Michael Kothakota is a CFP® professional with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Wolfbridge Wealth in Durham, NC. He has been associated with WolfBridge Financial Corporation since 2008. In addition to his advisory role, he lectures at Columbia University and serves as an adjunct professor at New York University. Wolfbridge Wealth provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, pension-plan consulting, business valuation, and equity research services to individuals—including high-net-worth clients—trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes client education through webinars, white papers, and presentations, and integrates fundamental, technical, and macroeconomic analysis into its investment approach. Michael Kothakota developed Interdependent Integrative Financial Planning Theory. He has sa Masters in Predictive Analytics, and a Ph.D. in Personal Financial Planning from Kansas State University. He was also the inaugural Head of Research at CFP Board, the governing body of CFP(R) professionals.

Amber Schiffert is a financial advisor and co-founder at TARA Wealth with eight years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 7 licenses. TARA Wealth is a women-owned fiduciary advisory firm, bringing something unique to wealth management: advisors who share your perspective, understand your life transitions, and have no financial incentive other than helping you succeed. TARA Wealth was founded to set a higher standard — one built on trust, independence, and a genuine commitment to the women and families they serve. TARA Wealth financial advisors are happily located in San Diego, CA, and Raleigh, NC, and serve clients nationally.

Amanda DeCesar is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience. She co-founded TARA Wealth in 2023 with Amber Schiffert. Her prior experience includes roles at MML Investors Services and J.P. Morgan Securities. TARA Wealth is an RIA serving individual and high-net-worth clients, couples, and businesses, providing Total Wealth Management, discretionary investment management, and comprehensive financial planning. The firm primarily uses a passive investment approach with index mutual funds and ETFs, delivering financial planning as an ongoing engagement and managing accounts both discretionarily and non-discretionarily.

Raymond Eustace is a financial advisor at Eustace Advisors in Cary, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with three years of industry experience. Prior to founding Eustace Advisors, he worked at ClearComm Technical Sales from 2003 to 2020 and operated Nadaje Holdings LLC from 2013 to 2022. Eustace Advisors is an independent, fee-only firm that provides advice-only financial planning and investment analysis to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm’s approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory with a focus on long-term, passive investment strategies, and it offers services including financial plan development, project-based planning, ongoing planning, educational seminars, and optional tax return preparation.

Mostafa Omar is the sole advisor at Astrelle Capital LLC in Raleigh, NC. He holds a Series 65 credential and has two years of experience in financial advising. Prior to his current role, he spent eight years working in the restaurant industry with Lugano Ristorante, Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, and Hibernian Co. Astrelle Capital LLC serves individuals, households, retirement accounts, trusts, and simple closely held entities with portfolio management and standalone financial planning. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation, tax-aware implementation, and risk controls, primarily using exchange-traded funds along with selective mutual funds, equities, fixed income, and cash equivalents.

Naveen Reddy Gollapally is the sole advisor at gnrfunds LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in Morrisville, NC. He holds a Series 65 credential and has four years of industry experience, including over a decade at Epsilon Data Management LLC prior to founding gnrfunds in 2021. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as treasurer for several day care centers planned to open in 2026 and 2027, and he is president of a UPS store, as well as a database administrator for a technology consulting firm. gnrfunds LLC serves individual investors, high-net-worth clients, and small businesses with discretionary portfolio management and retirement plan advice. The firm focuses on concentrated equity portfolios through fundamental analysis and employs various strategies including long/short positions and derivatives, offering performance-based fee arrangements to qualified clients.

Joseph Stover is a financial advisor at Reliance Financial Group, Inc. in Durham, NC, holding the PFS™ designation and Series 65 license with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Reliance Financial Group since 1999. Reliance Financial Group is an independent firm providing discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting to individual investors, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes asset allocation and model-based portfolios, combining fundamental security analysis with long-term investment strategies and periodic rebalancing.

Jennifer Lazarus is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and holds a Series 65 license with 15 years of industry experience. She has been the sole advisor at Lazarus Financial Planning, an independent firm based in Durham, NC, since its founding in 2005. Lazarus Financial Planning is a fee-only advisory firm serving individuals, couples, trusts, small businesses, and retirement plans. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and discretionary investment management, with a focus on socially responsible investing and a documented planning process that emphasizes asset-class allocation, diversification, and client-approved policy implementation.

