Tina Charles, CW Advisors team up on philanthropy efforts

Before she was a gold medalist and WNBA legend, Tina Charles watched as her aunt quietly changed lives. Now in retirement, she is building on that legacy, and CW Advisors is helping her fund it.

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On Friday, CW Advisors announced a new partnership with Charles, which includes a $20,000 commitment from CW Advisors to Hopey’s Heart Foundation, an organization Charles founded in honor of her aunt.

Charles gained attention for her skills on the court throughout her high school and college years, winning two NCAA national championships with the University of Connecticut, and was the first overall pick in the 2010 WNBA draft for the Connecticut Sun. Her professional career is dotted with awards and accolades, including three Olympic gold medals. She announced her retirement in May 2026.

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How Hopey’s Heart Foundation came to be

The foundation is named in honor of Charles’ late aunt Maureen “Hopey” Vaz, who died of multiple organ heart failure in 2013. According to the Hopey’s Heart website, her family discovered that before she died, Hopey had contributed $14,775 to the New York Department of Education and the Wes Leonard Heart Foundation. Her contributions enabled the purchase of 10 automated external defibrillator (AED) devices. 

The Wes Leonard Heart Foundation is named in honor of Wes Leonard. He was a student-athlete who died of sudden cardiac arrest at a facility without an available AED on site. Charles took inspiration from her aunt’s contribution and set out to commemorate both Hopey and Wes by raising awareness and bringing more devices to schools, community centers and recreational centers. 

Since its founding, Hopey’s Heart Foundation has placed over 500 devices in locations across the U.S. and is credited with saving one life using a Hopey’s Heart Foundation device.

“[The foundation] was created to honor my aunt by helping save lives and strengthen communities,” said Charles in the official partnership statement. “As I think about the next chapter of my career and the legacy I want to build, I’m grateful to partner with CW Advisors because they recognize that financial success and meaningful impact go hand in hand.”

Women and wealth: The backdrop to the partnership

Charles’ announcement comes as the wealth management industry puts new efforts into serving women, who have long been underserved by financial advisors. But by 2045, more than half of the anticipated $84 trillion Great Wealth Transfer is expected to go to women. 

In a 2025 report about women and philanthropy, JPMorgan said that women “are increasingly taking on leadership roles in philanthropic initiatives, running foundations, leading giving circles, driving new impact investment opportunities and overseeing nonprofit organizations. This transition is fostering an evolution in giving, as women bring their unique talents, perspectives and skills to the table.”

Boston-headquartered CW Advisors is a wealth management firm and family office with $17.5 billion in assets under management. Its clients include women, athletes, business owners and multigenerational families whose financial lives extend “well beyond investment management,” said CW Advisors in the statement.

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In an email, Nelly Xavier, managing director of CW Advisors, said that women continue to control an increasing amount of wealth and will direct “where wealth management goes next.”

“We know women focus on impact,” Xavier continued. “That is not a talking point for us. It is how we work. As advisors and wealth managers, our job is to be thoughtful, strategic partners to our clients.”

In the same email, Scott Dell’Orfano, CEO of CW Advisors added, “As more wealth moves into the hands of women who are building businesses, directing philanthropy and thinking intentionally about legacy, the firms that matter most will be the ones already built to serve that completely, not the ones adjusting to it after the fact.”

In a separate statement, representatives for CW Advisors said “this will serve as a starting point for the firm’s continued efforts with the foundation and they hope to build on that in the future.”