Our Team

As Chief Executive Officer, Greg oversees all day-to-day operations of Northwest Trustee & Management Services. With his CPA and over 20 years of experience in accounting, finance, investments and organizational strategy, Greg also collaborates with clients and advisors to review, structure and implement the appropriate fiduciary relationship, often when complex assets such as LLCs and large real estate holdings are involved. He is also on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the company.  

As a native of Auckland, New Zealand, Greg previously worked as a Senior Accountant for KPMG and as a Manager at Deloitte in New Zealand. While there, he managed projects and teams in mergers and acquisitions, corporate valuations and financial due diligence. After leaving New Zealand, Greg held the role of Chief Financial Officer for a large not-for-profit organization in Kenya where he worked closely with the Board of Directors to restructure the finance function in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization. He received his BA from George Fox University in Business Administration (Finance) and Accounting. 

Greg is currently a member of the Washington State Board of Accountancy, the Spokane Estate Planning Council and the Spokane Financial Planning Association. He has served on various charitable boards in New Zealand, Kenya and Indonesia. Along with his wife Lisa, their family of five enjoys trips back to New Zealand, spending time with extended family and exploring camping opportunities around the Northwest.

As Northwest Trustee & Management Services’ Chief Fiduciary Officer, Allison is responsible for overseeing all aspects of fiduciary practice, including fiduciary governance, compliance, policies, procedures, risk management, self-assurance activities, fiduciary staffing and staff development. Allison has a passion for ensuring that client and team member needs are kept front of mind when making decisions and working collaboratively to find common-sense solutions to issues that arise. 

Allison has over 18 years’ experience in fiduciary administration and leadership. Formerly, Allison was Chief Fiduciary Officer for Inspire Trust Company, N.A. where she was deeply involved in the process of helping the bank obtain its national charter from the Office of the Comptroller of Currency. Prior to Inspire, she was the National Director for Wells Fargo’s Special Needs Trust Services division where she led a team dedicated to helping clients and their families utilize their trust funds to best meet their current and future needs. 

Allison has extensive experience in the administration of fiduciary accounts, including review and interpretation of trust language, the exercise of discretion, mitigating risk through proactive initiatives, managing complex family dynamics, and developing educational and promotional materials. Allison has written and presented extensively on the topics of fiduciary duty, termination of special needs trusts, challenging distributions from special needs trusts and settlement trusts, public benefits, ABLE accounts, trust document language, family dynamics, and fiduciary best practices. 

Allison holds a B.A. from Vassar College, a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law, and a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA).

Outside of the office, Allison can be found spending time with her family enjoying the beautiful Pacific Northwest, attending book club, reading cookbooks, and wrangling the family dogs, Hopper and Scooby.

Jackson joined Northwest Trustee & Management Services as our Oregon Market Leader and Senior Trust Officer. This new role capitalizes on Jackson’s two decades of experience in the fields of estate planning and fiduciary administration. Jackson is an attorney who began his legal career in commercial litigation. He then moved into estate planning and administration after handling a probate litigation case in which he successfully recovered stolen assets for a beneficiary in need. As a partner at Portland law firm, Tonkon Torp, Jackson led the firm’s Wealth Planning practice group. He moved into fiduciary administration and spent five years as a Fiduciary Advisory Specialist and Senior Trust Advisor at Wells Fargo Wealth & Investment Management.

Jackson received his BA from Harvard University and his JD from the University of Michigan. He currently serves on the board of the Terwilliger Plaza Foundation and volunteers with the Moot Court program of Civics Learning Project. He previously served on the board of the Oregon Historical Society. Jackson and his wife caravan between Portland and Sunriver with their golden retriever and elderly cat. They have two children, one in high school and one in college, who will join them occasionally (usually under duress).

As our Business Development Manager, Krista is the first point of contact for all clients and professionals who are considering Northwest Trustee’s services. With a Certified Trust & Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation from the American Bankers Association, Krista guides clients through our service offerings and discusses how we can help each family on an individual basis. She has always enjoyed building relationships and bringing comfort to conversations that could otherwise be considered challenging to talk about. In conjunction, she coordinates business development administration and oversees our marketing efforts.

A native Oregonian, Krista and her family moved to Spokane in 2018. As a mother of two, she was blessed with the opportunity to leave her corporate job to be a stay-at-home mom until her children started school. She then spent time teaching children with special needs and ultimately joined Northwest Trustee in 2020. When not at the track coaching her daughter’s track and field team, you can find her and her family at the ballfield watching her son play baseball in the spring or football in the fall.

