Presenter Details

With over 30 years of experience in banking and financial services—and more than two decades of community work in grief care—Shane Phillips brings a deeply personal and practical perspective to navigating financial and estate issues after loss to his company, First Steps Help.

At just 16, Shane lost his parents and sister in a plane crash. His family had no life insurance, no estate plan, and significant debt. That life-altering experience shaped his lifelong commitment to helping others prepare for the financial realities that follow loss.

After earning his degree and building a successful career with regional and international financial institutions, Shane co-founded The Children’s Grief Education Association (CGEA) in 2004. For six years, the CGEA provided free grief counseling to more than 400 children in the Denver area before merging with The HeartLight Center in 2011. Shane has served on HeartLight’s Board of Directors ever since.

Today, through First Steps Help, Shane guides individuals and families through the complex intersection of grief and financial recovery. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Castle Rock, Colorado, and are proud parents of five amazing young adults.