Cumberland Trust announces the hiring of Shelly Donaldson as Vice President and Business Development Officer based in Atlanta. In her role, Donaldson will connect individuals, families and their financial, legal, and tax advisors with Cumberland Trust’s high caliber trust and estate administration services. She will continue to expand Cumberland Trust’s presence in the Georgia market by developing relationships with the estate planning community and the clients they serve.
“We are pleased to welcome Shelly to Cumberland Trust as the leader of our Atlanta office,” said Joseph K. Presley, Chairman, President and CEO of Cumberland Trust. “Shelly is an experienced tax and estate planning attorney who is guided by a personal background to help families navigate difficult life circumstances. She will play an instrumental role in growing this important market for Cumberland as we celebrate 20 years of client-driven trust administration.”
Donaldson has been a practicing attorney for most of her career and has experience in tax and corporate law. Her legal background is in estate planning for high-net-worth clients and families with a focus on tax planning, real estate, closely held business entities and planning for a family member with a disability (Special Needs Planning).
Prior to joining Cumberland Trust, Donaldson was an attorney at Cohen Pollock Merlin Turner, P.C. She also founded The Donaldson Law Firm following experience at other firms including Lefkoff, Duncan, Grimes, McSwain & Hass, P.C. and Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP.
“Shelly is a strong addition to the Cumberland Trust team,” added Michelle Diamond, Chief Development Officer and Executive Director of Regional Markets. “Her experience and connections to estate planning attorneys and advisors will be a major asset as we look to bring our trust and estate administration services to even more families in Atlanta and across the state of Georgia.”
She served on the Executive Committee of the Georgia Bar Association Fiduciary Law Section and was a past chair of the Atlanta Bar Estate Planning and Probate Section. Donaldson is also a past board member of The Bobby Dodd Institute, a nonprofit that helps individuals living with a disability succeed at work, in the community and in life.
Donaldson graduated cum laude from the Fredric G. Levin College of Law at the University of Florida, where she also served as an editor of the Law Review. She holds a B.B.A. in finance from Auburn University.