Cost:

FWA Members: $10  |  Non-Members: $20

Description: 

Join the Financial Women's Association for an important panel discussion on why it's vital for women to understand their full financial picture. Our expert panelists will cover topics like creating a will, organizing key documents, reviewing investments and tax returns and contingency planning. This event will empower you to take charge of your financial life during major life changes like divorce or death of a spouse. Bring your questions and leave feeling more confident about your finances. Hosted by FWA and Bristal Senior Living, this is an event you don't want to miss if you're serious about financial stability and independence.

Special guest speaker Lori Maldavir, Director of Program Outreach of the Alzheimer’s Association Long Island chapter will also be discussing the free services they offer.

Panelists: 

Melissa Gonzalez, Partner, Private Client Services and Trusts & Estates - Grassi & Co.

Maria Keeler, First Vice President, Investment Management Consultant, Financial Advisor - Morgan Stanley

Kerri Winans Kaley, Director of Business Development, Encore Luxury Living

Moriah Adamo, Partner, Elder Law and Trusts and Estates - Abrams Fensterman, LLP

This event is organized by the FWA - Long Island Committee of the FWA of New York, Inc.

Bios:

Melissa Gonzalez is a Partner at Grassi and a member of the firm’s Trust & Estate and Private Client Services practices. With extensive experience in fiduciary, estate and gift tax, she specializes in helping high-net-worth individuals plan and meet their tax mitigation and wealth preservation goals.

As a certified public accountant and accredited estate planner, Melissa has deep knowledge of evolving tax law and its application to individuals, trusts, estates and gifting. She uses this expertise to help her clients stay ahead of compliance changes, identify tax planning opportunities and implement asset transfer strategies.

Prior to joining Grassi, Melissa was a partner at a national accounting firm, where she provided high-net-worth individuals and families with strategic trust and estate plans, customized to identify the most effective tax savings vehicles for their unique situations and goals. She has specialized expertise in income, estate and gift tax planning and wealth transfer plans.

Outside the office, Melissa regularly gives back to her community. She serves as the Treasurer of the Board of the Moxxie Mentoring Foundation, which supports the professional and leadership development of young women. The organization awarded her the “Purple Pump Award” for outstanding mentoring.

Melissa also actively supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), raising more than $500,000 over the past seven years for the organization’s research into curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma.

A member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), Melissa sits on the society’s Estate Planning Committee. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and past president of the Board of the Estate Planning Council of Nassau County.

Melissa holds a B.S. in Accounting from Bentley University.

Maria Keeler, First Vice President, Financial Advisor / Family Wealth Advisor - Morgan Stanley

(bio coming soon!)

Moriah Adamo is a Partner at Abrams Fensterman, LLP. She manages the Elder Law Department out of their Lake Success office.

Ms. Adamo represents clients through all phases of estate planning and maximizing governmental benefits from planning through appeals. Regularly prosecuting all stages of Medicare and Medicaid appeals, including preparing and advocating for appellants at Fair Hearings and Article 78 proceedings, provides Ms. Adamo with unique experience. She applies that knowledge to assist families planning for and experiencing long term health care needs. Ms. Adamo has successfully represented clients to secure and maximize increased rehabilitation and home care hours, reverse penalty periods, and eliminate findings of excess resources. State and Federal Courts have certified Ms. Adamo as an expert witness in the substantive area of Medicaid in civil and criminal matters.

In the Guardianship proceedings, Ms. Adamo marries litigation skills with extensive knowledge of Medicaid to achieve pragmatic results for incapacitated individuals. Not only has she represented litigants in both contested and uncontested proceedings, but she regularly receives judicial appointments to serve as counsel to alleged incapacitated persons and guardians.

Ms. Adamo is a frequent lecturer on the various Medicaid, Guardianship and estate planning topics. Ms. Adamo has co-authored published articles examining various issues involving maximization of Medicaid benefits. Ms. Adamo has lobbied the State Legislatures regarding important Medicaid programs, advocating for protection of disabled New Yorkers. She is the chair of the New York State Elder Law and Special Needs Medicaid Committee, the former co-chair of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Elder Law, Social Services & Health Advocacy Committee. In addition, she serves as co-chair of the New York State Bar Association's Elder Law and Special Needs Section's Health Law Committee.

Prior to joining Abrams Fensterman, Ms. Adamo was an associate at a boutique Long Island elder law firm.

Kerri Winans Kaley, Director of Business Development, Encore Luxury Living

(bio coming soon!)

Lori Kaiden Maldavir has worked with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease/related dementias and their family caregivers for over 20 years.  As the former Director of Day Haven Adult Day Services, Lori oversaw their caregiver programs including three monthly support groups, educational programs, memory cafes and their Caregiver Day of Renewal.  Lori is currently the Director of Program Outreach for the Alzheimer’s Association, Long Island chapter. She holds a Master’s degree in Management with a focus in Aging policy from the Heller School at Brandeis University.  Recognizing the isolation felt by many caregivers in her support groups, Lori introduced the first Memory Café to Suffolk County in 2014.  Since then, memory cafes have been replicated across the Long Island and have been a successful way for individuals with Alzheimer’s and their loved ones to connect with others facing similar challenges.