MEET SALTBOX

Our staff is dedicated to helping you reach your financial goals and have the best possible planning experience.

OUR STAFF

VERA

KELSEY-WATTS

Principal Financial Advisor

Vera (she/her) is a financial planner with a fascination for the many resources in our world: the land, our families and communities built through individual and shared labor, and the material and immaterial wealth that we build, grow or inherit. Vera believes that how we manage our resources and make decisions around capital are some of the most important questions we may be faced with in life.

Vera majored in Economics, and studied in the heterodox tradition at Sarah Lawrence College. This course of study deepened her interest in understanding and knowing the history of our economic system, and the material conditions that affect our decision making. She completed further studies in the field of Behavioral Economics before turning to work in the nonprofit industry. Vera deployed her logistical, organizing and accounting skills to support organic farming ventures, serve on publisher editorial boards, and consult with cooperatively-run enterprises.

The world of financial planning piqued her interest as a way to bring together planning, education and action to empower clients in their understanding of their personal finances. She is committed to a holistic and informed approach to financial planning and management.

Vera was born in Massachusetts, educated in New York, and lived in Boston for several years before relocating to southern New Hampshire in 2016. Vera lives with her spouse, two dogs, and several houseplants and chickens.

Director of Operations

Keira (she/her) joined Saltbox in 2020 as Operations Manager, after several years of serving as Operations Director of her household. She loves all things logistical and is known for her large cups of coffee. Keira was born and raised in Newbury and is a New Englander through and through.

She has a Bachelor's degree in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and worked for many years as a specialty veterinary technician.

When not at her desk or at home with husband, two children, two dogs and many small animals, she can be found on the sidelines of a field, a wrestling mat, a dojo, or driving somewhere in between.

KEIRA

COLGATE

PHUONG LUONG

Principal Financial Advisor

Phuong (she/her) is an educator and financial planner. Phuong specializes in financial planning for individuals and families as well as sustainable investing, with a focus on ESG investing and regenerative investing in community loan funds, land trusts, and cooperatives -- to shift capital from extractive industries toward building a solidarity economy.

Phuong understands the current and historical barriers to building financial wealth for so many communities in the U.S. This knowledge comes from her experiences as a former public school teacher and nonprofit professional, a student of financial history and structural/systemic inequality, and from her own upbringing.

Before joining Saltbox, she was the founder of Just Wealth, a virtual financial planning firm. She is the Chair Emeritus of the CFP Board’s Council on Education, where she advises CFP Board staff on the development of education standards and certification requirements for CFP® professionals. Phuong is also a Facilitator for the Boston University Financial Planning Program and a regular contributor to Morningstar, where she writes about financial planning and sustainable investing for an advisor audience.

Phuong majored in Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College, where she was a graduate of the Teacher Education Program. She also earned her Master’s in Special Education from Boston University. Phuong completed the Financial Planning Program at Boston University, where she was a recipient of the Robert J. Glovsky Scholarship for Financial Planning.

Leslie (she/her) joined Saltbox in 2021. She started her career working in journalism. During that time, Leslie learned how to comb through municipal and school budgets, reported extensively on the local housing market, and regularly covered politics and legislative issues. Her communication background later translated into a position as a Publications Associate for a local investment advisory firm that specializes in working with foundations and nonprofits. Most recently, Leslie used her organizational skills to manage a restaurant before and during the pandemic, which has provided her a unique viewpoint to the challenges facing this industry and those who work in it.

A native Chicagoan, Leslie moved to New England in 2007 and has made Maine and New Hampshire her home since. Pre-pandemic, Leslie enjoyed traveling extensively and has visited more than a dozen countries. In 2021, she was officially recognized as an Italian citizen. When not working or traveling, she can be found hiking in the White Mountains and baking new creations. Her cat, Clark, has reluctantly agreed to share his space in southern New Hampshire with Leslie and her dog, Luke.

Leslie started her CFP® coursework in early 2021 and plans to take the certification exam in 2023. She holds a Bachelor’s of Journalism and Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Associate Financial Advisor

LESLIE

MODICA