Vesta’s Network of Professionals – MA & RI

Deanna Coyle is the Founder of Vesta: Redefining Divorce. As a mother who has gone through a long financially and emotionally draining divorce, Deanna understands how isolating and frustrating the divorce process can be. Her challenging divorce led her to create divorce programs that educate, empower and guide people in navigating the crucial decisions and considerations during and after divorce. In 2015, Deanna left her successful financial planning business to form Vesta, which means the keeper of family, hearth, and home. Deanna helps Vesta’s participants to connect them with the experienced and caring professionals in the areas of divorce and self-care that best suit their needs. She is dedicated to transforming the divorce process by helping people avoid courtroom battles and the resulting anger, resentment and hurt that affect all involved; and instead focus on the emotional, financial and physical health and well-being of both parents and children. Deanna holds more than 20 years of financial experience, including six years as a financial advisor and seven years as a securities analyst on Wall Street. She graduated cum laude with a B.A. degree in Economics from Mount Holyoke College and received her M.B.A. from the Amos Tuck School of Dartmouth College. Deanna lives in Natick, MA successfully co-parenting her two boys with her ex-husband. You can contact Deanna at dcoyle@joinvesta.com Learn more about Deanna Coyle

Jennifer (Jen) is a mediator and attorney who focuses her practice primarily on non-litigation family law She has been practicing family law as a mediator and Collaborative Attorney since 2013. In addition to her work with Vesta, Jen is an associate at Skylark Law and Mediation in Southborough. She is also a member of the board of the Massachusetts Council of Family Mediators, the Chapter Director of the Westborough chapter of the National Association of Divorce Professionals, and a member of the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council. Jen is currently in the process of getting divorced. She has three young children and fully understands the emotional toll that experiencing your own divorce through your children’s eyes can take. Even in the best of circumstances, where both parents agree that the marriage is over and are committed to being successful co-parents, a support network to help you through the divorce process, your new lifestyle, and solo parenting is a necessity. Since she first began practicing, Jen has been committed to helping her clients navigate the divorce process in a manner that allowed them to make fully informed decisions regarding their divorce while still preserving important ongoing relationships. Especially when children are involved, marriages end but families do not. Jen graduated Cum Laude with a B.A.  in Political Science and Economics from Boston University, and earned her J.D.  from Northeastern University School of Law. Learn more about Jen at SkylarkLaw.com.

With more than a decade of experience, Mick recognizes and protects the ability of the restructured family to function as well as possible once their legal matters are resolved. In cases where an amicable solution cannot be reached, he is an aggressive courtroom advocate, skilled negotiator, and compassionate counsel. As a partner in Casner & Edwards Family Law Group, Mick focuses his practice on all aspects of settlement and trial family law, as well as probate litigation matters. His areas of concentration include divorce, custody, child support, alimony, modification, paternity, adoption, asset division, will contests, contempt proceedings, and 290A restraining order matters. Mick also assists clients in pre-divorce strategy planning as well as developing pre- and post-nuptial agreements and asset protection. Mick has successfully handled a wide variety of litigation matters involving custody disputes, complex asset division, business valuation, inheritance, domestic violence, and relocation matters. He represents middle to high income families, business professionals, salaried employees and wage earners, owners of closely held businesses, law enforcement personnel and homemakers. Prior to joining Casner & Edwards, Mick was a Partner at Burns & Levinson, LLP, and before that, a senior associate at Mirick O’Connell, DeMallie & Lougee, LLP, focusing on family law, civil and criminal matters. He was also a clinical intern in the Civil Trial Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Learn more about Michael Judge at www.casneredwards.com/attorneys/michael-p-judgee

David’s strengths in family law draw on his broad legal background. Before forming David Kellem Law Group, P.C., he spent 25 years representing clients in the wide range of areas that relate to family law: divorce, real estate, business representation, litigation, and wills and estates. David’s training in criminal law informs his representation of clients in restraining order and abuse cases. From 1983 to 1987, he prosecuted street-crime cases in Manhattan as an assistant district attorney with the New York County District Attorney’s Office. His work included jury trials, grand jury presentations, and appeals involving cases of murder, robbery, narcotics sales, burglary, weapons possession and sexual assault. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, David graduated with honors from Suffolk University Law School in 1981. He honed his writing skills as lead articles editor of the Suffolk University Law Review and after graduation as a law clerk to the Honorable Joseph R. Weisberger of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. David has a special interest in family mediation and is dedicated to its growth and development. His professional affiliations include:

• Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation (MCFM)
• Certified Mediator
• Board of Directors
• Chairperson, MCFM Court Connected Mediation Committee
• Program Director, MCFM Court Connected Mediation, Middlesex Probate Court Pilot Member, Academy of Professional Family Mediators (APFM) Member, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) Member, Family Law Section, Massachusetts Bar Association Volunteer mediator, Middlesex Probate & Family Court
• Volunteer attorney, Massachusetts Probate & Family Court ARC program (Attorneys Representing Children)

Learn more about David Kellem at www.kellemlawgroup.com

 Nina is a CPA and a CDFA™ with over 27 years experience specializing in individual and business tax compliance, tax planning and consultation and divorce financial planning.   Nina absolutely loves her career. Through her work she is able to combine the biggest parts of her personality: intellectual, logical, technical and compassionate to ultimately help people and to make positive long-term connections.  Her ideal client is one where she can help, guide and empower them to a positive financial outcome. Nina has worked with many individuals and their divorce attorneys during all stages of divorce including assistance with financial affidavit preparation, asset division analysis and tax implications of various division scenarios, individual tax planning, forensic accounting (income and asset discovery), alimony and child support calculations and post divorce budgeting.  At age 11 Nina’s parents were divorced and she herself has been divorced for over 8 years. Her own personal experience with divorce combined with her invaluable professional experience has truly allowed her to help people with her unique sense of compassionate, responsiveness and technical knowledge. Nina graduated Cum Laude with a B.S in Business Administration from Northeastern University in 1992.  In 1995 Nina became a Certified Public Accountant. Later in 2017, Nina obtained the CDFA™ designation and begun officially helping people navigate through all financial aspects of divorce. Nina has recently joined the Vesta team and is truly looking forward to helping people and the Vesta team with their mission.  Learn more about Nina at www.ninabondcpa.com/about

Andrea is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), a Retirement Income Chartered Professional (RICP) and a Chartered Retirement Planning Councilor (CRPC) whose primary focus is to help divorcing individuals achieve financial independence and sustainability before, during and after divorce. By performing short- and long-term financial analysis as well as providing creative settlement solutions, Andrea will provide you with peace of mind that your settlement is financially feasible and can go the distance. Andrea’s experience with divorce is through her husband. He was at the tail end of his divorce when they met and she became a bonus mom to his two then teenage daughters after they married. She has experienced the inner workings of divorce from a bird’s eye view. Having realized early on that her stepdaughters already had a devoted mother, she recognized that her role should not interfere or overshadow that in any way but instead complement it. She led by living a good example of what it means to be an independent, self-reliant businesswomen while at the same time being a positive, encouraging, motivating and generous women.  She also encouraged her husband to act and not react, to take the high road whenever possible and to realize that by dealing directly with his teenage daughters he would forge a better relationship with them. Today the girls are in their 20’s and share a close and wonderful relationship with their dad and Andrea. Andrea brings a unique business background to her practice. A 1988 graduate of Suffolk University with a BS in Sociology, Andrea entered insurance business with her dad, a life/pension professional who also owned a Property Casualty Insurance Agency. Initially she learned the ropes of running the insurance agency but soon gravitated over to the financial services side of the house and secured her securities licenses and credentials. As an Invest Advisory Representative with VOYA, Andrea has helped many clients develop successful financial plans encompassing retirement, Social Security, Medicare, education planning, pensions, annuities, life, disability and long- term care insurance as well as tax exempt market vehicles such as 457s and 403Bs. It was through her planning business that she first got introduced to working with clients who were going through divorce and didn’t know where to turn. They were distraught with emotion and uncertainty. Their response to the help she was able to provide them awakened a passion that she never realized before. She knew at that moment that her focus needed to be on providing guidance, support, sound financial advice and technical expertise to divorcing individuals. This passion shift prompted her to step down from running her insurance agency and promote family members to take over the reigns so that she can devote herself to becoming the best Certified Divorce Financial Analyst she can be. Andrea has joined Strategic Divorce Planning where she provides support, guidance and financial expertise to those divorcing individuals as well as post-divorce support for those clients that require asset management, asset retitling, QDRO facilitation and financial planning. Andrea’s association with Vesta allows her to educate and guide those who are contemplating or in the midst of divorce and help them maintain focus and structure so they can achieve better outcomes. To her it is not just about the numbers — It’s about the person. It’s about instilling in her clients to be better and not bitter, and to take any negative energy surrounding their current circumstances and turn it around and reinvest it back into themselves to be who they want to be. Andrea’s message is: “Don’t let your divorce define you, let it inspire you.”