Cooper Taylor is a CFA® charterholder with one year of experience at Sounding Line Wealth Management, LLC. Prior to founding Sounding Line, he worked four years at Salem Investment Counselors, Inc., and held investment roles at the University of Michigan Investment Office and Indiana University. Sounding Line Wealth Management is an independent registered investment adviser providing discretionary portfolio management services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a blended investment approach that integrates various analytical methods and offers individualized portfolio management with accounts custodied at Schwab Institutional.

David Elliott is a financial advisor at Artifex Advisory Group, Inc. in Cary, NC, with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has operated as a sole proprietor since 2013. In addition to his advisory work, Elliott is also a licensed insurance agent involved in insurance sales. Artifex Advisory Group provides fee-based investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm manages portfolios on a discretionary basis using both fundamental and technical analysis and offers ERISA-plan services including fiduciary responsibilities and participant education.

Thomas Figgatt is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Portolan Financial Planning LLC in Durham, NC. He previously worked at Bank of America from 2015 to 2017 before founding Portolan Financial Planning in 2017. Portolan Financial Planning LLC offers personalized investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning, including tax preparation services. The firm serves individual clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, small businesses, and provides retirement plan consulting, utilizing a primarily technical analysis approach with strategic asset allocation and tax-management techniques.

Hi! My name is Ian Bloom. I started my firm, Open World Financial Life Planning because I wanted to serve other nerds, not sell financial products. I focus on systematizing my clients’ financial lives to reduce their stress and worry, so that they can focus on their passions. As a nerd, I understand what it’s like to have hobbies and priorities outside of the norm. Whether your interests lie in gaming, programming, collecting, or something tamer, my goal is to make your financial life much more simple so that you have less stress and more time to focus on your interests. Life shouldn’t be about scrolling through google searches to solve a complex financial question. Your time should be spent doing the things you love and taking care of the people you care about. My philosophy on financial life planning was shaped through my experience getting my CFP® and RLP® designations, my bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and three years of amazing mentorship in the financial industry. Comprehensive financial life planning with my firm combines the skills I’ve developed through my experience and education, the perspective I have as a nerd and Millennial, and the drive I have to increase financial literacy within my community. I chose a fee-only structure for the firm in order to minimize conflicts of interest and make payment as transparent for my clients as possible. Having no product sales involved means I can focus on the perfect solution for my clients, not getting paid. Working with my firm starts with a complimentary first meeting in which we talk through your values, goals, and finances. If we decide to work together we will gather details on your finances, analyze and prioritize your goals, and eventually arrive at a plan through collaboration. I will help with the implementation of that plan, educating you on the what’s and why’s of each checklist item so that you feel comfortable with the changes. At the end of a year, we will review our progress and reassess the plan going forward. On the personal side of things, my passions lie in gaming. I love tabletop games, trading card games, and video games. I specifically love anything that is geared toward difficult strategic decisions. My passion for gaming is what got me so interested in financial strategies! Go ahead and book that first meeting to get started! It’s always FREE. If you're not sure yet, check out my books on Amazon to learn more about my financial philosophy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH5P83

Courtney Bauke is a financial advisor at Capital Consulting & Investment Group LLC with a Series 65 credential. Bauke has been with Capital Consulting & Investment Group since 2019 and has prior independent advisory experience dating back to 2014. In addition to advisory work, Bauke provides accounting and tax services, real estate advisory, mortgage consulting, and insurance planning through a separate business. Capital Consulting & Investment Group LLC offers investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, families, business owners, and institutional clients. The firm provides personalized, non-discretionary advice across a range of planning areas and investment types, while clients retain final authority over transactions.

Ryan Wojciechowski is a financial advisor at Adtigo Investment Advisors, LLC with eight years of industry experience. He has held his current position since 2017 and previously worked at CDR Optimal Consulting Group from 2015 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he maintains insurance licensing and is employed in an actuarial capacity. Adtigo Investment Advisors serves a small client base including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and business entities, managing approximately $20 million. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management using fundamental analysis and modern portfolio theory, offering both performance-based and standard asset-based fee arrangements.

