The Extended Team

Prior to joining RBC Wealth Management, Michael Neudorf specialized in personal, estate and corporate planning for clients in a national law firm. In particular, Michael focused on providing tailor-made service to clients by assisting them in navigating through personal and legal issues in the most tax-efficient manner.

Michael obtained his Bachelor of Law (LL.B) in 2015 from the University of Montreal and was called to the Barreau du Quebec in 2016. Michael also holds a BA from McGill University in Political Science and History.

Michael is an active member of the Canadian Tax Foundation, the Association de planification fiscale et financière, the International Fiscal Association and the Canadian Bar Association.

Erin Lesser is a Quebec-based lawyer who joined the RBC Family Services Office as a Will and Estate Consultant in January of 2023. Prior to joining RBC, she gained more than six years of experience in the fields of taxation and estate planning through working at a boutique, tax-focused Montreal law firm and then a mid-sized accounting firm. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from Concordia University and then completed both her civil law degree and juris doctor at the University of Montreal. She also obtained her Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP) diploma in 2020, and is currently working to complete the CPA Canada In-Depth Taxation course. Erin is committed to providing clients with practical, creative and appropriate solutions for their estate planning needs. Not only has Erin practiced in estate planning and various other areas of taxation, she also has experience in Will and mandate drafting, estate administration and international estate concerns. As a result, she is able to guide clients towards a tax-efficient estate plan in addition to addressing any particular needs or wishes clients may have regarding their estate. Active in the legal community, Erin is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation’s Young Practitioner’s Committee, she is the acting second vicepresident of the Lord Reading Law Society and is a member of the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners. She is also a volunteer mentor to McGill and Concordia university students considering a career in law. 

In her capacity as an Estate Planning Specialist, Caroline assists clients achieve their wealth management goals through the application of insurance solutions.

Formerly a Chiropractor with her own practice, Caroline understands what it means to be a business owner but also to care for her clients. She took the time to listen to their medical concerns but cared for them holistically.

Faced with a critical health event in her family, she closed her practice and experienced the benefits of insurance firsthand and how the claims process works. Caroline then spent 10 years working for a Canadian insurance company before joining RBC. There she shared her knowledge, experiences, and passion for life insurance and the benefits it provides in support of life's circumstances.

An avid sportswoman, Caroline begins each day at the gym. In her free time, she and her family love to travel the world experiencing other cultures.

The Care Factor – fine-tuned answers.

Benjamin Otto is motivated to serve others. “My dad is a pastor. Growing up, I often went with him visiting congregational members in their homes, hospitals and nursing homes. I saw him working extremely hard for others and the positive impact it had on them.”

This sensitivity to people’s needs and expectations is at the core of Ben’s philosophy. Ben and his team call it The Care Factor. It means that for every client, they work with meticulous devotion to provide fine-tuned answers and remove the stress of the unknown. Ben draws on his creative thinking, passion, and 22 years of expertise, to offer fresh perspectives and develop innovative solutions for complex high net worth cases.

Ben and his team are committed to being their client’s most trustworthy resource.

As the Will and Estate Advisor for the Quebec region, Sabrina Silvano provides estate settlement strategies and solutions for clients and their families.

Sabrina works collaboratively with clients, their families and their trusted professionals in order to develop personalized multi-generational estate plans incorporating wills, testamentary and inter vivos trusts, and Protection Mandates. Through this process, she helps families ensure the protection of their patrimony and facilitates its smooth transfer to the next generation.

Sabrina is a highly leveraged resource to the Quebec region team providing insights and advice related to the ever changing laws on estate and trust structures. Her technical expertise complements her skill in managing the complexities of family dynamics. She brings a compassionate, expert perspective that is welcomed by families who may be struggling with the difficult decisions that often accompany estate planning, whether it’s protecting an heir with a disability, providing for children from a previous union, minimizing family conflict or dealing with beneficiaries or assets that are situated outside of Canada.

Fully bilingual, Sabrina holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) in North American Common Law from the University of Montreal and is a member of the Quebec Bar and gained her TEP designation in 2018.

As a Senior Will and Estate Advisor for the Quebec Region, Tiziana Cirigliano brings an approach to estate planning that centers on understanding and addressing the unique needs of each client.

Tiziana works collaboratively with clients, their families and trusted professionals, to craft a personalized multi-generational estate plan that incorporates Wills, testamentary and inter vivos trusts, and protection mandates. Through this process, she helps clients ensure the protection of their patrimony and facilitates its smooth transfer to the next generation.

Tiziana’s technical expertise complements her skill set in managing
the complexities of family dynamics. She brings a compassionate, knowledgeable perspective that is welcomed by families who may be struggling with the difficult decisions that often accompany estate planning, whether it’s protecting an heir with a disability, providing for children from

a previous union, minimizing family conflict or dealing with beneficiaries or assets that are situated outside of Canada.

Fully bilingual, Tiziana holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and a Diploma in Notarial Law (D.D.N.) from the Université de Montréal, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from McGill University. In addition to her education, she has been a member of the Chambre des notaires du Québec since 2006.

