Meet Your Team

Alleen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from York University and her law degree from the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law in 2008. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2009.

Prior to joining RBC, Alleen practiced in the areas of Estate Planning and Administration, Corporate/Commercial law and Real Estate law in a mid-sized law firm. Alleen advised her clients on a breadth of legal issues, including key considerations in setting up legal business structures, succession planning and estate planning.

Alleen fosters a multidisciplinary approach to each client’s unique needs, drawing on various advisors’ expertise and offering her own to identify issues for further consideration and review, together with information and guidance which are both sensible and practical.

Abby specializes in tax and estate planning for high-net-worth and ultra high-net-worth families. 

Her guidance supports clients in their relationships with their external professional advisors, with whom she frequently interacts. 

Prior to joining High Net Worth Planning Services, Abby provided tax, retirement, estate and financial planning advice to RBC advisors and their clients. She has written articles on various topics including charitable donations, executive compensation, tax planning and retirement planning. 

Prior to joining RBC, Abby worked in a medium sized accounting firm assisting business executives and high net worth clients with their tax planning and estate planning. She worked closely with owner-manager shareholders to assess and recommend the best tax planning strategies, the best corporate structure and the most suitable succession plan. 

Abby is a Chartered Accountant and has a Bachelor in Economics and Commerce from the University of Toronto. She completed the In-Depth tax courses I and II and the In-Depth Tax Issues for the Owner-Managed Business as well as the Canadian Securities Course. She is also a Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and has obtained the STEP Advanced Certificate in Family Business Advising. Abby is also a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation. Lastly, Abby is a certified Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA), which allows her to address the complex needs of family enterprise clients. 

Vicky Mitchell brings more than 2 decades of extensive Insurance, Personal and Commercial banking advice experience to RBC Wealth Management, Private Banking. As a private banker, Vicky provides comprehensive wealth management and financial planning strategies to high-net-worth business owners, executives, professionals, and their families.

Based in Waterloo, Vicky works with a select number of clients in Waterloo region and South Western Ontario to address their often-complex banking, credit and wealth management needs through customized banking and financial solutions. Her goal is to deliver unparalleled service while building lasting relationships based on a thorough understanding of each client's unique needs and goals. As your dedicated Private Banker, Vicky will take the time to discover what is important to you and your family, as well as your personal financial and wealth goals.

When necessary, she collaborates with specialists across RBC to provide clients with a complete range of complementing services. Ranging from investment management to estate and legacy planning, and from domestic and international trust services to sophisticated credit, Vicky can propose targeted strategies to help clients achieve their short- and long-term goals.

Vicky draws on more than 16 years of experience at RBC, consisting of a range of roles in Financial Planning, Commercial Banking and several leadership roles within Commercial and Private Banking. Clients also benefit from the knowledge Vicky gained as an Advisor at The-Cooperators in both Guelph and Cambridge providing wealth and insurance planning for life and disability, as well as P&C. Vicky has continued to deepen her knowledge and experience with the key industry designation from FP Canada, Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

Away from the office, Vicky enjoys playing ringette and baseball, camping and spending time with her spouse and 3 daughters. She is actively involved coaching with Cambridge Ringette Association as well as volunteering at her daughter's school.

Wes Cutting started working with RBC more than nine years ago, taking a role in the National Office of RBC's Credit Advisory Group immediately after graduating with an Honours Finance Degree from Brock University in St. Catharines. Since joining RBC, Wes had been steadily promoted through various roles and departments within the bank, with increasing responsibilities at each juncture. Before joining the Private Banking team, Wes was an award-winning Commercial Account Manager in the Niagara Region and has since relocated back to Guelph, where he was born and raised.

As your dedicated Private Banker, Wes will take the time to discover what is important to you and your family, as well as your personal financial and wealth goals. Along with his team, which includes a Private Banking Advisor, and a Manager of Credit Structure, he will create a strategy and make recommendations on a plan of action that is right for each unique client situation. He also has access throughout the RBC network to call on a team of renowned specialists, in Canada and key markets worldwide. This team enables him to provide a complete range of services - including delivering comprehensive, integrated financial solutions to ensure clients' meet their goals through investments, business banking, estate planning, and Trusts, both domestic & international.

When not working with clients, Wes enjoys spending his time on the golf course, playing numerous other sports with his friends and colleagues, while spending as much time as he can with his dog, Zoe, who is a purebred Poodle with lots of energy. He is also very active in the kitchen, enjoying any opportunity to cook for family and friends.

You’re the biggest beneficiary.

Colin Ardill stays humble. Even so, he’s not shy about being a man on a mission: to overturn 150 years of misunderstanding about life insurance, one day at a time.

Most Canadians see only one dimension to life insurance: that it’s of no use to the living. But Colin sees it in three dimensions. There is the death benefit that everyone can see – but life insurance also provides tax-exempt growth, and it allows the holder to spend more money in retirement than they otherwise could. Says Colin: “The person buying the policy is going to be the biggest beneficiary.”

