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Wealth Management AdvisorsKimberly Bernatz, CFP® Director, Wealth Management Sales and Marketing
Kimberly Dwan Bernatz is Senior Vice President at First American Trust. For over 20 years she has worked with high net worth individuals and families in the areas of estate and charitable planning, investment management, retirement planning and real estate. She is a graduate of USC and was previously associated with Northern Trust and Connecticut Bank and Trust. Kimberly is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, an Investment Advisor Representative and is licensed with the National Association of Securities Dealers. An active volunteer in her local community, Kimberly’s current contributions include acting as: the immediate past Chairman the Board of Pacific Chorale; a member of the Executive Committee of the UCI Paul Merage School of Business Center for Investment and Wealth Management; Chairman of Hoag Hospital’s Planned Giving and Endowment Council; and a member of the Advisory Board of the Assistance League of Newport Mesa. In 2009, Kimberly was a nominee for the Orange County Business Journal’s 15th Annual Women in Business Awards.
Joanna Averett, CFP®, AEP®
Ms. Averett has been serving the Inland Empire for the past twenty years in the investment management and estate planning fields. Prior to joining First American, she worked as Vice President for Arrowhead Trust, assisting individuals, businesses and nonprofits in the areas of estate planning, investment management and retirement planning. Joanna received her BBA degree from California Baptist University, Riverside and her MBA degree from the University of Redlands. She is also an Accredited Investment Fiduciary. In addition, Joanna is active in various local professional and community organizations, some of which include Past President of the Inland Empire Planned Giving Roundtable Association, Past President of the Riverside Estate Planning Council and Past President of the Pomona Valley Estate Planning Council.
Leslie Klein, CFP®
For the past twenty years, Ms. Klein has worked in trust administration and business development for several local trust companies and banks. She is an officer at First American Trust, FSB, since 2002 and most recently has been responsible for assisting prospective and new clients with their estate and financial management through our wealth management services. She also has extensive experience with the administration of individual trusts, charitable trusts and investment management clients of First American Trust. Ms. Klein received her Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio in 1978 and is a licensed CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. She serves as Treasurer on the Board of the Estate Planning Council of San Diego, where she has been a member since 1992. She also is President-Elect on the Board and a member of the Financial Planning Association of San Diego. In addition, she is a member of La Jolla Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Section. Ms. Klein holds her NASD Series 7 license.
Lyneé M. Kniss, JD
Ms. Kniss was admitted to the California State Bar in 2000. Prior to joining First American Trust Ms. Kniss had her own law practice assisting families with estate and tax planning, business succession planning, probate and trust administration, conservatorships, guardianships, and general business counseling. Ms. Kniss received her Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude from University of California, Los Angeles, and Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Ms. Kniss was previously associated with Wells Fargo as a Trust Officer, and was an Account Manager for business management firms in Los Angeles where she was responsible for managing personal and business finances for high-net-worth individuals. She is also active in local professional and community organizations.
William G. Lugaro, CFP®
Mr. Lugaro has worked in the financial services industry for the past 20 years in the areas of banking, brokerage and financial planning. Mr. Lugaro holds a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification and is a California licensed Life and Health Insurance Agent. Prior to joining First American Trust, he worked with Union Bank for 14 years and has achieved a Bachelor’s degree in Finance as well as a Master's degree in Economics.
Kenneth E. Petersen, Jr., JD
Mr. Petersen's diverse professional background serves him well in the wealth management arena. A Phi Beta Kappa / Magna Cum Laude graduate from UCLA as well as a graduate of the UCLA School of Law, Mr. Petersen was admitted to the California State Bar in 1989, where he remains a member in good standing. Mr. Petersen is a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the American Bar Association; the Corporate, Elder Law, and Trusts and Estates Sections of the Orange County Bar Association; the Orange Coast Estate Planning Council; the UCI Planned Giving Roundtable; the UCLA Planned Giving Forum; and The Oceanic Friends of the Wrigley Institute / USC Marine Research Facility on Catalina Island. He is a past Chairman of the Orange County Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates Section and sits on the Board of Directors of Goodwill of Orange County and the Cancer Center of Irvine Medici Foundation as well as the Board of Trustees of the World Affairs Council of Orange County and Planned Giving Advisory Committees of Goodwill of Orange County and Ronald MacDonald House of Orange County. Mr. Petersen also serves as a civilian volunteer in the Orange County Sheriff Department’s Professional Services Reserve Division – Search and Rescue Unit. In his free time, he enjoys surfing and paddling as well as spending time with his wife and three sons, normally attending the many swim meets, water polo tournaments and surfing contests in which they compete. As a fun fact, he is also the newly appointed volunteer assistant surf coach at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Carol A. Powers, CFP®, CTFA
Ms. Powers has been in the trust services industry in San Diego for more than thirty years, administering complex trusts, managing financial service branches and developing new business relationships. She joined First American Trust in 1996. A Certified Financial PlannerTM and Certified Trust and Financial Advisor, Ms. Powers is a member of the North County Estate Planning Group, La Jolla Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Section, the San Diego Planned Giving Roundtable, the Estate Planning Council of San Diego, and is a member of the Vista Hill Foundation Friends Board. She served on the Redwood Senior Homes Advisory Board for six years and is a member of the Rancho Bernardo Women’s Club.
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