Charitable Planning and Exempt Organizations, and Program Committees, as well as the FATF Task Force. In addition, she currently is serving as Chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law for the 2024-2025 bar year.  She also is a member of Florida’s East Coast and Palm Beach County Estate Planning Councils and Palm Beach Tax Institute.  She has served in many leadership roles of several other international, national and local professional organizations.

Benetta also frequently speaks and writes nationally on family office topics, trust and estate planning, and fiduciary issues.  Benetta is a former Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University’s law school LL.M. tax program and taught “International Estate Planning,” and she has served as faculty for the national estate planning conference, the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, the Notre Dame Tax & Estate Planning Institute, and for various courses at the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE).  She has been quoted in news periodicals, including CNBC, Morningstar and Tax Analyst’s Tax Notes.

Benetta earned her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Matthew J. Scheer Related Seminars and Products

Gunster

Matthew J. Scheer is a board certified tax attorney and a member of the firm’s
Tax, Corporate, Private Wealth Services, and International practice groups.
Matt advises clients on complex business transactions, joint venture structuring
and corporate restructurings, cross-border investment structures, investment
fund structuring, intergenerational wealth transfers and planning, estate
planning, and charitable planning. Matt works closely with clients to ensure that
clients’ personal, professional, and business objectives are met while achieving
tax efficient structures. Matt’s clients are wide-ranging, including investment
funds, closely-held businesses, entrepreneurs, family offices, family trust
companies, high net worth individuals, and tax-exempt organizations, both
public and private.
In addition, Matt represents clients in tax controversy matters, including income
tax audits, estate tax audits, and Florida sales and use tax audits. He has
represented clients in appeals of audits and other proceedings.
Whatever the challenge, Matt is committed to helping his clients solve their
problems through creative and effective solutions combining his technical skills
and wide range of experience. Matt seeks to be an effective advisor and partner
for his clients by providing practical, actionable advice and helping distill
complicated concepts into understandable information.
Matt has served on the Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law
Section’s subcommittee for Family Trust Companies and the Tax Law Section’s
subcommittee for the Florida Business Corporation Act. He also serves on the
local board of two industry-related organizations, the Palm Beach Tax Institute
and the East Coast Estate Planning Council.

Doug Neal Related Seminars and Products

Windham Brannon

Doug has more than 20 years of experience, specializing in tax compliance and planning for high net worth individuals, partnerships, estates, and trusts. He also has extensive experience with closely held businesses and their owners. A significant portion of his clients are family offices that have several pass-through entities flowing through to individual returns, affording multiple planning opportunities for tax reduction.

He earned his Master of Accounting and Bachelor of Science in Accounting degrees from the University of Florida. He is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Tina Dryden Related Seminars and Products

Tina is a Principal in Windham Brannon's High Net Worth Tax practice. With over 15 years of experience, she specializes in federal and state individual income tax, estates, trusts and professional service entities.

She assists clients in implementing strategies related to tax minimization and planning, including gift and estate planning .

Tina received her Master of Accountancy from the University of West Florida and Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Florida State University. 

Tina’s professional organization memberships include the AICPA, FICPA and is a member of the Board of the Northeast Florida Estate Planning Council. 

Dan Bryan Related Seminars and Products

Argent Trust Company

Mr. James Walter Hass Jr. Related Seminars and Products

Lefkoff Duncan Grimes McSwain & Hass PC

James W Hass, Jr., “J.W, ” is a principal attorney with the law firm of Lefkoff, Duncan, Grimes, McSwain, Hass & Hanley, P.C. J.W. practices primarily in the areas of estate planning, tax planning, probate, estate administration and closely held business matters.

J.W. was admitted to practice in Georgia in 1997 and is a member of the Fiduciary Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, the Atlanta Bar Association and the Atlanta Estate Planning Council, Inc. J.W also speaks on probate, estate and tax planning matters.

A native of Rock Island, Illinois, J.W graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1994. He received his law degree in 1997 from the University of Georgia School of Law.

