Jason Shapiro is a financial advisor with Guardian Life in San Diego, CA, holding a Series 63 designation and 16 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Northwestern Mutual from 2008 to 2023 and at Park Avenue Securities/Guardian Life since 2023. Shapiro serves as a board member of the Foundations Board at El Cab and owns JShap Financial, Inc. Park Avenue Securities LLC, operating as Park Avenue® Wealth Management and a subsidiary of Guardian Life, offers brokerage and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes advisor-led discretionary management alongside model-based strategies and provides various financial planning and consulting services tailored to client needs.

Efren Ortiz Espinoza Jr. is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 license and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Wealth Enhancement, he worked at LPL Enterprise LLC and held outside employment with Athleisure Inc. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans by providing financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets, employing a diversified investment approach that blends passive and active managers guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Garrett Gates is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with seven years of industry experience, currently associated with Guardian Life in San Diego, CA. Prior to his current role, he spent five years with Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue Securities LLC, offers brokerage and advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm utilizes a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, providing clients access to a range of investment and insurance solutions.

Erick Montiel is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC for nine years before joining his current firm in 2022. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved consultatively in a family business and shares responsibilities related to a commercial property investment. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse clientele, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporate and retirement plans. The firm uses a combination of firm- and third-party investment models, strategic asset allocation, and both active and passive portfolio management to develop tailored client strategies.

Tyler Venegas is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with six years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. His prior experience includes roles at Merrill, Vanguard Advisers, USAA, and TIAA-CREF. 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 retail brokerage clients. The firm’s integrated approach is tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions focused on long-term portfolio returns and clients’ savings rates.

Duane Knopke is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 51 years of industry experience. He worked at LPL Financial for 11 years before joining Independent Financial Group in 2009. Knopke also operates an independent insurance business focused on life, health, disability insurance, and fixed annuities. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management through multiple platforms, utilizing both firm- and third-party models to tailor strategies based on client risk profiles.

Evan Cohen is a financial advisor at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd with 16 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Edward Jones and Morgan Stanley. Cohen is based in San Diego, CA. Stratos Wealth Partners is an SEC-registered enterprise advisor with approximately 379 advisors and $18.6 billion in assets under management. The firm serves a broad mix of clients including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, nonprofits, and other institutions, offering customized portfolio management, financial planning, and outsourced CIO solutions through an independent contractor model and an open-architecture platform.

Nathan Sorkin is a CFP® and Series 65 credentialed financial advisor with Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd, based in San Diego, CA. He has three years of industry experience and has held prior roles at San Diego State University, the City of Del Mar, and Torrey Pines High School. Stratos Wealth Partners is an enterprise firm with approximately 379 advisors managing about $18.6 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, nonprofits, and institutional clients, using a model that emphasizes independent advisor discretion and an open-architecture investment approach incorporating multiple third-party platforms and managers.

Halle Hewitt is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. in San Diego, CA, bringing one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Stratos, she worked at WCG Wealth Advisors, LLC and Fides Wealth Strategies Group. Hewitt’s background also includes roles outside the financial industry, such as positions at Ketch Grill & Taps and involvement with the YMCA San Diego. Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser with approximately 379 advisors and $18.6 billion in assets under management. The firm serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and nonprofits, employing an open-architecture investment approach that integrates multiple third-party platforms and managers to provide customized portfolio management and specialized planning services.

Nicholas Clark is a financial advisor with Guardian Life, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and MML Investors Services. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers tailored financial planning and consulting through advisor-led discretionary and model-based strategies, combined with proprietary and third-party platforms.

John Foster is a CFP® with 34 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Independent Financial Group, LLC since 2026. His prior experience includes roles at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life, where he worked for 20 years. Outside of advisory services, he teaches financial professionals at Guardian on the Living Balance Sheet software and is also engaged in authoring books. Independent Financial Group, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and pension plans, offering financial planning and portfolio management through multiple platforms and third-party managers. The firm combines strategic asset allocation with active and passive investment approaches, providing tailored client strategies developed by its Investment Adviser Representatives.

Chau Lai is a CFP® and ChFC® with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, where he has worked since 1999 and 2002, respectively. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Vice Chair of the Philanthropy Committee on the UC San Diego Alumni Board. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies through proprietary and third-party platforms, with services tailored by investment adviser representatives to meet diverse client needs.

Colin Domonoske is a financial advisor at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Brown Wealth Management and Allegiance Inc. prior to joining Stratos. Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd is an SEC-registered enterprise firm with approximately 379 advisors managing around $18.6 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, nonprofits, and institutional clients, employing an IAR-driven model that offers customized portfolio management via an open-architecture platform integrating multiple third-party managers.

Antonio Montalvo is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has worked with Eagle Strategies since 2021 and has longstanding ties to New York Life and Nylife Securities Inc., with over four decades at these firms. Outside of his advisory role, he is an owner of rental property. Eagle Strategies serves a broad range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services. The firm offers multiple program types and focuses primarily on non-discretionary asset management within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Jenifer Pratt is a CFP®, PFS™, and Series 65-registered financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience. She has worked at Creative Planning since 2021 and previously held roles at Reilly Financial Advisors and Aldrich Wealth. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a wide range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm applies a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies alongside selective private market exposure.

Michael Tobin is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 35 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Hartford Funds Management Company, LLC, Hartford Funds Distributors, LLC, LPL Financial, and Invesco Advisers, Inc. He has worked with Capital Growth Inc. and Independent Financial Group since 2026. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, corporate and pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes firm- and third-party models, combining strategic asset allocation with multi-manager portfolios and ongoing due diligence, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management through multiple platforms.

Doan Nguyen is a financial advisor with Guardian Life, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at Park Avenue Securities and Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, among other firms. Outside of financial advising, he is licensed to sell Medicare plans. Guardian Life, through its subsidiary Park Avenue Wealth Management, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers tailored client solutions combining discretionary management, model-based strategies, and access to insurance and alternative investment products.

Dena Schwartz is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 29 years of industry experience. Her prior firms include LPL Financial, Wells Fargo Investments, and Mutual Service Corporation. 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 financial planning, portfolio management across multiple platforms, and utilizes a combination of passive and active investment strategies tailored to client risk profiles.

Jerald Van Houten is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 28 years of industry experience. His prior affiliations include Cetera Wealth Services, Cetera Advisor Networks, and Cetera. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in teaching and coaching through organizations such as Kingdom Advisors and the John Maxwell Group, and he serves as Central Valley Chapter President for the Main Street Chamber. Independent Financial Group, LLC offers investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and institutions. The firm provides financial planning and portfolio management using both firm and third-party models, combining strategic asset allocation with ongoing manager due diligence.

Michael Tallon is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2021. His prior roles include positions at JP Morgan Securities, Strategic Advisers, Inc., and Fidelity Investments. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm combines in-house research with third-party managers and provides integrated tax and accounting services alongside traditional portfolio management.