Rodney James, CFP^®, CTFA

Founder and Family wealth Advisor

Prior to Vineyard Family Wealth, I spent 12 years in various wealth management roles, mostly analytical. The majority of that time was spent with an independent trust company serving some of the wealthiest families in the country first as an Analyst and then as a Family Advisor. In addition to my love for serving families, I also enjoy investing in the future leaders of our profession. Vineyard Family Wealth is a place where aspiring financial planners can come to learn, mature and develop a love for client families and a heart for servant leadership.

After earning a B.A. in Speech Communication from Texas A&M University, I completed the Certified Financial Planner^® program at Rice University. I also completed the Advanced Trust School at Southern Methodist University. I am a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor, which is the industry standard for Trust Administrators.

The most advanced program for institutional investment managers is the Chartered Financial Analyst program, and I have passed the Level 1 exam. Being an Enrolled Agent with the Internal Revenue Service helps me understand how a family's decisions impact their tax return and tax bill. I am also licensed to practice before the U.S. Tax Court.

The thousands of hours I have invested and continue to invest in learning equip me with a wide range of technical knowledge so that client families can rest assured that our guidance really is comprehensive and in their best interest.

I grew up in the northern suburbs of Houston as a third generation Houstonian. I have been actively involved in community development projects around the city and with Houston’s First Baptist Church, where I met my beautiful bride, Jennifer. We are both avid readers, so it's no surprise that I proposed to Jennifer in one of our favorite places, our church library. When I was younger, I enjoyed marathons and triathlons, but now Jennifer and I enjoy the outdoor adventures of walking, hiking and backyard gardening.

Jessica Contreras

Operations Associate

Jessica  graduated from California State University in 2014. After graduation, she and her husband moved to Arizona where she worked as an Emergency Dispatcher for the local Police Department. Her time there sharpened her communication skills and enhanced her ability to prioritize and process incoming tasks and projects. After realizing that the snow wasn’t for them, they finally moved to the great state of Texas. Jessica has been serving the operational needs of our clients since the very beginning.

When she isn’t working, Jessica enjoys being a new mom to a precious baby girl and spending time with her family. We are grateful to have her on our team.

Barbara Simmons

Client Service Associate

Barbara has nearly 30 years of experience serving on and leading Paralegal teams with both public and private companies after graduating from Sam Houston State University. Barbara’s attention to detail, organization skills, and positive empathy equip her to serve our client families well. 

Barbara has led GriefShare for many years providing compassionate support to those navigating loss. Barbara also serves in a variety of other roles at her local church.

In her free time, Barbara loves being “B Ma” to her grandchildren, line dancing, and scrapbooking.  

We are grateful to have Barbara on our team.