Amanda Valenti Related Seminars and Products

Brightworth Private Wealth

Amanda Valenti an Associate Partner in Corient’s Atlanta office. She started her career at UBS, where she learned the complete financial planning process on a team that led with financial planning. Prior to joining legacy firm Brightworth, Amanda worked at Oxford Financial Group and Lenox Wealth Advisors, where she prepared comprehensive financial plans in a leadership capacity.

At Corient, Amanda serves in a variety of leadership roles.  She is on our National Wealth Planning Strategy Team and is the Regional Director of Wealth Planning for the Southeast Region.  She runs our Wealth Planning Training and Education Program, providing timely and educational content.  In addition, Amanda is a Wealth Advisor and a Wealth Strategist, coming in as a resource when clients have more complex planning needs.

Amanda is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and received a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Illinois Chicago. She also completed a Financial Planning certificate program at Northwestern University. Originally from Chicago, Amanda and her husband, George, live with their two children and two German Shepherds in Chattahoochee Hills, GA. Amanda enjoys travel, photography, reading and staying active.

Mr. William Collins Brown Related Seminars and Products

Diversified Trust Company

Ms. Mary Frances Callis Related Seminars and Products

Mary Frances Callis is a Relationship Manager in the Atlanta office of Diversified Trust and is a member of the firm’s Wealth Strategies Leadership Team. She brings to Diversified Trust extensive experience in the development and implementation of sophisticated wealth transfer plans, philanthropic planning, family governance, and trust and estate administration. Prior to joining Diversified Trust, she served in relationship management roles at Morgan Stanley and GenSpring Family Offices. She began her career as an attorney at The Bowden Spratt Law Firm, a boutique estate planning law firm in Atlanta.

Mary Frances received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Agnes Scott College and her Juris Doctor from Emory University. In addition, she holds the CFP® certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. She is a member of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council, the Atlanta Bar Association, the Georgia Bar Association and the Atlanta Charitable Advisors Network.  Mary Frances is passionate about the arts and currently serves on the board of The Do Good Fund, a public collection of contemporary photography from the American South.

Chris M. Bauer Related Seminars and Products

Fisher Tousey

Chris Bauer is a Florida native who grew up just outside of Orlando. Chris earned his B.S. in Agricultural Business from the University of Florida, his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law, and his LL.M. in Taxation from Levin College of Law at the University of Florida. Chris joined Fisher, Tousey, Leas & Ball in 2022.

Chris practices in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, asset protection planning, taxation, exempt organizations, and general corporate matters.

Outside of Fisher Tousey, Chris enjoys the Florida Gators, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the outdoors, sports, traveling, giving back to his community, and most importantly, spending time with his family and friends. Chris lives in Ponte Vedra Beach with his wife, Diana, son, Danny, daughter, Hannah, and yellow lab, Ryder.

Ms. Letitia A. McDonald Related Seminars and Products

King & Spalding LLP

Tish McDonald focuses on complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis in fiduciary litigation, trust and estate litigation, litigation involving non-profits, real estate litigation, and litigation involving governmental entities. A partner in our Trial and Global Practice Group, Tish represents trustees, executors, beneficiaries, developers, financial institutions, foundations and other non-profit entities and others in a variety of proceedings. A Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Tish has litigated a wide range of fiduciary disputes, including breach of fiduciary duty actions brought by beneficiaries against executors and trustees (on both sides), including financial institutions; will/trust interpretation cases; trustee removal cases; trust modification matters; contested conservatorships; trust issues in divorce cases; matters involving the appropriate measure of fiduciary compensation; cases involving the alleged failure to notify or communicate with beneficiaries; cases involving statutes of limitation with respect to actions of fiduciaries; and matters involving the alleged malfeasance of an agent under a financial power of attorney. She has also handled cases involving the Attorney General of Georgia and the oversight of charitable trusts.

Tish has handled appeals before the Georgia appellate courts, including oral arguments. Tish represents clients in commercial and fiduciary litigation, as well as litigation involving real estate transactions and governmental matters. 

