PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Client Focus: Karen works primarily with professionals and their families throughout their different life stages. Karen genuinely strives to provide clients with the highest service levels and makes herself available to them in every aspect of their financial situation, not simply their investments. She emphasizes continuous client and personal education in her work, and regularly moderates workshops in the Greater Bay Area on a range of investment topics. Her speaking engagements include presentations to Women Healthcare Executives (WHCE), Prudential California Realty and Stanford Women’s Club of the East Bay.
Investment Philosophy: Key elements of her investment philosophy include:
•Creating a financial road map for clients which incorporates financial and retirement planning strategies
•Customization of investment portfolios using open architecture (non-proprietary investment products)
•Risk management using multiple asset classes with a focus on protecting principal in all markets
•Regular monitoring of clients' investment portfolios and review of events in clients' lives that may impact their financial decisions
Team Approach: Karen teams up with every client to develop customized strategies. If necessary, she partners with specialists within Merrill Lynch to ensure that all aspects of the client’s financial needs are met. These may include solutions which address clients’ particular needs relating to concentrated tax-efficient cash management, retirement income planning, long-term care insurance coverage, liability management and college savings programs. Karen is also prepared to work closely with clients’ other trusted advisors, their CPAs and estate attorneys, to ensure that their collective advice is aligned in the best interest of the client.
Experience and Education: Karen has over 15 years of experience in financial services. She worked for 7 years in investment banking at Merrill Lynch and CIBC World Markets. She advised corporate executives and Board members on a range of financial transactions including private and public financings (IPOs, follow-on equity offerings, debt issues), mergers and acquisitions and fairness opinions. She also worked as an equity trader for 2 years, using both fundamental and technical analyses in her decision-making. Since 2005, Karen has worked in Merrill Lynch's Wealth Management Group.
She has a B.A. from Brandeis University (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and an M.A. from Yale University. She serves on the Board of Directors for Legal Assistance for Seniors (LAS), an Oakland-based non-profit organization. Karen lives in Piedmont, California with her husband and son.
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Karen is currently accepting new clients with investable assets of $500,000 or more who share her investment philosophy. Please indicate your source of referral when calling to make an appointment .