As Trust & Strategic Growth Officer, Aaron brings 30 years of experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, estate and charitable gift planning, and fundraising roles at organizations such as Innovia Foundation, Whitworth University and Warner Pacific College.

Aaron provides leadership to Northwest Trustee’s strategic growth initiatives, marketing and communications, engagement with professional advisors and partners, and trust associates.  

He has taught leadership courses at Whitworth and Gonzaga Universities, at both the graduate and undergraduate level. He holds a Ph.D. in leadership studies, and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University, and an undergraduate degree in history from Whitworth University.

As our Chief Compliance Officer and with over 25 years of experience specializing in corporate, securities, mergers, acquisitions, real estate and regulatory matters, Susan ensures compliance with laws, regulatory requirements, policies and procedures. Prior to joining Northwest Trustee, Susan studied Accounting and Economics at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, and was an Executive Assistant/Paralegal for the General Counsel of a bank and one of the largest law firms in Spokane. 

In her free time, Susan and her husband volunteer with the Second Harvest Food Bank, Coats for Kids, and the annual Liberty Lake Cruising with the Cops fundraiser for Special Olympics. They are avid car collectors, supporters of Stevens County Home Again Lost and Found Pets and divide whatever time they have left with their rescue dogs and twin granddaughters.

With over 25 years of diverse operational and project management experience in the automotive, insurance, energy, and identity verification sectors, Brian joined the team as our Fiduciary Operations and Project Manager. A graduate of Westmont College, with a degree in Economics & Business, he enjoys solving problems, creating business efficiencies, and delivering solutions to both internal and external clients.

Raised in Spokane, Brian loves to experience the food and cultures of the world and has traveled to over 40 countries. He is highly involved in leadership at his church and spends his free time either supporting Liverpool Football Club or enjoying a long road trip with his wife and three daughters.

Jess joined the team as Director of Operations. Prior to Northwest Trustee, Jess spent 15 years administrating employees, volunteers, facility, and ministries of a large church organization in the Spokane area. Jess’ experience and background in facilities, organizational management and human resources are great assets which help support and facilitate the function and direction of Northwest Trustee.

Tsenguun joined our team many years ago as an intern. Now, as a Certified Public Accountant that specializes in taxation, regulations and financial reporting, she is our Director of Finance and Trust Accounting. Tsenguun attended Whitworth University as an international student from Mongolia, where she obtained her B.B.A in Accounting and Finance. At Whitworth, she was a recipient of the Jane Trefts Myhre Scholarship. This scholarship was established by Steve and Carole Trefts and their family in 2015 to honor Jane who was a strong believer in higher education.

With over 30 years of professional experience, Raelene joined our team in 2015 as Senior Trust Officer. Raelene heads-up our Special Needs Trust Department working with teams of professionals to serve those with limitations, while coordinating with federal and state benefit programs. Previously, she held the roles of Vice President of the consulting division of a community bank in California (Foothill Independent Bank), also as Gift Planning & Development Director for both Northwest Christian Schools and, most recently, for Christ Clinic/Christ Kitchen which included sophisticated trust and estate planning strategies and leading teams to complete marketing initiatives. She received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona. Raelene is a member of the Spokane Estate Planning Council.

As Senior Trust Officer, Janelle leads our Relationship Team in the Boise office. Throughout her many years of experience in trust administration, investment management and financial planning, she has enjoyed helping others navigate through life and realize their goals. She is a graduate of the Cannon Financial Trust School and earned a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Washington University, where she played tennis for the Eagles all four years. She also holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers.

Janelle grew up in the Pacific Northwest and loves living in the Treasure Valley where she supports Girls on the Run and is active with the Boise Estate Planning Council. When she is not in the office you may find Janelle out on the trails with one of the local running clubs or exploring in the Idaho mountains.

As Trust Officer, Jeff brings with him over 30 years of professional experience. After graduating from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1993, he practiced as both a solo attorney and partner in the Spokane law firm of Winston and Cashatt, focusing primarily on probate, estate planning and general business consultation. He is licensed to practice law in both Idaho and Washington and received his undergraduate degree from Montana State University with a B.S. in Industrial and Management Engineering.

Proudly participating in the Spokane community, Jeff is a founding member of the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Spokane County (serving for over five years including one year as President), a long-standing member of the North Spokane Exchange Club, and formerly trustee for Joya Child and Family Development Center.

Cindy joined Northwest Trustee in 2016 having spent many years as an Administrative Assistant for an executive of Bank of America. Prior to that she served as Administrative Assistant to the District Superintendent of a large church organization and Assistant Editor of The Preacher’s Magazine. 

