Francisco Barajas

Driven by a deep passion for finance and investing, Praveen brings a unique blend of experience to his work. As a South Asian immigrant, he navigated the complexities of building a successful 15-year career in Silicon Valley, including co-founding a startup and most recently serving as a Software Engineering Manager at Google. In parallel, he dedicated over a decade mastering various asset classes, from traditional stocks and bonds to value-add commercial real estate and alternative investments like private equity and venture capital. Having achieved financial independence through diligent saving and strategic investing, Praveen is now committed to empowering others to take control of their financial futures by drawing on his own hard-earned wisdom. Empower Financial is an independent, fee-only advisory that provides financial planning and investment consultation to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, small businesses, and a variety of institutional and nonprofit clients. The firm employs a Core + Satellite investment approach, focusing on client risk profiles and asset allocation recommendations, while clients generally execute trades themselves.

I am a seasoned technology professional and an entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley. I have experience starting and running a software company that was venture-funded and subsequently acquired by a public company. During my high-tech career, I got intrigued by money matters such as savings, investments, insurance, taxes in order to achieve my family's financial goals. Out of curiosity, I spent time reading and researching various aspects of personal finance. I realized that there are a growing number of financial options available with increasing complexity in these choices. My passion towards financial planning ultimately resulted in pursuing formal education in financial planning, subsequently completing the CFP Board requirements to be a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional. I launched Encover Personal Finance in 2018, primarily to help technology professionals achieve their financial life goals based on my own experience. I believe in serving clients honestly and transparently in a conflict-free manner. https://www.encoverpersonalfinance.com/about

Megan Rouse is the principal of Megan Rouse Financial Planning in Dublin, California, holding the CFP® designation and a Series 65 license with 17 years of industry experience. She is also a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary and operates a separate fiduciary services business. Megan has provided financial planning services since 2009. Her firm advises individuals, families, and small businesses with comprehensive or segmented financial planning, focusing on non-discretionary advice and low-cost investment options such as mutual funds and ETFs. The firm uses project, hourly, or retainer fee structures and does not manage client assets or take custody of funds.

Kautilya Palaypu is a financial advisor at Cow Capital Inc with a Series 65 designation and two years of industry experience. He has held roles at Masala Capital Inc and serves as a director and independent consultant for several private companies, including a gold bullion distribution firm. Cow Capital provides portfolio management, wealth management, financial planning, and self-directed retirement plan services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities. The firm uses a range of analytical methods and offers advice on both traditional securities and alternative assets, including tokenized and non-conventional investments.

Prasant Sahoo is a CFA® charterholder and principal at Mission Peak Investors, LLC, with eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at Nuveen Investments for eight years before founding Mission Peak Investors in 2017. Mission Peak Investors, LLC is an independent, fee-only wealth management firm serving individuals, high-net-worth families, trusts, and similar clients. The firm employs a bottom-up, fundamental investment approach focused on quality businesses and long-term total return, managing portfolios on a discretionary basis with a concentrated client base and account minimums of $1 million.

Dalbir Gill is the principal of Khalis Financial Advisors LLC and holds the PFS™ designation with two years of industry experience. He also owns and operates Dalbir Singh Gill, CPA, a tax and accounting services business. His prior experience includes roles at Stanford Health Care, Kforce, and several accounting firms. Khalis Financial Advisors LLC provides portfolio management, pension consulting, and financial planning services to retirement plans and individual clients. The firm employs a variety of analytical approaches within documented Investment Policy Statements and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis.