Meet the Team

Michele Santos

Michele Santos

PFP®

Senior Wealth Advisor

Michele is a highly experienced Senior Wealth Advisor with a recognized Personal Financial Planner designation. With over 30 years of industry expertise, Michele has built a reputation for providing strategic financial guidance to clients from diverse backgrounds.

Throughout her career, Michele has demonstrated a deep understanding of investment strategies, risk management, and comprehensive financial planning. She believes in taking a holistic approach to wealth management, considering each client’s unique goals, aspirations, and risk tolerance to develop tailored solutions and get her clients financially organized.

Michele’s commitment to continue learning and professional development is evident in her financial planning designation, which showcases her mastery of advanced financial planning concepts and techniques. This designation further enhances her ability to provide comprehensive advice to clients, helping them navigate complex financial landscapes with confidence.

As a trusted advisor, Michele strives to establish long-term relationships based on trust, integrity, and transparency. She takes the time to understand her clients’ financial objectives, helping them define clear paths to achieve their goals. Whether it’s retirement planning, tax optimization, or estate planning, Michele leverages her expertise to develop personalized strategies that align with her clients’ aspirations.

Beyond her technical expertise, Michele is known for her exceptional communication skills and ability to simplify complex financial concepts. She empowers her clients by educating them about their options and guiding them through informed decision-making processes.

With a proven track record of delivering exceptional financial guidance, Michele is a Senior Wealth Advisor who brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and professionalism to every client relationship. Her passion for helping individuals and families achieve financial prosperity sets her apart, making her a trusted partner in their journey toward financial success.

Denni Rud

Denni Rud

Associate

Denni is an experienced administrator in the field of wealth management with 10 years of experience in the financial industry.

As an Associate, Denni plays a pivotal role in overseeing and optimizing the operational processes within our team. Her expertise lies in driving operational efficiency, implementing best practices, and streamlining workflows to enhance productivity and ensure seamless client experiences.

Throughout her career, Denni has developed a reputation for her exceptional problem-solving abilities and attention to detail. With a passion for staying abreast of industry trends and advancements, Denni continuously expands her knowledge and skill set to remain at the forefront of our wealth management practice.

With her extensive expertise in wealth management operations, strong leadership acumen, and dedication to delivering exceptional client experiences – Denni is a valuable asset to our team.

Additional Resources

Michael Naito

Michael Naito

CPA, CA, TEP, CFP®

Associate Vice-President, Advanced Wealth Planning

Michael joined Wellington-Altus in May 2022 and is based in Kelowna, where he works primarily with advisory teams and their clients in interior British Columbia.

Prior to joining Wellington-Altus, Michael dedicated over a decade to gaining experience and knowledge in a public practice accounting setting, primarily specializing in Canadian domestic taxation. Within this role, Michael provided domestic tax expertise to owner-managed businesses with a focus on corporate reorganizations, succession planning, and estate planning. These experiences resulted in Michael becoming a technical leader within the firm, educating both tax and non-tax professionals on timely topics to ensure they had the knowledge required to help their clients navigate the current tax and business environment.

As a CPA, CA, Michael has a strong background in Canadian income tax matters. Combined with his Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designations, Michael excels at addressing various wealth planning needs.

Outside of work, Michael is also a facilitator for the CPA Canada “In-Depth Tax Program” and serves as the Member Services Officer for the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Canada Okanagan Chapter.

Judith-Charbonneau

Judith Charbonneau Kaplan​

LL.B., LL.M. Tax

Vice-President, Advanced Wealth Planning Strategy & Services

Judith joined Wellington-Altus in May 2022 and is based in Kelowna, BC. She works with advisory teams and clients across Canada to bring innovative tax strategies to their wealth plans. Judith believes a client’s objectives must drive any tax plan and loves helping clients find personalized solutions to their planning needs.

Prior to joining Wellington-Altus, Judith spent over 10 years at top-tier law and accounting firms advising clients on complex tax issues. Passionate about tax and making tax planning relevant and accessible to all, she regularly prepares presentations on various tax issues and has contributed to numerous publications on selected tax topics. She has been a speaker at various Canadian Tax Foundation conferences and a facilitator and lecturer for CPA Canada’s “In-Depth Tax Program”.

Judith graduated from the Université de Montréal with a Bachelor of Laws in civil law and a Master of Laws in taxation (jointly with HEC Montréal). Judith is a lawyer with the Barreau du Québec and a Canadian Legal Advisor with the Law Society of British Columbia.

Outside of work, she is an avid runner and cyclist, and loves to explore local trails. She can often be found enjoying the outdoor mountain playgrounds that surround her home.

Connie-Gale

Connie Gale

B.Ed, CFP®, CHS®
Associate Vice-President, Wellington-Altus Insurance

Connie joined Wellington-Altus Private Wealth in 2019. Based in Winnipeg, she works closely with advisors and clients to preserve and pass on wealth. With over 20 years in the financial services industry, Connie takes pride in fostering strong relationships built on trust and integrity.

Connie graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a Bachelor of Education and holds her Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Certified Health Specialist (CHS) designations. She is licensed across the country to provide life, accidental and critical illness solutions through Wellington-Altus Insurance Inc.

She loves to cook, enjoys travelling and is fanatic about baseball. Between May and September, she can be found at Shaw Park with her husband Clint and daughter Madison cheering on her hometown Winnipeg Goldeyes.