Lajoi Thompkins is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Valic, Thompkins has held roles at Agia, Century21, Redfin Corporation, Optum, and other organizations. Outside of financial advising, Thompkins is an agent for non-securities insurance products with Agia and a real estate salesperson with Century21. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts, utilizing centralized technology and model solutions across its large network of advisors.

Ara Abrahamian is a financial advisor at EP Wealth Advisors with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Divergent Planning, LLC and H. Beck, Inc. EP Wealth Advisors is a registered investment adviser serving individuals, including high-net-worth clients, corporate and business clients, and retirement plans. The firm offers wealth management, discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and ancillary services such as tax preparation and estate-document preparation, utilizing customized model portfolios and a variety of investment strategies.

Elchin Bagirov is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Morgan Stanley, St. Johns Ebra Investments, and J.P. Morgan Securities. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across a range of wealth segments, offering multi-asset, multi-manager investment programs alongside broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm is notable for its combination of large institutional scale and specialized market roles, including in-house research and security pricing, as well as its capacity to provide bespoke discretionary solutions for very large relationships.

Kristian Albornoz is a CFP®-designated advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC and Beacon Pointe Insurance Services, LLC, where he has worked since 2024. Prior to this, he spent nine years with Keeney Financial Group, Inc. and Triad Advisors, Inc. He is also the owner of Kristian I Albornoz LLC, a holding company for equity interests. Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC provides wealth advisory, consulting, financial planning, and outsourced chief investment officer services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm employs a combination of asset-allocation modeling and third-party independent managers across multiple asset classes, offering both active and passive strategies along with comprehensive reporting and analytics.

Karl Stiegmann is a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Wealthspire Advisors since 2017. Prior to joining Wealthspire, he worked at Virginia Tech from 2013 to 2017. Wealthspire Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $34.3 billion in assets, serving individuals, corporate and pension plans, nonprofits, and foundations. The firm employs an institutional-style asset allocation approach using a diversified mix of investment vehicles, with services tailored through client interviews and ongoing monitoring.

James Brown is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 35 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Next Financial Group Inc, Sagepoint Financial, INC, OSAIC Services, Inc., and American General Securities Incorporated. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts utilizing Envestnet’s platform and third-party model managers, supported by a large network of investment advisor representatives.

James Adkins Jr. is a financial advisor at Eagle Strategies (New York Life) with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked with firms including Mahoney Financial Organization and Strategic Financial Associates. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in operating Strategic Financial Associates, LLC, which brokers non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors and institutional sponsors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages most of its assets on a non-discretionary basis through multiple program types within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Morgan Sarraf is a CFP® professional with six years at Hightower Advisors and nine years with Closet Stretchers, totaling 15 years of industry experience. He is based in Bethesda, MD. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse group of individual and institutional clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting through a multi-manager approach that includes affiliated and third-party managers.

Charles Bubeck is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked for the State of Maryland for five years. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in fixed insurance sales. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that supports a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and manages roughly $212.7 billion in client assets through a range of managed-account programs, third-party asset managers, and custody services.

Christopher Clark Jr. is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving at VALIC Financial Advisors since 2016. He has held a role at AGIA since 2022. Clark is a board member of Jacob’s Well, Inc., a nonprofit organization in Baltimore City that provides housing and services for mentally challenged community members. VALIC Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer that serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and unified managed account programs through a large network of advisors, using a centralized technology platform and model solutions.

Gregory Speier Jr. is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2010 and also has a role with Agia. Outside of his advisory work, he volunteers with the Greater Ashburn Young Life Committee and performs as a guitarist on an as-needed basis. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.

Brett Somerville is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with a Series 65 credential and three years of industry experience. He previously worked at SOL Capital Management Company and Cartica Management. Cerity Partners advises a diverse range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, families, charitable institutions, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets as of December 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services and access to alternative and private market solutions through a combination of quantitative screening, manager selection, and direct security selection.

Barton George is a financial advisor with VALIC Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 37 years of industry experience. He has worked with VALIC Financial Advisors since 1998 and also serves as an agent with Agia, focusing on non-securities insurance products. VALIC Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers managed-account programs, financial planning, consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models to construct client portfolios.

Charles Moore III is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC since 2025 and previously spent 11 years with The Family Firm. In addition to his advisory role, he is an agent at Beacon Pointe Insurance Services, LLC, where he sells life, health, and accident insurance products. Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC provides wealth advisory, financial planning, retirement-plan platform services, and outsourced chief investment officer solutions to individuals, corporations, pension plans, and other institutional clients. The firm combines proprietary asset-allocation modeling with independent manager selection and employs both active and passive strategies across public and private asset classes.

Joshua Groce is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors and holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. He has one year of experience in the financial services industry, including prior work at LPL Financial LLC. Before entering the financial sector, he held positions in education and public service. Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm manages portfolios through discretionary unified managed accounts and offers financial planning and consulting services supported by a large network of advisors and centralized technology.

Michael O'Leary is a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with Series 65 credentials and six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Focus Partners in 2024, he worked at The Colony Group, LLC, Lowell Blake & Associates, and State Street Bank. Focus Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with a range of wealth management and advisory services. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that combines active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Brian Hutt is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) based in Bethesda, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 22 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Eagle Strategies since 2012 and has roles with multiple related entities including AP Benefit Advisors, LLC and Bluepoint Financial, LLC. Outside of advisory work, he is involved as an investor in a popcorn company and holds investor roles in a community bank and a holding company related to life insurance. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base that includes individual investors, institutional clients, and retirement plan sponsors, 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 while operating within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Michael Hay is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Charles Schwab and Co., Inc., Charles Schwab Bank, SSB, TD Ameritrade, Inc., and T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc. He is based in Catonsville, MD. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to IRA and retail brokerage account holders. The firm uses an integrated service model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping platforms and offers both point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Jacqueline Lonnerdal is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 15 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Hightower Securities, LLC and Hightower Advisors since 2011. She also serves as a notary without compensation. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, along with proprietary research and a range of portfolio construction strategies.

Jonathan Kobets is a financial advisor with Chevy Chase Trust Company, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at UBS Financial Services, AllianceBernstein Investments, Inc., and Neuberger Berman LLC. Chevy Chase Trust Company serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary investment management along with personal trust, family wealth and financial planning services, and institutional custody. The firm employs a thematic investment approach focused on macroeconomic trends and sector themes, blending fiduciary trust and custody functions with investment management.