Desiree Lasiewski is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Kovack Advisors, Inc. She previously worked at OSAIC for eight years and held a role at the City of Hope/Beckman Research Institute for 19 years. Lasiewski owns a sole proprietorship licensed to sell fixed annuities and life insurance. Kovack Advisors, Inc. is a multi-team registered investment adviser with around 260 advisors and over $6 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, banks, and municipal clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and access to sub-advisory and Independent Advisor programs.

Thomas Steele is a financial advisor with Gradient Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Gradient Advisors since 2021 and previously spent three years at Jack Keeter & Associates. Steele is also involved in executive services for small business owners through WPC Executive Services Inc. Gradient Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm supports a network of 169 advisors and employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor strategies, typically delivering ongoing portfolio services on a non-discretionary basis.

Sherry Taylor is a financial advisor with The AmeriFlex Group in Orange, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Cambridge Investment Research, Sagepoint Financial, and Cetera Advisor Networks. She is also the owner of a sole proprietorship focusing on insurance, benefits, and human resources. The AmeriFlex Group provides investment advice and related services to individuals, corporations, employee benefit plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, third-party money manager selection, and retirement plan consulting, delivering services through a network of advisory affiliates using multiple program platforms and custodial arrangements.

Vince Festejo is a CFP® professional with two years of industry experience, currently with CreativeOne Securities, LLC. He has worked in financial services since 2018, including a role at IWM Financial focused on client relations and advisor support. Prior to his financial career, he spent five years in full-time education. CreativeOne Securities, LLC is a multi-advisor registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm provides financial planning, portfolio management, retirement-plan fiduciary services, and access to third-party manager programs through a network of 127 advisors.

Leah Pattison is a CFP® professional with six years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at The AmeriFlex Group. She has previously worked with firms including Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., OSAIC, and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. Pattison is also involved as an agent with Summit Financial & Insurance Services. The AmeriFlex Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, corporations, and retirement plans through a network of advisory affiliates and investment adviser representatives. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, delivering customized strategies via model asset allocations and discretionary or non-discretionary manager relationships.

Mario Uyboco is a financial advisor at Simplicity Wealth with 28 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at LifePro Asset Management and VOYA Financial Advisors. In addition to his advisory work, he serves as an adjunct professor at Cal Poly University, teaching supply chain management and internet web application development. Simplicity Wealth serves a broad range of clients including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, corporations, institutions, and other financial firms. The firm employs a fund-of-funds investment approach using ETFs, mutual funds, and individual securities, and offers advisory services alongside technology and operational solutions for other advisers.

Jody Pierce is a financial advisor at Vanderbilt Advisory Services with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Avantax Advisory Services and Cetera, among other firms. Outside of his advisory role, Pierce operates GFS, Inc., providing tax preparation and accounting services as an IRS Enrolled Agent. Vanderbilt Advisory Services serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm combines strategic asset allocation with fundamental, technical, and charting analysis, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside financial planning and consulting services.

Jaye Ferguson is a financial advisor with Sovran Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Sovran Advisors, Ferguson worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and First Allied Securities, Inc., among other firms. Sovran Advisors serves individuals, corporations, and retirement plan sponsors, providing financial planning and portfolio management through various program types. The firm employs both active and passive investment strategies and offers access to multiple custodial platforms and third-party managers.

Michael Morera is a financial advisor at Virtue Capital Management, LLC with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Virtue Capital Management since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, Morera is the owner of Beach Cities Tax Service and teaches financial literacy at Financial Education Jr Business School. Virtue Capital Management, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise investment adviser managing approximately $1.2 billion in discretionary assets for over 4,000 clients through about 90 advisers. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA consulting, employing strategic and model-driven investment approaches primarily using mutual funds and ETFs.

Alexander Lee is a financial advisor with ValMark Advisers, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has been with ValMark Advisers since 2017 and also has roles at Valmark Securities, Inc. and The O'Neill Company, Inc. Additionally, Lee is a managing partner at L2 Financial, Inc., where he is involved in executing business strategies and overseeing operations. ValMark Advisers provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, plan sponsors, and institutional clients through a network of approximately 280 investment advisory representatives. The firm emphasizes diversified, goal-based model portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers, and offers a range of proprietary platforms and fee-based planning services.

