Our Team

Our Team
steven

STEVEN NICKELSON

MANAGING DIRECTOR/SENIOR FINANCIAL ADVISER

lee

LEE NICKELSON


SENIOR FINANCIAL ADVISER

laura

LAURA SHEATHER

SENIOR ASSOCIATE

Teven Nickelson Headshot

STEVEN NICKELSON

MANAGING DIRECTOR/SENIOR FINANCIAL ADVISER

DSC09964

LEE NICKELSON

SENIOR FINANCIAL ADVISER

Tom Rowson Headshot

TOM ROWSON

FINANCIAL ADVISER

Holly Foote Headshot

HOLLY FOOTE

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Katie Brooks headshot

KATIE BROOKS

ADMINISTRATION OFFICER

karen

KAREN TRUONG

ASSOCIATE

tom

TOM ROWSON

ASSOCIATE (CASUAL)

JON

TOM HENDERSON

PROVISIONAL FINANCIAL ADVISER

marnie

MARNIE MCGAFFIN

CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER/ASSOCIATE

Tom

TOM MALONEY

ASSOCIATE (CASUAL)

STEVEN NICKELSON

MANAGING DIRECTOR/SENIOR FINANCIAL ADVISER

Steve is a Senior Adviser and Managing Director at Embrace Wealth and advises a broad range of clients and businesses.  Steve is passionate about financial education and helping people make informed decisions with their money and specialises in working with High-Net-Worth clients, pre-and-post retirees.  With over 15 years’ experience as an Authorised Representative, he is a Certified Financial Planner®, has a Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Financial Planning), as well as being a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

His clients commend him for his exceptional ability to explain complex information in simple terms and for being a human calculator with a personality. Driven by his passion to ‘work to live’ as opposed to ‘living to work’, he is well placed to help his clients prioritise what’s most important to them and create a plan to bring it to life.

Steve is married to Lee, with two daughters, Scarlett and Willow. He enjoys golf and exercise, and coaching his girls’ footy side, as well as being a long-suffering Carlton Football Club optimist.

LEE NICKELSON

SENIOR FINANCIAL ADVISER

Lee is a Certified Financial Planner® with a Bachelor in Behavioural Science and over 20 years of experience in the Financial Planning industry.

Since 2017, Lee and Steve have held a vested interest in Embrace Wealth, culminating in complete ownership in 2021. Lee enjoys working with clients who value professional guidance, have busy lifestyles, and seek to grow and protect their wealth and income. Clients who often gain the most benefit from working with Lee may be time poor and have high net wealth and income.  Clients nearing retirement also find value in the advantages and peace of mind that advice offers, helping them navigate through this frequently intricate phase of life.

Underpinning this, is Lee’s profound desire to create a world where her two daughters, Scarlett and Willow, can grow up to receive every opportunity in life. This drives her passion for financial planning for women and has led to working with the Go Girls Foundation. Their purpose is for ‘every woman to have a plan,’ and Lee offers her time to assist women, some of whom find themselves in unique situations after relationship breakdowns and other unforeseen circumstances.

Lee’s clients appreciate her warm and empathetic approach, as well as her ability to motivate them to achieve their financial goals. Lee loves to travel and enjoys planning caravan holidays with friends and family. She is also a passionate member and supporter of the Bombers.

LAURA SHEATHER

SENIOR ASSOCIATE

Laura is a Senior Associate who also performs a training and leadership role. She could be described as the glue that holds everything together. She holds a Commerce Degree (majoring in Finance and Financial Planning) from Deakin University and a Graduate Certificate of Artificial Intelligence for Business.  Laura is passionate about learning to guide people to make healthy financial decisions now that have positive lasting effects in the future. In her spare time Laura can be found playing State League Volleyball and spending time with her dog Milla. 

 

TOM ROWSON

FINANCIAL ADVISER

Tom has recently made his return to the Embrace Wealth team. With a background spanning over six years, he has gained valuable experience, qualifications, and insights through experience in Associate and Paraplanner roles. His passion lies in the technical aspects of crafting financial advice for clients and seeing the financial strategies he develops come to life, aiding clients to achieve their financial objectives. 

Tom loves getting to know clients of all ages and seeing how smart financial planning can help them to fund their next holiday or home renovation. Clients commend Tom for his ability to explain the complexities of their financial situation to them and diving deep into his clients’ queries.

He is currently progressing through his Master of Financial Planning. Outside of his professional life, Tom spends his free time travelling, cycling, barracking for the Collingwood Magpies and walking his Jack Russel/Tenterfield Terrier, Jimmy.

HOLLY FOOTE

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Holly became a member of our team in October 2019, assuming responsibility for the daily operations of the business and providing vital support to our team. With an extensive 16-year background in the financial services industry, she has previously held leadership positions in prominent South African and Australian Wealth Management Firms. Opting to transition away from the corporate sphere in pursuit of a more harmonious work-life balance, Holly has discovered contentment with Embrace Wealth, where she appreciates the robust people culture.

Married and a mother of three children—Malakhai, Willow, and Jagger—Holly, an outdoor enthusiast and aficionado of all things wine, relishes exploration with her family. She seizes every opportunity to celebrate her South African heritage through traditional “braais” and good-natured attempts to persuade her Australian friends of the delectable nature of biltong (with varying degrees of success).

KATIE BROOKS

ADMINISTRATION OFFICER

Katie assumed the position of Administration Manager upon joining the team and entering the industry. With a background predominantly rooted in Retail and notably extensive experience in the Hospitality/Gaming sector spanning 19 years, she brings a wealth of skills to her role. Katie has honed her expertise in customer service, meticulous attention to detail, organizational proficiency, and adherence to compliance standards through her various professional engagements. Her objective is to apply these acquired skills with efficiency and precision in her administrative responsibilities.

Demonstrating a personable and courteous demeanour, Katie is committed to ensuring a seamless and gratifying experience for every client of Embrace Wealth. Her passion for excellence underscores her dedication to enhancing the overall client journey.

JON HENDERSON

FINANCIAL ADVISER

Originally coming from an Engineering and Small business background, Jon enjoys the analytical side of financial advice and appreciates the importance of building strong relationships. The ability to combine these elements in his work brings him motivation and enjoyment in his role. 

Jon considers it a privilege to be a part of the client’s journey as we help build their wealth, remove the stress when moving into retirement and provide support through many of the significant events and financial achievements in their lives.  

He completed a Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning, and is working towards a Masters of Financial Planning and CFP Designation. 

Jon is married with a young daughter and his world revolves around family. In his down time, he enjoy cycling, music and getting out into the country when he can.

Tom

TOM MALONEY

ASSOCIATE

Tom has recently finished his studies at RMIT university where he has completed a Bachelor of Business (majoring in financial planning). Tom enjoys building strong relationships with clients and is interested in the process of creating a sound financial plan to achieve clients’ goals and objectives. In his spare time, Tom is a keen sportsman, playing both Football and Basketball. When he is not playing sport, Tom can be found spending time with friends and family.

MARNIE MCGAFFIN

CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER/ASSOCIATE

Marnie joined the team in 2017 as our Customer Service Officer, and loves nothing more than seeing a smiling face! She has two children, a son and a daughter, and on weekends she can be found with her husband and children bushwalking through the Dandenong Ranges or water-skiing at Eildon. Marnie has an Associate Diploma in Health Science and ran her own Beauty Therapy business for over 20 years before joining us. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Commerce and has enjoyed working in the Industry so much she is now an Associate.