Abigail O’Connor, JD

Abigail O’Connor serves as Chief Fiduciary Officer for Peak Trust Company. Since joining the team in 2024, Abigail brings deep expertise in strategic estate planning for high-net-worth clients. In her role, Abigail is responsible for overseeing the fiduciary operations of the company, ensuring the highest standards of trust administration and client service. She leads a team of experienced professionals, providing strategic guidance on complex trust and estate matters, and works closely with clients to develop and implement customized estate planning solutions. Abigail’s extensive background in estate planning, tax strategy, and trust administration uniquely positions her to drive Peak Trust Company’s mission of delivering unparalleled fiduciary services.

With over 15 years of dedicated experience in trusts and estates, Abigail has honed her expertise in a variety of practice areas. These include estate planning, estate and gift tax strategic planning, representation of trustees and beneficiaries, estate administration, and family business succession planning. Her comprehensive approach to estate planning integrates tax considerations, challenging family dynamics, and the unique needs of family business owners. This diverse experience is instrumental in her current role, where she ensures that clients receive holistic and tailored fiduciary services.

Abigail is known for her ability to navigate complex legal and financial landscapes, offering counsel on a range of estate planning tools such as revocable and irrevocable trusts, life insurance trusts, dynasty trusts, asset protection trusts, and more. She also collaborates with out-of-state attorneys to incorporate Alaska trusts into broader estate plans, guiding fiduciaries and beneficiaries through their creation and administration.

In her legal practice, Abigail represented trustees and personal representatives, providing counsel on trust administration and estate probate in Alaska. She is adept at addressing complex issues like irrevocable trust modifications and providing ongoing administration support.

Abigail’s professional affiliations are extensive. She serves as the Alaska State Chair of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and has held leadership roles in several professional organizations, including the Anchorage Estate Planning Council and Anchorage Trust & Estate Professionals. Her accolades include a Martindale-Hubbell AV rating and a Band 1 ranking by Chambers Private Wealth Law in Alaska.

Abigail is a prolific writer and speaker, contributing to numerous publications and presenting at various industry events. She holds a Juris Doctor with a concentration in Estate Planning from Albany Law School, a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Rutgers University. Abigail is licensed to practice law in Alaska and Florida.

Sandra Barta

Sandra Barta brings a diverse and extensive background to her role as Associate Fiduciary Officer in Peak Trust Company’s Alaska office. With 25 years of administrative and bookkeeping experience, including over a decade in legal and trust administration services, Sandra is well-equipped to manage the complex responsibilities of fiduciary services.

Sandra specializes in managing trusts and custodial LLCs holding Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) and Private Placement Variable Annuities (PPVA). Her expertise in these areas, combined with her strong fiduciary knowledge, ensures that complex financial structures are handled with precision and care.

Prior to joining Peak in 2024, Sandra gained valuable experience in trust administration and legal support, where she was responsible for managing trust accounts, preparing legal documents, and ensuring the smooth execution of fiduciary processes. Her background in pension administration further strengthened her skills in managing participant accounts, conducting audits, and maintaining compliance in financial reporting.

Fluent in both English and German, Sandra is known for her attention to detail, exceptional organizational skills, and dedication to client satisfaction. Her commitment to providing high-quality service ensures that trust administration at Peak is handled with professionalism and care.

Erica Bradley

Erica Bradley joined Peak Trust Company’s Nevada office in 2024 as an Associate Fiduciary Officer. In this role, Erica supports the administration of Nevada trust accounts, ensuring they are managed in accordance with the terms of the governing instruments and in the best interests of the beneficiaries. She leverages her experience in Nevada trust administration, customer service, and problem-solving to provide excellent support to Peak’s clients.

Erica brings a strong background in Nevada trust administration and customer service to her position at Peak Trust Company. Prior to joining the team, Erica held progressive roles in the Nevada trust industry, including positions as a Trust Administrator and Manager of Trust Administration. In these roles, she gained valuable experience in administering a large book of Nevada trust accounts, managing funds, processing transactions, and corresponding with clients and interested parties.

In addition to her trust administration experience, Erica has a strong foundation in customer service. She has acted as a first point of contact for customers, guiding them through forms, explaining processes, updating systems, and providing status updates. Her ability to solve caller concerns expeditiously and professionally, combined with her collaborative approach to resolving issues, makes her a valuable asset to the Peak team.

Erica is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Western Governors University, which will further enhance her technical skills and ability to leverage technology in her role as an Associate Fiduciary Officer.

With her commitment to providing exceptional service, her attention to detail, and her problem-solving skills, Erica is well-equipped to support the administration of Nevada trust accounts at Peak Trust Company, ensuring that clients receive the highest level of care and professionalism.

Johnathon Brandt

Johnathon Brandt brings a wealth of experience and dedication to his role as Fiduciary Officer at Peak Trust Company. With a solid background in accounting and fiduciary services, Johnathon plays a pivotal role in assisting clients with trust administration and sophisticated estate planning techniques.

Johnathon originally joined Peak Trust Company in 2022, where he served on the administration team helping clients establish and administer trusts in Alaska and Nevada. His expertise encompasses a wide range of trust types, including Delegated and Directed Trusts, Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts, Domestic Asset Protection Trusts, and Charitable Trusts. He is known for providing prompt and accurate responses to complex client inquiries, ensuring exceptional service.

After a year and a half at Peak Trust Company, Johnathon furthered his career at an esteemed investment management and financial planning firm in Anchorage, where he assisted clients in achieving their goals through personalized financial planning. Now back at Peak Trust Company, Johnathon continues to leverage his diverse experience to provide outstanding fiduciary services.

