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FACULTY

Joanne Marcus, MSW, Commonwealth Community Trust (CCT) / Richmond
Jennifer A. Crane, McCandlish Lillard / Fairfax

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Joanne Marcus, MSW, Commonwealth Community Trust (CCT) / Richmond

Joanne Marcus has a master’s degree in social work and serves as the President and CEO of Commonwealth Community Trust (CCT). She brings to CCT over 38 years of experience in nonprofit administration and served as the Executive Director of CCT for 22 years before being named President and CEO. Under her leadership, CCT has grown to over 2,000 trust beneficiaries throughout the United States. Ms. Marcus is frequently asked to speak to professional groups and community organizations nationwide.

Jennifer A. Crane, McCandlish Lillard / Fairfax

Jennifer Crane is a Counselor with McCandlish Lillard. Her practice focuses on trusts and estates, including Last Wills and Testaments, Living Trusts, and Medical and Financial Powers of Attorney. She also helps clients with special needs planning and elder law, two subject areas close to her heart.

Upon graduating from Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law and joining the Bars of Virginia and the District of Columbia, Ms. Crane clerked for the Honorable Zinora Mitchell-Rankin of D.C. Superior Court. She transitioned to private practice in northern Virginia in 2007 and spent much of her professional life devoted to estate planning, elder law, and the special needs requirements of her clients.

Ms. Crane brings her unique blend of compassion, dedication, and responsiveness to the clients she serves at McCandlish Lillard. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Academy of Special Needs Planners. In 2022, she was awarded the Accredited Estate Planner Designation (AEP^®) by The National Association of Estate Planners and Councils, a graduate-level specialization that recognizes educated, knowledgeable, experienced, and ethical estate planning professionals.

When not working, Ms. Crane volunteers with Refugee Services of Texas, and most importantly, her children’s school. Her favorite place in the world is with her husband, five wonderful kids, and the greatest dog on the planet, no matter where that place is.