Meet the people behind HTrust
Our Directors | Our Staff
Our Directors
Fred Winter - President
Fred is a Certified Public Account, 1975, and Personal Financial Specialist, 1990, and has practiced as a CPA in Taos, New Mexico, since 1980. With a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA 1973) from Columbia University in New York, and working first for the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City and then at the big-six accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand, Mr. Winter has substantial experience in all levels of accounting and financial planning practice. Mr. Winter has deep ties to Taos and northern New Mexico. His wife, Marcia Brenner Winter, is the great granddaughter of Taos artist Oscar Berninghaus. They have made Taos their home since 1979. Mr. Winter has been a member of the Board of Directors since HTrust’s inception in 1994.
Janet Peters - Director
Janet is Director of Planned Giving for Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. Her job duties include working with donors to secure estate and trust gifts, charitable gift annuities and endowed scholarships for the University. She has been at Ottawa University since 2006. She started working at Peoples National Bank & Trust (now Peoples Bank) of Ottawa, Kansas in 1988 as a Trust Officer. She was Vice President and Operations/Administration Manager of the Wealth Management Division of Peoples Bank when she left banking for the University. Ms. Peters graduated from the University of Iowa in 1983 with a B.A. in Journalism and with a J.D. with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1988. Ms. Peters has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2003.
Janet Webb - Director
Janet has been in business in Taos since 1979. She is president of Webb Design Inc., a design and marketing agency focused on tourism promotion and fine arts marketing. She is also a partner in TaosNet LLC, the area’s largest and oldest Internet service provider. Ms. Webb has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2005.
Daniel T. Montoya - Secretary
Daniel began serving as Executive Vice President in 2007. Prior to joining the staff of HTrust, he most recently provided consulting services to various businesses and sold supplemental insurance throughout Northern New Mexico. From 1999-2001 he served as the first director of Taos Community Foundation. Prior to moving to northern New Mexico in 1997, Mr. Montoya practiced corporate finance, securities, and banking law for 13 years in NYC, most recently working for the trust and custody departments, of Citibank, N.A. and Marine Midland Bank, N.A. He received a B.A. in Psychology in 1981 from Columbia College and a J.D. in 1984 from Columbia University School of Law. Mr. Montoya has deep family roots in Northern New Mexico and currently resides in the small community of Ojo Sarco. Mr. Montoya has been a member of he Board of Directors since 2002.
Our Staff
Fred E. Winter - Chief Executive Officer, CPA
Fred is a Certified Public Account, 1975, and Personal Financial Specialist, 1990, and has practiced as a CPA in Taos, New Mexico, since 1980. With a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA 1973) from Columbia University in New York, and working first for the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City and then at the big-six accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand, Fred has substantial experience in all levels of accounting and financial planning practice. Fred has deep ties to Taos and northern New Mexico. His wife, Marcia Brenner Winter, is the great granddaughter of Taos artist Oscar Berninghaus. They have made Taos their home since 1979.
Daniel T. Montoya - Executive Vice President & Trust Officer, JD
Prior to joining the staff of HTrust, Daniel provided consulting services to various businesses and sold supplemental insurance throughout Northern New Mexico. From 1999-2001 he served as the first director of Taos Community Foundation. Prior to moving to northern New Mexico in 1997, Daniel practiced corporate finance, securities, and banking law for 13 years in NYC, most recently working for the trust and custody departments, of Citibank, N.A. and Marine Midland Bank, N.A. He received a B.A. in Psychology in 1981 from Columbia College and a J.D. in 1984 from Columbia University School of Law. Daniel was admitted to the NY Bar in 1985 and the NM Bar in 2008. Daniel has deep family roots in Northern New Mexico and currently resides in the small community of Ojo Sarco.
Ann Christensen - Senior Vice President and Trust Officer
Ann has spent 33 years in the trust administration world, with most of her experience in the Chicago area, working for such institutions as Chicago Title and Trust, Northern Trust, Harris Bank and Wells Fargo. She and her husband, Jay, ran their own business for over two years providing family office services for individuals in the Chicago area. In 2006, when their two boys were grown and had moved out of the house, they moved to Santa Fe, where Ann served as Trust Officer and Business Development Officer for Santa Fe Trust. Ann grew up outside of Boston and received her BA from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. Ann and Jay make their home in Santa Fe and she is based in our Santa Fe office.
Juana Bergerson - Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
Juana was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and has lived in the United States since 1977. She came to Taos, New Mexico in 1980, received an Associate's Degree in Accounting from Northern New Mexico Community College in 1982 and a Bachelor in University Studies in 2005. Juana made her home in Taos where she raised two children and, together with her husband, owned a plumbing business for fifteen years. Juana joined our team at HTrust in December of 2001. Juana also serves as Treasurer.
Julia Chong - Senior Account Administrator, CPA
Julia is a Certified Public Accountant in the United States and Old Mexico. She has lived in the United States since 1995 and worked in Taos, New Mexico until 1999. In 2000 she moved to Albuquerque and joined Neff & Ricci, LLP, which subsequently became Moss Adams, LLP. She is currently the Treasurer of the Albuquerque affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Julia joined HTrust in August of 2009 and manages the Albuquerque office. Julia received a BA in Accounting from Universidad Veracruzana and is working on her Masters in Taxation at Golden Gate University.
Donna Scott - Staff Accountant
Donna is a Staff Accountant for HTrust and its affiliate TaosCPA, LLC. She received a B.A. in 1977 from Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University, and has completed significant coursework towards her MBA at University of Texas - Arlington. She was the CFO at Dallas Telco Federal Credit Union from 1981-1988 and moved to Taos, New Mexico in 1990. Since moving to Taos, Donna has served as Comptroller of Overland Sheepskin Company, a branch manager for First Community Bank, a closing escrow officer for First New Mexico Title Company, and a loan officer for Southwest Mortgage, before making her way to TaosCPA, LLC and HTrust. Donna has two children and recently became a grandmother with another on the way.
Elaine Spray - Staff Accountant.jpg)
Elaine is a Staff Accountant for HTrust and its affiliate TaosCPA LLC. Elaine received a BA in Sociology, with a specialty in Geriatric Social Work, from Miami University of Ohio, which led to her first career with the Ohio Commission on Aging's Wellness Program in Yellow Springs, Greene County, Ohio. Elaine has been providing bookkeeping services to the Taos community since moving to Taos in 1980. Twelve years of that service was through her bookkeeping business which catered to small businesses and individuals. She joined the team in January 2006 after a brief retirement during which she volunteered with a number of Taos non-profit organizations in which her two daughters were involved. One daughter now lives in the Taos area and Elaine's other daughter lives in Denver, CO.
Chastelle Mitchell - Account Administrator & Marketing Specialist, MBA
Chastelle brings twelve years of experience in long term care and small business administration to HTrust. She earned a B.S. in Political Science from Arizona State University in 1997 and a Master's in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Marketing, from University of New Mexico, Anderson School of Management in 2006. Chastelle's experience includes marketing and public relations, elder and long-term care services, and bookkeeping, consulting, and financial management services. Chastelle is an active member of the Taos community which she has called home since 1998.
Cathy Brandenburg - Office Manager, MA
Cathy received her Bachelors in English from Eastern New Mexico University and her Masters in Anthropology at University of New Mexico. A true Taoseña, she was born and raised in Taos, New Mexico and recently has returned to her roots after living in Albuquerque. She has over 14 years of experience in running offices and administration and has spent most her career working within the UNM Health Sciences Center in various administrative and office manager positions. Cathy joined HTrust in September of 2010 as Office Manager.
