Advisory Team

OUR ADVISORY TEAM

When you engage trueNorth Financial Services, LLC, you have employed a team of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals to help you. We work as a team with each of our clients to provide a comprehensive balanced approach to financial planning. In addition to trueNorth’s team approach, when appropriate, we also consult with outside advisors, such as estate attorneys, CPAs, and insurance professionals to work on our client’s behalf.

Karen O’Brien, CPA, CFP®
Karen co-founded trueNorth after a twenty-year career in corporate accounting. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner as well as a Certified Public Accountant. Karen leads the firm’s financial planning practice, and is focused on providing clients with ongoing, understandable, direct, timely, and consistent advice.

She has been active in professional organizations throughout her career, and has close ties to the region’s accounting community. She is a charter member and former president of the Bellevue chapter of the American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA). In 1999, she received the chapter’s “Woman of Achievement” award, which honored her as an outstanding example of the qualities and standards set by the organization.

Karen lives in Redmond with her husband, Steve. She is close to their two adult children, both graduates of the UW, and is very proud of their accomplishments. In 2007, she completed her first Danskin triathlon with her daughter and they have decided to make it an annual mother/daughter event.

Licenses & Registrations
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certificant
Certified Public Accountant – Washington State

Education
Bachelor of Science in Accounting – City University
Post Graduate Classes in Taxation – Golden Gate University
College for Financial Planning – CFP® educational program
Fundamentals of Financial Life Planning Training - Money Quotient™

Professional Affiliations
National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA®)
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA)

Leadership Roles
2010-2011 Treasurer, Women's University Club, Seattle
2006-2008 President Advisory Board, Bellevue Chapter of ASWA
1996-1997 President, Bellevue Chapter of ASWA
1992-1996 Board of Directors, Bellevue Chapter of ASWA

Speaking Experience
2009 University Presbyterian Financial Counseling Ministry - What is Comprehensive Financial Planning?
Seattle University Department of Accounting & Seattle Chapter of American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA) - Fees: Mutual Funds, Accounts and Advisory

Joseph Hebert, CFP®
Joe co-founded trueNorth with Karen O’Brien after an 18-year career as an engineer and marketing professional. His goal is to work closely with his clients, making complex financial choices easy to understand, and guiding his clients to achieve their goals.

Joe plays an active role in the financial planning community; he is currently President-Elect of the Financial Planning Association of Puget Sound. During his tenure as leader of the 500+ member organization, Joe will focus on increasing member participation in leadership roles and financial industry reform.

Born and raised in Seattle, Joe grew up in a family with 10 children. He now lives on beautiful Bainbridge Island with his wife and two daughters. Joe is an avid swimmer and cyclist. If he is not volunteering to help officiate a swim meet, you can usually find him enjoying the outdoors with family and friends.

Licenses & Registrations
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certificant

Education
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering – University of Washington
College for Financial Planning – CFP® educational program

Professional Affiliations
Financial Planning Association (FPA)
National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA®)

Leadership Roles
2010 President-Elect - Financial Planning Association of Puget Sound
2009 Corporate Resource Director - Financial Planning Association of Puget Sound
2008 Sponsorship Director - Financial Planning Association of Puget Sound

Speaking Experience
2010 Your Money Helpline - Topic Expert Volunteer
2010 Financial Planning Speaker - University of Washington Business School
2009 Financial Planning Speaker - University of Washington Business School
2008 Financial Planning Speaker - University of Washington Business School

Press Citations
The Associated Press - Parents Find Prepaid Tuition Was Smart Bet, The Seattle Times June 30, 2009

Therese Govern, MBA, CPA, CFP®
Therese joined trueNorth in 2006, after four years at another fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm, and with ten years of prior experience as an accountant. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner as well as a Certified Public Accountant. Her goal is to bring clarity to her clients' financial lives -- to replace perplexity with a clear, well-lit path that will guide them through an uncertain future.

Therese enjoys speaking in the community on financial planning topics, particularly those related to her primary area of interest -- the retirement transition. She lives in Madrona with her husband, Steve, and spends her free time enjoying the outdoors -- walking, swimming, and biking.

Licenses & Registrations
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certificant
Certified Public Accountant – Washington State

Education
Bachelor of Arts – Oberlin College
Master of Business Administration – University of Washington
College for Financial Planning – CFP® educational program
Fundamentals of Financial Life Planning Training - Money Quotient™

Professional Affiliations
National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA®) - Seattle study group program committee 2006-2008
Financial Planning Association (FPA) - Program Committee 2010
Washington Society of CPAs (WSCPA)

Speaking Experience
2010 Instructor, South Seattle Community College Continuing Education, CFP® Live Review: Retirement Planning & Employee Benefits
2010 WSCPA Seattle Chapter - Roth Conversions: Who, What, Where, and When
2010 Financial Planning Association of Puget Sound - Roth conversion panelist
2010 NAPFA/Kiplinger “Jump Start Your Retirement Plan Days” national hotline
2009 Horizon House - Plan B: Correcting Course After the Financial Crisis, Recession, and Bear Market
2009 Money Quotient Webinar - Veteran Licensee Forum panelist
2008 American Society of Women Accountants, Bellevue chapter - Creating a Retirement Paycheck
2008 Horizon House - Tax Tips
2008 Loyal Heights Elementary - Saving for College
2008 NAPFA Study Group, Seattle chapter - Practice Management panelist
2007 American Society of Women Accountants, combined Seattle and Bellevue chapters - Risk Tolerance: Who’s Keeping Score?
2007 NAPFA/Kiplinger “Jump Start Your Retirement Plan Days” national hotline

Press Citations
The New York Times - New Rules Ease Roth Conversions 01/09/10
KIRO Radio - Money Minute 08/30/2007

Articles Published
Washington Massage Journal - Financial Tips for Uncertain Times, Winter 2009 (co-authored with Joe Hebert)