Ms. Emily Shoemaker Newton Related Seminars and Products

King & Spalding LLP

Emily Newton focuses on fiduciary litigation, representing trustees, executors, and beneficiaries. She also specializes in high-stakes business cases, with an emphasis on handling antitrust matters and class actions in a variety of industries. A partner in our Business Litigation practice, Emily has experience handling all aspects of litigation, including through trial. Emily serves as Past Chair of the Mary Lin Education Foundation Board, is a graduate of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation Inspire Atlanta Program, and is a former Co-Chair of the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia, Business Law Committee.

 

Ms. Leslie Alyson Graham Related Seminars and Products

Willis Investment Counsel

Alyson Graham is a Trust and Estate Specialist for Willis Investment Counsel (“WIC”), a 45-year-old independent investment management firm in Gainesville, Georgia.  Supporting a holistic approach to wealth planning, Alyson serves as a resource to clients and their advisors to help clients understand, identify and achieve their estate and wealth planning goals. 

Prior to joining WIC, Alyson served as Senior Vice President and Head of Personal Trust Services at Ameris Bank.  Prior to that, Alyson practiced trusts and estates law for over a decade with firms including Smith, Gambrell & Russell in Atlanta and Stewart, Melvin & Frost in Gainesville, specializing in sophisticated estate and tax planning and estate administration for high net worth and ultra high net worth individuals and their families.  

Alyson serves as Secretary of the Fiduciary Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, and as a member of the Section’s Legislative and Code Revision Committees. She is a graduate of the inaugural class of the Southeast Fellows Institute of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and a member of the Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar.  Alyson earned her law degree, magna cum laude, from Georgia State University College of Law and her LL.M. in taxation from New York University School of Law.

Ms. LeAnne Marie Gilbert Related Seminars and Products

Gaslowitz Frankel LLC

LeAnne Gilbert is a partner at Gaslowitz Frankel LLC where she has practiced fiduciary litigation for over nineteen years.  LeAnne represents individual and corporate fiduciaries, beneficiaries, and interested parties in trust and estate disputes and trust modification actions.  LeAnne is a past chair of the State Bar of Georgia’s Fiduciary Law Section and she has served on the Leadership Committee of the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers.  LeAnne has also written on fiduciary topics for ACTEC and other publications.

LeAnne graduated magna cum laude from the University of Toledo College of Law, where she was the editor-in-chief of the University of Toledo Law Review.  She is licensed to practice in both Georgia and Tennessee.

Ms. Stacy Williams Hanley Related Seminars and Products

Lefkoff Duncan Grimes McSwain & Hass PC

Stacy W. Hanley is a Principal of Lefkoff, Duncan, Grimes, McSwain, Hass & Hanley, P.C.  Ms. Hanley practices primarily in the areas of tax and estate planning, probate, estate administration, real estate and closely held business matters. She was admitted to practice in Georgia in 1999.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Stacy graduated from The Lovett School. Stacy then graduated magna cum laude from Washington & Lee University in 1996 with a B.A. degree in Classics and Economics. At Washington &Lee. She played on the first women’s basketball team, was a member of Kappa, Kappa, Gamma sorority and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Eta Sigma and Omicron Delta Epsilon honor societies.

Stacy graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1999. Stacy was elected to of The Order of the Coif, served as Senior Notes Editor for the International Journal of Comparative and International Law, was awarded The Real Property Law Section Award, and the Welborn B. Cody Scholarship. 

Stacy began her legal career at Long, Aldridge & Norman, LLP in the commercial real estate group. Stacy then became General Counsel for Homes by Williamscraft, Inc., the homebuilding and real estate development company started by her father, Wilmont Williams. When Stacy’s father unexpectedly died in 2015, Stacy experienced firsthand the complexities of the estate administration process for family businesses. Stacy then decided to join Lefkoff, Duncan, Grimes McSwain,  Hass & Hanley, P.C. so that she could utilize her practical and legal experience to help individuals and families navigate the estate planning and estate administration process.

Stacy has been a speaker for several estate planning and fiduciary law seminars at the State Bar of Georgia. She has also presented to the Atlanta Chapter of the “FSP” (Financial Service Professionals”), the GSCPA (Georgia Society of CPA’s) and to other individual groups on the topic of engaging women in the financial and estate planning process.