Learn more about Andrea at www.strategicdivorceplanning.com

Clients depend on Timothy (Tim) Monahan for his trust, understanding and deep knowledge he brings to his client relationships. Tim has a genuine interest in understanding each client’s unique situation and works with them to create a personalized strategy to help them achieve their goals one step at a time. The real benefit is the comfort and confidence his clients feel from having a clear understanding of their financial strategy.

Prior to joining Centinel Financial Group, Tim worked as a Regional Manager for Santander Bank, overseeing the bank’s Rhode Island branches. Tim has always had a passion for retail banking and has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry. In his current role at Centinel Financial Group, he is able to reconnect with the relationships he has built over the years, as well as build new relationships, to assist his clients with their personal financial strategies and goals.

In his spare time, Tim enjoys exercising, gardening, traveling and spending time at the beach. Tim attended Bryant University and he currently resides in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Learn more about Tim at www.ethosstrategicteam.com

Lisa, a Licensed Realtor who specializes in residential sales, is Owner/Partner at The R&L Home Team at Keller Williams Showcase Properties. She serves the communities of Braintree, Hingham, Milton, Quincy and Weymouth. Lisa has helped many families of divorce navigate the sale/purchase of their home with honesty and integrity, which has given her an excellent reputation among clients and colleagues. She is driven to exceed her clients’ expectations. Many consider her a trusted friend and know that she will fiercely protect their interests. Lisa has a special interest in working with clients who are divorced or who are in the process of divorce. She has first hand experienced the divorce process herself. She is the mother of 5 amazing children and wished she had a network of professionals whom she could count on to give her clarity about this very difficult situation. Lisa’s goal is to help make the situation less complicated so people can do their jobs and take care of the important daily life decisions for themselves and their family. She understands that it is important to have guidance and trust and strives to give that to all her clients, especially those in vulnerable situations. Learn more about Lisa at www.therandlhometeam.com

Loren, a leading agent with the leading brokerage firm, Compass, represents buyers, sellers, and developers in Boston and the surrounding areas. She is one of the most trusted names in the business when it comes to achieving superior results for her clients. Her up-to-the minute appraisal of the market has proved to be invaluable when it comes to pricing, and it allows her to achieve top dollar for sellers and developers and expertly advise buyers. Loren’s constant aim is to elevate the real estate experience for her clients through intelligent and comprehensive representation. Her experience as a litigation attorney in New York City and Chicago have provided Loren with the ability to simultaneously pursue her clients’ interests while also protecting them. She is a skilled and savvy negotiator who keeps ethics at the forefront of the representation. Loren’s years as a divorce attorney make her an expert in home sales when divorce is a key factor in the sale. Her method of working with the divorcing couple, staging the home, and attention to detail are all reasons why she is an in-demand realtor. From single family homes to boutique condominiums and rental conversions to luxurious high-rise towers, Loren brings a modern approach to her representation that her clients have come to rely upon. From 2015 to the present, Loren has represented four conversion and new development projects in Boston and the surrounding areas for a total of over 60 new condo residences. In 2015 Loren was selected to sit on Compass’ first New Development Council, North America (CNDC, N.A.). Learn more about Loren at www.compass.com/agents/boston/loren-larsen

Gwen is a real estate professional with Leading Edge Real Estate. Gwen graduated with a business/marketing degree and worked in corporate sales for 10 years before becoming a realtor. She utilizes her background in marketing, analytics, communication and organization to assist families with their move. She knows what to expect when working with families groing trhough divorce as she has lived through it herself. She knows that the needs of one partner might be different from the other’s. She listens. Gwen will help you plan and prepare, and provide you with the tools and data you need, to make smart decisions regarding your move. She prides herself on building relationships with her clients that last a lifetime. Gwen’s parents divorced when she was young. She was relocated across the country and she saw first-hand the effect her parents’ divorce had on her and her brother. Financially, new homes, new schools, new friends, new partners and a new landscape can make the transition even harder. Gwen recognizes the significance a change like divorce has not only on the parents, but on the children. She strives to bring some “fun” to the transition for the children and help coach the parents through the difficult decisions that lie ahead regarding their home. Gwen is new to Vesta and brings new energy to the network. She’s excited to meet new people, consult with Vesta members and provide timely, smart, meaningful information with respect to your home. Gwen’s background, experience and knowledge of the local markets set her apart and provide her with an opportunity to help her clients achieve success. Learn more about Gwen at http://lawsonsells.com/

