RBC partners

Prior to joining RBC in 2014, Zora spent over a decade with a mid-size Canadian accounting and business advisory firm where she focused on assisting owner- managers and their families with personal, trust and corporate tax planning and compliance. Zora focused on development and implementation of strategies for wealth preservation in the context of tax, estate and succession planning.
Zora, together with your primary RBC advisor, helps you to explore succession, tax, retirement and estate planning issues you face as a business owner. Zora specializes in tax and estate planning for business owners and high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families.
Zora received a Bachelor degree in Science from Simon Fraser University and a Master in Business Administration from the University of British Columbia. Zora is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Certified General Accountant. Zora
has completed the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants In-Depth Tax Courses, as well as the Advanced Tax Issues for the Owner-Managed Business Course. Zora is also a TEP designated member of STEP (The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners).

People need really good people. Without the correct expertise to help guide us, things can easily fall through the cracks. Growing up in a family business, Brett has first-hand knowledge of the highs of success and the lows resulting from poor estate and succession planning. It was this experience that guided him to the financial industry and why he is driven to help others achieve their goals.

Brett recognizes each person and situation is unique as is his process to gather information, identify wealth goals and recommend tax efficient insurance based solutions. Whether implementing financial protection against premature death and illness or ensuring your hard work and wealth are transferred to the next generation, Brett creates a plan focused on your needs.

Raised in Winnipeg, Brett moved to the beautiful Okanagan in 2015 where he lives with his wife and 3 daughters. While always up to play a round of golf his passion, long distance running, keeps him on the lookout for his next marathon.

Wealth on your terms.

Arne's eldest daughter has a poster on her wall. It says, "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken." That's how Arne lives life. He hopes others feel the freedom to do so as well. That's why his core purpose is to help clients enjoy and distribute wealth on their own terms.

To help those clients make informed choices, Arne and his team make it their mission to listen, interpret, educate and coach - that insurance is an asset, not an expense, for example. Careful planning then surfaces the right solution.

Loyalty and trust are paramount. By doing the right thing, Arne and his team want to be advisors' and clients' first choice. It helps that they're renowned as highly responsive, superbly meticulous, very honest - and always trying to be better.

As the Will and Estate Advisor for the Vancouver and Okanagan regions, Rick 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 help craft a comprehensive, effective estate plan that meets their particular needs.

A graduate of Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a law degree from the University of Victoria. He is currently a member of the Law Society of British Columbia, the Wills and Estates Subsection of the Canadian Bar Association (BC), and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Rick joined RBC Royal Trust from private practice and brings over 15 years of experience as a full time estate planning lawyer with a downtown Vancouver law firm. He has extensive experience dealing with all facets of personal estate planning, including wealth preservation, asset protection, income splitting and tax minimization issues. During that time, Rick also dealt with court appointed committees for incapacitated individuals, and matters arising from the administration and wind up of estates.

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, Rick can help craft a tailored estate plan that meets their individual needs.

The combination of his professional expertise and his commitment to provide practical solutions makes Rick an invaluable resource for both clients and their financial advisors.

As a Premier Banking Advisor for Kelowna, Michelle Beauregard 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 5 years of experience in financial services with RBC, Michelle is respected by her clients, her peers and the industry, and has received top performer recognition. Michelle is committed to giving back to her community and acts as a volunteer member for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, YMCA Healthy Kids Day and YMCA Cycle for Strong Kids throughout past years.

Born in New Westminster and raised in Salmon Arm, Michelle holds a Diploma in Business Administration in 2013 from Okanagan College.

Michelle currently resides in Kelowna. When she is not hard at work for her clients, Michelle enjoys cooking, playing volleyball and spending time with family and friends.

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.

Aileen obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia in 2000 and graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 2003. She was called to the Bar in British Columbia and Ontario in 2004. She has achieved her TEP designation from STEP (The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), has completed the In-depth Tax Issues for the Owner-managed Business course and all three levels of the In-depth Tax course through the CPA. In 2009, Aileen joined RBC, assisting clients with their overall tax and estate planning, and in 2014, assumed her present position, specializing in assisting high-net-worth clients with their succession, tax, retirement and estate planning. Prior to joining RBC, Aileen practiced law in Vancouver and Toronto, specializing in estate and trust planning, and tax litigation. Aileen is a committed community volunteer, currently serving as Treasurer of STEP Canada and as a board member of the Canadian Dupuytren Society. She is a former Trustee of the YMCA of Greater Vancouver Foundation (serving for 9 years) as well as other local not-for-profits in BC. She is also a member of STEP Canada, the Canadian Association of Gift Planners, as well as the Canadian Tax Foundation.