the teacher guy, Jim

Partner and co-founder, James Collier Jr., taught in the Pennsylvania school system for 14 years before making the career change to focus on helping educators navigate through their benefits and plan for their future. While teaching, he became very involved in his local association serving as Lead Negotiator, Grievance Chairperson and Vice President. As his time became increasingly consumed with resolving teacher issues, Jim discovered his true passion lay in working with, and for, his fellow teachers. In 2007 he "retired" from teaching and later co-founded Teacher Benefit Strategies, LLC. Jim earned his undergraduate degree from Penn State University and in 2012, earned a Certificate in Retirement Planning from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His wife, Jami, is certified as an ESL teacher at the Lancaster County CTC and together they live in Lititz, PA with their two children.

Jim holds the FINRA Series 7 (General Securities) and Series 66 (Uniform Combined State Law) securities licenses.

You may verify his licenses and credentials on FINRA's BrokerCheck website. PLEASE NOTE: The information being provided is strictly as a courtesy. When you link to any of the websites provided here, you are leaving this website. We make no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at these websites. The company is not liable for any direct or indirect technical or system issues or any consequences arising out of your access to, or use of third-party technologies, websites, information, and programs made available through this website. When you access one of these websites, you are leaving our website and assume total responsibility and risk for your use of the websites you are linking to.

the planner guy, greg

Partner and co-founder, Gregory Knisely, CFP®, is also a life-long Lancastrian and Penn State graduate. Studying Economics, Business, and International Studies, he earned his undergraduate degree in 2009. Greg was recruited to work at a large investment and insurance company where he met and soon began working jointly with Jim. Over the course of a year, they came up with a business plan, and in late 2011 they formally organized “Teacher Benefit Strategies, LLC.” Three years later, Greg completed his financial planning studies through the Dalton Education program at New York University, which ranged on subjects from income tax strategy and estate planning to investments, insurance, and qualified retirement plans. In the summer of 2014, Greg was invited to attend an educational event hosted by the Harvard Faculty Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts to gain a deeper understanding of asset allocation, wealth advisory strategies, portfolio management and the development of effective client relationships.

Greg has attained the designation of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® practitioner after passing the rigorous 10-hour comprehensive exam as administered by the CFP Board of Standards, Inc. He also holds the FINRA Series 7 (General Securities) and Series 66 (Uniform Combined State Law) securities licenses.

View Gregory Knisely, CFP®'s profile

operations, jordan

Jordan Draude, CFP®, Sr. Financial Operations Manager, is another lifelong Lancaster County resident. He attended Manheim Township School District and earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Arcadia University. Jordan was an avid baseball player throughout his education and served as the captain of the University team for his sophomore through senior years.

He holds the FINRA Series 7 license which allows him to buy and sell mutual funds, as well as stocks, bonds & ETFs, making it more convenient for our clients to contribute and distribute funds from their investment accounts and to rebalance portfolios as needed. In 2022, he completed the financial education program through the University of Texas at Austin and passed the comprehensive exam to attain the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification.

paraplanner, todd

Todd Martin, CFP®, Paraplanner, has worked in the financial services industry since the late 1990s. He started his career working for the largest mutual fund company in the world while learning premier client service skills, performing trades, onboarding clients, and ultimately learning the recordkeeping business. Todd then transitioned into the independent advisor arena where he could have a closer relationship with clients to help them realize their financial goals. He earned his undergraduate degree from East Carolina University, and in 2004 achieved his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification. Todd resides in Chester County with his longtime history teacher wife Jennifer, two highly academic daughters, and two bird dogs.

Todd holds the FINRA Series 7 (General Securities) securities license, which allows him to assist with portfolio rebalancing and trading services on behalf of our clientele.

Business Administrator, Meghan

Meghan Oakley-Henning, Business Administrator, spent 20 years in the public sector, including a 12-year tenure as a central office administrator at the School District of Lancaster (SDoL), prior to joining Teacher Benefit Strategies in August of 2024.

Meghan has extensive experience in organizational planning, project management, systems design and implementation, and leadership development. Through this experience, Meghan has developed a passion for coaching leaders and their teams to be more effective and meet their collective goals and objectives

Meghan earned a undergraduate degree from Lafayette College and a graduate degree from Regis University. Meghan is currently pursuing a certificate in financial planning. While no longer an SDoL staff member, Meghan is a proud SDoL parent and lives in the City of Lancaster with her husband and two sons.

administrative assistant & Notary, gail

Gail Givler, Administrative Assistant and Notary Public, has an A.S. Degree in the Executive Assistant Program with a Legal Major and comes to us with 20+ years of experience as an Administrative Assistant/Office Manager. Gail is here to assist our clients with their questions and concerns and direct them to the appropriate team member.

When you come by the office or give us a call, Gail will welcome you with a cup of coffee and make sure that you receive the warm, personal attention you deserve.

CLIENT SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR, AMBER

Amber Cavins, Client Service Administrator, is a native Lancastrian and graduate of Ephrata High School, Amber has acquired her skillset through her diverse vocational experience in promotional modeling, manufacturing engineering, and school transportation. Additionally, she has been trained and certified as a Personal Development Coach from Achieve Today Coaching. Amber provides superior support to the TBS advisors and clients.

Amber currently resides in Lancaster and enjoys a variety of interests including art and music. She is also passionate about serving others, and she looks forward to serving you here at TBS!

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, TRUDY

Trudy Doolittle, Administrative Assistant, received her B.A. from West Virginia University and has spent the last several years in various capacities for a local school district in Lancaster County.

Her favorite and most important job, however, is wife to Don and mother to her two, now-grown children. She looks forward to meeting and serving the clientele of TBS!

CLIENT SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR, DEBBIE

Debbie Weinhold, Client Service Administrator, brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her role at Teacher Benefit Strategies (TBS). With an AAS Degree in Human Resources from St. Paul College in St. Paul, Minnesota, Debbie's educational background complements her extensive professional journey.

Having spent most of her life in Minnesota, Debbie's career flourished over two decades with a publishing company, where she served as an Executive Assistant, Office Manager, and HR Supervisor. Additionally, Debbie spent over 10 years in administrative roles, most recently for a financial planning firm, providing support to the advisors in various capacities. Her dedication to client service and her ability to adapt to diverse roles have been instrumental in her successful career.

In July 2023 Debbie and her husband relocated to Lancaster to be near their daughter and grandchildren, bringing her expertise and enthusiasm to TBS. Outside of work, Debbie enjoys pursuing her passions for cooking, quilting, and cultivating hot peppers, while cherishing quality time with her granddaughters.

Debbie is thrilled to contribute to the success of TBS and looks forward to providing exceptional support to all clients.

CLIENT SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR, COURTNEY

Courtney Leisey, Client Service Administrator and Notary Public, is a proud Lancastrian and alumna of Columbia Borough High School, Courtney brings over a decade of customer service expertise and six years of retail banking experience to her role.

Courtney is committed to delivering exceptional support to both our team and clients. Her strong foundation in customer service and financial services equips her to handle a wide range of tasks with professionalism and efficiency.

Outside of work, Courtney enjoys exploring her local community in Lancaster County, whether it's traveling, visiting the dog park with her beloved collie, Oliver, or spending quality time with family and friends.

Courtney is eager to meet and serve you here at TBS, bringing her enthusiasm and dedication to every interaction.