Afrin Ahmed is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2007. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a broad range of investment advisory programs as well as execution and custody services. The firm implements multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs and combines large institutional scale with unique market roles and commercial arrangements.

Michael Lange is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with 18 years of industry experience, currently with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Pasadena, CA. His career includes prior roles at City National Securities and Wells Fargo, spanning a total of nearly two decades in financial services. Outside of his advisory work, Michael serves as a board member and coach for the Glendora Lassie League softball youth organization, where he coordinates schedules and umpires and assists with coaching. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes IAR-led financial assessments and employs a blend of fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to guide investment strategies across various asset classes.

Robert Baron is a CFA® charterholder with 27 years of industry experience. He is currently with Citigroup Global Markets, where he has worked since 2018. Prior to that, he held positions at J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, NA. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering multi-asset, multi-manager investment strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs. The firm combines large institutional scale with specialized market roles, including swap dealer and futures commission merchant activities, and offers a broad range of advisory and execution services.

Jasmine Wong is a financial advisor at GWN Securities Inc. with a Series 66 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to her current role, she was self-employed and worked in education at Mt. San Antonio Community College and Walnut High School. Outside of financial advising, she is a photographer and videographer for special events and serves as a notary public. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that offers discretionary managed accounts, financial planning, and access to third-party sub-advisers and model portfolios for individual and business clients. The firm employs a large network of advisors and provides a range of managed-account programs, including SMA, UMA, and fund-strategist options on the Fidelity-supported FMAX platform.

Gary Levenstein is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 34 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has previously worked at Lindbrook Capital, LLC and Jess S. Morgan & Co., Inc. He serves as a board observer for Endera Corp, a private company based in Pomona, CA. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm’s investment approach includes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers along with proprietary research to construct portfolios.

John Usry is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Glendale, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and three years of industry experience. He previously spent 19 years at Aflac before joining New York Life and its affiliated firms. Outside of finance, he is active as a jazz saxophonist. Eagle Strategies serves a broad range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers customized advice through various program types, emphasizing non-discretionary asset management and working within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Ryan Wehr is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Glendale, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2003 and is also involved with Agia, providing non-securities insurance products. Wehr is the owner of Wehr-Living, LLC, a company that rents semi-portable homes in areas with housing needs. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-based 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, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.

Ricardo Ramirez is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Glendale, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has six years of industry experience. Ramirez has worked with Monarch Grove Wealth Strategies & Insurance Solutions LLC and RMR Insurance Solutions & Wealth Strategies, which he owns, brokering non-registered insurance products alongside his advisory role. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, defined contribution and defined benefit plans, and charitable and corporate clients, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm provides tailored advice through multiple programs and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Michael Reed is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining GWN Securities, Reed worked in various roles including application development for LA County Probation and positions in technology and agricultural sectors. He is also involved as an associate with LA Pension Planners and in life and health insurance sales. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and business clients through discretionary managed accounts, financial planning, and access to third-party sub-advisers and model portfolios. The firm supports a large network of advisors and offers a range of managed-account programs that include both traditional asset allocation and legacy market-timing strategies.

Aplavya Gupta is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with seven years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at SB Capital Management, Inc. for six years. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, offering a range of investment advisory, financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning services. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach focused on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using low-cost ETFs, index funds, and other strategies, alongside client education and specialized programs.

Timothy Briody is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Bank of America, Merrill, New York Life, Edward Jones, Northwestern Mutual, and Quicken Loans, where he was employed for 14 years. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through various advice programs that focus on asset allocation, contribution rates, and retirement age guidance. The firm’s investment approach incorporates proprietary software and model portfolios developed by Morningstar Investment Management and serves a large client base with a focus on non-discretionary assets.

Christian Ardon is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. holding a Series 66 credential and five years of industry experience. Prior to joining GWN Securities in 2021, he worked at Equitable Advisors and AXA Advisors, and has a background that includes roles outside finance. He is also an associate with LA Pension Planners, where he provides financial strategy consultations, and an insurance agent specializing in fixed life insurance and annuity products. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and business clients, including high-net-worth investors. The firm offers discretionary managed accounts, financial planning, and access to third-party sub-advisers and model portfolios, with a notable legacy of market-timing and momentum-based strategies.

Elarsen Flores is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 9 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Citibank N.A. since 2008. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various segments, including workplace, high-net-worth, and ultra-high-net-worth. The firm offers a broad range of investment advisory programs and execution services, implementing multi-asset, multi-manager strategies with both discretionary and non-discretionary options.

Carl Ermelbauer is a CFP® professional at NewEdge Advisors with nine years of industry experience. He has worked at various firms including WealthSource Partners, JP Morgan Securities, and American Financial Network Advisory Services. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance sales and serves as managing partner and owner of Financial North Partners. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise‑scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit‑sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent adviser representatives. The firm offers comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, combining in‑house and third‑party investment solutions with centralized due diligence and technology tools.

Jason Jin is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. in Brea, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Equitable Advisors and AXA-Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he is also engaged as a financial consultant involved in the direct sales of insurance products. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and business clients through discretionary managed accounts, financial planning, and access to third-party sub-advisers. The firm offers a range of managed-account programs and model portfolios, combining traditional asset allocation with legacy market-timing and momentum strategies.

Yelena Kalashnikova is a financial advisor at TLG Advisors, Inc. with 16 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at firms including J.P. Morgan Securities, Wescom Financial Services, and CUSO Financial Services. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a certified swim official for USA Swimming. TLG Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm’s investment approach focuses on manager selection and ongoing monitoring using fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, and it offers both customized portfolio management and a direct-to-consumer digital program.

Sarah Penelope Grant is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 12 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Citigroup since 2022, following prior roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank NA and JPMorgan Securities LLC. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and maintains unique market roles, including functioning as a security-based swap dealer and futures commission merchant.

Elias Martinez is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and previously worked at Edward Jones and Glendale Securities Inc. Kestra Advisory provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting services to a wide range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and access to multiple management platforms, serving clients including large institutions and sovereign wealth funds.

Oswald Donaldson is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license, and has 38 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Advisory Group West for 18 years and Osaic FA, Inc. for 6 years. Donaldson also spends a small portion of his time involved in fixed insurance sales. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors. The firm provides adviser support through managed account programs, access to third-party asset managers, and custody and clearing services, managing roughly $212.7 billion in client assets.

Belete Alemu is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 30 years of industry experience and has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2013. Prior to that, he has been associated with Agia since 2022, where he is involved with 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 discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction and management.