Our Experts List

Tina Albright

Featured in Chapter Seven: Legacy Building
 
Ms. Albright is a partner in the Trusts and Estates practice. Ms. Albright counsels wealthy families with regard to preserving and protecting wealth for multiple generations, including estate and business succession planning with a special emphasis on U.S. tax and reporting issues for multi-jurisdictional families. She also advises individuals on wealth transfer planning and drafts implementing documents such as wills, trust and corporate/partnership and LLC agreements. Ms. Albright advises non-U.S. settlors and off-shore fiduciaries on establishing, funding and administering foreign trust structures.
Before joining Curtis, Ms. Albright was Senior Counsel at Kozusko Harris Vetter Wareh LLP. Prior to that, she worked over 10 years for Withers LLP, a London based private client firm, in its London , England and U.S. Offices.
 
Professional Website: www.curtis.com

Favorite charities: Midnight Run.org, Appalachian Mountain Club, and Spin Odyssey

Doris Buffett

Featured in Chapter Seven: Legacy Building
 
Doris Buffett, founder and CEO of the Sunshine Lady Foundation, Inc., has become one of the greatest and most generous philanthropists of our age. She takes a front seat at the Sunshine Lady Foundation (which is funded solely by her own personal finances), being personally involved with every financial decision the organization makes. Ms. Buffett targets individual recipients, as opposed to organizations—something which makes the task of donating money particularly difficult and time-consuming. And the decisions tally up quickly—although awards of up to $500,000 are occasionally made, grants typically run in the range of a few thousand dollars. To add a little perspective, since its inception in 1996, the Sunshine Lady Foundation has awarded in excess of $100 million in grants.

But Ms. Buffett doesn't simply just give away money—she always expects something in return. She terms her generosity "Virtual Capital," implying that what she is doing is indeed making investments. Her philosophy is very similar to the familiar Chinese proverb: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Ms. Buffett will meet people halfway; she will perhaps give money as a bartering tool towards a greater goal; or, as in the case of the Buffett Fellowships where students are working to better the situations of children and families in need, she simply asks that you "pass it on." All she personally asks for in return is a thank-you note.

Ms. Buffett believes inequities arise when choices are limited; her goal is to reduce those disparities and enable people with the power of choice. Thus, instead of constantly purchasing the "bigger and better" commodities for herself, she intends to give away as much of the foundation money as possible before she dies.

Although Ms. Buffett did not always possess the tools to be a professional philanthropist, giving back to people and to the community was no new concept to her. She has been a political activist, a domestic violence advocate, a first-grade schoolteacher, and, perhaps most difficult and demanding of all, a mother.

Professional website: www.sunshinelady.org
 
Favorite charity: Sunshine Lady Foundation

Mona Hanford

Featured in Chapter 7: Legacy Building
 
Mona Hanford has been an eldercare activist for decades. In 2001 she chaired the Conference "Journey of the Soul--Peace at last." held at the Washington National Cathedral and co--sponsored by Hospice Care of DC, Hospice and Palliative Care of Metropolitan Washington and many other end of life care agencies. The Conference sold out and 1500 attended with 500 remaining on the wait list. Mona has served on the Boards of the Washington Home and Community Hospices and Capital Hospice. She has been active in speaking and organizing community events including  the Art Buchwald Gala and community caregivers groups.
 
For her entire life Mona has been a champion for philanthropy. She has been a presenter at National and International Conferences. She was appointed to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education National Commission on Philanthropy. She served on the Washington National Cathedral Foundations and Philanthropy Committee. She has raised tens of millions of dollars for non-profits. But the money has only been a currency for leaving a Legacy of Hope…Making the World a Better Place.
 
Mona received her BA from Mount Holyoke College where she has served as Class President and Class Reunion Chair. She received her MA from Vanderbilt University where she majored in Russian. Her guiding light through her life has been her grandfather who fled Russia at the time of the Communist Revolution,  and later became Archbishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in America. He taught Mona that what is lasting is what is on the inside. He left a Legacy of Hope that Mona continues to transfer to her family, friends and community.

Favorite Charities: The Washington Home and Community Hospices & The Washington National Cathedral

Katrina Peebles

Featured in Chapter Seven: Legacy Building
 
Katrina is an active woman with many passions who finds time to express them all. Her marriage to real estate magnate R. Donahue Peebles, best known as “Don,” is a partnership of two dynamic individuals. Today the Peebles own large real estate developments in Washington, D.C.,  Las Vegas, and Miami— including a multibillion- dollar portfolio of luxury hotels, high rise residential buildings and high- end commercial properties. Among many other accomplishments in her field, Mrs. Peebles spearheaded the development of the Peebles real estate tax assessment appeal business, which went on to become the most successful real estate tax appeal firm in the District of Columbia.

Don Peebles was the recipient of the 2009 Reginald F. Lewis Award for successful African American entrepreneurs under fifty.

As the mother of two multiracial children, Katrina is determined that her children grow up to appreciate the legacy of all their ancestors. When she was in the hospital, she refused to check one or another box for ethnicity for her children. She then spearheaded a movement in the schools they attended to allow children to check multiple boxes for their ancestry. She makes sure they understand all the strength of the many cultures that are part of their heritage: Scottish, Austrian, African American, and Native American.

Katrina is also aware of the challenges of being a mother to very privileged children. She works hard to keep her children in touch with the challenges of those less fortunate.

Katrina combines all her passions when it comes to philanthropy. She works with children, supports cancer research, and has worked hard at the historic preservation of the buildings that the Peebles real estate business acquires. She is a member of Honey- Shine and a former copresident of the Women’s Cancer League. She is cofounder of the Recreation Wish List with former Washington D.C., First Lady, Cora Barry, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the renovation of the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation facilities. She is a former Member of Miami Beach’s Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors and was awarded the Key to the City of Miami and the City of Miami Beach. She is a former vice president and current board member of the Vizcayans. Katrina was appointed to the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts in 2011.

One of her favorite projects was the historic restoration of the Bath Club. It is South Florida’s oldest private beach club. Established in 1926, the Peebles turned the club into an award- winning project combining the historic structure with luxurious tower residences overlooking the Atlantic Ocean

In addition to working on charitable causes, the Peebles are very involved in politics as Democratic party supporters. Katrina and her husband
have hosted more than one hundred fund- raisers for major candidates, including two U.S. presidents: President Bill Clinton, and President Barack Obama.

Professional Website: peeblescorp.com