Since joining Northwest Trustee, Cindy has shown a passion for living out our core values both on and off the job. She began as a Trust Associate and Executive Assistant to our Founder, Steve Trefts.  During this time, she assisted with administering highly complex relationships.  She has since been promoted to Trust Officer where she excels in building a strong relationship with her clients, learning their individual needs and goals, and working with them to manage their trusts. Cindy’s patience and the care she provides for each client, regardless of the circumstance, is invaluable.

When not at work, Cindy enjoys camping, kayaking, traveling, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Based in Seattle, Alex joined Northwest Trustee with an extensive background in financial services, specializing in trust and estate administration. He has successfully navigated the intricacies of both boutique firms and large institutions, serving a diverse group of clients. Alex excels in simplifying complex financial concepts, enabling clients to make informed decisions that best serve their individual, family, or business interests. His emphasis on clear, effective communication fosters a deep sense of trust and transparency, aligning seamlessly with our core values of integrity and client-focused service.

Alex’s approach is deeply rooted in a team-based philosophy, resonating with the collaborative culture at Northwest Trustee. He believes that the best outcomes for clients stem from collective expertise and shared insights. His commitment to client-centered excellence, combined with his extensive knowledge and insightful perspectives, makes him an invaluable addition to our team.

Linda joined Northwest Trustee as Trust Officer with over 30 years of experience in trust and estate administration and all areas of trust management. She is a Spokane native and worked for US Bank for 20 years before moving to Oregon where she was a Trust Officer for Oregon Pacific Bank in both Medford and Eugene. She was involved in establishing a new trust office in Eugene in 2015. 

Linda has a great ability to connect with clients and leverage her expertise to help them through a wide variety of personal, technical or trust concerns and questions. She has served on various boards over the years as well as being a member of the Estate Planning Council in Spokane, Medford and Eugene. She is currently a member of Spokane Preservation Advocates, which is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the historic character of Spokane and Spokane County. She is very happy to have joined Northwest Trustee to assist clients across the country.

Anna became an integral part of Northwest Trustee in 2018. As Trust Officer, she contributes valuable expertise to our Special Needs Trust Department. Boasting an extensive background in management, HR and accounting, coupled with a remarkable 25 year tenure in the television and movie industry, Anna brings a unique blend of skills to her position. 

Her approach to client interaction is both thoughtful and hands-on, reflecting her commitment to providing personalized and effective assistance. Anna takes pride in the opportunity to genuinely “keep it personal” and make herself directly available to our clients, ensuring a more meaningful and tailored experience.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Anna, alongside her husband, finds joy in camping and off-roading adventures. They are also actively engaged as volunteers in the Spokane County community, further exemplifying Anna’s dedication to making a positive impact beyond the workplace.

As Trust Administrator, Maryann brings with her extensive professional experience in trust and estate administration. After graduating from Boise State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, she completed a certificate in paralegal studies from Boise State University. Maryann has expertise in several areas including commercial contracts and leasing, real estate, probates, conservatorships, and trust administration.

Maryann has been a member of the Idaho Association of Paralegals since 1999. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family. Along-side her husband, you may find her enjoying a round of golf, biking along the river on Boise’s greenbelt, or enjoying the thrill of a white-water rafting trip.

Karie joined Northwest Trustee in 2022 and was promoted from Trust Associate to Real Estate Manager, where she enjoys working with clients and everything real estate related. As a Real Estate Manager, Karie supports the team in a wide variety of administrative tasks. Prior to joining our team, Karie was as a licensed Realtor for over 25 years and, with Northwest Trustee, is pleased to have the opportunity to work in the same field she loves. Along with her professional expertise in real estate, Karie is passionate about living out our core values both on and off the job.

When not at work, Karie enjoys hiking with her two dogs and getting together with friends and family. Karie also spends her off time working as a volunteer in various nonprofits—excited to dedicate her time to making a positive impact on those around her and her community.

As Founder of Northwest Trustee & Management Services, Steve has focused the company around our four core values: integrity, professionalism, compassion and diligence. For over 35 years, he successfully served thousands of clients including those with a wide variety of complicated family situations and complex assets. His goal was to always provide highly responsive and hands-on professional trust and estate management services. 

He received his BA from Colorado College in Political Economy, his JD from Gonzaga Law School and in 1976, he was admitted to the practice of law in Washington state. 

Passionate for both community and professional organizations, Steve has been affiliated with the Washington State Bar Association, the Spokane County Bar Association, the Spokane Estate Planning Council and the Inland Northwest Planned Giving Council. He and his wife Carole enjoy various outdoor activities, athletics, travel, and spending time with their nine grandchildren.