Johnathon holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Montana and a Master’s in Accounting from East Tennessee State University. He is currently pursuing both his Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation from the Cannon Financial Institute and his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. Additionally, he holds a Series 65 license.

Outside the office, Johnathon enjoys exploring the great outdoors with his wife, Tori, and their dog, Bella. An adventurous spirit, he has a deep love for Prince William Sound and actively participates in the Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation. Johnathon and Tori also volunteer with Make-A-Wish, the Food Bank of Alaska, and various initiatives in Prince William Sound.

Josephine Cangemi

Josephine Cangemi has been with Peak Trust Company since 2021 and currently serves as a Fiduciary Assistant supporting trust administration operations and client service. As a Fiduciary Assistant, Josephine works closely with Fiduciary Officers on all aspects of trust account management including asset custody and money movement, account reviews and maintenance, transaction processing, annual tax reporting, and managing client inquiries and requests. She excels in providing prompt, accurate, and excellent client service.

Josephine began with Peak Trust Company as a Receptionist, providing administrative support, before moving into her current role leveraging her background in financial services administration. Josephine brings over 15 years of administrative experience in financial services and casino cash operations management to Peak Trust Company. Her attention to detail, organizational skills, and responsiveness enable smooth trust account administration and a positive client experience. Josephine trained in fiduciary functions including process workflow, documentation, quality control, and asset/account reconciliation.

In all of her work, Josephine upholds strict procedures for security, confidentiality, and fiduciary duty while interacting with clients, beneficiaries, and business partners. She plays an important support role by assisting Fiduciary Officers in managing administration of Nevada trusts and responding to all client needs in a timely and effective manner.

Kristine Casteel

Kristine Casteel has been with Peak Trust Company since 2016 and currently serves as an Associate Fiduciary Officer in Peak’s Nevada office. In her role, Kristine works closely with the Fiduciary Officers in Peak’s Nevada office, supporting all aspects of trust administration and new account intake for all kinds of Nevada trusts. Kristine is passionate about providing prompt and accurate responses to Peak’s clients and is responsible for serving as a helpful resource for a number of Peak’s key partners.

In addition to her trust administration role, Kristine is a contributing member of Peak’s Operations Technology Steering Committee, a subcommittee of the firm’s Trust Committee focused on the continuous improvement of Peak’s operational excellence through the adoption of technology.

Kristine began her career at Peak as a Fiduciary Assistant and has supported many of Peak’s senior officers during her time with Peak. Kristine brings a broad range of experience in financial services and non-profit organizations to her role at Peak. Kristine is currently pursuing her Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation from the Cannon Financial Institute.

Danaya Dews

Danaya Dews has been with Peak Trust Company since 2022 as a Fiduciary Assistant and Front Desk Receptionist for the Delaware office. As the friendly face of the Delaware office, Danaya is the first voice that our clients and partners hear when they call our Delaware office. She is responsible for directing incoming calls, providing hospitality for clients and partners, and supporting fiduciary officers with all aspects of trust administration and new account intake in Peak’s Delaware office. In addition to her fiduciary assistant duties, Danaya enjoys contributing to marketing and public relations functions, particularly the production of videography highlighting Peak’s team and work.

Prior to joining Peak, Danaya served in a number of customer service roles. Danaya graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Television-Radio from Ithaca College.

 

Heather Dolan

Heather Dolan serves as a Fiduciary Assistant at Peak Trust Company’s Alaska office, a role she has held since 2021. As part of the fiduciary administration team, Heather supports Fiduciary Officers in managing all aspects of trust account oversight including records maintenance, transaction processing, preparing client communications and annual tax coordination. She excels in providing accurate, timely responses to client inquiries and partner requests.

In her work, Heather upholds strict procedures around account security, documentation, compliance protocols and maintaining excellent service levels. She plays a crucial coordination role by assisting Fiduciary Officers with beneficiary correspondence, money movement, brokerage interactions and day-to-day account administration.

A lifelong Alaskan, Heather joined Peak Trust Company after working as a trust and estates paralegal at a local law firm, leveraging her background in estate planning legal support. She earned her Associate of Applied Sciences degree in Paralegal Studies from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

In her free time, Heather enjoys biking and hiking to soak up the Alaska sunshine. As part of Peak’s trust administration team in Alaska, she provides excellent organizational skills and attention to detail in support of smooth trust account management and operations.

Jeannie Fanning

Jeannie Fanning serves as Peak Trust Company’s Fiduciary Team Manager, overseeing all fiduciary administration operations company-wide. She assumed this vital leadership role in 2023. Jeannie manages a large team responsible for all daily trust administration functions and processes across the organization.

In her role, Jeannie focuses on continuous improvement by assessing current processes and systems and implementing increased automation, task consolidation, compliance controls and staff training. Her oversight maintains strict adherence to security protocols while also driving efficient account administration. As Fiduciary Team Manager, Jeannie leverages her experience to lead cross-functional teams, ensure seamless coordination between fiduciary officers and operation staff, implement technology solutions to streamline operations, and develop best practices for account and client management.

Jeannie brings over 15 years of experience managing workflows, performance evaluation and process optimization from previous healthcare administration roles. Her background also includes expertise in organizational change management during periods of rapid scaling or integration of new technology.

Jeannie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Alaska Pacific University. Her team leadership and process improvement skills have quickly aligned fiduciary administration capabilities with Peak Trust Company’s rapid growth.