Our Team

Eileen Foley

Eileen Foley is a managing director at The Collaborative. Prior to this, she was an executive director for BNY Mellon Family Office and International Wealth Management. In this role she had global responsibility for overseeing the Family Office and International Wealth management business.

Eileen joined BNY Mellon in 2006. Prior to her role as executive director, she had national responsibility for all new business activity for the Family Office and Charitable Solutions group. Before her tenure at BNY Mellon, Eileen was a partner and director of sales and marketing for Lee Munder Capital Group, an investment boutique serving institutions and family offices. She was also a principal at State Street Global Advisors, where she was responsible for the development and implementation of marketing and sales-of-investment strategies for the taxable investor.

Eileen received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Boston College. From 2009-2016, she was a member of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Women’s Leadership Board. She completed the 2010 Harvard Business School Women’s Leadership Forum as well as the 2015 Harvard Business School Executive Strategy Forum. She was also a member of the board of directors for EMPath from 2010–2016, and is currently a member of their Investment Committee. In 2007, Eileen was listed among the top 20 U.S. Woman Wealth Professionals by Global Investor Magazine.

Catherine Manning

Cathy is a Senior Consultant with The Collaborative. 

Cathy is a former college professor. She taught Business & Management at both Wheaton College and Babson College where she created a number of popular courses. At Babson College she taught the flagship course, Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship, to first year students. She was awarded the prestigious Outstanding Woman Leadership Award for significant contributions to Babson College and its student body. 

Cathy spent many years in financial services and banking, most recently as an Organizational Effectiveness Specialist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. She has held senior roles at many well-known financial firms including Deutsche Asset Management as Director, Global Consultant Relations.

Cathy is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach and a Certified Bigger Game Leader. She is a former board member of the Babson College Alumni Association and was the co-creator of the Alumni Development Program at Babson College. She holds a BS in Business Management from Babson College.

Valerie Vigoda

Valerie Vigoda is a leadership trainer and coach. With over 25 years of experience as a leader and an educator, Valerie works with organizations in several industries including finance, health care, manufacturing, hospitality, engineering and education. She works with leaders to increase their emotional intelligence and build their leadership skills.

In her coaching, Valerie helps leaders become more effective in their relationships, communication, systems, time management and supervision. Her clients learn strategies and build their confidence so they lead with more intention, efficiency and effectiveness. They learn to better engage their team members so the entire organization benefits from improved morale and increased productivity.

Valerie travels the country speaking to organizations on the topic of leadership development. She is also a frequent guest lecturer in MBA and other graduate management programs within colleges and universities. She is known for her upbeat engaging and interactive style of presenting.

Valerie received an MBA with a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from Boston University and a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She holds Coaching Certificates from Positive Acorn in Oregon and Wholebeing Institute in Massachusetts. She is also certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Samantha Reynolds

Samantha Reynolds, Client Relationship Manager at The Collaborative, joined the team in 2020. Samantha is the key point person for the firm’s client relationships. In addition to overseeing all of the DISC, Driving Forces, 360, and EQ profiles and team matrices, she manages client scheduling, the firm’s social media and marketing activities, and day-to-day communication between The Collaborative’s coaches and clients. As part of the firm’s client support, she has undertaken contractual work to fill the needs of both Barron’s conference group and Montis Financial.

During college, Samantha ran her own specialty pet-sitting business for two years, where she gained the trust of over 50 families through her attentive and dependable service. She graduated cum laude from Suffolk University with a B.A. in Public Relations. Since joining The Collaborative, Samantha has obtained her DISC Certification through TTI.

Sam is a Boston native and enjoys living in the city with her partner and their dog, Chloe.

Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP
Elder Law Associates PA

Howard S. Krooks, a partner of Elder Law Associates PA with offices throughout Southeast Florida, is admitted to practice law in New York (1990) and Florida (2004). Mr. Krooks is Of Counsel to Amoruso & Amoruso, LLP, in Rye Brook, New York.

Mr. Krooks splits his time between New York and Florida, where his professional practice is devoted to elder law and trusts and estates matters, including representing seniors and persons with special needs and their families in connection with asset preservation planning, supplemental needs trusts, Medicaid, Medicare, planning for disability, guardianship, wills, trusts and health care planning with advance directives.

Mr. Krooks is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation and is a Past President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA; 2013-2014). He is also the current President of the New York chapter of NAELA and serves on the Executive Council of The Florida Bae Elder Law Section as the Administrative Vice-Chair and NAELA Liaison. He is a Past Chair of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA; 2005). He was selected as a Florida Super Lawyer and a New York Super Lawyer (2007-2017). He was also named a Top 25 Westchester County Attorney (New York Times – Sept. 2012-2017). He was recognized as one of Florida’s Legal Elite for 2016-2017. Mr. Krooks has a 10.0 (Excellent) rating from Avvo and is AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell, a testament that Mr. Krooks’ peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence.

