Our Partners
Shuangshuang Kong, M.SC, CFP®
Financial Planner
Shuangshuang Kong is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and a STEP Associate Member. With over nine years of experience in building comprehensive financial plans for business owners and high net worth families, she brings a wealth of knowledge in formulating and communicating complex strategies that integrate corporate structure, business succession and retirement, trust and estate, executive compensation arrangements, cash flow management, and tax planning at both personal and corporate levels. She is passionate about collaborating with all clients’ all advisors to guide clients through life stages and to empower them to achieve their financial goals. In addition to servicing clients, Shuangshuang is a member of the FP Canada Institute faculty team to develop technical education content and provide coaching for aspiring financial planners.
Shuangshuang holds a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in management degree from the Telfer School of Management at University of Ottawa. Committed to lifelong upskilling, she has passed all the exams toward a Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation and is currently enrolled in a post-graduate certificate in advanced accounting program.
Outside work, Shuangshuang is an avid runner and loves reading books and playing ultimate frisbee with friends.
Paula Lester
Senior Trust Advisor, Raymond James Trust (Canada)
Paula is a Senior Trust Advisor with Raymond James Trust (Canada). She is responsible for providing comprehensive estate, incapacity, and trust planning services to Ontario-based clients of Raymond James Ltd. Paula has worked in the trust industry since 2017, prior to which she practiced as a family and estate litigator. Paula is passionate about using trust and estate services to protect clients and their families, and to avoid the unfortunate situations she witnessed as an estate litigator.
Paula is a graduate of the Juris Doctor Program at Queen’s University, having graduated on the Dean’s Honour’s list. She also has a Bachelor of Arts, Honours, degree with a major in Psychology and a minor in English and Law, earning the university medal for highest academic standing upon graduation from Carleton University. Paula also has her Trust and Estate Planning (TEP) designation.
Outside of the office, Paula likes staying active and is an avid runner and ultimate frisbee player. She also enjoys giving back to her community through coaching and involvement in charitable work.
Heather Roche, CFP®, CLU®
Insurance Planning Specialist, Raymond James Financial Planning Ltd.
Heather Roche is an Insurance Planning Specialist for Eastern Ontario who collaborates with Financial Advisors to provide personalized solutions to clients concerning their financial, tax, estate and retirement planning needs.
Heather brings over 15 years of experience in the financial planning and insurance business, and has a proven track record as an established Estate Planner with a comprehensive approach to estate planning and insurance. Heather has been part of the Raymond James Estate Planning Advisory team for over eight years. Her focus is on developing financial plans for clients that incorporate insurance-based products and strategies, supporting financial advisors and interacting with clients. She works with clients from all walks of life and specializes in maximizing cash flow and retirement savings, in particular for clients who have corporations.
Heather is a graduate of Ryerson University and holds a Bachelor of Commerce. She is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), and life insurance licensee in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta & Nova Scotia.
Diana Mao
Senior Advisor, Charitable Giving Program, Raymond James Trust (Canada)
Diana Mao is the Senior Advisor, Charitable Giving Program at Raymond James Trust (Canada). She works directly with Raymond James advisors and their clients to provide planned giving expertise with a focus on strategic charitable giving. Diana is also responsible for leading Raymond James’ client philanthropy program, a donor advised fund program in partnership with Raymond James Canada Foundation.
Diana has close to a decade of experience in the wealth management industry, including four years running the donor advised fund program at a large Canadian Financial Institution. She has worked with Investment Advisors and Counsellors and their high net worth clients, both individuals and families, across Canada on facilitating their charitable gifts and advancing their philanthropic goals.
With a strong background in charitable gift planning, Diana helps clients develop their charitable intentions while incorporating tax effective donation strategies as part of an overall wealth plan.
Diana received her B.Sc. from the University of Waterloo, is an active member of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP), and holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Personal Financial Planner (PFP) and Master Financial Advisor in Philanthropy (MFA-P) designations.
