Lecturer Bios
Martin M. Shenkman, Esq.
Martin M. Shenkman, CPA, MBA, PFS, AEP (distinguished), JD, is an attorney in private practice in Paramus, New Jersey and New York City. Practice concentrates on estate and tax planning. He is the author of 42 books and more than 1,000 articles. He is active in many charitable causes and founded ChronicIllnessPlanning.org which educates professional advisers on planning for clients with chronic illness and disability. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Wharton School, with a concentration in accounting and economics, an MBA from the University of Michigan, with a concentration in tax and finance, and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law.
To learn more about Marty visit his website http://shenkmanlaw.com
Betsy Ehrenberg
Betsy Ehrenberg has successfully started, built and sold two software companies. Her first Silicon Valley venture was Operations Control Systems, a software company providing performance and security services to Fortune 50 companies. After she sold OCS, the new owner operated the company for several years and later sold it to Cisco Systems, Inc. In 2003, she founded Veriden, providing biometric identification to secure financial transactions in the payment processing space. Betsy has been on several start-up firms’ boards in Silicon Valley and New Mexico and founded two non-profits providing art business education.
Betsy attended Boston University, attended computer science studies at Carnegie Tech and attended business school at Harvard University. Her awards and presentations include Woman of the Year – Business in Santa Clara County (Silicon Valley), Keynote Speaker at the Association for Computer Operations Management, Biometric Identification at Washington DC’s Security Symposium as well as publications on Improving Performance in the Data Center, Change Control for Program Development and Security in Computer Operations.
Mary E. Vandenack, Esq.
Mary Vandenack brings extraordinary energy and focus to her work for clients. A founding member and the firm’s managing partner, Mary is an expert in the interrelated areas of tax, business, real estate, health care, private wealth, estate planning, business succession planning and asset protection planning. Acting as outside legal counsel for closely held businesses in conjunction with the ability to proactively address the legal issues of business owners is an area of special expertise. Mary is an innovator in the integration of technology into the practice of law. Under Vandenack’s guidance, the firm has been on the leading edge of client service and technology. Mary won the American Bar Association James I. Keane Award, presented at Techshow 2015, in recognition of her efforts in the area of e-lawyering.
Mary speaks and writes extensively in her areas of practice. She is a commentator for Leimberg Services, a nationally recognized publication in the area of tax, trusts and estates, benefits and asset protection planning. Mary serves as co-chair of the Futures Task Force for the American Bar Association Real Property Trusts and Estates Section. Mary serves on the American Bar Association Techshow Board and writes a leadership column for Law Practice Management Magazine. Mary also writes a column on estate planning, asset protection planning and business succession issues for Metro Magazine. Mary was named to Fortune Magazine Women Leaders in the Law in 2016.
In her spare time, Mary shares her love for health and wellness by teaching yoga, pilates and spinning. Mary also expresses her passion for health and wellness by the community activities that she supports. It is a rare occasion when Mary would miss a home Creighton Bluejays game or a College World Series game. Mary’s fulfilling personal and professional life was illustrated in a September 2014 interview with the Omaha Daily Record.
Mary graduated magna cum laude from Creighton University School of Law in 1992. She served as editor in chief of the Creighton Law Review, won a Domestic Moot Court competition as Best Oral Advocate and was inducted into the Alpha Sigma Nu Honor Society. Vandenack received her bachelor’s degree in business and accounting, graduating summa cum laude from the College of Saint Mary.
Vanessa L. Kanaga, Esq.
Vanessa Kanaga joined InterActive Legal in 2013, and serves as President and Director of Content Development. In her role, Vanessa oversees the development of InterActive Legal program content, in addition to working with CEO, Michael L. Graham, to guide the company in its future direction, and manage day-to-day operations.
Vanessa received her J.D. from Cornell Law School, Magna Cum Laude, in 2006, and holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Wichita State University, with a minor in Music, as well as an Advanced Professional Certificate from New York University School of Law. Following law school, Vanessa practiced in New York for several years, at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, LLP, and then Moses & Singer, LLP. In 2012, she returned to her home town of Wichita, Kansas, where she was an associate attorney in the estate planning and probate practice group at Hinkle Law Firm, LLC, before joining InterActive Legal.
Thomas A. Tietz, Esq.
Experienced in assisting with the implementation of all facets of an estate plan, including the preparation of core documents such as the Last Will and Testament, Health Care Proxy, Durable Power of Attorney, to the more advanced techniques of an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust, Grantor Retained Annuity Trust, self-settled Trusts, and the implementation of asset transfers to those trusts, depending on the client's needs.
In addition to Estate Planning, assist clients with estate administration, including the organization of the documentation and assets of a decedent for tax filings and disbursement, as well as assisting with corporate work, concentrating on the effects to family entities and businesses in relation to estate planning, including assisting with entity documents and complex entity ownership.
Graduated from Rutgers Law-Graduated Magna Cum Lade