Shawna is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), and holds a Master of Taxation (MTax) degree from the University of Waterloo as well as her bachelor’s degree in Commerce from McGill University. She is also a Financial Planner (F. Pl.), duly registered under the Institut Québécois de Planification Financière (IQPF), and a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Planners (Quebec chapter). Prior to joining RBC, Shawna was a taxation manager at a Montreal-based accounting firm, providing sophisticated tax and wealth management planning to high-net-worth individuals and corporate clients. Shawna's area of expertise includes personal, corporate and estate tax planning, wealth preservation and financial planning. As a Financial Planning Specialist at RBC Family Office Services, Shawna works jointly with your advisor to prepare and present your comprehensive Compass Financial Plan.

Michel Bétournay, Financial Planner, obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (major in accounting) from HEC Montréal in 1991, and earned the Financial Planner designation from the Quebec Institute of Financial Planners (IQPF) in 2002.

Michel joined RBC Financial Group in 1993, and has fourteen years’ experience as a Financial Planner, twelve of which were spent with the Compass Financial Planning team.

Michel’s role is to work with and support your advisor in preparing and presenting comprehensive Compass Financial Plans for clients.

Sara specializes in international estate planning, art collection and digital legacy planning for UHNW families in developing their wealth and legacy plans. Her guidance supports clients in their relationships with their external professional advisors, with whom she frequently interacts.

Sara has two decades of professional experience in complex estate and trust administration and planning; business succession; cross-border tax planning (STEP Advanced Certificate in Cross-Border Estates); family governance (STEP Advanced Certificate on family enterprise advising); art collection management and art estates planning (“Art as Global Business” Certificate, the Sotheby’s Institute of Art and European Institute of Sustainability, “Art Disruption,” NFTs and tokenization of Art, legal and tax planning); as well as, Digital Assets Inventory and estate management. She is a graduate of Masters in US Law at George Mason University and was called to the California State Bar in 2021. Sara achieved her Ph.D. in International Management (Behavioural Finance and Law) at the International School of Management in France, as well as completed the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, National Committee on Accreditation at UBC Peter A. Allard School of Law.

Sara is an active member of the following groups and institutions:

American Bar Association (ABA) in Chicago, US
California Lawyers Association CLA Trust and Estate, and IP Chapters in Los Angeles, US
Beverley Hills Bar Association in Los Angeles, US
International Bar Association (IBA) in London, UK; Technology Law Committee, Art, Cultural and Heritage Committee, IP and Entertainment Committee
Fellow of the European Law Institute in Vienna, Austria; Model Rules on Succession of Digital assets SIG; Access to Digital Assets SIG, and Model Rules on Algorithmic Contracts SIG
STEP Canada; the STEP Cross-Border Estates SIG
The Institute of Art and Law in London, UK
Art Lawyers Association (ALA) in London, UK
Professional Advisors to the International Art Market (PAIAM) in New York City, US
Alumnus of the of Harvard Law School, HarvardX, Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society
Third Space Life Charity in the Okanagan
She lectures the fall/winter seminars on International Business Law, Business Succession, Trust, International Arbitration and
M&A at ISEG, MBA course in Paris, France. She is also a visiting lecturer of Blockchain and NFTs at UCLA Law school. Sara is fluent in Italian and English and has working knowledge of French and Spanish.

Sara 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.

Holder of a Bachelor of Commerce, Ms. Aversa has been with RBC since 1988. She has twice been honoured and rewarded for her extensive knowledge thanks to the various positions held over the years, and her proactive drive in several departments. As a Financial Planner since 2003, she has developed effective strategies for consumers.

Building on this experience, Ms. Aversa became a Private Banker in 2005. She acts as a resource for all the financial needs of her clients, who come from various backgrounds. “I make sure to quickly find the most effective solutions; for more complex demands, I work with our experts to offer a comprehensive approach that is tailored to each situation.”

With the support of a professional team and with all RBC resources, Ms. Aversa makes life easier for her very busy high net worth clients by delivering quality service. “The personalized relationship that I develop based on honesty and confidentiality means I can work with clients and their families in a climate of trust.”

The RBC Private Banking team delivers top-quality professional services and informed advice on all financial matters. “We are advisors who accompany clients through every step of a process, whether it is developing a financial structure or daily management facilities.”

Ms. Aversa is also very committed to volunteer work. She devotes part of her time to Montreal's Jewish General Hospital, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont and Old Brewery Mission.

As a Premier Banking Advisor for the Montreal market, Cristina Craciun works as a single point of contact, providing banking and credit solutions for select clients of Wealth Management Canada and their families. Partnering with Investment Advisors and Counsellors across the region, she provides personalized service and tailored advice to help clients save time and effectively manage their day to day banking needs.

With more than 12 years of experience in financial services, including more than 9 years with RBC, Cristina has held various advisory roles including a role of senior advisor in personal banking. She is recognized for her ability to give sound advice to high-net-worth clients such as doctors, professionals and business owners and to surround herself with different partners within RBC for an excellent customer experience.

Cristina is committed to giving back to her community and has volunteered for the Ronald McDonald House of Montreal, Light the Night Walk (The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada), and several other charity and community events organized by RBC. She also organised financial literacy seminars for ERS a not-for-profit that supports English speaking unemployed people to integrate into the Quebec work environment.

Born in Romania, Cristina holds a Bachelor in Law and Public Administration, major in Public Administration from the University of Economics and Law, Romania. She speaks fluent French, English, and Romanian.

Cristina currently resides in the Montreal area and spends her spare time with her family and friends, playing tennis, reading, and listening to music. She also enjoys traveling and learning about other cultures.