Laura A. Smith joined Cohen and Burnett March 2011 as a Tax Intern, and then in July 2011 she became our First Impressions Specialist. As such, she works diligently to ensure that each visit or caller to the office is treated with care. In the evenings, she takes classes to complete her Associates Degree and then finish her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. A 2005 graduate of Washington-Lee High School, Laura has previously worked as a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for Inova Hospital. When she switched career fields to better accommodate her role as mother, Laura interned full-time at SAIC Geospace Unit through her participation in the Year Up Information Technology program. She was elected to the student council, sought out the after-school Comp Tia A-plus classes, and received an award for professionalism and enthusiasm. She also gives back to the community as a regular participant in the “March of Dimes Walk,” “Comcast Career Day,” “Walk for Opportunity,” and the “Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walk.”

Ryan joined Navigator Wealth Management in September 2011 as Director of Operations. As such he is responsible for client services for all Navigator clients, both those involving contact with each client and our behind-the-scenes operational services that are so critical to tracking and reporting on Navigator client investments.

Ryan was born and raised in Ovid, Colorado, a small farming community in far northeastern Colorado where he was very active in high school sports and various extra-curricular activities. He graduated magna cum laude from Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City with a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Speech Communications Pre-Law with a minor in Finance.

Ryan began working in the investment field during his senior year of college, and has worked for a Registered Investment Advisory firm in Edmond, Oklahoma for the last 18 years, specializing in investment and back office operations. Ryan holds FINRA Series 7 and 65 securities licenses. He brings a unique blend of operational, technology, and financial skills to our operations and client services area.

Michael J. Cohen began working full-time for Navigator Wealth Management in August 2011 as a Client Services Specialist after working for the summer as an intern for Navigator. He has worked in various capacities over the years for Cohen and Burnett, P.C., as well as Navigator and enjoys helping our clients.

A Magna Cum Laude graduate of William and Mary with a B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies and Government, the height of his college career was a semester spent studying Arabic in Amman, Jordan during the spring of 2010. He also received a summer research scholarship to study Iraqi tribalism, the result of which was a 28-page paper entitled, “What Happened to the al-Anbar Awakening? Security, Integration and Governance after 2006.” As a student, Michael was an active brother in the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity and President of Hillel for a year.

Michael was recently accepted into the US Army and looks forward to starting Army Basic Training in May 2012 at Ft. Benning, Georgia, followed by Officer Candidate School. His hobbies include running, hiking, backpacking, and Arabic poetry.

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