Nicole Trakimas is a CFP® professional with one year of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services. Her prior work includes a one-year tenure at Edward Jones and over a decade at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Outside of finance, she has been involved with Carruth Cellars Winery, where she occasionally assists with grape crushing, bottling, and tasting room activities as a hobby. Principal Financial Services offers brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm’s advisory approach features direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions through both adviser and promoter arrangements.

Michael Lambrix is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory in Fallbrook, CA, holding a Series 66 credential and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He previously worked for Commonwealth Financial Network for 12 years before joining Kestra Advisory and Kestra Investment Services, LLC in 2025. Outside of his advisory role, Lambrix is the owner of Monarch Retirement Group, where he manages strategic operations. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors and a broad mix of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers services including fiduciary consulting, plan-level investment advice, and employee education, supporting recommended investments with due diligence on performance, fees, and process.

Duane Knopke is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 51 years of industry experience. He worked at LPL Financial for 11 years before joining Independent Financial Group in 2009. Knopke also operates an independent insurance business focused on life, health, disability insurance, and fixed annuities. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management through multiple platforms, utilizing both firm- and third-party models to tailor strategies based on client risk profiles.

Ira Tweed is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Carlsbad, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has worked with Lincoln Investment since 2010 and also maintains associations with Capital Analysts, Great American Advisors, and Mass Mutual Life Insurance. Outside of his advisory roles, he holds agent positions in insurance and fixed annuities with multiple firms. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise investment advisory and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and advisor-led consulting, supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team that develops strategic and adaptive model portfolios.

Laurel Packham is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Oceanside, CA. She holds a Series 66 designation and has 23 years of industry experience. Laurel has been affiliated with Eagle Strategies and New York Life since 2013 and 2014, respectively. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, emphasizing tailored recommendations and primarily managing assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Eron Reyes is a CFP®, CFA®, and Series 63-registered advisor with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2019, following roles at Seaside Wealth Management and Wells Fargo. Reyes is also a consultant and contributor to Simplicity Ops Academy, where he helps develop educational course content on general finance concepts. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds with investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm combines in-house research with third-party managers to implement customized discretionary portfolios, supported by tax and accounting integration and administrative family office services.

Edwin Van Es is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets in Carlsbad, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2007. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across multiple wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm implements multi-asset, multi-manager strategies using robust internal standards and oversight, combining large institutional scale with specialized market roles and arrangements.

Todd Oberlin is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 28 years of industry experience. His career includes long tenure at Sagepoint Financial, Inc., and more recent roles at OSAIC, Terramar Wealth, and Commonwealth Financial Network. He is also the owner of Oberlin Financial Services, Inc., which facilitates insurance business. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and managing about $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm provides a broad adviser-support platform including discretionary and nondiscretionary managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, and custody/clearing services.

Adriana Beltran Romeo is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with six years of industry experience. She currently works at TLG Advisors, Inc. and has previously held roles at firms including Simplicity Investments, Lincoln, Ascensus, and TD Ameritrade. TLG Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base ranging from individuals and high-net-worth clients to institutional investors. The firm emphasizes manager selection and portfolio diversification using fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, offering both traditional advisory services and a digital investment program called Starlight Portfolios.

John Paladino is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with 25 years of industry experience. He is currently with Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC and has held positions at firms including Laurel Wealth Advisors, Sterling Global Strategies, Sterling Wealth Management, Morgan Stanley, and UBS Financial Services. Outside of advising, he owns TerraGear Products, a business focused on fitness bike travel bags and gear. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent financial advisors. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, consulting, family office, and retirement plan advisory services, emphasizing customized portfolios with a primarily long-term approach.

Robert Chapman is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC in Carlsbad, CA, holding a Series 63 designation and 31 years of industry experience. His prior work includes nearly a decade at LPL Financial and over 20 years operating his own financial consulting practice. Outside of his core advisory role, he is the sole owner of a marketing DBA, Pacific Crest Global Wealth Management, and is also licensed as a California insurance agent and an independent contractor offering mortgage lending services. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporate plans. The firm employs a combination of strategic asset allocation and multi-manager portfolios across both active and passive exposures, offering a range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions through various platforms.

Victoria Plum is a financial advisor at Independent Financial Group, LLC with 15 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Independent Financial Group since 2015. Plum also operates a business entity for tax and investment purposes. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a combination of strategic asset allocation, multi-manager portfolios, and ongoing due diligence using both active and passive investment approaches.

Cari Leamy is an investment advisor representative with NewEdge Advisors, LLC, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and five years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Brighton Jones, Refresh Investments, and Fisher Investments. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a broad range of portfolio management and consulting services through a network of independent advisers, utilizing multiple program structures and technology tools to support client and advisor needs.

Megan Johnson is a CFP® professional with 13 years of experience in financial advising. She is currently with Kestra Advisory Services, LLC, having joined in 2025 after a decade at Commonwealth Financial Network. She is also a 16.5% owner of Monarch Retirement Group, which facilitates securities, advisory, and insurance business. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a broad range of institutional and individual clients, including large plan sponsors. The firm offers services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and access to multiple management platforms and third-party solutions.

Megan Nielsen is a financial advisor with Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 18 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Mutual of America entities and Wealthspire Retirement Advisory. Outside of advising, she serves as president of Fort Stockton Investments, Inc., which manages income from mining rights and interests. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, families, trusts, and retirement plans through independent advisors. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, and family office services, using primarily mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income to create customized portfolios with a long-term investment approach.

Alex Esposito is a financial advisor at Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC, Triad Advisors, Independent Capital Management, and Sagepoint Financial. Integrated Wealth Concepts serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent advisors. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, family office, and retirement plan advisory services, employing customized portfolios with mutual funds, ETFs, individual equities, and fixed income using primarily a long-term approach.

Kent Colwell is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and offering 38 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation and Transamerica Life Insurance Company since 2019, as well as previous positions at Intelligence Driven Advisers, Labrum Wealth Management, RSM US Wealth Management, and several other firms. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through managed advice programs that emphasize asset allocation, contribution guidance, and retirement planning, utilizing proprietary portfolio models developed in partnership with Morningstar Investment Management.

Deanna Williamson is a financial advisor with J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has been with J.W. Cole Advisors and its affiliated firm since 2013. Outside of her advisory role, she owns and operates Williamson Financial Investments and Planning, providing investment management and retirement consulting services since 2005. J.W. Cole Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, and retirement plans through a national network of over 400 independent representatives. The firm offers portfolio management, fee-based financial planning, and multiple managed account solutions, utilizing discretionary and non-discretionary approaches that include fundamental and technical analysis as well as algorithmic allocations.

Arnold Adkins is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Oceanside, CA, holding Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and nine years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Advised Assets Group, GWFS Equities, Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, and Mass Mutual. Outside of finance, he is co-owner of an independent film production company, Viscape Arts. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, offering integrated services tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its financial planning and serves a large participant base relative to its advisor headcount.

Stephen Locko is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. in Carlsbad, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 35 years of industry experience. He has been with GWN Securities since 2009 and is also involved with ISN Network and Resource Marketing Associates, providing consulting on corporate enterprise risk and insurance. Additionally, he owns and operates Beachfront Tax LLC, a tax preparation business. GWN Securities offers investment advisory and related services to individual and corporate clients through various managed account programs and financial planning services. The firm employs a range of affiliated and unaffiliated sub-advisers and utilizes both model-based allocations and tactical strategies, including market-timing and momentum-based approaches.