Rockefeller Global Family Office Adds Teams Across US

Editorial Staff

20 June 2023

Rockefeller Global Family Office, part of US-based , has added three private client teams.

The teams - all led by women - are Hayes Wealth Partners, of New York City, New York; Lien DeGrace Wealth Partners, of Winter Park, Florida; and NPKD Wealth Partners, of San Francisco, California.

Hayes Wealth Partners is led by managing director and private advisor Mary W Hayes, who brings nearly 25 years of experience to the firm. Prior to joining Rockefeller, she was an MD and portfolio manager at First Republic Investment Management. Previously, Hayes spent 11 years at US Trust as a senior vice president and senior PM. Hayes Wealth Partners also includes Jonathan Mazzeo, who will report to Michael Outlaw, national field director of Rockefeller Global Family Office.

Lien DeGrace Wealth Partners is led by MDs and private advisors Sabina H Lien and Christopher DeGrace. It includes wealth manager Duncan Wheeler, senior client associate Allison Booher, and team director of operations Ekaterina Slepkova. Lien brings 25 years’ experience to the firm, including previous work as a financial advisor at Truist and Sun Trust. DeGrace also brings more than two decades of experience advising high net worth individuals at various firms, including Bear Stearns, Smith Barney, and Baird. The five-person group is joining from Truist Investment Services and will report to Kristen Sario, Southeast divisional director of Rockefeller Global Family Office.

NPKD Wealth Partners is led by MDs and private advisors Kristin Nicholson, Elizabeth Palomeque, Lisa Kitchin, and senior vice president and private advisor Leah D’Agostino. It includes registered client associate Sierra Macken and client associates Eshani Patel and Joyce Wu.

The team is joining from First Republic and will report to Brian Riley, Pacific Northwest divisional director of Rockefeller Global Family Office. Prior to joining Rockefeller, Nicholson worked as a portfolio manager at Bay Isle Financial, which was acquired by First Republic in 2004. She also spent five years with a Marin-based investment firm as an equity analyst. Palomeque worked as a portfolio manager at Bay Isle for 12 years and is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist. Kitchin served as a wealth manager at First Republic Investment Management where she had a contributing role in technology and real estate sector research. She was also a leader in the firm’s Sustainable and Responsible Investment platform. D’Agostino previously spent nearly 20 years at Lincoln Financial, WHV Investment Management, and First Republic in a variety of financial advisory and operations roles.

This news service recently spoke to Rockefeller on the subject of philanthropy. In early April, RCM partnered with the Rockefeller and the Desmarais dynasties as long-term strategic investors. The arrival of the Desmarais family into the RCM fold sees a prominent Canadian family becoming involved in the business.