Karen Sugihara is the Regional Fiduciary Wealth Manager leading BNY Mellon Wealth Management’s fiduciary team in the Western Region. Karen is responsible for the management and administration of client trust relationships and collaborates with local and regional wealth management teams on existing and prospective investment management and fiduciary client relationships. Karen is also responsible for implementing strategic national fiduciary priorities in coordination with regional fiduciary needs.

Karen joined BNY Mellon Wealth Management in 2021. Prior to joining the firm, Karen was the Senior Regional Fiduciary Manager for Wells Fargo Private Bank, managing the San Francisco, North Bay, East Bay and South Bay regions for over three years. She was also a Senior Wealth Planning Strategist with Wells Fargo Private Bank in Southern California for over five years. Before entering the wealth management industry, Karen practiced law for over 20 years and has attained an AV-Preeminent Martindale Hubbell® Peer Review Rating.

Karen frequently presents to bar associations and estate planning councils on topics related to fiduciary, estate planning and estate administration issues. Karen has presented for the California Lawyers Estate & Gift Conference, Kasner Symposium, Hawaii Tax Institute, Sacramento Estate Planning Council Annual Forum, Nevada Trust Conference, Washington State Bar Association, Beverly Hills Estate Planning Council, Seattle Estate Planning Council and the San Francisco Bar Association.

On a personal note, Karen is the proud mother of a son, Jonathan, who is a former teacher and clothing entrepreneur in Los Angeles; and a daughter, Amanda, who is a recent graduate of U.C. Berkeley and in her second year of medical school. Karen is a former professional show dog handler of champion German Shepherd Dogs.