Katie Smith is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with six years of industry experience, currently serving clients at Edward Jones in Knightdale, NC. She has been with Edward Jones since 2015, including her time at North Carolina State University from 2013 to 2017. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets with a nationwide network of more than 23,000 financial advisors.

Daniel Mason is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 25 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors in 2025, he spent ten years at UBS Financial Services. He is also the owner of 811 Financial Services, a separate investment-related business based in Raleigh. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo that offers investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad planning menu, including specialized services such as business-owner transition and special-needs planning, utilizing Wells Fargo research and tools to develop tailored recommendations for clients.

Kaleb Wright is a financial advisor at Merrill with five years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. His work history includes roles at Bank of America N.A., Merrill, and Equitable Advisors, as well as non-financial positions with Immigration Centers of America and Liberty University. Outside of finance, he serves as a poll worker for the North Carolina Board of Elections. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services primarily for Bank of America fiduciary clients, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Mark Stein is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Prudential Insurance Company of America, MML Investors Services LLC, and CUNA Mutual Group. Outside his advisory work, Stein is the owner and game designer of Dynamic Sports Sims, LLC. LPL Financial is a nationally registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual clients, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers various advisory programs and financial planning services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by research and multiple portfolio strategies.

James Lassiter is a financial advisor at Merrill with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 54 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Merrill since 1971 and has worked at Bank of America, NA since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he consults for a retail surf shop called Aussie Island Surf Shop. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with model-based and discretionary investment strategies.