Beginning December 2, 2024, we’ll be operating fully from our Camillus office, saying farewell to our Syracuse location.

In 2001, John M. Murphy, Jr., Esq. saw the devastating impact that poor estate planning and asset protection had on his wife’s family when one of her grandparents required nursing home care. Since then, John has dedicated himself to learning all he can about asset protection, estate planning, and Medicaid to help families protect their homes and life savings from long-term care costs and other financial disasters.

The knowledge and proprietary systems used by Safe Harbor Wills & Trusts will allow us to customize a plan to meet your family’s unique needs by providing the asset protection that you believe is necessary.

Our Team

John - Founder and owner

John

Founder and Owner

John M. Murphy Jr., Esq. is the Founder and Owner of Safe Harbor Wills and Trusts. John founded the company to help families protect their home and life savings from catastrophic long-term care costs and other possible creditors.

In addition to running the company, John is on the faculty of the National Business Institute, where he writes legal content and teaches continuing education credits for attorneys and financial professionals.

John is also an adjunct teacher for Atticus Attorney, the premier coaching program for small and medium-sized law firms across the country.

John and his wife, Janne have been married since 1992. They have 4 adult children and 2 dogs. In his off time, John enjoys golfing and traveling with his wife.

Michelle - Associate Attorney

Michelle

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

Michelle Olevano, Esq. recently joined our team, bringing experience in estate planning, Asset Protection/Medicaid Planning, Estate Administration, and Guardianship proceedings. She graduated from Binghamton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy Politics and Law, and subsequently graduated with her Juris Doctor from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

After graduation, Michelle soon realized her love for our Syracuse community and decided to settle down long-term in the area. After working locally for several years and through practicing different areas of law, Michelle developed a desire to focus her practice on matters of significant importance to clients, such as planning for a client’s future, protecting their legacy, and giving clients and their families peace of mind.

Outside of work, Michelle enjoys traveling to new places, the warm summer months, and spending time with friends and family.

Tammy - Director of Medicaid Services and Case Manager

Tammy

Director of Medicaid Services and Case Manager

Tammy is our Director of Medicaid Services. She came to Syracuse after graduating from Penn State to work as a Software Engineer and to receive her master’s degree at Syracuse University. Tammy eventually left engineering to raise four kids while enjoying volunteering with her local church and the school’s PTA. She has been with our team since 2017.

Anne - Case Manager

Anne

Case Manager

As Case Manager, Anne confers with individuals to assess their needs and objectives to help get them started with their Estate Planning goals. In addition, she assists with accounts payable, accounts receivable, invoicing, and other accounting and
administrative projects.

Before joining our team at Safe Harbor Wills and Trusts, Anne was a Legal Assistant for a Government Relations/Law Firm in Syracuse.

Outside of work, Anne enjoys family time and outdoor activities of any nature.

Lorraine - Paralegal

Lorraine

Paralegal

Lorraine is the paralegal in our Decedent Services department, working with probate, trust administration, and guardianship proceedings. Before joining the Safe Harbor team, she worked part-time in the field for almost 20 years while raising her three children.

Lorraine enjoys watching her children’s sporting events, traveling, and enjoying the outdoors.

Hannah - Medicaid Analyst

Hannah

Medicaid Analyst

Hannah is one of the Medicaid Analysts in our firm. She also works on creating deeds and the Asset Alignment Trackers. Outside of work, Hannah likes to spend time with her friends.

Sherri - Medicaid Analyst

Sherri

Medicaid Analyst

Sherri is one of the Medicaid Analysts in our firm. She came to Safe Harbor with much experience working in a Nursing Home setting.

When not at work, Sherri enjoys spending time with her family, attending events from benefits to family-oriented activities within the community. Sherri and her family enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, and trips across the state of NY.

Colleen Elizabeth

Director of Marketing and Data Analytics

Meet Colleen, our Marketing Director and Analytics Specicialist.

Colleen joined Safe Harbor in August 2023 and has been steering our marketing efforts ever since. Holding an A.A. Degree in Humanities and Social Sciences, Colleen’s focus on American Sign Language during her time at Onondaga Community College reflects her commitment to inclusive communication. A former college lacrosse player, she clinched a National Championship Title in 2012. Colleen continued her academic journey at SUNY Oswego, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations with a concentration in Advanced Journalism and a minor in Psychology. Prior to Safe Harbor, she contributed her skills to legal marketing, working for a Nationwide Disability Law Firm and later at New York University in Manhattan.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Colleen is a creative force, utilizing her passion for content creation to support causes in need and motivate those around her.

Julie

C.A.R.E.™ Client Support

Meet Julie, who will be assisting our C.A.R.E.™ clients. She brings over 25 years of experience in development, planning, and project management.

Before joining Safe Harbor, Julie owned Core Lynk and served as the Executive Director of the Community General (Hospital) Foundation in Syracuse, NY. She has also chaired the Leave a Legacy of CNY Steering Committee and participated in the Professional Estate Planning Training Program and the National Network of State Planning Attorneys.

Julie holds an MBA and a BA in International Relations. She resides in Fayetteville, New York, with her husband, Dan, and their dog Quinn.

Karen Calhoun

Trust and Estate Specialist – Watertown Office

Karen Calhoun is a dedicated member of the Safe Harbor Wills and Trusts™ team, based in our Watertown office. She focuses on trust administration, assists in the probate department, and supports the estate planning department as well.

Background and Experience

Karen holds a degree in Business Administration and relocated to New York from Virginia in June 2023. She brings years of experience as a Legal Assistant at a California estate planning law firm, where she worked on drafting wills and trusts and assisting with trust administration.

Outside of Work

Karen cherishes time spent with her two daughters and grandchildren. She enjoys traveling with friends and exploring the outdoors during the spring, fall, and summer seasons.