Francis Brown is a financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been in the industry since 2025. Prior to joining Schwab Wealth Advisory, he worked at Brown Advisory from 2022 to 2025 and at Key Private Bank from 2012 to 2022. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations primarily for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and those referred by Charles Schwab & Co. The firm’s advice is guided by Schwab’s asset-allocation models and research tools, with recommendations tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerance.

Jack Island is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with a Series 66 credential and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance. Outside the financial sector, he has worked in hospitality and service roles at Bushel and a Peck Kitchen and Bar, Konstantine's Greek Taverna, and the Virginia Tech Golf Course. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm uses a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, supported by proprietary programs and third-party platforms, to tailor client relationships across various mandates and consulting services.

Kevin Wiley is a financial advisor with Osaic Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Osaic, he worked at Amazon Web Services for nine years. He also provides financial advisory services at Aeon Wealth Management, where he assists with client onboarding and financial planning. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, corporate and charitable entities, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers a variety of investment programs and consulting services, utilizing multiple strategies and platform relationships to deliver tailored solutions.

Frances Makino is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 39 years of industry experience. She worked at Commonwealth Equity Services, Inc. for 33 years before joining her current firm in 2025. Makino also teaches a personal finance course through Howard County Parks & Recreation. 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 offers financial planning and portfolio management through multiple platforms, utilizing both passive and active strategies tailored to client risk profiles.

Mark Ulicny is a CFP® with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving at Prime Capital Financial. His prior roles include positions at Private Client Services, Cetera Advisor Networks, United Capital Financial Advisers, and Girard Securities. He is also involved as an insurance agent with PCRM, LLC, focusing on fixed insurance products. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans with services that include asset management, financial planning, and family office offerings. The firm utilizes a range of investment strategies and provides tax planning and consolidated reporting through its affiliated accounting subsidiary and family office practice.

Amanda Plonski is a financial advisor at Cresset Asset Management, LLC with 18 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® designation as well as Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Prior to her current role, she worked at PagnatoKarp Partners, LLC for four years. Cresset Asset Management is a multi-disciplinary investment adviser managing approximately $78.9 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors, employing a disciplined, risk-aware approach that integrates strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and a combination of active and passive strategies across public and alternative investments.

Joan Confoy is a CFP® professional with 33 years of industry experience. She is currently with Private Advisor Group, LLC and LPL Financial, and has prior experience at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors and FINRA’s Office of Dispute Resolution, where she has served as an arbitrator since 2000. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by providing discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to various advisory programs including proprietary and third-party managed account solutions.

Michael Hoffman is a CFP® professional with over 31 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Truist Advisory Services since 2016 and has prior experience at Truist Securities, Inc. spanning more than two decades. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, plan sponsor fiduciary support, participant advice, and manages the AMC Advantage manager-selection program through a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches.

Craig Smith is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at HSBC Securities and Equitable Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a wedding officiant and pre-marital counseling facilitator. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and business entities. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed accounts.

Patrick Gallagher is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience. He is currently with Creative Planning, LLC, where he has worked for five years, and previously spent a year at Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros, and Blayney (SBSB). Gallagher’s background also includes four years at Virginia Tech. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in client assets through over 1,100 advisors and 151 offices.

Jonathan Bjoring is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 27 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at PNC Investments. His current tenure includes seven years at SunTrust Advisory Services and SunTrust Investment Services. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Handan Gencogluer is a ChFC®-designated financial advisor with 41 years of industry experience. She has worked at Eagle Strategies (NY Life) since 2014, following prior roles at Guardian Life and MSI Financial Services. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated investment adviser representatives. The firm offers multiple program types tailored to client objectives, with a significant portion of its assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Caroline Szivos is an advisor at Chevy Chase Trust Company with Series 63 and Series 65 designations. She has been with the firm since 2026 and previously operated ArtfulPrint LLC for 14 years. Chevy Chase Trust Company serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients, offering investment management, trust, custody, and financial planning services. The firm employs a thematic investment approach centered on macro trends and sectors, combining fiduciary trust and custody functions within its integrated enterprise model.

Gordon Sun is a financial advisor at HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc., Bank of America, N.A., and Citigroup Global Markets, among other firms. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to a broad client base, including individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations, utilizing both client-directed and discretionary strategies. The firm employs a multi-profile investment approach that integrates strategic and tactical asset allocation with due diligence and monitoring conducted by affiliated specialists.

Robert Crandall is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding a Series 63 designation and over 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities Inc. since 2004. Outside his advisory role, he is involved in fixed insurance activities including life, disability, annuities, and long-term care insurance. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager programs under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Jason Williams is a CFP® and PFS™ affiliated with Creative Planning, bringing 22 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc. for 17 years before joining Creative Planning in 2021. Creative Planning serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans, managing approximately $217 billion in assets. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by tax-loss harvesting and fundamental equity sleeves, supported by a broad advisory team and integrated investment infrastructure.

Joseph Falchek III is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience currently serving at Cresset Asset Management, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Sullivan Bruyette Speros & Blayney and PagnatoKarp Partners, LLC. Cresset Asset Management, LLC is an SEC-registered adviser managing approximately $71.9 billion in client assets for a diverse client base, including individuals, families, trusts, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm focuses on diversified, asset-allocation-driven portfolio construction using both active and passive strategies and provides a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, private fund advisory, and family office services.

Claire Weil is a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with 31 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at firms including The Colony Group, LLC, GYL Financial Synergies, LLC, Wells Fargo Advisors, and Prudential Equity Group, LLC. Outside of advising, she manages a rental property in Scotland, handling tax reporting and occasional maintenance coordination. Focus Partners Wealth serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients, offering wealth management, financial and tax planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that integrates active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds under an enhanced open architecture framework.

Ambika Bablani is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Vienna, VA, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. She has been associated with Eagle Strategies, New York Life Insurance Company, and Eldenstreet Financial, LLC during her career. Eagle Strategies serves a broad mix of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated representatives. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages a significant portion of its assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Lauren Rathsack is a financial advisor at Wealthspire Advisors with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Wealthspire Advisors in 2025, she worked at Janney Montgomery Scott and InFocus Financial Advisors. She is involved with the Baltimore Estate Planning Council. Wealthspire Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, nonprofits, and trustees, offering wealth management, financial planning, and trust administration services. The firm employs a customized, relationship-driven approach with institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a variety of investment vehicles and third-party platforms to manage client portfolios.