Christopher Benz is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC and holds a Series 66 designation. He has two years of industry experience and has worked at Ameritas Investment Company, LLC and David White & Associates, where he is also involved in insurance-related activities. Prior to his financial services roles, he spent several years with Elite Aesthetics Consulting Co and Kid Lingual English School. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm uses a combination of model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities to build customized portfolios across discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

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® with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mariner. His prior roles include positions at Personal Capital Advisors Corporation, GWFS Equities, Empower Advisory Group, and Fisher Investments. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations through customized investment management, financial planning, and additional services such as tax coordination and employer financial-wellness tools. The firm combines internal research with third-party managers for discretionary portfolios and offers integrated tax and administrative family office capabilities.

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.

Darren Taggart is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Citigroup since 2017, with prior roles at JP Morgan Securities LLC and JP Morgan Chase Bank. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs and combines large institutional scale with specialized market roles and arrangements.

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.

Nolan Parker is a financial advisor with Integrity Alliance, LLC and holds a Series 66 designation. He has six years of industry experience, including roles at Lion Street Financial and Fremont Bank. Nolan has also been involved in managing client relationships related to life insurance through PEAK360 Wealth Management. Integrity Alliance serves a broad client base, offering advisory and brokerage services through a large network of over 300 advisors managing approximately $5.4 billion in assets, with investment approaches that include discretionary accounts, model portfolios, and third-party manager referrals.

Stuart Ashwood is a financial advisor at MAI Capital Management, LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked previously at Mirae Asset Wealth Management (USA) and Four Points Advisors. MAI Capital Management provides a range of investment management and wealth management services to individuals, families, institutional clients, and others. The firm manages over $72 billion in assets and offers customized portfolio strategies across multiple asset classes, integrating financial planning and ancillary services into client relationships.

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 with Empower Advisory Group in Concord, CA. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has three years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Empower Financial Services, Symetra Investment Management, and several positions outside the financial sector, including at Pacific Lutheran University and Army & Air Force Exchange Services. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage clients. The firm’s services integrate with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and focus on long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates.

Laurie Marks is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with nine years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has worked at firms including J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and TrigoFi, Inc. She serves on the Finance Committee of the San Francisco Waldorf School, providing financial oversight and planning support. Hightower Advisors offers investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers across a range of investment vehicles.

Evan Rothschild is a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP®, CFA®, and Series 66 designations. His previous roles include positions at Adero Partners, LLC, Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A., Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, Morris Rothschild Capital, and Founders Asset Management LLC. Rothschild also serves on the investment committee of Jade PTC LLC, a private trust company. Focus Partners Wealth 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 using a blend of active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds 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 bringing 32 years of industry experience. His career includes significant tenures at Waddell & Reed, Inc., LPL Financial, and Strategic Wealth Advisors Group. He is also a contributing author to the publication "Bloom Where You Are Planted and Shine." Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to various advisory programs. The firm employs a fiduciary-based model using technology platforms and a range of investment strategies, often implementing advice through third-party managers and TAMPs.