Sara Mills Gaines

Daren Blonski is a financial advisor at Fermata Advisors in Sonoma, CA, holding CFP® and Series 66 credentials with 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Fermata Advisory, LLC since 2019 and was previously with Enso Wealth Management from 2016 to 2020. Fermata Advisors provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting primarily to individuals, small businesses, and plan fiduciaries. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary services using a combination of behavioral, charting, cyclical, fundamental, and technical analysis to guide portfolio allocations.

James Stein is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Sonoma, CA, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 66 license with 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2006. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients through a nationwide network of over 23,000 advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

John Cruse is the principal of Cruse Investments in Petaluma, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has led Cruse Investments since 2013. Cruse Investments provides investment management and written financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, and corporations. The firm customizes portfolios using stocks, bonds, ETFs, and mutual funds, operates primarily on a non-discretionary basis, and offers advice on retirement rollovers and employer plan distributions.

Hardik Patel is the principal of Trusted Path Wealth Management, LLC in Santa Rosa, CA. He holds a Series 65 designation and began his advisory career in 2025. Prior to founding his firm, he worked as a lead software engineer at Williams-Sonoma Inc., where he continues to hold that role. He also serves as a board member of Catholic Charities of Northwest California. Trusted Path Wealth Management provides discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a blend of passive and active investment vehicles guided by modern portfolio theory and offers financial planning services on both a project and ongoing basis.

Daniel Peterson is a CFP® with 32 years of industry experience and has been with Northbay Financial Group, Inc. since 2003. He is the president and CEO of North Bay Financial Group, which provides income tax preparation services through its subsidiary Express Income Tax Services. Northbay Advisors is an independent firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses with personalized financial planning and investment management. The firm combines advisory services with an affiliated tax-preparation practice, offering clients integrated tax and planning coordination.

John Jones is the principal of John Schooler Jones LLC, an independent advisory firm based in Petaluma, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 24 years of industry experience. Jones has led his firm since its founding in 2003. John Schooler Jones LLC provides financial advisory and planning services to a client base primarily consisting of higher-net-worth individuals, closely held corporations, trusts, and pension plans. The firm operates on a non-discretionary model, coordinating third-party asset managers and dedicating significant focus to business succession planning.