Coleen is a Realtor®, Senior Real Estate Specialist, Certified Luxury Home Specialist and a member of The International Association of Home Staging Professionals. She moved to Lexington from the New York/Connecticut area 14 years ago for her twins’ education. Coleen has intricate knowledge of local school districts and the benefits that each has to offer. She has a passion for children with special needs and helps guide families looking for local expertise in surrounding towns providing special education. Prior to becoming a Realtor in 2014, she was the co-owner of Spark Home Staging, LLC. Her design and staging background make her uniquely qualified to prepare, stage, and sell homes for top dollar.  Coleen loves getting to know her clients and families, has a passion for finding the perfect town and home for every buyer, as well as having a keen eye for staging and preparing each and every house for sale in our competitive Real Estate market. She prides herself on the relationships and friendships she has built with her past clients, and enjoys connecting like-minded people together.  Using cutting edge technology and data-driven information, Coleen has the tools to determine fair market value for a potential property, and her advice and guidance in the process is paramount.  She continues year after year to successfully negotiate offers for her buyers and winning the bid in multiple offer situations. Coleen has been with Vesta since its inception. She prides herself on being a part of such a nurturing, educated and caring group of professionals all working for the good of its clients for whom they serve. Living through her parent’s divorce and then her mother’s second divorce as a child and teenager, Coleen knows first hand the impact that divorce can have on families. Moving 3 times from 3rd grade through high school due to her family situation allows her to empathize with all members of the divorcing family. Her good-natured disposition, combined with never ending “glass is half full” attitude is a welcoming comfort to her clients and their families. When she is not working with her buyers and sellers, you can find Coleen spending time with her husband of 20 years, her now 18 year old daughters, renovating a new space, at the gym, on the golf course, or enjoying a fine glass of wine. Learn more about Coleen at www.leadingedgeagents.com/agent-profile/coleen-mcadam-7314265

Sky is a real estate professional with Keller Williams Realty North Central, focusing primarily on Worcester and Middlesex counties in Massachusetts. She specializes in equine and luxury property and also helps both buyers and sellers in any type of residential real estate transaction. Sky’s parents divorced when she was two, and many subsequent family members and close friends have been through divorces in the years since. Divorce has literally been a part of her life since before she can remember. Through the many divorces that have affected those around her, Sky has seen both how well a divorce can proceed and how damaging and far-reaching it can be. While she is grateful for her amazing, large family she is also acutely aware that divorce is a life-long situation with impacts far beyond the separating individuals and the last day in court Vesta appeals to Sky because it isn’t just about the divorce decree. Vesta looks at the before, the during, and the after, realizing that all these stages are important. Too often couples and those around them think “It will be different when the divorce is final”, and while it WILL be different, it’s not an end, rather it’s a new beginning. Vesta acknowledges that and embraces it, offering support throughout all of the stages and not just focusing on finalizing the decree. For most of us, our home is our largest financial asset. However, in many divorces, determining the value, who shall stay in possession or what is the condition of the home is often not given adequate consideration. As a real estate professional, Sky can help avoid common pitfalls by assisting in valuing a property for current market value, advising on finding inspectors and appropriate professionals to make sure that the home is in good, working condition if the home is going to be retained, or marketing and working with couples to sell the home at the highest net price. Additionally, she can also help individuals purchase a new home after the assets are divided. Originally trained as a corporate attorney in New York and Connecticut, Sky switched paths and obtained her real estate license in 2014. She has put her training in negotiation skills and critical thinking to use for her clients ever since. After working with a few couples going through divorce during the regular course of her real estate business, it quickly became clear that there are specific and special concerns in aiding divorcing clients—notably, parties may have very different goals and emotions regarding the sale of the home. In order to better serve this unique client-base, Sky began to focus on specific classes on working with divorcing clients and the professionals involved—from attorneys to lenders to financial planners—to help learn how to better assist with this network to provide a comprehensive experience for the clients. Learn more about Sky at http://mincklerhomes.com/

Amy K. Slotnick is Regional Manager of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation in Newton, with more than 36 years of experience as a Loan Originator. Amy joined the company in 2007 and became the company’s number one producing loan originator, a title she held for six years. In 2014 she became Branch Manager and since has grown the office three-fold.

What is your profession? Craig Tashjian is a residential mortgage professional.  He specializes in educating clients and making the financing process less mysterious and overwhelming. How do you help people before, during and after divorce? The financing process in a divorce situation can be complicated and stressful.  Craig uses a consultative approach before you go down the path of divorce so you are informed of your options.  He helps you prepare for the purchase or refinance of the marital home or to buy a new home. He will sit down and listen to your goals. Why did you join Vesta? Craig has been a child of divorce since age 5.  He experienced firsthand what it was like to be raised by a single parent. He was fortunate to have several extended family members close by but recognizes that many people don’t have this safety net.  As a mortgage professional, he has helped many divorced couples with difficult financing decisions. Vesta will allow him to help many more with these difficult decisions and collaborate with other divorce professionals in the process. What is your professional background? Craig has had a mortgage lending practice for over 35 years. He graduated Cum Laude from Boston College with a B.A. in History and Secondary Education.  He has completed several graduate MBA courses at Bentley University as well as certificate programs for personal and educational growth in the mortgage field. As a licensed Loan Originator, he completes continuing education each year.  What is your website? www.craigtashjianloans.com 

