OUR TEAM

Our team has come together from various backgrounds and experiences to provide a truly unique and individualized approach to financial decision making. When you work with our team, you can expect a personalized experienced care with a positive environment. We are proud of the expertise and dedication our team brings to the table. We are committed to helping you achieve financial success and providing you with the highest level of personalized service. Contact us today to experience the expertise and passion of our team firsthand.

Michaela F. Scott, MSFS, CFP®, AIF®, RICP®, CHFC , CLU®

Principal & Founder, 401(k)/403(b) Advisor

Michaela Scott is Founder and Principal of the Strategic Retirement Benefits Group, partnering with businesses on the financial portion of their benefits program – specifically their retirement Plans. Throughout her career Michaela has made significant contributions to the industry including serving on advisory boards for many of the largest recordkeepers and asset managers and as a delegate with the American Retirement Association. She has been recognized as the Top Women Advisors Rising Star and Top Plan Advisors under 40. Their team has earned Top DC Advisory Team.

Lifelong Learning

Michaela earned her Master of Science in Financial Services with a concentration in Retirement Planning from the American College of Financial Services where she serves as President of the Advisory Committee. She was awarded their NextGen of the Year award in 2017.

She is a Certified Financial Planner™, Accredited Investment Fiduciary, Retirement Income Certified Professional®, Charted Financial Consultant and Certified Health Savings Advisor. Michaela earned her Certified 401(k) Professional Designation administered by the Retirement Advisor University in collaboration with UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Education. She serves at The Plan Sponsor University as an adjunct professor.

She holds an honors Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Saint Anselm College and is past President of the St. A’s Alumni Association, Advisory Council Co-Chair for the Department of Business and Economics and serves the Commission for the School of Business.

Michaela was selected to serve on the Employer Sponsored Advisory Council for Osaic. Osaic is one of the largest networks of independent advisor firms in the country overseeing over a half a billion in assets and 12,000 independent advisors. The council is comprised of a select group of 30 advisors who specialize in retirement plans, are innovative and can lead by example with best practices for servicing clients and delivering results for participants.

About Me

She resides in Hampton, NH with her husband Jeff, daughter Lily, son JJ and golden retriever Bailey. If she didn’t work as a 401(k) Advisor she would love to be a professor. Her personal vision for retirement is to be surrounded by family, cooking, reading at leisure, travelling, and exploring cultures and nature.

Award Disclosures

Designations

Karen Robinson, CPFA

Retirement Plan Advisor

Karen has over 5 years of retirement plan experience, the last 3 of which she has been a Financial Advisor focused on 401(k)s and defined contribution plans. She started out selling and setting up the plan design with the Plan Sponsors at a bundled provider. Seeing Karen’s knowledge, ethics and fervor working with Plan Sponsors and participants, a Financial Advisor that she had worked with suggested that she become and advisor. After earning her Series 7 and 66 as well as Life, Health and Disability Insurance licenses Karen quickly grew her Retirement Plan business at a private wealth firm. Karen joined The Strategic Retirement Benefits Group to collaborate with an existing team of plan specialists and benefits advisors to bring a deep bench of knowledge, experience and resources to our clients and their participants. Karen's experience has given her vast knowledge with plan design, fiduciary governance, enrollments, and administrative challenges to plan sponsors. She is a certified teaching assistant and carries the unique ability to translate complexities of retirement plans to both sponsors and participants. Our clients benefit from her expertise in advising employees on nonqualified plan design, financing, and maintenance.

Lifelong Learning

Karen is a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) and is actively completing the Non-Qualified Plan Advisor (NQPA™) credential demonstrating her knowledge, expertise, and commitment to working with nonqualified deferred compensation and nonqualified executive compensation plans.

About Me

Karen lives in Rhode Island with her son and Australian Shepherd where they enjoy outdoor activities and sports together. She likes to cook and is an avid Bruins fan.

Kate Zimmerman

Director of Retirement Education & Financial Planning

Preparing for retirement can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Partnering with someone who focuses on the opportunities available to your unique situation is key. That’s where Kate can help.

Kate is a seasoned financial advisor and planner with over 20 years’ experience working with some of the top financial firms nationally. Kate has earned a well-rounded knowledge of long-term financial planning and understands the critical importance of how proper planning now can help you achieve your goals for the future. Kate's goal is to simplify the over-complicated world of financial planning and help clients preserve their hard-earned assets.

Partnering with her team at The Strategic Retirement Benefits Group, Kate will be focusing on your goals in a one-on-one atmosphere to objectively guide you to the right combination of what works for your financial planning and retirement situation. The transition to retirement is so much more than just taking advantage of your employee benefits. Our Retirement Readiness Process is a guide to assist you while you navigate the transition successfully.

About Me

Kate resides in Smithfield, RI with her husband, Greg, and their 4 kids and 2 dogs. In her spare time, Kate coaches Track and Field, and you can usually find her working on a home project, traveling, or listening to live music!

Abby Sheehan

Director of Operations

Abby joined The Strategic Retirement Benefits Group, LLC in May 2023. As the Director of Operations, Abby spearheads strategic initiatives, leveraging her expertise to streamline workflows and maximize efficiency. Abby's commitment to excellence has consistently yielded tangible results, positioning SRBG for sustained growth and success. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, Abby is dedicated to delivering operational excellence that aligns with the SRBG's mission.

Prior to joining SRBG, Abby worked for 7 years as a Client Service Manager at a boutique Financial Planning and Wealth Management firm.

Lifelong learning

Abby graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2016 with a Bachelors in Business Management. Since graduating from college, Abby has obtained her Series 6 & 63 securities licenses, as well as Health, Life, & Accident Insurance licenses.

ABOUT ME

Abby currently resides in Haverhill, Massachusetts with her husband, Jon, and their two German Shepherds, Bella and Banks. Abby enjoys spending time with her friends and family, cooking and baking, reading, and she is an avid New England sports fan!

Hannah Bishop

Client Service Manager

Hannah joined The Strategic Retirement Benefits Group, LLC in July of 2024. She has over a decade of experience in the retirement consulting industry, specifically in client service and service operations for both local and national firms. As the Client Service Manager, Hannah works closely with clients on service-related matters, ensuring that their needs are met promptly and effectively. In her own words, Hannah is passionate about being a promise-keeper on our team, ensuring that we consistently meet and exceed expectations.

LIFELONG LEARNING

Hannah graduated from Buena Vista University with a Bachelors in Business and Accounting. She has obtained securities and insurance licenses, but her more recent Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS) and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) designations have helped to hone her skills specifically in the retirement plan industry.

ABOUT ME

Hannah is a proud military spouse and is currently stationed in Bellevue, Nebraska with her husband, daughter, and two dogs including a new German Shephard puppy. She enjoys a variety of outdoor sports. She holds her advanced open water diving certification and has completed multiple ultra marathons. Her latest interests are kickboxing, paddleboarding, and figuring out how to make delicious gluten-free treats.

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