OUR FINANCIAL PLANNING SERVICES TEAM

Andrew is the Founder of Planning Across the Spectrum and specializes in helping any self-advocating client or family with autism and intellectual disabilities.

Andrew is a passionate advocate for autism awareness in his community and for his work as a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP™) Certified Neurodiversity Professional (CNP®). He has always worked toward helping his clients gain financial security now and for their future. Putting both of these interests together, Andrew was inspired to launch Planning Across the Spectrum.

Andrew understands the difficulty and stigma that many individuals with special needs face. Having received his Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis as an adult, many questions about the struggles he had growing up, and as a young adult, were answered. Through this experience, Andrew knew that he wanted to do something to work with the special needs community to provide answers and security in the financial world. He took time to educate himself in everything he could to help this underserved community and now dedicates himself to it.

Andrew provides a unique planning perspective for those with special needs, their caregivers, and their families because he has “walked in their shoes.” He has experienced the medical, social, educational, legal, vocational, and relational issues that come with being a member of the autism community. Due to this, he can provide specialized aid to his clients, and most importantly, he understands that every situation is unique.

Planning Across the Spectrum is a company designed for more than just financial planning. Andrew created a resource to provide expert guidance and valuable resources for life decisions that are either unknown, not easily accessible or can be complicated to pilot for someone with special needs.

Andrew is currently serving on the board for the FOCUS Center for Autism as well as Autism Career Pathways. He has previously sat on boards for Autism Services and Resources Connecticut and The American College. He was appointed by the Connecticut house of representatives to their Autism Spectrum Disorders Advisory Council and frequently advocates for those with Autism and other Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Andrew is a frequent guest speaker on his own experiences or on various financial and insurance planning topics.

Andrew earned a Master of Science in Financial Services (MSFS) and has achieved the distinction of being a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP™) and a 2020 ABLE NRC Ambassador. He has certifications as a Behavioral Financial Advisor(BFA™), Chartered Special Needs Consultant (ChSNC®), and an Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) among his other designations. As a business owner, husband, and father Andrew does not get much spare time, but when he does, he enjoys tinkering with electronics, travel, and bike rides. He resides in the Farmington Valley with his wife, daughter, and his dog Bentley.

Nolan Menachemson is a Special Needs Advisor with Planning Across the Spectrum. He will work out of our new Westport CT office, broadening our reach into Fairfield County. Nolan is a Chartered Special Needs Consultant (ChSNC®) and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) with over 20 years' experience in Investments and Financial Planning.

Nolan has personal experience in dealing with the issues that our clients and families face. His meaningful work helps these families achieve a stable financial future and allows them more time to focus on their daily challenges.

Nolan resides in Westport and has a daughter in law school, and a son who transitioned from a private school for individuals with learning disabilities, graduated college, and is now working in the retail sector.

Andrew Arboe is the Autism Transition Coordinator of Planning Across the Spectrum. He helps teens, young adults, and their parents navigate adulthood with autism.

Andrew graduated from Manchester Community College with an associate degree as a Disability Specialist. Andrew is attending Charter Oak State College for a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Within Planning Across the Spectrum, Andrew continues to update the autism event calendar from Connecticut to all over the country. Andrew writes blog posts about his experiences as an adult with autism and driving. Andrew continues his event facilitating by reaching out to various organizations to create free webinars. In collaboration with The Next Street, Andrew provides lectures/workshops about autism and driving and offers one-on-one coaching for people and families trying to get a driver’s license.

Andrew’s past experiences include being a job coach for Plainville Community Schools, which taught him the importance of transitioning to adulthood. When not at work, he is into walks, ice coffee, and gaming.

“A future is not given to you. It is something you must take for yourself”

Brittney, using her many years of experience working in the medical field, has translated well into the financial planning industry. Brittney serves on the front line of a variety of different aspects of client services such as event planning and other administrative duties.

In her spare time, Brittney enjoys listening to music, reading science fiction books and taking any chance she gets to visit with her brother and his family in Florida.

Becca Lory Hector, CAS, BCCS, is the Director of Individual Empowerment and Employee Wellness at Planning Across the Spectrum. Her goal is to help all neurodiverse and autistic adults live their best lives and accomplish their goals. A published author and national speaker on diversity and inclusion, Becca speaks from personal experience as a late-diagnosed autistic adult.

In her current role as a neurodiversity and inclusion consultant, most of Becca's energy is spent advising organizations on projects that involve the neurodiverse community. Additionally, she provides Diversity & Inclusion training to a varied audience, combining her knowledge of neurodiversity with her public speaking skills to create dynamic presentations meant to advocate, educate, and entertain. Lastly, she utilizes her strength with the written word to communicate—via blog, vlog, article, and book—the needs expressed by so many in the greater disability community.

Becca is a passionate, driven, self-starter who leads by example. She wants every autistic adult to live their best life and works with individuals to help them achieve their goals.

Jillian Noyes is a Connecticut-based filmmaker, writer, designer, and advocate for mental health and autism related issues. Her passion lies in crafting stories about oft-marginalized communities—in particular, the disabled community. To that end, she writes candidly about her own experiences as an autistic woman for our blog and serves as its editor. She also designs graphics for our social media and compiles resources for our monthly newsletter.

Jillian holds a B.A. in Film Studies and Philosophy from Connecticut College. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, singing, playing board games with friends, and spending time with her two dogs.

Michelle has 17 years of experience in customer service and client relations. She has worked in a wide range of fields, including retail management, the restaurant industry, secretarial services, and caring and advocating for clients with special needs as a home health aide.

As an athlete in the sport of roller derby, she was voted into the role of mediator and league representative for her team, helping to resolve interpersonal issues and to facilitate team communications.

She truly enjoys assisting people and prides herself on being personable, trustworthy, and efficient.

Jeremy K. Farrell is a passionate Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Advocate and a proud person on the spectrum himself. He has been working with children with developmental disabilities, specializing in autism, since the age of 15. He started at his local summer camps and while teaching Hebrew at his local temple.

Since graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southern Connecticut State University, he has run social skills groups for teens and kids on the spectrum out of Western Connecticut Behavioral Health. He has worked with the Autism Services and Resources of Connecticut to provide recreational resources to their clients, and traveled the state of Connecticut as the Leader of Community Outreach and Recruitment for the Listening to Faces Speech and Language research out of Haskins Laboratories.

He has recently focused on freelance autism advocacy work where he helps create and run local programs for autistic individuals as well as work directly with clients to address their needs and difficulties through services such as mentoring and consulting.