Charles Galt is the sole advisor at Wellness Financial Associates LLC in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 21 years of industry experience. He has operated Wellness Financial Associates since 2015 and also owns Wellness Security LLC, an insurance agency offering accident, health, disability, and life insurance products, as well as fixed and indexed annuities. Wellness Financial Associates LLC provides financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting services to individuals, plan sponsors, corporations, and other business entities. The firm emphasizes asset allocation based on value, safety, and quality principles, focusing on risk control and loss avoidance, with a notable specialization in 401(k) and pension plan consulting.

Brian Bewley is the principal and sole advisor at Aligned Wealth Solutions, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with 14 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Virtue Capital Management, Retirement Wealth Advisors, and Horter Investment Management. He also serves as an independent insurance agent and is involved in technology and financial reporting businesses outside of his advisory practice. Aligned Wealth Solutions provides discretionary investment management primarily through model marketplaces and pooled investment vehicles, focusing on portfolios constructed with low-cost mutual funds and ETFs. The firm applies Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, with additional services including financial planning, treasury management, and promoter/referral arrangements.

Jonathan Morgan is a financial advisor with Taelos Financial Partners LLC in Apex, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and with eight years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Securian Financial Services Inc, VAM Partners, and Edward Jones Investments. Morgan is a licensed insurance agent but does not sell commission-compensated insurance or annuity products to clients. Taelos Financial Partners provides asset management and financial planning services to individual clients, family trusts, and estates, with a focus on value-oriented investing and strategic asset allocation. The firm operates under a fiduciary standard and offers discretionary portfolio management as well as educational seminars on retirement and business succession.

Your Trusted Financial Partner and Experience You Can Rely On With over three decades in the financial industry, I've dedicated my career to empowering individuals and families to achieve financial well-being. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional, Dave Ramsey Master Financial Coach and Fee-Only Financial Advisor based in Raleigh, NC, I offer personalized guidance and unwavering support, drawing on my extensive experience to navigate the complexities of the market and tailor solutions to your unique needs. Your Financial Goals, My Priority I believe that everyone deserves to feel confident and in control of their financial future. Whether you're saving for retirement, planning for your children's education, or seeking comprehensive wealth management, I'll work with you to develop a personalized plan that aligns with your goals and values. As a Dave Ramsey Master Financial Coach, I also utilize the proven Dave Ramsey 7 Baby Step process to help you build a strong financial foundation and achieve lasting financial peace. My Fee-Only approach ensures transparency and prioritizes your best interests. Comprehensive Guidance for a Secure Future From investment management to retirement planning, tax strategies to estate planning, I offer comprehensive guidance to address all aspects of your financial life. I'll be there every step of the way, providing reassurance, answering your questions, and adjusting your plan as life evolves. Rooted in the Community As a North Carolina resident and active member of the Wakefield Rotary Club of Wake Forest community, I understand the local landscape and can provide insights tailored to your specific needs. Let's Build a Brighter Financial Future Together Take the first step towards achieving your financial goals. Start with a Complimentary Retirement Review: https://app.rightcapital.com/account/sign-up?referral=3c861414-45bc-4056-8e9d-63371f536cf0&type=client&advisor_id=WyovNSEMqImVmkOBpo0ePA Schedule a Complimentary Consultation: https://calendly.com/getaplan/fee-only-initial-consultation Check out my website as I transparently list how I work with clients and post my fees: https://universityfinancialstrategies.com/ Remember: It's never too late to start planning for your future. With 30+ years of experience, a genuine passion for helping others and the tools of a Dave Ramsey Master Financial Coach, I'm here to guide you every step of the way.

Ryan Emminger is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with 20 years of industry experience. He has worked at Fidelity Investments for 15 years before founding JME Wealth Management, an independent advisory firm based in Raleigh, NC. In addition to his advisory work, he is an independent insurance agent involved in fixed insurance sales and service. JME Wealth Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small businesses with comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management. The firm employs a blended investment approach that includes active and passive strategies, core-and-satellite construction, and uses derivatives and hedging techniques within separately managed accounts.

Bradley Turlington is a financial advisor with White Oak Wealth Partners in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at White Oak Wealth Partners since 2015 and was previously affiliated with Kestra Financial Services, Inc. Additionally, he has been involved with The Turlington Group, Inc. since 1996. White Oak Wealth Partners serves individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, estates, charities, and business entities by providing financial planning, consulting, and discretionary wealth management. The firm manages approximately $110 million in discretionary assets and advises on held-away assets, emphasizing downside risk management and the use of third-party research and independent managers in its investment approach.