Douglas Shepard is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in San Diego, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 27 years of industry experience, including 12 years with New York Life Insurance Company. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutional clients, and retirement plan sponsors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages a majority of its regulatory assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Ezekiel Cortez I is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group holding a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Empower, he worked at Vail Resorts and Whole Foods Market. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily for employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, delivering services through an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and manages a large participant base relative to its advisor headcount.

Troy Pearson is a financial advisor at Independent Financial Group, LLC with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Independent Financial Group since 2004. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporate and pension plans. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions, utilizing both firm- and third-party models to tailor investment strategies based on client risk tolerances.

Jessica Marchesini is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network with 13 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Commonwealth since 2009, with a brief tenure at LPL Financial beginning in 2026. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing about $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a comprehensive adviser-support platform including managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, and custody services.

David Cariani is a CFP® and CFA® with 18 years of industry experience. He is currently with Private Advisor Group, LLC, where he has worked since 2022, following roles at Centura Wealth Advisory, Reilly Financial Advisors, Merrill, and Valuevest Management Company II. Outside of his advisory work, Mr. Cariani operates under the business name Advanced Wealth Advisory, LLC and holds an insurance license, offering insurance products separately from his investment services. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a fiduciary-based advisory model and utilizes technology platforms and third-party managers to implement a range of investment strategies.

John Nielander is a financial advisor with Cerity Partners LLC in San Diego, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has less than one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Cerity Partners, he spent several years in full-time education and held positions at the University of San Diego. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a diverse national client base, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored asset allocation and manager selection processes, incorporating proprietary quantitative screens and third-party managers, and offers access to alternative and private-market investments.

Kevin Yang is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and two years of industry experience. He has been with Empower Advisory Group since 2025 and was previously affiliated with Empower Financial Services, Inc. from 2023. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s services are integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and emphasize long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing.

Jennifer Hart is a financial advisor with Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd in San Diego, CA. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 27 years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at LPL Financial, LLC, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup Global Markets. Stratos Wealth Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers financial planning, advisor-managed programs, model portfolios, and retirement plan consulting through a large network of investment adviser representatives who provide both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management.

Elisabeth Cullington is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 25 years of industry experience. She is currently with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and has prior experience at The Colony Group, LLC and HoyleCohen, LLC. Cullington also has a long-standing association with CT. General Life Insurance Company. Focus Partners Wealth serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with comprehensive wealth management and advisory services. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach combining active and passive strategies within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Cara Witt Landefeld is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with nine years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and EquityBee prior to her current role. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and combines large institutional scale with specialized market roles, including derivatives and futures services.

Stephen Kelly is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Guardian Life in San Diego, CA. He has worked at Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Liberty ID, a business focused on identity restoration. Park Avenue Securities LLC, doing business as Park Avenue® Wealth Management, is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and a range of investment advisory programs through proprietary and third-party models.

Jonas Noack is a CFA® charterholder with three years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. He previously worked at Northrop Grumman and Meketa Investment Group. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments by providing investment advisory services along with financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning. The firm employs a globally diversified investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory, using a mix of low-cost ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and private funds, and offers specialized programs and tax-management options.

Ian Carr is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Commonwealth in 2022, he worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank and JP Morgan Securities LLC from 2015 to 2021 and spent a year as a homemaker and at-home dad. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their retail and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and services, including discretionary model portfolios and personalized investment solutions, while providing operational, trading, technology, and compliance support to affiliated advisors.

Mark Welsh is a financial advisor at Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Laurel Wealth Advisors, Inc. since 2011 before joining Integrated Wealth Concepts in 2023. Integrated Wealth Concepts serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a large network of independent financial advisors. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, family office, and retirement plan advisory services, using customized portfolios that combine mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income with both internally managed and third-party strategies.

Katherine Fries is a Certified Financial Planner® with 21 years of industry experience. She is currently with Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC and previously spent over 17 years at The Family Firm. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm employs a disciplined approach that includes allocating across third-party independent managers selected through a proprietary due-diligence process and offers a variety of services including discretionary wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and outsourced CIO solutions.

Matthew Streeter is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with a Series 66 credential. He has experience working at several firms, including Park Avenue Securities and PBO Advisory Group. Streeter is based in San Diego, CA, and has been with Guardian Life since 2026. Park Avenue Securities LLC, operating as Park Avenue® Wealth Management and a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage services, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and investment advisory programs to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients.

Emily Stevens is a financial advisor at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd with two years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Charles Schwab & Co, Inc. and Charles Schwab Bank, SSB. Stratos Wealth Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers financial planning, advisor-managed wrap and non-wrap programs, model portfolios, third-party manager solutions, and retirement plan consulting through a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Erick Conway is a financial advisor at Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and Series 66 license. Prior to joining Integrated Wealth Concepts in 2024, he worked at Von Berge Wealth Management Group, Laurel Wealth Advisors, and Wells Fargo Advisors. He is also an independent insurance agent licensed to sell life, accident, and health insurance products. Integrated Wealth Concepts serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent advisors. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, family office, and retirement plan advisory services, utilizing customized portfolios with a long-term investment approach alongside shorter-term trades for rebalancing or cash needs.

Brandon Borcic is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with five years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at GWFS Equities, INC, Core Staff, Jeppesen Sanderson, and Staff Pro. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage clients. The firm uses an integrated model tied to Empower’s administrative platforms, offering both point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Branden Frazier is a Certified Financial Planner® at Creative Planning with 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Creative Planning since 2012. Based in San Diego, CA, he is part of a large advisory team serving a diverse client base. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in client assets and emphasizes a financial planning-led investment process that includes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.