Stephanie Bucko is a CFA® charterholder with nine years of industry experience. She is currently a financial advisor at Mana Financial Life Design in Glendale, CA, where she has worked since 2018. Bucko also serves as Chief Information Officer and Manager of Mana Management Partners, overseeing the distribution of financial education programs through the Mana Money School. Mana Financial Life Design serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as employer plan sponsors, offering financial life planning, discretionary investment management, employee benefit plan advisory, estate planning support, and project consulting. The firm employs a goals-based investment approach that combines long-term perspectives with active tax management and selective use of leverage and derivatives, alongside client education and engagement initiatives.

Abigail Chao is a financial advisor at Cosmos Wealth, LLC with eight years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. and tru Independence Asset Management 2. Outside of her advisory role, she has engaged in part-time employment with TELUS International. Cosmos Wealth is a recently established SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $191 million in assets. The firm serves primarily larger or non-typical retail clients, offering discretionary investment management and hourly consulting, employing a combination of active and passive investment strategies tailored to individualized client profiles.

Ling Lu is a financial advisor at IFMGroup with 20 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Investment & Financial Management Group since 2006. Outside of his advisory role, Ling Lu serves as president of a life insurance agency in Monrovia, CA. IFMGroup provides personalized financial planning and investment management to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm uses a strategic asset-allocation approach combining passive index funds and ETFs with selective active funds and manages roughly $4 million in assets across seven client accounts.

Devin Weinstein is a CFA® charterholder with five years of industry experience. He is currently a financial advisor at Coast Bridge Capital and has previously worked at Raymond James & Associates, Chandler Asset Management, and Ford Equity Research. Coast Bridge Capital is a state-registered investment adviser managing approximately $77.5 million in client assets. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and sub-advisory services to individuals, family offices, institutional clients, and other registered investment adviser firms, utilizing a fundamental analysis and tactical asset allocation approach.

George Zuluaga is a financial advisor with Avina Financial Group, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Avina Financial Group since 2019 and previously at Sagepoint Financial, WiseWealth Financial Advisors, and WiseWealth Insurance and Financial Services. In addition to his advisory role, he operates as a sole proprietor insurance agent. Avina Financial Group serves individual clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses by providing financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm offers a wrap fee program and integrates retirement plan fiduciary services and participant education into its investment approach.

Christine Chui is a financial advisor with Tortuga Wealth Management in Torrance, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. She has worked at Tortuga Wealth Management since 2021 and also maintained roles with LPL Financial during this time. Outside of advisory services, she has experience managing family trusts and real estate rental properties. Tortuga Wealth Management serves individuals and high-net-worth clients, offering financial planning, consulting, and discretionary portfolio management. The firm utilizes a mix of fundamental and technical analysis and employs a variety of investment strategies, delivering services primarily through LPL Financial–sponsored programs and its own wrap fee offering.

Geoffrey Bates is a CFP® with 27 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Bates Wealth Management, LLC since 2016. He has operated as a sole proprietor since 2011 and is also the owner of an insurance agency specializing in life and health insurance. Bates Wealth Management serves individual investors and retirement plan sponsors, offering discretionary asset management, ERISA 3(21) advisory services, and hourly financial planning. The firm employs both fundamental and technical analysis, incorporating options and derivative strategies, and manages accounts on a discretionary basis with documented client goals and investment restrictions.

Angela Sheldon is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 24 years of industry experience. She has been with Tortuga Wealth Management since 2010, working alongside the team in Torrance, CA. Tortuga Wealth Management advises individuals and high-net-worth clients, offering financial planning, consulting, and discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis and utilizes multiple LPL Financial–sponsored programs alongside its own wrap fee offering.

Ryan Thomas is a financial advisor at Thomas Investment Advisors LLC in Orange, CA. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked in the financial and accounting industries since 2018, including roles at Baker Tilly US, LLP, and Chapman University. He co-founded Thomas Investment Advisors LLC in 2025 and also has experience with Thomas & Thomas. Thomas Investment Advisors LLC provides discretionary investment management and wealth management services to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm focuses on long-term, fundamentally based portfolio construction using low-cost mutual funds, ETFs, and occasionally individual securities, while also offering separate tax and accounting services through an affiliated practice.

William Pugh is a Series 66 credentialed financial advisor with 21 years of industry experience. He is currently with Vela Consulting, LLC and has previously worked at Apriem Advisors and Columbia Capital Securities, Inc. In addition to his advisory role, he acts as an independent insurance agent for life, health, and disability insurance. Vela Consulting is a state-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporations, trusts, and retirement plans, managing approximately $47 million in assets. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach, emphasizing diversification, long-term allocations, and periodic rebalancing, and offers customized portfolio management and financial planning services.

