Francesco Ruggeri is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at TCFG Investment Advisors, Securities America Advisors, and Wells Fargo, among others. Outside of advisory services, Ruggeri is a passive investor in several restaurant ventures, including a San Francisco omakase restaurant, and holds ownership in related business entities. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and institutional plans. The firm employs a combination of strategic asset allocation and multi-manager portfolios, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management through various platforms and third-party managers.

Shannon Foster is a CFP® certificant with seven years of industry experience, currently working at Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. since 2019. Prior to joining Schwab, she worked at The Vanguard Group and has experience with Charles Schwab and Zoe Boutique. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning primarily for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program. The firm uses standard asset-allocation models and internal research tools to deliver tailored investment recommendations without exercising discretionary trading authority.

Adem Abate is a financial advisor at Corient in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with five years of industry experience. His prior firms include UBS, Penserra Securities, JP Morgan Chase Bank, and AXA Advisors. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and utilizes risk management tools and stress testing to align portfolios with client objectives.

Joshua Block is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in San Diego, CA, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Mercer, he worked at RemoteLink Solutions and studied at San Diego State University. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and related planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor strategies, low-cost index vehicles, regular rebalancing, and tax management.

Brian Hebert is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed advisor with Corient, based in San Diego, CA, and has three years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at Baker Tilly US, LLP and Dowling & Yahnke, LLC. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach combining in-house strategies and third-party managers, supported by continuous portfolio monitoring and risk management tools.

Michael Gottman is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in San Diego, CA. Prior to joining First Citizens in 2025, he worked at The Vanguard Group, Inc. from 2017 to 2025. He also has a background that includes employment at Goldman Realty and a role at San Diego State University. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a client process centered on financial needs assessment and applies fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to portfolio allocation across various asset classes.

Kendrick Uyeda is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Corient with 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Corient and its affiliated entities since 2022 and previously spent 25 years at Dowling & Yahnke, LLC. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and uses risk management tools and stress testing to align portfolios with client objectives.

Joshua Harlan is a financial advisor with Hightower Advisors in San Diego, CA, holding a Series 65 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Hightower Advisors since 2019 and previously at Delphi Private Advisors and Sunrise Capital Partners. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a wide range of individual and institutional clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting through a multi-manager approach that includes both affiliated and third-party managers. The firm’s model incorporates proprietary research and a variety of investment vehicles to address diverse client needs, including international and institutional mandates.

Margoth Romero is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 12 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. Romero previously worked at Delphi Private Advisors for six years before joining Hightower Advisors in 2019. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm’s advisory approach includes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, with a focus on discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting.

Bridgette Ziolkowski is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in San Diego, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. She has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2012 and is also involved in coaching through Clear Intentions Coaching, where she practices as an energy healer and facilitator specializing in modalities such as Reiki and breathwork. Additionally, she rents a Tesla Model 3 through the Turo platform. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.

Mahalene Dulay is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Foresters Advisory Services LLC and Foresters Financial Services. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved as a PTA board member focusing on diversity and inclusion, and she owns two ventures focused on financial education and consulting for financial professionals. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to institutional and individual clients, offering services such as plan design, fiduciary consulting, and employee education. The firm manages approximately $79.8 billion in assets and serves a diverse client base, including large institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds.

Timothy Linaugh is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc. in San Diego, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at The Leaders Group Inc, Lincoln Investment, and Capital Analysts Inc. He is also involved as a Sales Vice President at Pacific Southwest Financial, where he assists insurance producers with life insurance product design and underwriting. TLG Advisors, Inc. manages approximately $2.0 billion in discretionary client assets and serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and institutional investors. The firm provides investment supervisory and portfolio management, comprehensive financial and estate planning, and ERISA fiduciary services, utilizing a research approach based on fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory.

Ronald Farr is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 50 years of industry experience. He has worked with New York Life Insurance Company since 1967 and has been affiliated with Eagle Strategies since 1999. In addition to his advisory role, Farr operates Farr Financial & Insurance Services, brokering non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutional plans, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored solutions delivered through various program types, primarily managing assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Gabriel Martin is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2007. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients, offering a broad range of investment advisory programs and execution services across multiple wealth segments. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and maintains unique market roles including in-house research, swap dealing, and futures commission merchant activities.

Frederick Farnsworth is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with 45 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His prior roles include positions at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he owns and operates Altitude Helicopters, an educational business based in San Diego, CA. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, as well as institutional clients. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and operates as a registered broker-dealer providing a consolidated investment platform that includes equities, fixed income, and alternatives.

Ekaterina Hanhauser is a financial advisor with D.A. Davidson & Co. in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. She previously worked for an independent financial group for 10 years before joining D.A. Davidson in 2021. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as PTA president at Los Penasquitos Elementary School, assisting with school activities and event planning. D.A. Davidson & Co. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including employer-sponsored retirement plans, individual investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a range of advisory services under fiduciary standards and integrates quantitative analysis and third-party tools in its investment recommendations.

Mark San Giacomo is a financial advisor with Guardian Life, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. He has worked with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities in various capacities since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a single-family rental property. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue Securities LLC, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers tailored financial planning and portfolio management through a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, supported by proprietary and third-party platforms.

William Levy is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining GWN Securities, he worked at Pacific Coast Valet and has educational experience from Boston College and local schools in San Diego. GWN Securities provides investment advisory and related services to individual and corporate clients through various managed account programs and financial planning options. The firm uses a combination of affiliated and unaffiliated sub-advisers and incorporates market-timing and momentum-based strategies in certain legacy programs.

Charles Fowler is a CFP® and CFA® with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2015. Based in San Diego, CA, he holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Mariner serves a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm combines customized portfolio management with in-house research and third-party strategies, and provides integrated tax and administrative services uncommon for a firm of its size.

William Gloer is a CFP® professional with 38 years of industry experience, currently serving at Schwab Wealth Advisory since 2023. His prior roles include 18 years at Charles Schwab Bank and over two decades at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in rental services as a landlord. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain referred clients. The firm’s guidance is based on Charles Schwab & Co.’s asset-allocation models and research tools, offering tailored recommendations and requiring client authorization for trades.