Beth helps parents make daily parenting decisions that deepen the loving connection with their child. She is the founder and owner of Parent-Solutions Coaching. Beth has a M.A. in Parent Coaching and Child Development from Lesley University and has been certified by the Parent Coaching Institute (PCI). Beth’s work focuses on the strengths of both parents and children, helping parents recognize the unique qualities and strengths of each individual. Helping to deepen the connection with each child, she offers to coach to all parents including new parents, grandparents and nannies/caregivers. Coaching can be one on one, or in small groups of parents with children who are similar in age. Beth has additional training and offers presentations on a variety of topics including the effects of media on brain development, Brain Compatible Parenting™, Touchpoints™ and temperament. Beth also holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University. After an initial career in biomedical engineering, she developed her own business, Simple Solutions, specializing in home and small business organizing. Beth chose to transition to parent coaching to have a more profound positive impact on parents and families. Learn more about Beth Greenawalt at www.parent-solutions.com

Tanya provides education and coaching to parents on a variety of child-related topics, with particular focus on issues facing families going through the divorce process. In addition to her coaching services, Tanya is a clinical social worker and a trained family mediator in her own practice in Needham, MA. Over the years, Tanya has worked with hundreds of divorcing families and has observed, first hand, how emotionally difficult the divorce process can be on parents and children.  She is committed to working with parents to draw upon their strengths, address their concerns, and improve effective communication skills with the ultimate goal of reducing conflict.  As a parenting coach, Tanya offers guidance on talking to children about the divorce, developing parenting plans, introducing new partners to children, and many other aspects of co-parenting–both during and post-divorce. She is passionate about working with people of all backgrounds to address their concerns and empowering them to be successful co-parents.   For over a decade, Tanya was a practicing family law attorney and worked in Probate Courts as a custody evaluator and parent coordinator. In her various roles within the legal system, she repeated saw the negative outcomes of parental conflict, ineffective communication and lack of co-parenting cooperation.  Seeing many families and children so adversely impacted by the litigation process, Tanya altered her professional path towards her current practice of counseling, coaching and family mediation. Tanya is also a long-time certified instructor for Parents Apart, a court-approved program for divorcing parents, and has presented at numerous workshops about parenting during divorce.  She has served on the boards of Massachusetts Council of Family Mediation, Massachusetts Association of Guardians ad Litem, and The Divorce Center. Tanya coaching practice draws from her clinical, mediation, teaching, and legal experience, and emphasizes education, skill building, and collaboration to find practical solutions that fit the needs of each individual family.  Tanya’s decision to join the Vesta professional team was an easy choice: the platform matches her own goals of helping people move through the divorce process more smoothly, with greater knowledge, confidence, and peace of mind. Tanya holds a B.A. from Brandeis University and a Juris Doctor and Masters in Social Work from Boston College. To learn more about Tanya’s background and practice, please visit mylifechanges.net.

Lisa is the founder of Classified Image Consultant, where she helps her clients exude confidence and achieve success in both their personal and professional lives by building the best wardrobe for them. Combining her modeling and sales background, along with her keen style instincts, Lisa enhances her clients’ wardrobes by evaluating their physical characteristics and personal preferences so they can look and feel amazing every day . . . in as little as 10 minutes. Lisa specializes in wardrobe consulting, concierge shopping and makeover photo shoot for women and men who are ready to step up their style and image but don’t know how. As a commercial actress and model, Lisa has worked with many top makeup artists and stylists for the magazine, newspaper, brochure and billboard photo shoots, as well as television spots and training videos, for more than 30 years. Thanks to her 18 years as a top sales professional in the male-dominated luxury auto sales industry, she knows first- hand how projecting a polished image earns trust and access to better opportunities in both professional and private life. Lisa is a divorced mother of three boys living in Danvers, MA with their cat Champayne. Learn more about Lisa Malmgren at www.classifiedimageconsultant.com

 

Bates Insurance Agency is a 3rd generation, family-owned and operated, full-service insurance agency dedicated to providing outstanding service, one customer at a time. When you contact our office, you’ll speak with an insurance professional who’s been working in the business for more than 20 years. That member of our team will be able to address any questions or concerns you have and can also help you schedule a consultation with one of our agents.