Nicholas Carter is a financial advisor at Cetera with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC for nine years. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in officiating amateur and adult hockey through the Southeastern Hockey Officials Association and Hockey North America. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers various portfolio management and financial planning services and operates a multi-manager platform that supports a range of investment strategies and program structures.

Adam Band is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has been in the financial services industry since 2008 and joined Merrill Lynch in 2010. Adam works with affluent families, accomplished professionals, and business owners to provide goals-based wealth management. He focuses on simplifying clients' financial lives by acting as a central point of contact and integrating various elements of their wealth management needs. Adam holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations. He earned a bachelor's degree in communication from the University of Arizona, where he is part of the alumni organization Capitol Cats. He is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. Outside of work, Adam enjoys coaching his two sons' sports teams, including baseball and swimming. He also volunteers locally at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Adam and his wife Joanna live in Potomac, Maryland with their two sons.

Michael Towhidi is a financial advisor with Fidelity Investments, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked at Prudential from 2023 to 2025. Outside of his advisory role, Towhidi owns a fitness social media business where he creates fitness and lifestyle content, develops workout plans, and provides fitness consulting. Fidelity’s affiliate, Strategic Advisers LLC, offers investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including model portfolio construction based on proprietary research and quantitative analysis.

Pamela Sams is a financial advisor with OSAIC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has worked with firms including Securities America Advisors and Voya Financial Advisors and has owned Jackson Sams Financial Services since 2012. Outside of her advisory work, she is involved in community activities such as substitute teaching in Loudoun County Public Schools, volunteering to provide financial consultations for women in transition, contributing articles on retirement planning, and serving as an AARP Community Ambassador. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations through a large network of affiliated advisors. The firm integrates brokerage and advisory services with a variety of investment tools and third-party solutions to construct and manage tailored portfolios.

Kil Chang is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Charles Schwab since 2000, including a role at Charles Schwab Bank since 2005. Outside of his advisory work, he served on the Kemptown Elementary School PTA from 2018 to 2020. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, supported by multi-asset model portfolios and alternative investment due diligence, leveraging its large scale and integrated operational structure.

Kenneth Hecht is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 30 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2022, following a nine-year tenure at UBS Financial Services. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a wide range of advisory programs including tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery conversations and firm-approved planning tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs methodologies such as Monte Carlo simulations and Secular Return Estimates in its planning process.

Joely Mauck is a CFP® professional with 34 years of industry experience, currently advising clients at LPL Financial since 2009. She has also been affiliated with American United Life since 2002. Mauck holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and dedicates a small portion of her time to non-variable insurance sales with various carriers. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, financial institutions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of advisers. The firm offers a broad range of advisory programs and planning services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party research, and technologies including machine learning.

Geoffrey Magee is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Gaithersburg, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Advisors and Primerica Financial Services since 1998. In addition to advisory work, he is involved in sales of loan products and home security and automation services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, which includes model-delivery strategies and separately managed account options for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm curates third-party asset managers and delegates trading responsibilities to BNY Mellon Advisors, operating primarily on a tiered wrap-fee structure.

Alexander Freed is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he focuses on helping high-net-worth clients pursue their professional and personal wealth management goals. He joined Merrill in 2017 and serves clients in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. His practice centers on developing in-depth relationships to understand clients' current situations and future aspirations, offering financial planning, tax minimization strategies, estate planning, customized lending solutions, and other services. Prior to joining Merrill, Freed earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina's Darla Moore School of Business, studying Finance and Risk Management. He holds several professional certifications including Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC™), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). His expertise encompasses areas such as college education planning, corporate benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management, retirement income, and more. A native of the Greater Washington Region, Freed understands the unique financial needs of his community. He is involved with organizations such as the Knights of Columbus and enjoys spending time with his family and engaging in activities like biking, bowling, fishing, football, golfing, hiking, and reading.

Edgar Marita is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Potomac, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 14 years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services from 2010 to 2024 before joining Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, providing a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and modeling techniques. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers services that include financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group.

Eli Kreger is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at RBC Capital Markets since 2019, with brief periods spent outside the industry. His prior work history includes roles at Pulse House of Fitness and Sherwood Hill Liquor Store. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves individual investors, institutions, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides a range of advisory programs featuring discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, custody, and brokerage services, with tailored investment strategies implemented through a combination of in-house and third-party managers.

Mary Bottella is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab with 10 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors and Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she manages a rental property in Naples, Florida. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth clients through its Schwab Wealth Advisory program, providing a combination of non-discretionary and discretionary investment options along with integrated brokerage, custody, and financial planning services.

John Lasheski is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 22 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has worked with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015 and has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as an executor for an estate in Brookeville, Maryland. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer offering a wide array of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, including tailored financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and uses a structured financial planning process supported by firm-approved tools and models.

Timothy Calabrese is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has worked at Merrill since 2008 and concurrently at Bank of America, N.A. since 2013. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services primarily to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of individual and institutional investors.

Mark Searles is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Grove Point Advisors, Grove Point Investments, SSN Advisory, and Medallion Financial Group. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved with Safe Money Concepts, a non-variable insurance business. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, institutions, and charitable organizations through a national network of advisers. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement consulting, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by proprietary and third-party research.

Vladislav Romanov is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, institutions, and charitable organizations through a national network. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services supported by research and model portfolios.

Joseph Myer is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Ashburn, VA, holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Bank of America and Merrill. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Courser Capital Management, LLC, a business related to his LPL activities. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm provides a broad range of financial planning and advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary management, supported by research and model portfolios from LPL Research and third-party subadvisors.

Lyssa Tavel is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 12 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. She has been with Morgan Stanley since 2016 and also operates Lyssa Tavel Interior Design LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a range of advisory programs to individual and institutional clients, focusing on tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery and firm-approved tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers services both directly and through Corporate Financial Planning agreements.

Thomas Searles is a CFP® professional with 42 years of experience in the financial industry, currently affiliated with LPL Financial since 2025. His prior roles include positions at Grove Point Advisors, LLC, H. Beck, Inc., and SSN Advisory, Inc., among others. Outside of his advisory work, he is an author and musician, with involvement in several creative projects such as "Was Once a Hero / The Marshal" and "Bill Tilghman and the Outlaws." LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and services, combining discretionary and non-discretionary management that utilizes model portfolios and research from various sources.

Tom Gerstenschlager is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2024. Prior to this role, he served as an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments from 2023 to 2024, and has held positions including Associate Financial Representative at Northwestern Mutual in 2023, Financial Advisor at LPL Financial from 2020 to 2022, and Licensed Agent at NYLife Securities LLC in 2020. Throughout his career, Tom has focused on building personalized financial plans tailored to clients' goals, objectives, and concerns. His approach emphasizes understanding clients' current and future financial situations to co-create effective strategies. Outside of his professional work, Tom enjoys baseball and spending time with family.