Alexis Trauger is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning since 2019. Prior to this, Alexis worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for five years. Outside of financial advising, Alexis is an artist involved with SwoonBox, a retail arts and crafts business. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach focused on low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure while offering fiduciary advisory services and a range of institutional and retirement plan solutions.

Jessica Mc Curdy is a financial advisor at Private Advisor Group, LLC with 22 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Mariner Independent Advisor Network, LPL Financial, and Ameriprise. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting with a fiduciary-based advisory model that includes various investment strategies and technology platforms.

Kyle Ryan is a CFP® and Series 65-registered financial advisor with 16 years of industry experience. He currently works at Mariner Wealth Advisors and has previously been with firms including Personal Capital Advisors Corporation and GWFS Equities, Inc. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth households, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services. The firm employs discretionary, customized portfolios supported by an Investment Committee and an internal management team, with a notable integration of tax and accounting capabilities uncommon in large advisory enterprises.

Kristin Bartlow is a CFP® with 16 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Hightower Advisors. Her prior experience includes roles at Journey Strategic Wealth LLC and Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. She is the owner of Kristin Bartlow, LLC, a legal business entity. Hightower Advisors offers investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors. The firm’s approach emphasizes multi-manager solutions and manager selection, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers across various investment vehicles.

Michael Turley is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at First Command Financial Planning, Inc. for 19 years before joining Mercer in 2023. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and related planning services to individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, focusing on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and uses a range of implementation options including ETFs, mutual funds, separate accounts, and direct indexing.

Jonathan Rudolfs is a financial advisor at SPC with the ChFC® designation and Series 66 license, and has six years of industry experience. He has been with SPC since 2020 and has worked at Parkland Securities since 2015. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved with Hanna Insurance and Financial Solutions, assisting clients with employer-sponsored SERPs, insurance, and financial product options. SPC provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individual investors, employer-sponsored plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm supports a large network of advisors serving over 30,000 clients and offers tailored, discretionary investment advice primarily through managed account programs and partnerships with third-party advisers.

Shilu Sheng is a CFP® at Creative Planning with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Creative Planning, Sheng worked at Bank of New York Mellon for seven years and PricewaterhouseCoopers for four years. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach incorporating low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure while offering a range of institutional and retirement plan services.

Angela Berry is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Walnut Creek, CA, with 22 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at firms including Fidelity, JPMorgan Securities, Merrill, and Bank of America. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with a modeling agency. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA retirement relationships. The firm offers a range of advisory services including model portfolio management and customized portfolio solutions within a fiduciary framework.

Teresa Beltran is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. She has been with Rockefeller Financial since 2019 and previously worked in the mortgage industry and at Wells Fargo Bank. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and operates as a registered broker-dealer offering securities transactions, variable insurance products, and investment banking services.

Silje Solstad Normann is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and three years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Symetra Investment Management, Army & Air Force Exchange Services, and First Choice In-Home Care. She has also worked in various non-financial roles including physical therapy and education. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, emphasizing long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates in its financial planning approach.

Laurie Marks is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with nine years of industry experience. She has held prior roles at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., TIAA-CREF, and TrigoFi, Inc. Marks serves on the Finance Committee of the San Francisco Waldorf School, where she provides financial oversight and planning support. Hightower Advisors offers investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, utilizing a multi-manager approach that includes affiliated and third-party managers, proprietary research, and a variety of investment vehicles.

Evan Rothschild is a CFP®, CFA®, and Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He is currently with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and has held previous positions at Adero Partners, Morgan Stanley Private Bank, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Morris Rothschild Capital, and Founders Asset Management. Rothschild serves as a member of the investment committee for Jade PTC LLC, a private trust company. Focus Partners Wealth, LLC serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with wealth management, financial and tax planning, family office services, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach blending active and passive strategies within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Rita Lee is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 23 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Citigroup since 2018, following a long tenure at Citibank NA from 1995 to 2018. Outside of her advisory role, she provides in-home supportive services to a family member. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering multi-asset, multi-manager investment programs along with broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm combines large institutional scale with specialized market roles, including swap dealing and futures commission merchant services.

Jeff Giguere is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Walnut Creek, CA. His prior experience includes roles at Capital Advantage Inc. and Wells Fargo Advisors. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm follows a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach, emphasizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and tax management, offering a range of implementation options across ETFs, mutual funds, and separately managed accounts.

Michael Mcdonough is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services who holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has 39 years of industry experience. He has worked at Principal Securities Inc. since 2010 and founded MK McDonough Financial & Insurance Services in 2019. Outside of advisory work, he is the owner and developer of Mastering Action Plans for Success, a proprietary goal planning system, and serves as a board member for the Alameda Boys and Girls Club. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers financial planning and retirement consulting, with access to third-party money manager programs under multiple advisory and promoter arrangements.

John Hall II is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and over 31 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at LPL Financial and Waddell & Reed, Inc. He is also an author, having contributed a chapter to the book "Bloom Where You Are Planted and Shine." Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a fiduciary-based advisory model and a range of investment strategies, often implementing advice through third-party managers and technology platforms.

Herbert Pease is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2022. His previous roles include positions at Cavu Wealth Advisors, HSBC Securities, HSBC Bank, and Charles Schwab. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in several community and youth organizations, including serving as president and board member of the West Coast Greco Regional Training Center and as an assistant wrestling coach at De La Salle High School. Mariner Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to pooled vehicles and third-party managers. The firm combines discretionary, customized portfolios overseen by an internal investment committee with integrated tax, accounting, and financial wellness services.

Rebekah Mull is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC. She has nine years of industry experience, including prior roles at Adero Partners, LLC, Ebert Capital Management Inc., and Premier Financial Group. Focus Partners Wealth serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients through 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.

Jason Diaz is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Kestra Advisory and Kestra Investment Services since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, Diaz serves on the Board of Directors for the Selective Service System and participates in motorcycle racing activities, including serving as a treasurer for a racing organization. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to both institutional and individual clients, offering services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, investment advice, and employee education. The firm serves large institutional investors and employs multiple management platforms and third-party solutions in its supervisory framework.

Joseph Carrano is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 16 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation along with Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses. His work history includes roles at Farmers Insurance, Carrington College, and operating his own firms, Carrano Insurance Services, LLC and Carrano Financial Services, Inc. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs supported by internal oversight and multi-asset strategies. The firm combines institutional scale with unique market roles, including in-house research and security-pricing, and provides both discretionary and non-discretionary investment solutions.