Patricia Penn is a CFP® with 32 years of experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Alexandria, VA. She has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2009 and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that offers a broad range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, providing tailored financial planning and managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets. Their planning process uses firm-approved tools and models but places implementation responsibility with clients, generally acting in an advisory capacity rather than as an ERISA fiduciary unless otherwise engaged.

Deepa Massand is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 16 years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill since 2004 and is currently associated with Bank of America, N.A. Prior to her current role, she worked at Merrill for over two decades. Outside of her advisory duties, she is a member of two LLCs unrelated to investment management. 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, offering a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Liam McCracken is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a role he has held since 2025. He began his career at Fidelity as a Relationship Manager in 2023 before transitioning to an Investment Consultant position in 2024. In his current role, Liam partners with clients through the financial planning process to develop plans that are appropriate and understandable, focusing on goals such as retirement and other financial objectives. His approach emphasizes collaboration throughout each phase of the client's financial journey. Outside of his professional work, Liam has personal interests that include cars, cooking and baking, football, social events with friends, golf, and music.

Sam Kast is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and no prior industry experience. His background includes a variety of roles outside finance, including positions related to Clemson University and work in the food service industry. 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, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Ernesto Espejo is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in White Plains, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and over 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2004. Espejo serves as a board member for Spring Dell Center, Inc., a nonprofit organization in La Plata, MD. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a wide range of investment strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs and separately managed accounts. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates through a nationwide network of over 23,000 financial advisors and more than 15,000 branch offices.

Marie Meuschke is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where she has been serving clients since 2014. Holding the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations, she provides comprehensive financial advice focused on personal retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, retirement income, and addressing the financial needs of women and wealth. Marie advises families and individuals in the DMV area and beyond, applying a client-centered approach that prioritizes their interests and goals. She builds personalized financial strategies to help clients navigate changing market conditions and achieve their objectives. Originally from New York, Marie earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Economics from Loyola University of Maryland. Beyond her professional work, Marie participates in community volunteering in line with the Merrill tradition. She lives in Baltimore with her fiancé and their dog, and her personal interests include cooking, football, golfing, knitting, crocheting, reading, and spending time with her family.

George Balboa Jr. is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and leads the financial services for the Balboa & Blevins Group. He has more than 34 years of experience providing financial and wealth management guidance and services. He focuses on wealth management and strategic planning services, including asset allocation, retirement, estate, and succession planning. George holds multiple professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). He graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor's degree and earned his high school diploma from Bullis School. George is proficient in both English and Spanish. He has been recognized on the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list for seven consecutive years from 2019 through 2025. His client focus areas encompass college education planning, family wealth management strategies, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, individual and corporate investment strategy, tax minimization, and retirement income.

Latrina Green is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Washington, DC, with 22 years of industry experience. She has worked with various Morgan Stanley entities since 2005, including Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools and modeling techniques to support its financial planning process.

Charmaine Cheng is a Client Experience Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, she works closely with clients to understand their current financial situations and introduces them to solutions available through Merrill and Bank of America. She focuses on empowering clients with knowledge and tools to help manage their financial lives effectively. Charmaine holds professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). She earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin System and a Master's degree from George Mason University. Her professional philosophy centers on helping clients identify what matters most to them and their families to develop strategies that pursue their financial goals.

Kelsey Henneman is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a position held since 2026. She is involved in creating personalized financial plans that align with the unique goals of individuals and families, utilizing Fidelity's strategic portfolios and innovative approaches. Prior to her current role, she served as an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments from 2025 to 2026. Her professional experience includes roles such as Senior Private Wealth Associate at Bernstein Private Wealth Management from 2022 to 2025, and Senior Investment Operations Associate at Cambridge Associates LLC from 2020 to 2022. These roles have contributed to her expertise in financial consulting and wealth management.

Michael Berens is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 37 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 and Series 63 designations and has been with RBC Capital Markets Corporation since 2008. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individual investors, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering a range of advisory programs that combine discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management with financial planning and brokerage services. RBC Wealth Management tailors strategies to clients’ risk profiles and employs both in-house and third-party investment managers to implement portfolios.

John Rutherford is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with five years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked with Wells Fargo Bank, NA since 2015. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions, utilizing research and analytics based on diversification principles and modern portfolio theory.

Paula Heichel is a CFP® professional with 45 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously spent 14 years at Citigroup Global Markets. Based in Washington, DC, she has maintained ownership of a rental property since 1986. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm providing investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services to individual, corporate, and institutional clients, with an emphasis on research-driven investment strategies and a broad range of financial products distributed through bank and insurance affiliates.

Talya Bock is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She specializes in providing personalized financial strategies that align with clients' values and personal priorities, focusing on areas such as family wealth management, socially responsible investing, philanthropic planning, legacy planning, and special needs planning. Talya's approach involves ongoing consultations to help clients pursue their long-term financial goals. With more than a decade of experience in financial services, Talya holds several professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), Chartered Special Needs Consultant® (ChSNC), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA), and Sports & Entertainment (SE). She holds bachelor's degrees in Economic History and Talmud from Barnard College and The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, graduating Magna Cum Laude, as well as a Master's degree in education from The Jewish Theological Seminary. Talya is multilingual, speaking Hebrew, French, and English. Outside of her professional work, Talya is actively involved in community service, serving on the boards of non-profit organizations such as Mechon Hadar and the Tikkun Olam Women's Foundation. She enjoys activities including camping, cooking, hiking, running, running marathons, scuba diving, spending time with her family, and practicing yoga.

Bertrand Ong is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. His career includes eight years at UBS Financial Services prior to joining Wells Fargo in 2016. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and employs over 14,000 advisors, offering a wide range of brokerage and advisory solutions supported by extensive research and analytics.

Jacob Wood is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones in Washington, DC, where he has worked since 2021. He has four years of industry experience, including prior roles at Splashtacular LLC and Water Technology Inc. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Erin Turner is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Washington, DC, holding a Series 66 designation with 17 years of industry experience. She worked at Goldman, Sachs & Co. for 10 years before joining Morgan Stanley in 2017. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs including tailored financial planning and estate planning strategies. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools and modeling techniques as part of its advisory process.

Michael Macintyre is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015 and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and uses structured planning tools and scenario modeling to support its financial planning process.

Damien Barros is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He focuses on building strong financial relationships by understanding what matters most to his clients and helping them turn their financial goals into clear, actionable strategies. He specializes in various areas including education planning, family wealth management strategies, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, legacy planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, small business strategies, sports and entertainment, and tax minimization. Damien also collaborates with professionals such as CPAs and estate attorneys to address broader financial considerations that clients may encounter throughout different stages of their lives. Damien holds a Bachelor's Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Outside of work, he values family and maintains a balance between his career and personal life. He enjoys biking, hiking, going to the gym, playing tennis and basketball, and participates as a member of the NOVA Tennis League.

Stephen Bearce is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Alexandria, VA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at McLaughlin Ryder Advisory Services, Coburn & Meredith, Inc., and Citigroup Global Markets. He serves as a trustee for a non-family irrevocable life insurance trust. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm offering investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and provides a combination of brokerage and advisory solutions, with a focus on research-driven portfolio construction and a range of financial products distributed through affiliated entities.