Serving her local community has always been important to Stacy. Stacy was a member of the Leadership Cobb Class of 2002. She has served on the Wellstar Health Systems Regional Advisory Board of Directors for Kennestone Hospital, the Board of Directors for the Dekalb County Development Authority, the Northside Youth Organization’s Executive Board, and served as Co-President of the Sarah Smith Elementary PTA.  

Stacy is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Atlanta Bar Association, and the Atlanta Estate Planning Council.   

Ms. Christina Cason Bishop Related Seminars and Products

Hodges McEachern & King

         Christina Cason Bishop is a graduate of the Southeast Fellows Institute of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).  She is the managing partner at the firm of Hodges, McEachern & King in Peachtree City, and her practice focuses on estate planning and probate matters, including guardianships and conservatorships, trust and estate administration, and fiduciary litigation.  She frequently serves as a court-appointed attorney, guardian ad litem, and county administrator.  Christina graduated magna cum laude from Georgia State University in 2014 and received her law degree from the University of Georgia in 2017.  Prior to law school, she previously worked at the Georgia General Assembly.  

Mr. Timothy Kyle King Related Seminars and Products

Hodges McEachern & King

         T. Kyle King is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).  He is the senior partner at the firm of Hodges, McEachern & King in Peachtree City, and his practice has focused on trust and estate matters since 1997.  Kyle received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Georgia, he co-chairs the Fiduciary Law Section’s Legislation Committee, and he was the recipient of the Georgia Council of Probate Court Judges’ 2022 Friend of the Council Award.  

Carole M. Bass Related Seminars and Products

Sullivan & Worcester LLP

Carole advises moderate and high net worth clients in all aspects of estate and wealth transfer planning. She works closely with individuals and families to structure sophisticated, tax-efficient plans designed to minimize estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes and to effectuate non-tax objectives. Carole’s clients include professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers and others.

Carole also represents clients in the preparation and negotiation of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She represents complex and blended families with their special estate planning needs and assists clients in estate matters relating to divorce and remarriage. In addition, Carole is well known for advising clients on cutting-edge estate planning issues involving the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Her practice also includes working with clients on estate administration and representing individual and corporate fiduciaries and estate beneficiaries in Surrogate’s Court proceedings.

Carole is a peer-elected Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and frequently lectures on topics relating to assisted reproductive technology, estate planning and divorce, and premarital agreements. She has presented to national and local professional organizations, including the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, the American Bar Association (Real Property, Trusts and Estates Section and Family Law Section), the American Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys, the New York State Society of CPAs and the New York City Estate Planning Council. Her articles on these topics have appeared in publications such as Trusts & Estates Magazine, Estate Planning Magazine and the New York Law Journal and she has been quoted in national publications, including the Wall Street Journal and Forbes.

Cara M. Koss Related Seminars and Products

Arnold & Porter

Cara Koss focuses her practice on advising high net worth individuals, both domestically and internationally, on a wide range of sophisticated matters including estate planning, trust and estate administration, lifetime gifting, family office formation and counseling, asset protection, business succession planning, and tax compliance. Ms. Koss specializes in structuring tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies for clients designed to preserve family legacies through the generations, protect assets from potential creditors, and incorporate clients' philanthropic and other non-tax objectives. Ms. Koss also has expertise in the settlement of complex estate matters, including disputes between family members and audits with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Ms. Koss is nationally recognized for her cutting-edge expertise on the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) and estate planning. She is a frequent lecturer on these and other topics, having presented to local and national professional organizations including the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning and the American Bar Association. Ms. Koss has also been recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and as a Top Attorney in Chambers and Washingtonian magazine.

Mr. Blake Neisler Melton Related Seminars and Products

The Family Office at Synovus

Blake Melton is a Senior Wealth Strategist with The Family Office at Synovus and a fellow in The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a past Chairperson of the Fiduciary Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia and currently serves on its Code Revision and Legislative Committees. He is also active in his local community and is the founder and chair of Standing Boy, Inc., a nonprofit that has constructed nearly 35 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails on the Standing Boy property in north Columbus.

Blake met his wife Jensen while both were attending the University of Georgia School of Law. They have two daughters, Finley and Asher.