Meet Our Extended Team

As a Regional Vice-President on the Indigenous Wealth team located in Calgary, Alberta, Brittanee manages a variety of relationships with Indigenous clients throughout British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. She is responsible for the administration of a wide range of Indigenous Trusts, including providing ongoing reporting, training and support to clients at the community level.

Brittanee graduated from the University of Calgary in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Indigenous Studies. In 2011, she obtained a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Calgary, which included a placement at the UBC First Nation Legal Clinic operating out of the Vancouver Downtown Eastside, serving the marginalized Indigenous population in the area. She is a member of the Law Society, and of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Brittanee is a former international athlete representing Canada in the sport of freestyle wrestling. Her achievements include being a 2014 Commonwealth Games Silver Medalist, a World Championship Medalist, World SportAccord Champion, and World University Champion, and a two-time Olympic Alternate for Canada. Brittanee has proudly represented Canada around the globe for over 10 years, including attending the 2008 Beijing Games as a training partner for Team Canada. As a University of Calgary Varsity Athlete, Brittanee was a National Champion, and was named the University of Calgary Female Athlete of the year in 2006.

Raised in the small remote community of Watson Lake, Yukon, Brittanee is a member of the Wolf Clan of the Kaska Dena Nation (Liard First Nation). She serves as a volunteer board member for the Dena Kayeh Institute, and for the National Aboriginal Trust Officers Association (NATOA).

Faisal specializes in tax and estate planning for high net worth families.

Prior to joining RBC, Faisal was a tax senior manager with a mid-size accounting and advisory firm, as well as with a multi-national accounting firm. Faisal’s expertise includes tax and estate planning for high net worth individuals and families, professionals, and business owners.

Faisal is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and his educational background includes the completion of the CICA’s in-depth tax course (Level I, II and III), a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Victoria, and a Masters of Professional Accounting from the University of Saskatchewan. He is also a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation.

Coady’s expertise includes tax and estate planning for business owners, professionals, executives, retirees and individuals with U.S. issues. He also assists individuals facing significant financial events (for example, sale of business, financial windfall, retirement, severing residential ties with Canada, etc.).

For more than 20 years, Coady has assisted high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families with their complex planning needs. Coady is a tax lawyer, and he has occupied his current planning role at RBC since 2008. In providing planning information to clients, Coady frequently communicates with their external professional advisors.

Coady’s educational background includes a law degree from Dalhousie University as well as the completion of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada’s) In-Depth Tax Course (Levels I, II and III) and the CPA Canada’s Tax Issues for the Owner-Managed Business Course. He is a member of both the Canadian Tax Foundation and the Canadian Bar Association (Alberta Branch (South)) Tax Specialist Section. Also, Coady was called to the Bar in Alberta and Ontario. Further, in addition to his finance degree from Bishop’s University and the completion of the Canadian Securities Course, Coady is a registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

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 Secretary of STEP Canada, and a Past Chair of the Vancouver Branch Executive of STEP. She is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation and a former Trustee of the YMCA of Greater Vancouver Foundation (serving for  9 years). Aileen volunteers as a member of the Development Committee of the Vancouver Foundation.

Doreen has been in the financial services industry since 1988, both as an advisor and as a wealth planning analyst, where she assisted advisors with providing high-quality financial planning services to their high-net-worth clients.

Prior to joining RBC, Doreen provided comprehensive financial planning guidance and advice to executives, business owners, professionals and high net worth families. Doreen assists clients in addressing all areas of their wealth by using a holistic approach to Financial Planning.

Doreen believes that planning is critical to helping people meet their financial objectives. Doreen’s role is to work with and support your advisor in preparing and presenting comprehensive Compass Financial Plans for clients.

Rebecca obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba in 2009 and was awarded the program medal for highest standing in her degree program. She went on to obtain a Juris Doctor from the University of Manitoba in 2012 and was called to the Manitoba bar in 2013. Rebecca is a member of the Law Society of Manitoba.

Prior to joining RBC, Rebecca was in private practice in Winnipeg and practiced primarily in the areas of estate planning, incapacity planning, estate administration, real estate conveyance, and commercial law.

Never stand still.

For James Kopp, there is one feeling worse than all others: that of standing still in life.

"I want to feel like I'm moving forward all the time. This includes regularly reviewing your estate plan to take advantage of any new opportunity, and adapting it to any changes in your circumstances."

Put simply, James intimately understands the needs of high-net-worth individuals and works in synergy with a client's team of advisors to come up with the best solution.

James Kopp expands his horizons every day and has more than 20 years of experience educating clients on the strategic use of insurance. He loves meetings with clients unsure about insurance, because he can see the light bulb go on.

With 15 years of experience within the financial services industry, Kara holds her CFP®, PFP® and RPA® designations, Kara brings the expertise required to provide specialized advice that will optimize the benefits to you and your employees. Working directly with you, your HR department or your payroll personnel, Kara will build a tailored solution that meets the goals and objectives of your organization as well as the needs of your employees. Once Kara understands your specific requirements to customize your company’s Group Savings program solution, she will support and guide you through the development and implementation process.

