Thomas Vaughan is a financial advisor at Retirement Capital Strategies, Inc. in San Jose, CA, holding a Series 63 designation with 36 years of industry experience. He has been with Retirement Capital Strategies since 2016 and maintains an affiliation with LPL Financial LLC since 2015. Retirement Capital Strategies serves individual and high-net-worth clients, providing financial and retirement planning alongside discretionary investment management. The firm employs a passive, index-based approach using primarily ETFs across multiple risk levels and offers specialized services including management of variable annuity sub-accounts, 529 college-savings plans, and employer-sponsored retirement plan investments.

Maksim Sackx is a financial advisor at Kensington Securities, LLC in Scotts Valley, CA, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of experience. He has been a full-time student for the past ten years prior to joining Kensington Securities. Kensington Securities, LLC is an independent, fee-based registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm provides personalized financial planning, qualified plan consulting, and discretionary investment management with strategies that incorporate fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, including the management of wrap-fee programs and fee-based variable and fixed-index annuities.

Easan Arulanantham is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor at Retirement Capital Strategies, Inc. in San Jose, CA, with five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Retirement Capital Strategies in 2020, he held roles at AcademyX and Innit. Retirement Capital Strategies provides financial and retirement planning along with discretionary investment management to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm utilizes a predominantly passive, ETF-based approach with multiple model portfolios and incorporates tools such as MoneyGuidePro, RightCapital, and Riskalyze in its advisory process.

Cynthia Flannigan is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience. She has been with MainStreet Financial Planning, Inc. since 2018 and previously worked at Evercore Wealth Management for six years. MainStreet Financial Planning, Inc. offers fee-only, advice-only financial planning and consultation to individuals, families, business owners, and nonprofit employers. The firm emphasizes long-term, low-cost passive investing and delivers advice through multi-session planning engagements, educational seminars, and webinars.

Marialisa Caruso is a financial advisor at Caruso Family Financial Advisors (CFFA) LLC in San Jose, CA, with five years of industry experience. She holds the Series 65 designation and has been with CFFA since 2020. Outside of her advisory role, she works as a model and actress with Halvorson Model Management and serves as a front desk and bridal consultant at Trudys Brides and Special Occasions. Caruso Family Financial Advisors provides portfolio management and pension consulting to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm manages approximately $15.4 million across about 50 client accounts, using a combination of fundamental, quantitative, technical, and modern portfolio theory analyses to guide discretionary asset allocation and offers performance-based fee arrangements for qualified clients.

Todd Scalisi is a financial advisor at Newhouse Integrated Financial Advisors LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has prior work history with JP Morgan Securities LLC, Coast Financial Services Inc, PP&CO Advisors LLC, and Ascend Partner Services LLC. He is also affiliated with Newhouse CPA, a related entity within the integrated Newhouse brand. Newhouse Integrated Financial Advisors LLC is a California-registered independent investment adviser serving individual and high-net-worth clients with portfolio management and financial planning. The firm uses fundamental analysis and modern portfolio theory to construct long-term, asset-allocated portfolios and operates alongside affiliated entities offering tax, accounting, and real estate services.

Robert Trieu is a financial advisor at Hickok Advisory, LLC holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has been with Hickok Advisory since 2026 and has prior experience with Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Codex Lending. He is also engaged in tax preparation through Hickok Tax and has worked as an independent licensed agent and consultant since 2014. Hickok Advisory provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management along with financial planning and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs fundamental and cyclical investment analysis and offers strategies ranging from long-term purchases to short-term trading, with regular account reviews and tax-loss harvesting.

David Hicks is a CFP® professional with six years at Petersen and Hicks and three years of industry experience overall. Prior to joining Petersen and Hicks, he worked at Peak Tax and Finance and spent nine years with the Department of Veterans Affairs at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. He is involved in non-CPA tax preparation and planning through Petersen and Hicks. Petersen and Hicks serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, providing comprehensive financial planning, investment advisory, and consulting services. The firm acts as a fiduciary, tailoring advice to client objectives and risk tolerance, and refers clients to third-party managers while conducting ongoing due diligence.

Dorothy Hundrieser is a financial advisor with Rice Financial Consulting, Inc. in Los Gatos, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 14 years of industry experience. She has been with Rice Financial Consulting since 2014. Outside of her advisory role, she performs bookkeeping for a dentist on a limited basis. Rice Financial Consulting, Inc. serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm employs a manager-selection and supervisory approach, working with third-party advisers and emphasizing long-term investment strategies without directly managing client portfolios.

