Nga Pho is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Chapel Hill, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 13 years of industry experience. Prior to rejoining Morgan Stanley in 2024, Pho worked at Edward Jones and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning supported by its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process that utilizes firm-approved tools and market scenario modeling.

Florence Smith is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently advising clients at Raymond James & Associates in Chapel Hill, NC. Prior to joining Raymond James, she worked briefly at Amphora Wealth Management and spent time focused on CFP education and exams. Smith serves as Treasurer and board member of the Hillsborough Arts Council, a nonprofit organization. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities, offering non-discretionary financial planning and consulting supported by extensive research and multiple portfolio management styles.

Kailee Vanderlinden is a financial advisor with Fidelity in Cary, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Fidelity, she worked in various roles including positions at Marriott Vacation Club, Alfred University, and Nordstrom. Outside of her advisory role, she works as an independent contractor for DoorDash. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a broad client base, utilizing a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and systematic methodologies to construct model portfolios from mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs. The firm serves retail and institutional investors, alongside registered investment companies and charitable funds.

Robert Massey is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 credentials and previously worked at VALIC Financial Advisors Inc from 2016 to 2022. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an executor for his late father's estate. He is part of Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm employs a systematic investment process combining fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction.

Aaron Ingram is a financial advisor with Fidelity in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked in various roles including at Customer HD and Neonova Network Services. He is also a mentor for ClimbHire, where he helps individuals understand financial concepts and prepare for the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam. Fidelity's Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a diverse client base, utilizing a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios, including model portfolios delivered to intermediary platforms.

Luke Pelletier is a financial advisor at Fidelity with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Fidelity Investments since 2021. His prior experience includes roles at Virtual Service Operations and Nexu Partners. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including IRS-qualified charitable funds and registered investment companies. The firm uses a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver systematic, long-term asset allocation-based model portfolios.

Suneed Ahmed is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and four years of industry experience. He has held roles at Fidelity since 2021 and has worked in educational and retail settings early in his career. Outside of his advisory work, Ahmed coaches running and volunteers as a scorekeeper and referee for a local ball hockey league. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to both retail and institutional clients, utilizing a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to develop model portfolios from a broad investable universe.

Charles Houston is a CFP® professional with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving at Edward Jones since 2012. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and is based in Apex, NC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, with a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors.

Michael Esser is a CFP® and ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2008, based in Durham, NC. Esser serves on the North Carolina Bar Association’s Investment Committee, where he advises on investments. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm with over 23,700 advisors serving a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions under a fiduciary standard, supported by a large branch network and affiliated financial services.

Henry Stilley III is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services, holding a Series 66 credential and five years of industry experience. He has worked with StillGreen Partners, LLC, WWM Group, LLC, and Hargett Hunter Capital Management LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the finance and investment committee of the Frankie Lemmon School and Foundation and acts as trustee for an irrevocable trust focused on asset protection strategies. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm employs tailored, non-discretionary planning and analytical tools to support client goals and maintains specialized offerings in municipal finance and SIMPLE IRA consulting.

James Cobb is a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he collaborates with clients to understand their personal values and financial goals, working together to develop tailored financial plans. He is part of a team dedicated to helping clients build personalized plans that they feel comfortable and confident with. He joined Fidelity Investments in 2021, progressing from Workplace Planning Consultant I to Planning Consultant within the organization. Prior to Fidelity, James worked as an Associate Financial Advisor at Fortress Financial Partners from 2020 to 2021.

Tyler Parker is a financial advisor at Cetera with four years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. His prior roles include positions at Minnesota Life Insurance, Securian Financial Services, and North Star Resource Group. Outside of advisory work, he is involved as an agent/broker offering fixed insurance and group benefits through North Star Consultants and North Star Brokerage Group. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm provides a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform with various program structures and access to third-party money managers.

Noah Zaiser is a financial advisor with Fidelity in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Southern National LLC and Crossroads Sexual Assault Response & Resource Center. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, offers investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, emphasizing a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm manages model portfolios constructed from mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs and serves as an advisor to multiple registered investment companies and fund-of-funds.

Thomas Mcgowen Jr. is a financial advisor with OSAIC, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Lincoln Financial Advisors for 18 years and is a partner at the CPA firm Stout Stuart Mcgowen & King LLP, where he has served since 1984. Mcgowen is a volunteer board member and endowment committee chair of the Old North State Council Boy Scouts of America. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and charitable organizations through a broad network of affiliated advisers and multiple advisory platforms. The firm offers integrated brokerage and advisory services, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money managers using asset-allocation tools and automated rebalancing.

Zachary Sholtz is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and four years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Save-A-Lot Inc. and Publix. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients using a combination of proprietary fundamental research and quantitative analysis. The firm is noted for its use of algorithmic portfolio construction, management of registered investment companies, and advisory services that include model portfolios and fund-of-funds structures.

Garrett Ellinger is a financial advisor with Fidelity Investments in Durham, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Minnesota Life Insurance Co, Securian Financial Services, and a position with the District Attorney for Catawba County. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, offers investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including registered investment companies and an IRS-qualified Charitable Gift Fund. The firm uses a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios, with specialized advisory roles in fund structures and model portfolio delivery.

Joseph Hagen is a financial advisor at Stifel in Chapel Hill, NC, with 43 years of industry experience. He has held his current position at Stifel Nicolaus since 2008. Hagen holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Stifel serves a diverse client base that includes individuals, institutional clients, charitable organizations, and municipal entities. The firm offers brokerage and investment advisory services supported by a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

James Sessoms is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Chapel Hill, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and possessing 40 years of industry experience. His career includes long tenures at Merrill and Bank of America prior to joining Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a broad range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery conversations and firm-approved planning tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and serves clients both directly and through Corporate Financial Planning agreements with employers.

Lashawnda Crouch is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and two years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at OE Enterprises and Richmond Community Support. She is affiliated with Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a combination of proprietary research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction in its investment approach.

Adrian Marshall is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been affiliated with various Fidelity brokerage services roles since 2006. He works within Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm uses a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver model portfolios and manages multiple registered investment companies and fund-of-funds.