George Ayala is a financial advisor at Sackett Wealth Advisors, Inc. with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at MML Investors Services, MassMutual Life Insurance/Capstone Partners, CAK International, and The University of New Mexico. Sackett Wealth Advisors is a team-based registered investment adviser managing approximately $181 million for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities. The firm provides discretionary investment advice focused on asset allocation across public and private securities, with a preference for passively oriented asset-class funds, and offers additional tax and consulting services through an affiliated accounting practice.

Anastasia Timineri is a financial advisor at Torrey-Payne Wealth Management with two years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at firms including Raymond James & Associates Inc. and Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Timineri also serves as a client service associate, handling meetings and account updates for Torrey-Payne. Torrey-Payne Wealth Management provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, emphasizing tailored portfolios with asset allocation, rebalancing, and fundamental and modern portfolio theory analysis.

Charles Salembier is a financial advisor at The Sterling Group with 32 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® and Series 63 designations and has been with The Sterling Group since 1999, including its wealth management division since 2012. The Sterling Group is a team-based investment advisory firm serving individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, fiduciaries, retirement plans, and business entities. The firm provides discretionary asset management and financial planning services, emphasizing customized asset allocation, diversification, and ongoing portfolio monitoring tailored to each client’s goals and risk tolerance.

David Ono is a financial advisor with Bates Wealth Management, LLC in Los Angeles, CA. He holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations, along with a Series 63 license, and has 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Bates Wealth Management since 2016. Outside of advising, he operates a life and health insurance agency as a sole proprietor. Bates Wealth Management serves individual investors and retirement plan sponsors, providing discretionary asset management, limited-scope ERISA 3(21) plan advisory services, and hourly financial planning. The firm employs both fundamental and technical analysis and incorporates option and derivative strategies tailored to client objectives within a boutique, client-focused practice.

David Adefeso is a financial advisor with The Pacific Group in Los Angeles, holding a Series 66 license and bringing 27 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Axa Advisors, LLC and Pacific Advisory Capital Group, LLC. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in technology development through ownership of Sootchy, Inc. and has appeared as himself on a reality television show. The Pacific Group provides investment advisory services to individual, pension, and corporate clients with a focus on customized portfolio construction using various analytical methods. The firm manages discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios, sponsors a wrap-fee program, and offers access to an automated investing platform while maintaining affiliated insurance and consulting entities.

Michael Lagos is a CFP® professional with 38 years of industry experience. He is the president of Lagos Wealth Advisors, where he has worked since 1995, and has also been affiliated with Madison Avenue Securities, LLC since 2022. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in a referral business focused on securing R&D and ERC tax credits through partnerships with CPA and law firms. Lagos Wealth Advisors serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, sponsoring organizations, and other entities by offering discretionary portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and advisory referral services. The firm employs the AssetMark platform and third-party managers to implement customized investment strategies and manages a Next Level IRA program using a quantitative and qualitative scoring process for mutual funds.

West Cohan is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience and currently serves at InvestLinc Wealth Services. He has worked with InvestLinc in various forms since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, Mr. Cohan is the CFO and founder of Lémore, a skincare company. InvestLinc Wealth Services provides wealth management and investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, families, and related entities. The firm designs tailored multi-asset portfolios, incorporating fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis, and offers access to both traditional and alternative investments.

Jeffrey Weston is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Torrance, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Private Bank before joining LPL Financial and founding Tortuga Wealth Management, where he provides independent investment advisory services. Weston also serves as a board member of the Kaena Foundation, a nonprofit organization. LPL Financial offers advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, institutions, and high-net-worth households. The firm supports its advisors with in-house research, model portfolios, and a variety of investment and service options tailored to client needs.

Donald Hall is a CFA® charterholder with 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Hall Capital, LLC since 2010 and previously worked at Arcturus Management, LLC. Hall Capital provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, endowments, and foundations. The firm manages approximately $164 million through a two-advisor team, employing a fundamental analysis approach that includes the use of leverage, options, and short selling within individualized portfolios.

Christopher Matthews is a financial advisor with Blackfield Capital Management LLC in Los Angeles, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked with FNEX Capital LLC and Digital Asset Investment Management, and also provides advisory and consulting services related to private investments and capital structuring through CM Strategic Advisory LLC. His activities include representing FNEX Capital in private placement transactions involving accredited investors. Blackfield Capital Management provides portfolio management primarily to high-net-worth individuals, focusing on individualized Investment Policy Statements and ongoing portfolio monitoring. The firm employs a range of strategies, including trading and options, and facilitates access to private market investments through subscription platforms.