Karen Fabiano, MPAff, NCG – President
Karen has been a professional fiduciary since 2010 and has led Avanti as President since 2014. She serves as Guardian, Conservator, Trustee, Attorney-in-Fact, Personal Representative, and care manager. Advocacy for vulnerable persons makes Karen’s work meaningful, especially protecting people from financial fraud.
Karen is a board member of the Oregon Guardian-Conservator Association and a member of the National Guardianship Association and is a National Certified Guardian. She has offered many public presentations and continuing education classes, and she is available as a speaker or consultant on fiduciary topics, especially ethically complex decision making and special advance instructions for cognitive impairment.
Karen previously worked for the Joint Budget Committee of the Arizona Legislature as a Senior Fiscal Analyst. Additionally, she renovated distressed properties for ten years, and was a foster-mom to youth with mental health challenges. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from U.C. San Diego in Cultural Anthropology (focus in cross-cultural psychology) and a Master of Public Affairs degree from U. T. Austin (focus in fiscal administration). Outside the office, Karen devotes many hours to the practice and teaching of Ki-Aikido at the Oregon Ki Society. She also volunteers through her church, and enjoys whitewater kayaking and back-country skiing with her family.
“I enjoy finding ways to communicate with alter-abled persons. It’s like using a unique language for each person. I use all kinds of tools to understand each person’s values and needs. I believe that everyone has the right to have their own values and wishes carried out. In making difficult choices on behalf of persons under guardianship and conservatorship, I analyze the situation, then listen from the heart.”
Amber Mongan – Fiduciary Assistant
At Avanti, Amber manages all client accounting functions, including bill-paying and financial reporting. Amber is highly focused on details and excels at creating effective systems and procedures that work for the situation at hand. Amber has over 20 years of management experience in industries including retail, health care, and non-profit law. Amber has a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration and Project Management, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Business Administration. Amber has lived in Lane County since 2008 with her husband (both are military veterans), raising their three young children. She has been an advocate for civil rights and for persons with disabilities; she volunteers for her son’s Cub Scout pack; and serves on the board of the National MPS Society. To relax, she enjoys cake-making and gardening.
“In this advancing world that is becoming more technology-driven every day, it is extremely important to me that we keep our systems relevant to meet the needs of our clients. Additionally, advocacy is at my core as I actively care for my child who suffers from a rare genetic disease and for my husband who is medically retired from the United States Army. I’m confident that we can be a strong advocate for you and your family, too.”
Ron Perez – Fiduciary Assistant
Ron helps manage conservatorship estates, trusts, POA cases, and decedent estates; and he supports the lead fiduciaries by managing the flow of legal documents. He is also the main contact person for some clients who rely on him for care management. A native of New York City, Ron has called Oregon home since 2005. He worked for ten years as a Certified Nurse Assistant in a local rehabilitation center, and then discovered an interest in law. He earned a degree in Paralegal Studies and worked in a law firm before joining Avanti. These two careers give him a solid footing in both the human and legal sides of Avanti’s services. As a father, he understands the responsibility of caring for someone else and the need to make right choices. An avid hiker and photographer, he may be spotted along the trails of Western Oregon. Look for his photographs at local fairs or galleries.
Photos by Richard Roman, Peggy Ilene Johnson, and Wendy Gregory