Myrle Simone is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience. She is currently with Creative Planning, LLC and previously spent 18 years at Burt Wealth Advisors. Burt Wealth Advisors is a fee-only, SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals and high-net-worth clients with discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm employs a mix of fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis across various time horizons and primarily allocates assets among mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.

Whitney Turner is a CFP® professional at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Focus Partners, Turner worked at The Meakem Group and Kastle Systems, among other firms. Focus Partners Wealth, LLC serves individuals, families, family offices, and institutional clients with wealth management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. 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.

Myka Koenen is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Wealthspire Advisors with 12 years of industry experience. She has been with Wealthspire Advisors since 2015. Wealthspire Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm offers wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support using a relationship-driven process and institutional-style asset allocation.

James Stewart is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Carmichael Hill since 1993. Stewart is based in Gaithersburg, MD. MAI Capital Management, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm manages $72.3 billion in assets and offers services such as trust administration and insurance through affiliated entities, employing a customized approach across multiple investment strategies and platforms.

Christopher Persak is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities Inc. and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2004. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and active-duty military personnel abroad. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Monique Sinmao is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with 14 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at SOL Capital Management Company, Pontoro, and Marlo. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, charitable institutions, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets as of December 31, 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services and employs a client-specific investment framework that incorporates quantitative screening, manager selection, and access to alternative and private market solutions.

Michael Orleans is an investment advisor representative at Kestra Advisory with 23 years of industry experience. He has worked with Kestra Investment Services since 2010 and Kestra Advisory since 2016. Orleans serves as director of Special Needs Special Planning at The Meltzer Companies and has held leadership roles, including past president of Shared Horizons, where he participated on the finance committee. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a broad range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers services including plan design, fiduciary consulting, vendor searches, and employee education, and manages approximately $79.8 billion in assets for clients such as sovereign wealth funds and large institutional investors.

David Sotsky is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Convergent Wealth Advisors, UBS Financial Services, and Citigroup Global Markets. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a Private Advisor model and a consolidated investment platform, while also operating as a registered broker-dealer with capabilities in securities transactions, variable insurance products, placement, and investment banking services.

Peter Halbrook is a CFP® professional with 14 years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Janney Montgomery Scott LLC and has previously worked at TritonPoint Wealth, Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management, and PNC Wealth Management. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, and institutional clients, offering a range of brokerage services, financial planning, and advisory programs.

Manfred Klee Saieh is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and has previously worked at SOL Capital Management Company and the United Nations Development Programme. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, charitable institutions, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets as of December 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services and employs a client-specific investment framework that integrates quantitative screening, manager selection, and direct security selection, alongside access to alternative and private market solutions for qualified clients.

Shampa Bera is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services and holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. She has 26 years of industry experience, including 10 years with Truist Advisory Services and over 20 years with Truist Investment Services. Outside of her advisory role, she owns a beach condo rental business in Ocean View, Delaware. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes both discretionary and non-discretionary investment approaches, supported by third-party manager platforms and AI-enabled equity research, with a focus on integrated inter-affiliate service arrangements.

Nancy Hendershot is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Rockville, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 37 years of industry experience. She has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 1988 and operates Hendershot Financial Group, where she provides support for corporate responsibilities. Outside of her advisory roles, she serves as Treasurer and Board Member for the nonprofit Walk the Walk Inc. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, advisor-led consulting, and portfolio management through model portfolios and third-party managers, supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team.

Connie Rong is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with six years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2018. Prior to this, she was affiliated with World Financial Group and has experience at Freddie Mac as an operational control analyst. She is also involved in the sales of insurance products affiliated with Transamerica. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers through multiple program platforms, managing approximately $1.7 billion in regulatory assets under management.

Lawrence Fisher II is a financial advisor at Chevy Chase Trust Company with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Chevy Chase Trust since 2010. Chevy Chase Trust Company serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients by providing discretionary and non-discretionary investment management along with personal trust, family wealth, and financial planning services. The firm employs a thematic investment approach focused on secular trends and sector themes, emphasizing longer-term holdings and combining fiduciary trust and custody functions with investment management.

Michael Von Berg is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He has worked with SunTrust Advisory Services since 2012 and Wells Fargo Clearing from 2004 to 2012. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, participants, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships with non-discretionary consulting and utilizes third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools in its investment process.

Michael Perez is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Sterling, VA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having six years of industry experience. He has worked with SunTrust Bank and its related entities since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, Perez manages rental properties through an LLC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary and non-discretionary management strategies and utilizes third-party platforms and AI-enabled equity research to support its investment offerings.

Maria Nikitina is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Bethesda, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies, she worked at NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company, and has experience in nonprofit educational event organization related to sunburn prevention in children. She is also a partner at Cherry Blossom LLC, providing consulting on marketing strategy and personal branding. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Ted Halpern is a financial advisor at MAI Capital Management, LLC with 22 years of industry experience. He previously founded and led Halpern Financial, Inc. for over three decades before joining MAI Capital Management in 2024. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. MAI Capital Management, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm manages a broad range of investment strategies and offers additional services such as trust administration and insurance through affiliated entities.

Andrew Leach is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 12 years of industry experience. He is currently with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and has previously worked at Buckingham Strategic Wealth, LLC and ARK Financial Services, LLC. 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 that combines active and passive strategies within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Stephen Rosen is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 32 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Hightower Advisors and Hightower Securities since 2013. His prior experience includes roles at Morgan Stanley and UBS Financial Services. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm focuses on manager selection and multi-manager solutions, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting through a network of advisor practices.