ACTEC Elects 51 New Fellows to The College

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC–November 13, 2025: On October 23, the Board of Regents of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) convened during the College’s 2025 Fall Meeting in Austin, Texas, to consider nominations for a new class of ACTEC Fellows. The College is pleased to announce that 51 individuals were elected: 48 Fellows, one Academic Fellow, one International Fellow from Canada, and one International Fellow from the United Kingdom. Eleven newly elected Fellows are graduates of an ACTEC Fellows Institute, and two are Dennis I. Belcher Young Leaders.

ACTEC President Peter S. Gordon states: “On behalf of the College, I welcome our newly elected Fellows, whose exceptional skill, integrity, and commitment to the profession strengthen ACTEC’s mission. Each brings deep experience and fresh insight to the College’s work in improving trust and estate law and promoting the highest standards of practice. I am particularly pleased to recognize our International Fellows, whose global perspectives enrich our community, and our ACTEC Fellows Institute graduates and Dennis I. Belcher Young Leaders, whose engagement represents the future of ACTEC.”

To qualify for membership, a lawyer must have at least 10 years of experience in the active practice of trust and estate law, as fiduciary counsel with a fiduciary services company, or a combination thereof. Lawyers and law professors are elected to be Fellows based on their outstanding reputation, exceptional skill, and substantial contributions to the field by lecturing, writing, teaching, and participating in bar leadership or legislative activities. ACTEC Fellows aim to improve and reform probate, trust, and tax laws, procedures, and professional responsibility.

The following 48 individuals were elected as New Fellows:

• Adam M. Ansari of Chicago, IL (2018–2020 Dennis I. Belcher Young Leader)
• Todd J. Bornstein of Bethesda, MD
• Carter R. Brothers of Roanoke, VA
• Shaila Buckley of Boise, ID
• Teresa R. Byers of Seattle, WA
• Ann Hetherwick Cahill of Boston, MA
• Tiffany B. Carmona of Chicago, IL
• Preston C. Demouchet of New York, NY (2022–2024 Dennis I. Belcher Young Leader)
• Anya F. Endsley of Portland, ME (2022 New England Fellows Institute Graduate)
• Elizabeth A. Faist  of Atlanta, GA
• Shanna N. Fink of Wausau, WI
• Stephanie G. Gamble of New Orleans, LA
• LeAnne M. Gilbert of Atlanta, GA
• Heather O. Gilmore of Keizer, OR
• Adam M. Grenker of Morristown, NJ
• Rebecca L. Hagan of Pittsburgh, PA
• Matthew R. Hillery of Boston, MA
• Kasper F. Huber of Springdale, AR (2024 Heart of America Institute Graduate)
• Elizabeth M. Hughes of Miami, FL (2017 Florida Fellow Institute Graduate)
• Sarah S. Johnston of Birmingham, AL
• William M. Kelleher of Wilmington, DE (2022 Mid-Atlantic Fellows Institute Graduate)
• Cameron R. Kelly of Stillwater, MN
• Joseph T. La Ferlita of Uniondale, NY
• Stefanie J. Lipson of Los Angeles, CA
• Matie B. Little of Portland, ME (2022 New England Fellows Institute Graduate)
• Elizabeth Luk of Greenville, DE
• Elizabeth A. McKillip of Lisle, IL
• Margaret St. John Meehan of Stamford, CT
• Peter E. Moshang of West Conshohocken, PA (2025 Mid-Atlantic Fellows Institute Graduate)
• Dionysios C. Pappas of Bethlehem, PA
• R. Shaun Rainey of Midland, TX
• Chelsea Riekkola of Anchorage, AK
• Leon H. Rittenberg, III of New Orleans, LA
• Lisa B. Roper of San Diego, CA
• Barbara Jo Smith of Salem, OR
• Michael Sneeringer of Bonita Springs, FL (2017 Florida Fellow Institute Graduate)
• Molly R. Soiffer of Boston, MA (2024 New England Fellows Institute Graduate)
• H. Wes Taylor of Madison, WI
• Laura T. Tetrault of Manchester, NH (2022 New England Fellows Institute Graduate)
• Rebecca Tunney of Boston, MA (2022 New England Fellows Institute Graduate)
• Fredrick Weber of Chicago, IL
• Scott D. Weber of Dallas, TX
• Justin W. Whitney of Kansas City, MO (2022 Heart of America Institute Graduate)
• Raley L. Wiggins of Montgomery, AL
• Joseph T. Wilson of New Orleans, LA
• Shawn P. Wolf of Miami, FL
• Jeffrey C. Wolken of Wilmington, DE
• Alison Renee Zizzo of Virginia Beach, VA

The following individual was elected as an Academic Fellow:

• Mark Glover of Columbia, SC

The following two individuals were elected as International Fellows:

• Mark Brender of Montréal, QC, Canada
• Brad Westerfield of London, UK

About The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC): Established in 1949, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) is a national, nonprofit association of approximately 2,300 lawyers and law professors from throughout the United States and abroad. ACTEC members (Fellows) are peer-elected on the basis of professional reputation and expertise in the preparation of wills and trusts, estate planning, probate, trust administration and related practice areas. The College’s mission includes the improvement and reform of probate, trust and tax laws and procedures and professional practice standards. ACTEC frequently offers technical comments with regard to legislation and regulations but does not take positions on matters of policy or political objectives.

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