Samantha Mello is a CFA® charterholder with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services since 2021. Her prior experience includes roles at Suntrust Advisory Services, Suntrust Investment Services, and Fidelity Investments. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering solutions that include asset allocation, investment policy analysis, and a third-party manager selection program. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships with non-discretionary consulting and integrates advanced tools such as AI-enabled research to support its investment processes.

Theodore Schwab is a financial advisor with Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Raymond James Financial Services and multiple Steward Partners entities since 2013. Outside of advisory work, he is the founder and owner of The Schwab Group and has co-founded and held leadership roles in nonprofit organizations such as SPARK THE JOURNEY and the Hundredfold Foundation. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an enterprise-scale SEC‑registered RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in assets. The firm serves a wide range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through both proprietary and third-party solutions.

Sarah Rutherford is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds the Series 66 designation. She has seven years of industry experience, including five years at Merrill and four years at Park Avenue Securities. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue Securities LLC, serves individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients with brokerage services, financial planning, and investment advisory programs that include discretionary and non-discretionary strategies.

David Dansby is a CFP® professional affiliated with Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, with 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 1998. 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 clientele including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, delivering investment advice through in-house portfolio management, third-party managers, and multiple advisory programs.

Michael Stokvis is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with TIAA-CREF since 2014. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC specializes in financial planning and discretionary managed account programs for individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary portfolio management using model portfolios or customized strategies under a fiduciary standard.

Daniel Brown is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 65, Series 63, and Series 66 credentials and 19 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. from 2008 to 2017 and has been with Commonwealth since 2017. Outside of advising, he serves as an expert witness and consultant for attorneys on medical malpractice and personal injury cases. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser supporting a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing about $213 billion in client assets. The firm offers a range of managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and custody services, providing both discretionary and nondiscretionary investment solutions.

Andrew Thompson is a CFP® professional with six years of industry experience, currently practicing at Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at LPL Financial and Triad Advisors. He is based in Fulton, MD. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, retirement-plan consulting, and managed account referrals to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets and employs a diversified investment approach combining passive and active strategies overseen by an internal Investment Committee.

Liam Desmond is a financial advisor at Wealthspire Advisors in Potomac, MD, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. His career includes roles as a student from 2014 to 2023 and advisor positions at Wealthspire Advisors beginning in 2023. Wealthspire Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm offers customized wealth management and investment advisory services, utilizing a relationship-driven process and institutional-style asset allocation across a range of portfolio guidelines.

James Nguyen is a financial advisor at Chevy Chase Trust Company with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at several firms, including BDO Wealth Advisors, LLC, Biegel Waller, Complex Capital Management, LLC, and Lockheed Martin Investment Management. Chevy Chase Trust Company serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients, providing investment management, personal trust services, and family wealth planning. The firm employs a thematic investment approach focused on macroeconomic views and secular trends, combining discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management across equities and fixed income.

Thura Aung is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Rockefeller, Aung held positions at Truist Advisory Services, Truist Investment Services, Truist Bank, BB&T Bank, and Bank of America. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting, and operates as a registered broker-dealer offering variable insurance products, placement, and investment banking services.

Christopher Young is a CFA® charterholder with 14 years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Chevy Chase Trust Company, where he has worked since 2022. Prior to this, he held roles at JPMorgan Securities LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank NA from 2015 to 2022. Chevy Chase Trust Company serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients, providing investment management, personal trust services, and family wealth planning. The firm employs a thematic investment approach that emphasizes diversification, long-term holdings, and tailored fixed-income strategies, combining trust, custody, and fund-management functions.

Julie Babcock is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 23 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Lockton Financial Advisors, LLC, Lockton Companies, LLC, and Lockton Investment Advisors, LLC between 2007 and 2021. 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 using 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, supported by a large advisory team and centralized investment infrastructure.

Gerhard Olsen is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Oppenheimer since 2017, following prior roles at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Oppenheimer serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering advisory and brokerage services such as investment management, consulting, and retirement planning. The firm employs strategic and tactical asset allocation with a range of investment options, and acts as a qualified custodian while providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management programs.

Andrew Burton is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience, currently advising at Valic Financial Advisors. His prior roles include positions at Agia, State Farm VP Management Corp, and Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member for the St. Gerard Youth Ministry Association and coaches varsity baseball at Perry Hall High School. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, offering portfolio management and financial planning through a large network of advisors. The firm utilizes Envestnet’s platform for discretionary unified managed accounts and emphasizes centralized technology and model solutions across its extensive client base.

Mitchell Mccarthy is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various segments, including workplace, high-net-worth, and ultra-high-net-worth. The firm offers a range of investment advisory programs and brokerage services, implementing multi-asset, multi-manager strategies with institutional-scale resources and specialized market roles.

Daniel Ialeggio is a CFP® with 32 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC and has held roles within various Steward Partners entities since 2016. Prior to that, he was affiliated with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. and co-founded Philleo & Ialeggio Wealth Strategies. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise-scale RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in regulatory assets. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, providing a range of investment advisory, financial planning, and managed account services.

Steven Lynch is a financial advisor with Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 32 years of industry experience. He has worked with Steward Partners and its affiliated entities since 2016, and previously with Wells Fargo Advisors. In addition to his advisory work, he provides notary services in Bethesda, MD. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise-scale RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in assets. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, offering a range of investment advisory and financial planning services.

Zachary Haussler is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wealth Enhancement Brokerage Services, Wealth Enhancement Group, LPL Financial, and Planning Solutions Group. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with the Baltimore Blast in a non-investment-related capacity. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services, utilizing a mix of passive and active strategies guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Simeon Spruill is a CFP® with three years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Chevy Chase Trust Company. His prior roles include positions at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and WMS Partners, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he is also involved in real estate sales as a licensed real estate salesperson with Fathom Realty. Chevy Chase Trust Company serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients, providing discretionary and non-discretionary investment management alongside trust and financial planning services. The firm employs a thematic investment approach focused on macroeconomic trends and sector themes, combining fiduciary trust and custody functions with investment management.

Broderick Young is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Eagle Strategies (NY Life). His career includes roles at Crystal Clear Financial Group, Reveal Wealth, and New York Life. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the board of Studio for Wellness & Education, contributing to the organization’s guidance and strategic development. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors and institutional sponsors, 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 through various program types linked to insurance and annuity products.