Colin has been in the estate planning business for over 15 years. His core purpose – the heart of everything he does – is to leave everyone he meets better off.

As a Private Banking Premier Advisor, Monica Gonsalves provides tailored financial solutions for the banking and credit needs of select high-net-worth clients that work with RBC's Wealth Management partners in the Guelph, Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, and Orangeville communities.

As a part of this relationship, Monica will access specialists from across RBC in order to work collaboratively to provide a complete range of complementary services that include credit and leverage strategies to support individual short and long term goals.

Monica offers an extensive background in client relationship to her role as a Premier Advisor, drawing on 12 years of experience within RBC, consisting of a wide range of Insurance, Leadership and Advisory positions.

Monica attended Seneca College, completed a number of Coaching and Communication courses, and has continued to deepen her knowledge and expertise through the Canadian Securities Institute with key industry designations such as IFIC, PFSA and FP1. She was the head coach to the Guelph Knights U12 and U13 basketball teams for two years, and continues to volunteer her time in the community.

Away from the office, Monica enjoys spending time at the family cottage in Bayfield, practicing yoga and playing guitar.

As a Premier Advisor with RBC Wealth Management Private Banking, Marian provides personal service and tailored advice to help clients save time and effectively manage their day to day banking needs.

Working as a single point of contact, Marian will access specialists from across the organization in order to provide a complete range of complementary services to support the individual short and long term goals of our Wealth Management clients in the Waterloo/Guelph-Cambridge-Orangeville area.

Marian draws on 16 years of experience within RBC. She was recently a Financial Advisor in our North Guelph community for 8 years and prior to that, she worked at Dominion Securities for 2 years as an Investment Advisor Assistant. She had the opportunity to engage in several aspects of our retail growth and client retention helping drive RBC's direction for the future and foster long-term client relationships across multiple channels within our Communities.

Marian has successfully attained her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and currently holds accreditations through the Canadian Securities Institute which includes IFIC, PFSA and FP1. Her focus is to deliver an Exceptional Advice Experience for high net worth households that work directly with our Wealth Management partners.

Marian resides in Guelph with her husband and 2 children.

As a Senior Will and Estate Advisor for the Greater Toronto Area, Lesley Donsky brings an approach to estate planning that centers on understanding and addressing the unique needs of each client, working collaboratively with both the client and their trusted advisors to develop a comprehensive and effective estate plan.

Whether clients hope to protect a disabled heir, incorporate succession planning for their business, address the unique concerns arising from second spouses and blended families, minimize family conflicts, or deal with beneficiaries or assets that are situated outside of Canada, Lesley can help craft a tailored estate plan that meets their individual needs.

Lesley is a graduate of the University of Windsor Faculty of Law with a Juris Doctor degree and holds a Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation. She is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) and the Ontario Bar Association (OBA), the Estate Planning Council of Canada and the Junior Trust and Estate Practitioners Group (JTEP), as well as a full member of STEP Canada.

In 2022, Lesley was nominated and shortlisted for the Young Practitioner of the Year Award through the STEP Client Awards, which recognizes excellence among practitioners who demonstrate great promise in the industry.

Before joining RBC Royal Trust, Lesley worked at two of Toronto’s top will and estate planners and estate litigation firms. In addition to her law degree, she earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Criminology from Western University, where she was awarded the Gold Medal in Criminology for her academic achievement.

The combination of Lesley’s professional experience and commitment to providing practical solutions make her an invaluable resource for both clients and their financial advisors.

Ryan specializes in tax, estate, business succession and family enterprise planning for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families. Together with your RBC advisor, Ryan provides coordinated guidance to support your relationships with your external professional advisors, with whom he frequently collaborates.

Prior to joining High Net Worth Planning Services, Ryan worked with RBC advisors to provide comprehensive wealth and financial planning services focused on clients’ goals including tax, estate, succession, philanthropy, education and retirement planning. He also worked at one of the big four accounting firms, advising on Canadian tax strategies, corporate reorganization and business transition for small-and medium-sized enterprises.

Ryan is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), Certified Financial Planner professional, Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP), Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). He has completed the CPA Canada In-Depth Tax Course and holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University with a major in Accounting. He is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation, Family Enterprise Canada and The Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (Canada).

Wealth Planning Consultation

Ryan works closely with your RBC advisor to identify strategies and solutions on structuring your affairs in a manner that addresses your overall wealth planning needs, which you would then discuss and implement with your accountant or lawyer.

Scott is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP). He obtained his Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. Prior to joining RBC, Scott gained a unique understanding of planning for the ownermanager through various roles in the public accounting industry over the past 15 years. In his previous role as a senior tax manager, he specialized in providing tax advisory, tax minimization strategies, corporate reorganizations and estate planning services to high-net-worth individuals and owner-managed businesses. Scott has over 10 years of Canadian taxation experience. He has completed all three levels of CPA Canada’s In-Depth Tax Course and is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation. Scott’s role is to work with and support your financial advisor in preparing and presenting your comprehensive Compass Financial Plan and to identify and assess any related financial, tax and retirement planning concerns you may have.