Aleksandra Carrillo is a financial advisor with RBC Securities, Inc. based in Irvine, CA, holding Series 66 and Series 63 credentials with two years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at City National Securities, NYLIFE Securities LLC, and New York Life Insurance Co. She has also been involved with Newport Beach Tennis. RBC Securities, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients through wealth management and brokerage services, offering financial planning and portfolio management within a wrap-fee investment advisory program that utilizes multiple asset classes and discretionary management.

Kristopher Reiland is a financial advisor at Private Management Group Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Private Management Group since 2022. Prior to his advisory role, his background includes positions in hospitality and educational settings. Private Management Group, Inc. provides discretionary investment supervisory services to individual and institutional clients, managing approximately $4.5 billion in assets across more than 3,200 client relationships. The firm employs a long-term strategic investment approach combined with tactical decisions, focusing on fundamental analysis and a broad range of securities.

Aseell Hamid is a financial advisor at Empirical Wealth Management in Irvine, CA, holding a Series 65 credential. Hamid has less than one year of industry experience and joined Empirical Wealth Management in 2026. Prior work experience includes roles outside the financial services industry at various establishments including The Olives Branch and multiple restaurants. Empirical Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pensions, profit-sharing plans, and private pooled vehicle investors. The firm uses a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach with diversified model portfolios and offers a range of services including investment management, financial planning, tax preparation, retirement-plan consulting, and affiliated insurance, estate-planning referral, and residential real-estate brokerage services.

Courtland Alex is a financial advisor at Cooper McManus in Irvine, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., EHG Financial Planning, and Securities America Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is an independent insurance agent and owner of Evans Haymond Group, LLC. Cooper McManus serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans by providing financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a fundamentally driven investment process using a diverse range of securities and model asset-allocation portfolios tailored to client objectives.

Matthew Lyons is a financial advisor at Trilogy Capital, Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has worked at Empower, Vail Reports, Epting Events, and Savannah Golf Club prior to joining Trilogy. Trilogy Capital serves high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, estates, and retirement plan sponsors with investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a globally diversified, risk-based investment approach that includes both traditional and non-traditional instruments, and provides integrated tax services through its affiliated firm, Trilogy Tax & Consulting.

Kyle Schulz is a financial advisor at Private Management Group Inc with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Viavi Solutions for four years before joining Private Management Group in 2020. Private Management Group provides discretionary investment supervisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm manages approximately $4.9 billion across several thousand accounts, constructing individualized portfolios that combine longer-term strategic frameworks with shorter-term tactical adjustments and employing fundamental analysis across a broad set of global instruments.

Jennifer Cagle is a CFP® professional with 29 years of industry experience. She has been with First Foundation Advisors in Irvine, CA, since 1993. First Foundation Advisors provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, families, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs an open-architecture, multi-asset approach and is affiliated with its corporate parent FirstSun Capital Bancorp, offering integrated banking, trust, and insurance services.

Ralph Adamo is a financial advisor with Kovack Advisors, Inc. in Newport Beach, CA, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. He has 39 years of industry experience, with prior roles at FSC Securities Corporation, Csenge Advisory Group, LLC, and Kovack Securities, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he is a contributing author for HorseMouth and writes books, eBooks, and articles on investment-related topics. Kovack Advisors, Inc. is a multi-team registered investment adviser with approximately 260 advisors and over $6 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, charitable organizations, banks, and government entities, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and sub-advisory services through a combination of internal models and third-party managers.

Joseph Bergin is a financial advisor with Prospera Financial Services, Inc. in Irvine, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 41 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at B. Riley Wealth Advisors, B. Riley Wealth Management, Wells Fargo Advisors, and CIBC World Markets. Prospera Financial Services is a multi-team advisory firm with 271 advisors managing approximately $14.4 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and access to multiple advisory programs and third-party platforms.

Nigel Pierce is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with three years of industry experience. He is currently with NWF Advisory Services Inc and has previously worked at OSAIC, Perigon Wealth Management, LLC, and Tellone Management Group Inc. NWF Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $6.4 billion in client assets through a network of over 100 advisors. The firm primarily serves individual and high-net-worth clients using an open-architecture, technology-driven platform for portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting.

Christopher Cox is a financial advisor with Cooper McManus in Irvine, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Cooper McManus since 2009 and previously worked at Securities America, Inc. and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. Outside of advising, Cox is involved with the Wilshire Rotary Club of Los Angeles, where he served as immediate past president, and he is a board member at Atlas Point, a tech-based behavioral science organization. Cooper McManus serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and employer retirement plans, providing financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm uses a fundamentally driven investment process that includes a wide range of securities and model portfolios, and it emphasizes client education and ongoing communication while coordinating with external attorneys for estate-planning services.

Heather Hastey is a financial advisor with SeaCrest Wealth Management, LLC in Newport Beach, CA. She holds the Series 66 designation and has 16 years of industry experience, including two years at Wells Fargo Clearing and over 14 years with SeaCrest. Outside of her advisory work, she is occasionally involved as a mortgage lending finder and an independent insurance agent. SeaCrest Wealth Management is an SEC-registered multi-advisor firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a customized, long-term investment approach that incorporates fundamental and technical analysis and utilizes both internal and third-party AI tools to support investment decisions.

Wil Smith is a CFP®, CFA®, and holds a Series 66 license with 20 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cooper McManus and has previously worked at Cambridge Research, Inc. and Securities America, Inc. He serves as a board member for the Grand Lodge of California and Somerset Main Street. Cooper McManus serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and employer retirement plans, providing financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a fundamentally driven investment approach using a broad range of securities and implements customized model portfolios through sub-advisors and co-advisory platforms.

Clayton Cornhall is a financial advisor at IP Financial Advisory Services LLC with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 66, 65, and 63 licenses and has worked at several firms, including Trilogy Financial Services and LPL Financial. Cornhall is the owner of Cornhall Tax & Advisory Solutions, a tax preparation business. IP Financial Advisory Services primarily serves individual retail clients, focusing on portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting. The firm offers personalized portfolio construction and discretionary management, using a range of analytical methods and specialized consulting services.

Thane McCready is a CFP® with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Perennial Financial Services since 2017. He has also been affiliated with LPL Financial since 2005. Outside of his advisory roles, he operates Perennial Legacy Insurance Solutions, focusing on non-variable insurance. Perennial Financial Services provides investment advisory and consulting services to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary asset management and financial planning, utilizing multiple platform relationships and third-party managers to tailor portfolios across various securities while combining ERISA retirement plan consulting with licensed insurance activities.

Blake Bauer is a CFP® certificant with three years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with ValMark Advisers, Inc. and has worked previously at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Summit Financial, and First Republic Bank. His background also includes roles outside finance, such as work with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and the Women's Funding Alliance. ValMark Advisers, Inc. provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plan sponsors, and institutional clients. The firm’s approach focuses on diversified, goal-based portfolios and asset allocation, implemented through mutual funds, ETFs, and separate-account managers, with ongoing account monitoring and review.

Dylan Costello is a financial advisor with ValMark Advisers, Inc. in Irvine, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Minnesota Life, Tax and Financial Group, and Securian Financial Services, among others. He is also a financial strategist with Navigators Advisory Group, focusing on investment, life insurance, and financial planning. ValMark Advisers provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plan sponsors, and institutional clients. The firm’s approach emphasizes diversified, goal-based portfolios implemented through various investment vehicles and overseen by an investment committee, with additional offerings including proprietary ETF portfolios and index licensing arrangements.

Thomas Vance is a CFP® professional at Pure Financial Advisors, LLC with 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Pure Financial Advisors since 2012 and is also a part-owner of HMV, Inc., a real estate development and investment company. Pure Financial Advisors provides financial planning and portfolio management services primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and pension plans. The firm uses a planning-centered investment approach overseen by an Investment Committee and incorporates tax-aware techniques and specialized investment strategies.

Benjamin Julianel is a financial advisor at ValMark Advisers, Inc. with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previous experience with Securian Financial Services and Minnesota Life Insurance Co. Julianel is also the founder and CEO of Navigators Advisory Group, an investment and life insurance firm based in Irvine, CA. ValMark Advisers provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plan sponsors, and institutional entities. The firm’s investment approach focuses on diversified, goal-based model portfolios and asset allocation, utilizing a combination of proprietary platforms, third-party managers, and regular portfolio monitoring.

Cheryl Knight is a financial advisor with The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. in Foothill Ranch, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. She has been with The Strategic Financial Alliance since 2003. Outside of her advisory role, she is occasionally involved in assessing insurance needs and presenting fixed insurance product solutions through a separate business activity. The Strategic Financial Alliance provides advisory services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and other entities, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm supports multiple portfolio programs and third-party manager platforms, managing the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis.