Ruth Freitas

James Ward is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with four years of experience in financial advising. He is the principal of J Ward Financial, an independent firm based in Morgan Hill, CA. In addition to his financial advisory work, Ward is an attorney specializing in estate planning and elder law and owns businesses in real estate and insurance. J Ward Financial provides discretionary investment management and financial planning primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, and their trusts. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes asset allocation based on a comprehensive risk analysis and employs third-party platforms and advisers to manage client portfolios.

Michael Garber is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience and the principal of Michael Garber Financial Planning, an independent advisory firm. He has worked at Keysight Technologies, Inc. since 2014 in an internal organizational consultant role focused on sales skills development. Michael Garber Financial Planning serves individuals and families through a fee-only, independent model offering comprehensive financial planning, investment consulting, tax preparation, estate-plan review, risk management, and small-business planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term, cost-minimizing investment approach using passive vehicles and operates on a retainer- and project-based fee structure without discretionary trading authority or acceptance of commissions.

Todd Smith is a financial advisor at Silicon Valley Wealth Management Solutions, Inc. in San Jose, CA, with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with his current firm since 2012. In addition to advisory services, he works as an insurance agent, assisting clients with life and health insurance as well as annuities. Silicon Valley Wealth Management Solutions is an independent registered investment adviser that provides asset management, pension consulting, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporate entities. The firm focuses on non-discretionary portfolio supervision and pension consulting, serving a broad client base including high-net-worth individuals and plan sponsors.

Vaishali Desai is a Series 65 credentialed advisor with Desai Wealth LLC in San Jose, CA. She has one year of experience in investment management and previously worked at Genentech, eMarketingOperations, and Cisco. Outside of her advisory role, she teaches Pilates on a part-time basis. Desai Wealth LLC provides discretionary investment management and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, endowments, foundations, and government entities. The firm emphasizes fundamental analysis with a long-term investment approach and offers a range of retirement-plan services, including fiduciary consulting and ERISA-related support.

Charles Stermetz is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at EquityFTW. His prior roles include positions at Moss Adams and Blue Barn Wealth, as well as teaching engagements at Utah Valley University. EquityFTW is an independent firm providing fee-only financial planning and consulting to individuals, corporations, and businesses. The firm offers written financial plans and advice across various areas, including retirement, tax, estate, cash-flow, business planning, and equity-compensation analysis, focusing on planning and coordination rather than asset management.

Marialisa Caruso is a financial advisor at Caruso Family Financial Advisors (CFFA) LLC in San Jose, CA, with five years of industry experience. She holds the Series 65 designation and has been with CFFA since 2020. Outside of her advisory role, she works as a model and actress with Halvorson Model Management and serves as a front desk and bridal consultant at Trudys Brides and Special Occasions. Caruso Family Financial Advisors provides portfolio management and pension consulting to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm manages approximately $15.4 million across about 50 client accounts, using a combination of fundamental, quantitative, technical, and modern portfolio theory analyses to guide discretionary asset allocation and offers performance-based fee arrangements for qualified clients.