Lisu Gu is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 13 years of industry experience. She has worked with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2013 and has been affiliated with World Financial Group since 2012. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a caregiver for her elderly father through Nova Adult Home Care and is president of LG Solutions LLC, an insurance sales business. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers both advisory and broker-dealer services, employing a combination of proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary options.

Keith Burgess is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, Series 66, and Series 65 designations and has been affiliated with Nfp Securities Inc. since 2010. Outside of his advisory work, Burgess coaches his daughter’s 10-year-old soccer team. Kestra Advisory provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting services to plan sponsors as well as institutional and individual clients, offering a range of solutions including fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and advisor-managed accounts.

Myrle Simone is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience. She is currently with Creative Planning, LLC and previously spent 18 years at Burt Wealth Advisors. Burt Wealth Advisors is a fee-only, SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals and high-net-worth clients with discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm employs a mix of fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis across various time horizons and primarily allocates assets among mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.

James Stewart is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Carmichael Hill since 1993. Stewart is based in Gaithersburg, MD. MAI Capital Management, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm manages $72.3 billion in assets and offers services such as trust administration and insurance through affiliated entities, employing a customized approach across multiple investment strategies and platforms.

Christopher Persak is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities Inc. and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2004. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and active-duty military personnel abroad. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Monique Sinmao is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with 14 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at SOL Capital Management Company, Pontoro, and Marlo. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a broad national client base, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored asset allocation and manager selection strategies, incorporating proprietary quantitative screens alongside third-party managers and individual securities.

Michael Orleans is an investment advisor representative at Kestra Advisory with 23 years of industry experience. He has worked with Kestra Investment Services since 2010 and Kestra Advisory since 2016. Orleans serves as director of Special Needs Special Planning at The Meltzer Companies and has held leadership roles, including past president of Shared Horizons, where he participated on the finance committee. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a broad range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers services including plan design, fiduciary consulting, vendor searches, and employee education, and manages approximately $79.8 billion in assets for clients such as sovereign wealth funds and large institutional investors.

Manfred Klee Saieh is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC in Rockville, MD, holding a Series 65 credential with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Cerity Partners, he worked at SOL Capital Management Company and held positions at the United Nations Development Programme and Cleverbridge AG. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a diverse national client base, including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored asset allocation, manager selection, and periodic rebalancing strategies, incorporating proprietary quantitative screens alongside third-party managers and individual securities.

Shampa Bera is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services and holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. She has 26 years of industry experience, including 10 years with Truist Advisory Services and over 20 years with Truist Investment Services. Outside of her advisory role, she owns a beach condo rental business in Ocean View, Delaware. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes both discretionary and non-discretionary investment approaches, supported by third-party manager platforms and AI-enabled equity research, with a focus on integrated inter-affiliate service arrangements.

Nancy Hendershot is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with 37 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been associated with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 1988. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as Treasurer and Board Member for the nonprofit Walk the Walk Inc. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan advice, and a mix of advisor-managed and firm-managed investment programs, utilizing both strategic and tactical approaches overseen by an Investment Management & Research team.

Connie Rong is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with six years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2018. Prior to this, she was affiliated with World Financial Group and has experience at Freddie Mac as an operational control analyst. She is also involved in the sales of insurance products affiliated with Transamerica. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers through multiple program platforms, managing approximately $1.7 billion in regulatory assets under management.

Bernard Makino is a financial advisor at Independent Financial Group, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Commonwealth Financial Network and operated Makino Financial. Outside of his advisory role, he has experience running Ugly Moose LLC for five years. Independent Financial Group, LLC is a dual-registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, and plan sponsors. The firm offers brokerage, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services through a national network of Investment Adviser Representatives, utilizing multiple advisory programs and third-party asset managers.

Maria Nikitina is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Bethesda, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies, she worked at NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company, and has experience in nonprofit educational event organization related to sunburn prevention in children. She is also a partner at Cherry Blossom LLC, providing consulting on marketing strategy and personal branding. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Ted Halpern is a financial advisor at MAI Capital Management, LLC with 22 years of industry experience. He previously founded and led Halpern Financial, Inc. for over three decades before joining MAI Capital Management in 2024. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. MAI Capital Management, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm manages a broad range of investment strategies and offers additional services such as trust administration and insurance through affiliated entities.

Whitney Walls is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management with a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining PNC Wealth Management, Walls held roles at Merrill, Bank of America, and Navy Federal Credit Union. PNC Wealth Management provides retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including a digital, discretionary model account offered as an invitation-only pilot for employees. The firm’s approach uses algorithm-driven risk assessments and approved model strategies executed via mutual funds and ETFs, with portfolio implementation delegated to third-party firms.

Timothy Conley is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a wide range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies with robust internal standards and oversight, supported by its large institutional scale and specialized market roles.

Robert Costello is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at several firms including Grove Point Investments, H. Beck, and Prudential. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in rental property management. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a wide range of clients including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers both advisory and broker-dealer services, utilizing proprietary and third-party model portfolios across discretionary and non-discretionary platforms.

Nghiem Nguyen is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and has worked at Wfg since 2001. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in timeshare rental activities. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers through a large advisor network and multiple program platforms.

Robert Karcz is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 20 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Merrill from 2010 to 2017 and has served at Commonwealth since 2017. He is also the president and owner of Stonehedge Financial, a private entity operating in securities, investment advisory, and insurance services. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser supporting a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides advisory programs, technology, compliance, and practice-management support, enabling advisors to offer a wide range of securities and insurance products alongside discretionary model portfolios managed by Commonwealth’s Investment Management and Research team.

Solomon Nabdoya is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and beginning his advisory career in 2025. Prior to joining Bankers Life Advisory, he worked in senior living and the food service industry. He is also a 1099 agent for Bankers Life and Casualty Company, authorized to write Medicare Supplement, annuity, life, health, and long-term care insurance products. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals, focusing on customized asset allocation, tax efficiency, and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis in portfolio management.