
IDFA Online Learning
Which Professionals should you have on your team?
Recorded On: 09/18/2023
What professionals should be on your team to assist your clients? Join a Business Appraisal Expert, Forensic Accountant, Divorce Coach and Divorce Lending Professional to see how these experts can help you to identify and create solutions for your clients
Approved for One (1) hour of CDFA and CFP CE Credit.
Please note that the conference is live and in-person in Dallas, TX. All schedules shown in the conference agenda are in central standard, and you may access the agenda document via the "handouts" tab of your conference package registration. Please contact the Fairmont Dallas at 214-720-5315 to book a stay for the conference.

Denise French
CVA, MAFF, CDFA, CRPC, Mediator
Managing Partner at SHFD Forensics
Denise is the managing partner at Stewart, Hurst, French & Dodson (SHFD) Forensics and has 28 years of professional financial experience.
She is an IRS Enrolled Agent (EA), a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics (MAFF), a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), and holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designation. She is an Investment Advisor Representative and a Collaborative Law Financial Expert.
Denise has provided financial expertise on hundreds of cases throughout Montgomery County, Harris County, Fort Bend County, Galveston County, Hays County, McLennan County and Travis County. She has testified in Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend and McLennan Counties. She provides characterization and separate property tracing services, business valuation expertise and general financial expert services for family law attorneys.

Jody Bruns
President & Founder, Divorce Lending Association, LLC
Divorce Lending Association
Jody Bruns is the President and Founder of the Divorce Lending Association and is credited with establishing industry certification programs for both real estate and mortgage professionals working with divorcing clients. Jody takes her knowledge further as an approved continuing education provider for multiple state bar associations and financial planning boards educating attorneys, financial planners, and other divorce professionals on the underlying concerns when divorce and real estate meet head-on.
Through her own personal journey of a divorce involving real estate, Jody knows firsthand the emotions divorce carries with it. Utilizing her own personal experience combined with her 30 plus years in mortgage and finance, Jody has made it her career and passion to educate the divorce community while helping divorcing clients navigate the clash between divorce, real estate, and mortgage financing.
Jody authored the Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP™) industry certification along with a book, A House Divided | The Clash between Divorce, Real Estate, and Mortgage Financing.
Jody has coached and trained over 3,000 mortgage and real estate professionals on how to successfully work with divorcing homeowners; divorce attorneys, and other divorce professionals with the ultimate goal of a more successful divorce when mortgage financing and real property are involved.
- Certified Mediator/Mediator Trainer
- Real Estate Continuing Education Instructor
- Approved Continuing Legal Education Provider with multiple State Bar Associations
- Approved Continuing Education Provider with CFP® Board and Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts

Karen Covy
Divorce and Decision Coach, Lawyer, Mediator, Speaker and Author
Karen Covy is a Divorce and Decision Coach, Lawyer, Mediator, Speaker and Author. She coaches busy professionals and business owners who want to make clear, confident decisions during highly-charged emotional situations. Karen also helps her clients become the CEOs of their own divorce, so they can navigate through their divorce with less conflict, less expense, and less damage to themselves and their children.
Karen is the author of When Happily Ever After Ends: How to Survive Your Divorce Emotionally, Financially, and Legally. She is also the creator of the online divorce program, The Divorce Road Map 2.0 and the host of the podcast, Off the Fence. You can connect with Karen on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, as well as on her website at karencovy.com.

Laurel E. Starks
Founder, Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert™ (CDRE™) Curriculum
Laurel Starks is arguably the nation’s foremost expert in the field of Divorce Real Estate, often regarded as the pioneer of the niche, and is the published author of “The House Matters in Divorce.”
As the principal of Starks Realty Group founded in 2005, Laurel is a court-appointed listing agent under EC §730, and has worked in more than 1,000 divorce cases.
In 2018, Laurel founded The Ilumni Institute, an education organization that bridges the gap between family law and real estate. She wrote and developed the Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert™ (“CDRE™“) curriculum, which has become the most recognized credential for court-appointed Realtors in the nation.
An Inman Influencer and Inman Innovator, Laurel is a frequent speaker and writer for state and national family law and real estate organizations, and has been featured as a subject matter expert in publications such as NAR, The Huffington Post, NPR, and Realtor Magazine. In addition, Laurel is the host of Raising the Bar, a national continuing legal education series for family law attorneys.

Tim Voit
Certified QDRO Specialist, Certified QDRO Analyst
Tim Voit is the author of Retirement Benefits & QDROs in Divorce (published by CCH), as well as Federal Retirement Plans in Divorce—Strategies & Issues. He has prepared QDROs and valued pensions for nearly 30 years and taught at the International College courses specific to the preparation of QDROs. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and has has been qualified as an expert witness in both state and federal courts.
Mr. Voit has been retained in legal malpractice cases by the insurance carrier to reverse QDRO transfers and/or compute damages and is often called upon to lecture on liability issues. He has been interviewed and quoted in Forbes, BusinessWeek, NewsWeek, and Rueters. Mr. Voit has developed online courses for CCH, IOMA, and the International College, specifically the Introduction to QDROs in Divorce and Effectively Drafting QDROs in Divorce.
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