Holly Isdale, ’86

Holly Isdale founded Wealthaven in 2010 to provide clients with a single point of contact for the oversight of their wealth management needs. After 20-plus years on Wall Street, she was frustrated by the fact that wealthy families, despite hiring the best attorneys, accountants and investment teams, still could not achieve their financial goals, primarily due to lack of coordination and execution among the experts. Holly created Wealthaven to provide clients with high level strategic planning, hands-on oversight and conflict-free advice.

Holly has worked with entrepreneurs and business owners for her entire career — from initial funding to IPOs or mergers, through succession planning and even last rites. This in-depth knowledge of tax, investments, estate planning, family governance, philanthropy and just plain common sense, allows her to help families to identify their goals, create an actionable plan and to deliver results.

A graduate of Cornell University and of Boston University School of Law, Holly began her career as a corporate tax attorney but left the active practice of law in 1994 to build and lead the estate and financial planning practices for several top Wall Street firms, including JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers and Bessemer Trust.

Holly serves on the board of Family Firm Institute, the global organization for family business consultants. She is a member of the American Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Committee, the Purposeful Planning Institute, Philadelphia Estate Planning Council, Society of Trust and Estate Professionals and several other organizations. She is a frequent speaker on issues relating to family, tax and transition issues as well as philanthropic considerations.

Holly recognized as a finalist for the Family Business Advisor of 2013 award from STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Professionals).

MEET WITH HOLLY