Donella Winkler is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with 12 years of industry experience. She is currently with Allworth Financial, L.P. and has previously worked at Adams Chetwood Wealth Management, ZEIDERS Enterprises, Bancwest Investment Services, Bank of the West BNP Paribas, and Charles Schwab. Outside of her advisory role, she provides financial education through ZEIDERS Enterprises, focusing on topics such as TSP, credit scores, and budgeting. Allworth Financial serves a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis to offer customized investment strategies and provides a range of services including wealth planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting.

Stephanie Bowens is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with 28 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Triad Advisors and OSAIC before joining Kestra in 2025. Outside of her advisory role, she is CEO of Chrysalis Capital Management, a developer of financial education and literacy materials, and serves as a board member on the finance committee of The Hope Center at Pullen. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors and a diverse range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers services including fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and access to multiple management platforms, serving clients such as sovereign wealth funds and large institutional investors.

Michael Dipenta is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with TIAA-CREF since 2015. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm separates one-time financial planning services from ongoing portfolio management and serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund while operating within a vertically integrated group utilizing affiliated funds.

Joshua Maida is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2016 and is also associated with AGIA, where he works with non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, providing portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm operates at scale with over 1,200 advisors and integrates technology and model solutions to manage a large client base.

Serene Alsous is a CFP® and ChFC® with nine years of experience in financial advising, currently with Valic Financial Advisors in Durham, NC. She has been with Valic Financial Advisors and NC State University since 2017 and also has experience at BMW Manufacturing and Agia. Alsous serves as a notary public in Wake County. Valic Financial Advisors is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer serving primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers portfolio management and financial planning services through a network of over 1,200 advisors, utilizing discretionary unified managed accounts on Envestnet’s platform with optional tax-aware and ESG overlays.

Conrad Kunkel is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC in Chapel Hill, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Brookstone since 2015 and also owns GPS Financial Strategies, where he counsels individuals, families, and business owners on financial security matters. Prior to Brookstone, he worked briefly at Gradient Advisors, LLC. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to a wide range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm employs strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models and offers discretionary portfolio management through a turnkey asset management platform and related wrap-fee programs.

John Todd is a financial advisor with Osaic Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including Arbor Point Advisors, Securities America, Ameriprise Financial Services, and Edward Jones. Todd also engages in insurance sales on a limited basis. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC serves a diverse client base, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate and charitable entities, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers a broad range of investment strategies and consulting services, utilizing both fundamental and technical analysis along with access to alternative investments through platform partnerships.

Kerrie Debbs is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience. She is currently with Farther, having joined the firm in 2025, and previously worked for Main Street Financial Solutions, LLC for 13 years. Farther serves individual investors, trusts, and estates through a technology-driven advisory platform combined with direct client meetings. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach using bespoke allocations or proprietary algorithmic model portfolios, primarily investing in ETFs, mutual funds, individual equities, and fixed income.

Kimberley Palladino is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 16 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at Truist and its predecessor, SunTrust, since 2015. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, fiduciary support, and manager selection programs, utilizing a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by AI-enabled research tools.

George Arky is a CFP® with 37 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC since 2025. He previously worked at Arky & Miller Financial Group, LLC and Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Arky is a board member of the Ronald McDonald House of Durham and also leads wine tours in Durham, NC. Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC is a multi-team advisory firm serving individuals, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm offers wealth management, financial planning, and retirement advisory services through customized, primarily long-term portfolios that utilize ETFs, mutual funds, and other investment vehicles.

Khutchnai Kang is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 and Series 63 designations. Prior to joining Empower, Kang worked at Fidelity Investments and held various roles outside the financial industry. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to certain IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Richard Nathan is a financial advisor at Mariner with 8 years of industry experience. He previously spent 28 years at Forte Capital LLC. Outside of advising, he serves on the management committee of Forte Capital, which solely holds Mariner F-1 Units without providing investment advice or financial planning. Mariner serves a diverse client base through customized, discretionary portfolio management supported by in-house research and third-party managers, and offers integrated tax, accounting, and financial wellness services in addition to traditional investment solutions.

Joseph Shore is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with TIAA-CREF since 2015. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with pre-existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm operates within a vertically integrated group, offering model and customized portfolios, and acts as adviser to the TIAA Donor Advised Fund.

Thomas Oberg Jr. is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones for seven years. Before entering the financial sector, he was employed by the YMCA of the Triangle Area for five years. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, and institutional clients, offering brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and multiple advisory programs.

Gordon Pruitt is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at Edward Jones in Chapel Hill, NC, with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he worked at Bull City Learning and Syneos Health. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, with over $1 trillion in assets under management and a nationwide network of more than 23,000 financial advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Terence Wiles is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James and its affiliated entities since 2013. Wiles is also an author working on a retirement planning book intended for client distribution and commercial sale. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm employs a non-discretionary approach tailored to client goals using analytical tools and supports municipal and public finance work through its affiliation with a municipal advisor.

Christopher Jenkins is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Cary, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and five years of industry experience. Prior to joining MassMutual and its affiliate MML Investors Services in 2021, he worked at Chesapeake Energy and Independent Energy Standards. Outside of his advisory role, Jenkins is involved in several business ventures including serving as president of Ascolano Ventures, LLC, co-founding Silver Diamond Technologies, LLC, and preparing to launch a fencing franchise through Alpe Adria Services, Inc. MML Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser subsidiary of MassMutual that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers with comprehensive financial planning and asset management services. The firm emphasizes collaborative, goal-oriented planning using advanced software tools and offers various specialized planning programs alongside educational seminars.

Roger Werner is a financial advisor with OSAIC based in Chapel Hill, NC, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 55 years of industry experience, including 25 years at Signator Investors, Inc. and John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, and has been with Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. since 2018. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a volunteer on the UNC Board of Visitors, assisting with communication to prospective honors students. OSAIC Wealth serves a diverse client base including retail and institutional investors, offering brokerage and advisory services through a multi-advisor platform. The firm employs a model-based investment process with tools for asset allocation and portfolio optimization, and it supports various account types and third-party manager programs.

Daniel Odeh is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor at Fidelity with two years of industry experience. He has worked at Fidelity Investments since 2024 and has prior experience in retail and banking roles. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, utilizing a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to develop model portfolios from mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Daniel Bayait is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Durham, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2015. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of managed strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds under a fiduciary standard. The firm is notable for its large nationwide network of advisors and branches, as well as its additional capabilities including a trust company and securities-based lending options.