Michael Roney is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Merit Financial Advisors since 2024. He previously worked at Stanislawski & Harrison Wealth Management and Abridge Partners LLC from 2007 to 2024. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with more than 260 advisors serving over 20,000 clients. The firm offers coordinated wealth-management services and follows an investment approach focused on long-term, diversified portfolios using centrally managed models overseen by an internal Investment Management team and committee.

Juan Rosario is a financial advisor at Kovack Advisors, Inc. with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Kovack Advisors and Kovack Securities since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he conducts workshops to educate individuals affected by layoffs on state mortgage assistance programs. Kovack Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered enterprise investment adviser serving a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, pension plans, and banking institutions. The firm emphasizes diversified asset-class exposure through mutual funds, ETFs, and other investment vehicles, while also recommending third-party managers and offering financial planning and account aggregation services.

Blake Isaeff is a financial advisor with Golden State Wealth Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and six years of industry experience. He has worked with Golden State Wealth Management since 2018 and has held roles at Renaissance Wealth Management and LPL Financial, LLC since 2017. Prior to his advisory career, he was involved with Canyon Crest Country Club and the University of California, Riverside. Golden State Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and businesses, offering asset management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party managers. The firm emphasizes discretionary portfolio management and uses a range of analytic approaches and model portfolios while primarily billing based on assets under management.

Hal Burns is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Ontario, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Avantax Advisory Services and related firms from 2015 to 2021 and currently operates Burns Tax & Wealth Management and Hal Burns & Associates, providing tax preparation and accounting services. Burns also provides investment advisory services through Verus Capital Partners, LLC, an independent registered investment advisor. LPL Financial offers advisory and brokerage services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, institutions, and high-net-worth households. The firm supports its advisors with in-house research and a variety of investment solutions, combining advisory capabilities with non-advisory products such as insurance and lending services.

Zelalem Girma is a financial advisor at Realta Investment Advisors, Inc with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at firms including Morgan Stanley, LPL Financial, and NewEdge Advisors LLC. Outside of finance, he operates a bakery-related business during non-trading hours. Realta Investment Advisors provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services and financial planning to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and institutional clients. The firm employs a tailored investment approach using asset allocation across various asset classes and offers services including portfolio management, retirement-plan consulting, and estate planning.

Robert Osgood is a Series 66 credentialed financial advisor with seven years of industry experience. He is currently with Thrivent Advisor Network, LLC and has previously worked at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc. and Thrivent Financial. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Treasurer and Secretary of IEFC, LLC, overseeing the entity’s finances and strategic direction. Thrivent Advisor Network, LLC provides investment advisory services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, businesses, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes a long-term investment approach, offering customized asset allocations using low-cost mutual funds, ETFs, fixed-income securities, and alternative investments, supported by third-party custodians such as Fidelity and Schwab.

Blake Naylor is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with three years of industry experience. He is currently with Pure Financial Advisors, LLC and previously worked at Wealth Coast, MST Financial, and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. Prior to his advisory career, he worked in other fields including a nearly decade-long tenure at Wurstkuche. Pure Financial Advisors, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $11.05 billion in assets for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management with a financial-planning-centered approach based on academic frameworks.

Jennifer Ann Ly is a financial advisor with Portfolio Medics, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. She previously worked at LifePro Asset Management, Transamerica Financial Advisors, and World Financial Group. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in insurance services through Premier Group Insurance, Inc. and Premier 360 Insurance & Financial Solutions. Portfolio Medics provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized portfolios using diversified mutual funds, ETFs, individual stocks and bonds, and incorporates fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis in its investment approach.

Julio Bedolla is a financial advisor at Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at AssetMark Financial Holdings, Inc., Dimensional Fund Advisors, and Capital Group, among other firms. Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a primarily long-term, portfolio-driven investment approach using ETFs, mutual funds, and selected individual securities, with tailored portfolio construction and monitoring to align with client objectives.

Angela Rosario is a financial advisor at Kovack Advisors, Inc. with 12 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Kovack Advisors and Kovack Securities since 2015. Rosario is also associated with APEX Financial Services Group and conducts mortgage assistance workshops aimed at educating individuals affected by layoffs on state mortgage assistance programs. Kovack Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered enterprise firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and banking institutions. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, third-party manager recommendations, and financial planning, with an investment approach focused on diversified asset-class exposure primarily through mutual funds and ETFs.