Victoria Tejeda kept money talks alive for women during COVID

Victoria Tejeda, a principal and senior financial advisor at Modera Wealth Management, organized virtual conversation circles during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep financial discussions active among women clients. After in-person meetings resumed, she extended the work through a partnership with the Boston nonprofit Women’s Money Matters and organized a community coat drive.

When social distancing limited face-to-face meetings, Tejeda set up small virtual groups that met regularly to discuss budgeting, planning and ways to handle pandemic-related financial strain. She described the sessions as “kind of like a little book club based around finances, where we could continue to foster discussions.” Participants met online in groups to share strategies and ask questions about everyday money management.

Following local reopening, Tejeda initiated a partnership between Modera and Women’s Money Matters, a 501(c)(3) that runs financial literacy programs for women, including those in low-income support programs. Modera advisors led hour-long classes in Boston that covered topics such as budgeting, cash flow and basic decision-making around expenses.

Last winter Tejeda organized a coat drive that used Modera’s Boston office as a collection point. Donated coats, clothing and personal hygiene items were gathered at the office and later distributed to shelters and social service programs across the city.

Tejeda earned enrolled agent status in 2021, a credential that allows representation of taxpayers before the IRS. She applies that tax expertise in client planning, trains newer advisors at Modera on tax matters and helps clients through tax-related decisions.

She serves as the secretary of the Boston Trust and Estates Consortium, a professional group that brings together estate planning attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors and other specialists for local education and coordination on clients’ estate and tax matters.

Colleague Jeanne Bernardin, principal and wealth manager in Modera’s Boston office, described Tejeda as a connector who prioritizes clients outside regular hours. Bernardin said Tejeda often adjusts her schedule to support clients and maintains close personal ties with many of them.

Tejeda also shared a client message that illustrated those ties: “I just want to let you know my dog passed today, and you asked about them all the time, and I just felt like you should know.'” Tejeda has worked at Modera since 2017 and continues to combine client advisory work, tax planning and community outreach in the Boston area.