Tom Thomas brings an impressive 30 years of banking and financial planning experience to his role serving Private Banking clients throughout Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. His diverse breadth of experience has included client facing, support and senior leadership positions in the investment, trust and financial planning areas with RBC for over 25 years. He has also run a financial planning practice focusing on providing customized solutions for high-net-worth-clients.

A lifelong Manitoban, Tom has called Winnipeg home for over 36 years. Since graduating from College with a Business Administration Diploma majoring in Accounting and Finance, he has added numerous industry designations to his offering, including Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Personal Financial Planner (PFP) and Financial Management Advisor (FMA). As a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA), he is able to provide advice especially for senior clients. All told, these credentials add an additional layer of expertise to the sophisticated banking experience and tailored suite of services that he provides and customizes to the unique needs of each client.

In his role as Private Banker, Tom creates packages that include high-end credit solutions, wealth management planning, business succession planning, estate planning and domestic and international trust structures. Through RBC, he also works with a vast network of specialists in Canada and in key markets worldwide. Because he is able to work with a relatively small number of select clients, Tom is able to act as a dedicated relationship manager for his clients and their families. Over the years his exemplary service and attention to clients' needs have earned him awards for outstanding performance and achievement.

An active member of his community, Mr. Thomas has coached a number of sports including hockey, baseball and soccer over the past number of years. He has also been involved in executive positions with his local community club, Hockey Winnipeg, REMHA and the MWJHL. Mr. Thomas, along with his wife and their three children, also volunteer for a number of other community organizations. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, hockey, fishing and travelling.

Corinne Popoff brings over 25 years of financial services experience to her role as a Private Banker working with clients in Winnipeg and Thunder Bay, including 10 years as an accredited financial planner working with high-net-worth-clients at RBC.

Ms. Popoff has achieved the "gold standard" Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation, ensuring a professional and intelligent level of expertise when providing clients with discrete financial counsel, a sophisticated banking experience and a tailored suite of services.

Ms. Popoff works with a limited number of clients and their families to ensure a personal and dedicated relationship every time. Depending on her clients' individual needs, she creates packages that include high-end credit solutions, wealth management planning, business succession planning, estate planning and domestic and international trust structures. Through RBC, she has access to a vast network of specialists in Canada and in key markets worldwide. Her exemplary level of service and relationship management over the years has been recognized numerous times with awards for performance.

Married and actively involved in her community, Ms. Popoff keeps busy outside of the office with volunteer work and the extra-curricular activities of her three daughters.

As a Private Banker with RBC Wealth Management, Private Banking, Ryan Schwab provides comprehensive wealth management and financing strategies to high-net-worth business owners, executives, professionals and their families.

Based in Winnipeg, Ryan works with clients throughout Manitoba to address their often-complex banking, credit and wealth management needs with seamless banking and financial solutions. When required, he can also work collaboratively with specialists from across RBC to provide a complete range of complementary services, from investment management to estate and legacy planning, and from domestic and international trust services to sophisticated credit and leverage strategies.

Mr. Schwab has been in financial services for 15 years. Prior to joining Private Banking, he was a senior manager with another major Canadian financial institution, where he advised rural and agricultural business banking clients. Before this, he was a financial advisor for several years, and would go on to lead a dynamic team as the manager for two separate bank branches in Winnipeg.

Mr. Schwab holds a diploma in business administration from Red River College and a certificate in financial services advice. He has also achieved the Personal Financial Planner (PFP), which helps him provide effective financial planning advice to his clients.

A lifelong Winnipegger, Mr. Schwab is active in the community and has fundraised and led initiatives for the United Way, Habitat for Humanity and the Christmas Cheer Board, a local organization that coordinates Christmas hampers for needy families. Away from the office, he and his wife and their two young children enjoy the cottage, camping and time out on the lake. He can also be found curling, golfing or cheering on his favourite sports teams.

As a Private Banker with RBC Wealth Management, Private Banking, Matthew Nishi provides comprehensive wealth management and financing strategies to high-net-worth business owners, executives, professionals and their families in Manitoba.

Mr. Nishi has worked in financial services for over 15 years and joined RBC in 1999. Prior to joining Private Banking, he worked with business owners and employees as a Group Retirement Consultant to help develop comprehensive group retirement plans. He has also served as Branch Manager for RBC Royal Bank at the St. Anne’s and Avondale branch.

Mr. Nishi now works closely with his clients to provide seamless, unparalleled banking and financial solutions for clients with often-complex banking and credit needs. As needed, he partners with specialists from across RBC to provide a complete range of complementary services, from investment management to estate and philanthropic strategies, domestic and international trust services.

Mr. Nishi holds the Personal Financial Planner (PFP) designation, which gives him insight into the ongoing needs of his clients – both from a planning and a taxation perspective, as well as the Retirement Plans Associate (RPA) designation available through the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Mr. Nishi is active in his community as a volunteer hockey and soccer coach. He has taken part in regular fundraising for the United Way, Habitat for Humanity and the Teddy Bears’ Picnic in support of the Children’s Hospital of Manitoba Foundation, and sits on the HR sub-committee for the Board of Directors of Community Financial Counselling Services (CFCS). Mr. Nishi is an avid golfer and enjoys spending time with his wife and two children at the family cottage at Falcon Lake.