Neil Gavande is a CFP® and ChFC® with 23 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Farm and Community Advisory in Los Gatos, CA, and has prior experience at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter and TCFG Investment Advisors. Neil serves as CEO of Farm and Community Asset Advisors LLC and holds licenses as a California Mortgage Broker and a Health and Life Insurance Agent through affiliated entities. Farm and Community Advisory provides portfolio management, pension consulting, and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities. The firm employs a variety of analytical methods and offers tailored investment strategies across diverse asset classes, maintaining a small client base with both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Filiep Sackx is a financial advisor with Kensington Securities, LLC in Scotts Valley, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and with 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Kensington Securities since 2007 and has also been president and insurance agent at Kensington Financial Group, Inc. since 1995, dedicating approximately 30% of his time to the affiliated insurance agency. Kensington Securities, LLC is an independent, fee-based registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers personalized financial planning, qualified plan consulting, and discretionary investment management, including management of wrap-fee programs and annuity contracts.

Janelle Hansen is a financial advisor with Rice Financial Consulting, Inc. in Los Gatos, CA, holding a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at the University of California Natural Reserve System and University of California Santa Cruz. Rice Financial Consulting, Inc. serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporations, managing approximately $230.7 million across about 336 clients with a five-adviser team. The firm focuses on manager-selection and supervisory services, operating primarily on a non-discretionary basis and directing clients to third-party managers while performing due diligence and ongoing supervisory reviews.

Kyle McCauley is a financial advisor with Entrust Investment Services, Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 11 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Entrust, he was affiliated with City Center Advisors, LLC and City Center Financial, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he owns and operates a farming business through Green Pastures CSA, LLC. Entrust Investment Services provides discretionary investment management and financial planning to individuals, businesses, and other registered investment advisers. The firm employs Modern Portfolio Theory and offers services including ERISA plan management and the use of options and leveraged strategies in managed accounts.

John Arao is a financial advisor with Mine & Arao Wealth Creation and Management, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Mine & Arao Wealth Creation & Management since 1999 and is also a partner in Mine & Arao, LLP, a certified public accounting firm offering tax preparation, planning, and related services. Mine & Arao Wealth Creation & Management serves individual investors, pension plans, and businesses, primarily drawing clients from its affiliated CPA practice. The firm provides discretionary investment management alongside financial planning and tax, retirement, and estate planning, using a comprehensive asset allocation approach that integrates investment advice with tax and bookkeeping services.

Ronald Petersen is a financial advisor at Petersen and Hicks in Campbell, CA, with 38 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and previously worked at First Allied Securities, Inc. and Petersen & Associates. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in non-CPA accounting and tax preparation and is a licensed insurance agent. Petersen and Hicks serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing financial planning, investment advisory, and consulting services. The firm acts as a fiduciary, tailoring advice to client objectives and risk tolerance, and utilizes third-party managers for asset management while charging flat or hourly fees.

Ethan Pepper is a fee-only, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, an Enrolled Agent, and a Registered Life Planner™. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from San Jose State University. Ethan started Orchard City Wealth Management, LLC after years of working for investment advisory firms that focused on helping older generations achieve their financial goals. He grew weary of financial service models that excluded individuals still establishing their wealth because they didn’t meet the minimum assets requirements to become a client. The notion that only established wealthy people use financial advisors didn’t sit well with Ethan. He wanted to help mid-career professionals thrive in their financial lives, too. Ethan services individuals and families who are establishing wealth and want a guide for their financial decisions to help them build and protect their money. He also continues to work with ultra-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients. With over a decade of tax preparation experience, he completes his clients' wealth management with the necessary tax strategy and planning services for real-time savings and future income generation.

Anthony Caruso is a financial advisor with Caruso Family Financial Advisors (CFFA) LLC in San Jose, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. He has held positions at several firms, including Wealthforge Securities, Lightpath Capital, and The Taylor Advisory Group. Caruso serves as CEO and Chief Compliance Officer of CFFA. Caruso Family Financial Advisors provides portfolio management and pension consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth households, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs diverse analytical methods and strategies and manages approximately $24.5 million in assets for a client base of around 50 clients.

Maria Yates is a financial advisor at Rice Financial Consulting, Inc. with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry Company and a children’s pre-school. Rice Financial Consulting provides manager-supervisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm refers clients to third-party advisers and focuses on long-term investment strategies without discretionary trading, overseeing approximately $287 million in primarily non-discretionary assets.

Rebecca Contin is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at East Rock Financial Services, LLC since 2013. She holds a Series 63 designation and is also a director of Contin Seeds, a hybrid seed development company. East Rock Financial Services provides investment management and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates. The firm emphasizes asset allocation, diversification, and periodic rebalancing, offering discretionary portfolio management alongside standalone financial planning engagements through a principal-led service model.

Christopher Wentzien is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Natural Bridges Financial Advisors in Santa Cruz, CA since 2008. Natural Bridges Financial Advisors is a fee-only firm serving individuals and families with comprehensive financial planning and discretionary investment management. The firm uses tailored investment policy statements and primarily invests in low-cost ETFs and no-load mutual funds, operating with a fixed annual fee model rather than a percentage-of-assets approach.