Mr. Krooks received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the NY Chapter of NAELA in 2006 for serving as Co-Chair of a Special Committee on Medicaid Legislation formed by the NYSBA Elder Law Section to oppose NY Governor George Pataki’s budget bills containing numerous restrictive Medicaid eligibility provisions that, if enacted, would severely impact the frail elderly and disabled populations. He was also recognized for serving as Co-Chair of the NYSBA Elder Law Section Compact Working Group, which received national attention for developing alternative methods of financing long-term care. Additionally, Mr. Krooks served as Chair of a Special Committee created by the NYSBA Elder Law Section to address the Statewide Commission on Fiduciary Appointments formed by Chief Justice Judith Kaye.

Mr. Krooks co-authored the chapter, “Creative Advocacy in Guardianship Settings: Medicaid and Estate Planning Including Transfer of Assets, Supplemental Needs Trusts and Protection of Disabled Family Members” included in Guardianship Practice in New York State, and the chapter “Long Term Care Insurance in New York” included in Estate Planning and Will Drafting in New York, both published by the NYSBA. He is widely published on many elder law topics. A former Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Mr. Krooks taught Asset Protection Planning. He also served as an instructor for the NY Certified Guardian & Court Evaluator Training program.

Mr. Krooks is a Founding Principal of ElderCounsel LLC, the premier elder law and special needs planning document drafting solution for attorneys.

As a frequent lecturer, Mr. Krooks has addressed many organizations including NAELA, Stetson Special Needs Conference, ALI-ABA, ElderCounsel, WealthCounsel, the National Guardianship Association, the Florida Bar Association, the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, the NYSBA, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, UJA Federation, the Brooklyn Bar Association, the Suffolk County Bar Association, the Richmond County Bar Association, Berkeley College, the United Federation of Teachers and the New York State United Teachers, among others. Mr. Krooks has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Kiplinger’s, USA Today, The New York Post, Newsday, The Journal News and the Boca Raton News. He has appeared on PBS, the CBS Early Morning Show and elder law focused local cable television programs.

Jill Poser-Kammet, CGCM
Advocare–Care Advocates

Jill Poser founded the Life Care Planning (LCP) Division within Advocare – Care Advocates (www.caremanage.com) to establish a full-service integrated care management platform.  The express purpose of the LCP division is to synchronize each client’s financial wherewithal with his or her changing care needs. Under Jill’s leadership, the LCP team implements programs and services for clients dealing with life transitions because of aging and physical or cognitive disabilities. Her vision is the culmination of more than thirty years of business experience, which includes care management, Life Care Planning, Medicare home health sales and special needs construction.

Jill devotes extensive time and resources to educating the community-at-large. She has been a featured speaker at the Alzheimer Community Care 2010 Educational Conference, the 2010 National PCA Conference in Washington D.C., the 2013 Elder Concert at Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, the FICPA Academy Conference in Tampa, FL, 2015, FAU Memory & Wellness Center, Boca Raton, FL, Vitas Healthcare, the Caregiver Solutions Radio Show and senior communities throughout South Florida. Currently, Jill consults with independent financial adviser groups advising on the challenge of diminished capacity and developing strategies for how their service will evolve and adapt to clients as they age.

Jill rededicated her career to the Aging-in-Place phenomenon beginning in early 2008 with the ‘Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist’ designation from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) while she co-owned a design build company in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Her ‘One-Stop-Shop Philosophy’ in home safety through design and renovation was the first step toward her role in advocacy. In 2009, she founded the Poser Home Safety Company, Boca Raton, FL; an accessibility modification-based company geared towards people with a variety of disabilities. The firm specialized in aging-in-place, home safety, accessible solutions and project management services to maximize independence and daily life activities.

The chance to evoke change and achieve positive outcomes is a driving force and key component to all of Jill’s business practices. She is a board member of The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County Business & Professional (B & P) Cabinet, co-chair of the B & P Cabinet Annual Campaign, a member of the Pomegranate Society and Women’s Philanthropy Board Member.  She most recently developed and launched the first social action project on behalf of the B & P Cabinet called the Cabinet Closet that donates suitable attire for interviews and employment empowering people to achieve economic independence. Jill is a motivational speaker for Career Comeback; a program helping women come back into the workforce.  She was a member of the A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts Advisory Council and sat on the board of the FAU Memory and Wellness Center.

Jill holds a Graduate Certification in Geriatric Care Management from the University of Florida and a Certified Aging-in-Place designation from the National Association of Home Builders.