Rafael Nieves Rios is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at The Vanguard Group and California Lutheran University. Outside of advising, he works as a freelance consultant focusing on research, marketing, writing, and administrative projects and tutors K-12 and college students. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, offering integrated services through Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and savings rates in its planning, serving a large participant base with a higher client-to-advisor ratio than many peers.

Steven Hong is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Simi Valley, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 27 years of industry experience, including longstanding roles at New York Life Insurance Company since 1999 and NYLIFE Distributors LLC since 2005. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and offers multiple program types, including fee-based advice and co-advisory relationships, with a substantial portion of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Paul Devore is a CFP® with over 54 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Kestra Advisory and has held various roles within affiliated firms since 1981. Devore serves on several nonprofit and community boards, including educational and charitable organizations, as well as maritime-related groups. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to institutional and individual clients. The firm offers a range of services including fiduciary consulting, plan-level investment advice, and pooled plan solutions, supporting large institutional investors along with a diverse client base.

Pierre Bitar is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo and HSBC. 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, alongside broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm combines large institutional scale with specialized market roles such as swap dealing and futures commission merchandising.

Jessica Anseth is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at WCG Wealth Advisors, Cornerstone Wealth Management, LPL Financial, and Bank of America. She provides investment advisory services through Wealth Enhancement Group, an independent registered investment advisor. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized retirement consulting, utilizing a strategic allocation approach that combines passive and active managers supported by quantitative and fundamental research.

Scott Jory is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Westlake Village, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 13 years of industry experience. He has been with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012 and concurrently associated with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2011. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with affiliated brokerage and investment management capabilities.

Awanti Desai is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She specializes in areas such as Family Wealth Management Strategies, Personal Retirement Planning, and Women and Wealth. Awanti works directly with clients to define their financial goals and tailor portfolio strategies that align with their individual needs and circumstances. She brings expertise in general investing, retirement planning, and saving for unforeseen expenses. Awanti values understanding what matters most to her clients, which enables her to provide ongoing advice and adjust strategies as clients' situations evolve. She holds professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Awanti earned a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the Pennsylvania State University System and an Associate's Degree in Economics from Ventura Community College District. She is proficient in English and Marathi. Outside of her professional role, her interests include photography, pottery, reading, running, and traveling.

Pritipal Bhinder is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Thousand Oaks, CA, holding a Series 66 designation with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Joanne Crowley is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Simi Valley, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. She has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2011 and previously at Axa Advisors, LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a trustee for an immediate family member's trust and is conditionally approved as a task force member with the Simi Valley YMCA. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through LPL programs and third-party asset managers. The firm employs a hybrid referral and implementation model and offers advisory and brokerage/insurance services tailored to client goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.

Kathryn Dubois is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with eight years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. and Morgan Stanley since 2018. Her prior work includes roles at Insight Global and Campus Reform. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services that utilize firm-approved tools and models to support tailored planning strategies.

Yecenia Lee is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and having nine years of industry experience. She has worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2019 and previously held positions at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients, offering advisory programs and tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery conversations and firm-approved planning tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and provides a broad range of investment and financial services.

John Hagy is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Westlake Village, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Private Bank from 2017 to 2023. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through a range of brokerage and advisory offerings, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services. The firm delivers advisory work using proprietary research and model-based asset allocations tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Stephanie Krueger is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Westlake Village, CA, holding a Series 66 designation with six years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley since 2017. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients by providing advisory programs and tailored financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process supported by proprietary tools and methodologies.

Hrag Kortoshian is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His career includes roles at Bank of America, HSBC Securities, and Wells Fargo. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal and third-party managers for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional accounts.

Brittney Louise Bell is a financial advisor at Merrill with 16 years at the firm and 7 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Woodland Hills, CA. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies supported by internal Chief Investment Office teams and third-party managers for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Zepyur Vardanyan is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding a Series 66 license and seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, he worked at Bank of America for three years. Outside of his advisory role, he operates a notary services business and provides in-home supportive services as a caregiver. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC delivers investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and an ESG eligibility framework. The firm offers non-discretionary advice through a select group of Wealth Advisors.

Timothy Brown is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with 20 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with UBS since 2006. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as treasurer and board member of the Carmel Music Society, which presents classical music performances on the Monterey Peninsula. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory services, including portfolio management and financial planning. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and uses proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor client plans.

Fariba Hekmat is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 18 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 credential and has been with Wells Fargo Advisors since 2016. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that offers investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad range of planning services, including specialized areas such as business-owner transition and sports & entertainment planning.

Francisco Rodriguez is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and has been with affiliated Wells Fargo entities since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and manages a commercial landscaping business in Oxnard, CA. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory solutions. The firm’s process is driven by investment policy statements and modern portfolio theory, with a range of financial products including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Jonathan Melara is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 66 and Series 63 credentials and four years of industry experience. His career includes positions at J.P. Morgan Securities, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Fidelity Investments, and a one-year tenure at the Ventura County Sheriff's department. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, delivering asset-allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting through a non-discretionary approach. The firm combines quantitative modeling with centralized due diligence and applies an ESG eligibility framework in its recommendations.