Sophia Liu is a Financial Advisor currently with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She has over 19 years of experience in the financial industry, having also worked at Morgan Stanley and UBS. Sophia holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Southern California (USC) Marshall School of Business, with an emphasis in Finance. She is a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) and is fluent in English, Chinese, and Taiwanese. Sophia works with individuals from diverse backgrounds to help develop strategies for achieving short-, mid-, and long-term financial goals. She provides guidance on general investing, retirement planning, and saving for unexpected events. Additionally, she offers access to Bank of America specialists for banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Sophia emphasizes building long-term relationships based on trust, clarity, and care. Outside of her professional work, Sophia enjoys dancing, music, painting, singing, spending time with her family, traveling, and practicing yoga.

Cory Justus is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Chino Hills, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2024, he spent 12 years at Azusa Pacific University. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and affiliated investment products supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Gay Benn is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Pasadena, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2019, Benn worked at Merrill Lynch and 1 St Global Capital, Corp., among other firms. Outside of advisory work, Benn is involved in a rental property business. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a wide range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning services to both individual and institutional clients, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets. The firm’s planning process incorporates structured discovery conversations and advanced modeling techniques, serving clients through both direct and employer-sponsored financial planning arrangements.

Alexandra Awad is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where she has worked since 2000. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, she served as an economic research analyst for a Latin American central bank. Alexandra holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designation from the College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. and has earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Economics from the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. In her role, Alexandra works closely with clients to develop customized wealth management strategies tailored to their individual needs and priorities. She focuses on client development, portfolio construction, relationship management, and comprehensive wealth management planning. Her expertise encompasses areas such as college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, socially responsible investing, and services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits. Fluent in Spanish and English, Alexandra is committed to understanding all aspects of her clients' lives and priorities to help them achieve their financial goals. Outside of her professional duties, she enjoys cooking, dancing, hiking, music, reading, spending time with her family, traveling, and watching movies.

Rebecca Dickson is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Pasadena, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and possessing 26 years of industry experience. She has worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Outside of her advisory role, she is the owner of The Bekmar Home and Gardens in Monrovia, CA. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers planning services supported by firm-approved tools and strategies.

Alma Araceli Alvarez is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Whittier, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 14 years of industry experience. Her prior work includes positions at Mike's Pizza and California State University, Long Beach. She is also involved in the sale of loan products and home-related services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients through its Lifetime Investment Program, which offers model-delivery strategies and discretionary separately managed accounts within a wrap-fee structure. The firm curates third-party asset managers and delegates trading responsibilities to BNY Mellon Advisors, with a focus on percentage-based, tiered wrap fees and ongoing oversight of its investment models.

Samantha Ammari is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Her work background includes roles at Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and various non-financial companies such as Gorjana and Banana Republic. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through its Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Jong Ho Lee is a financial advisor at Fidelity with seven years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones. Before his advisory career, he was involved in educational roles at Valor Academy High School and Vaughn Next Century Learning Center. Fidelity's Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, utilizing a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage diversified model portfolios.

Serge Melkizian is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2013. Melkizian serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Cancer Support Community Greater San Gabriel Valley, where he is also a member of the Finance and Investment Committee. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individual and high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and government entities. The firm offers tailored, primarily non-discretionary services and maintains a notable presence in municipal and public finance through its affiliation with Raymond James’ Public Financing department.

Binh Tran is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Merrill, based in Rosemead, California, and has nine years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with both Merrill and Bank of America since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he manages an online business selling succulents as a general partner and managing member. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional accounts.

Brian Lee is a CFP® and ChFC® with 30 years of industry experience, currently serving at Mass Mutual Investors Services in Pasadena, CA. He has been with MML Investors Services Inc. and Mass Mutual Life Insurance since 2002. MML Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers a range of programs including wrap accounts, money-manager options, and educational seminars, emphasizing collaborative, goal-oriented planning engagements.

Jorge Chavez Jr. is a financial advisor with Merrill in Whittier, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase bank. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies. The program serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate fiduciaries, integrating investment management with broader banking services.

Diana Shoemaker is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 18 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Prior to that, she was with Citigroup Global Markets. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that provides a range of advisory programs to both individual and institutional clients. The firm emphasizes structured financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and offers services including tailored estate planning and employer-based financial plans.

Alyson Stark is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with five years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Pearson and NEXT Trucking. Stark also operated Stark Wealth Management briefly in 2020. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a nationwide network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of financial planning and advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary management, supported by model portfolios and research from LPL Research and third-party subadvisors.

Marciano Almeda is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Pasadena, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and seven years of industry experience. His work history includes multiple roles at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Clearing, as well as positions at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and provides both brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

Javier Valenzuela is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. He has 21 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Centaurus Financial, Inc. His outside activities include serving as president of Concourse Financial Group and First Protective Insurance Group, as well as working as an independent insurance agent. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered adviser serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent financial professionals, offering a range of customizable investment solutions across multiple platforms.

Robert Gonzalez is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Pasadena, CA, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities, JPMorgan Chase Bank, and Franklin Resources, where he worked for 15 years. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo that provides investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services using proprietary research and tools, with recommendations delivered through meetings and client summary letters.

Pamela Villarreal is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cetera since 2025. She previously worked at Avantax Advisory Services and its related entities from 2011 to 2025, and she has operated Pamela Villarreal Consulting since 1992. Besides her advisory work, she owns and operates Pamela Villarreal & Associates, providing tax preparation and business consulting services. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a large SEC-registered firm serving individual clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with access to a range of portfolio management options, model portfolios, and third-party managers.

Irma Bedoya is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with 23 years of industry experience. She has held her current position at UBS since 2010 and holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, including financial planning and portfolio management. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and provides a broad range of capital markets and research resources.

Yu Tung Lin is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with a Series 66 designation and no prior industry experience. Before joining Morgan Stanley in 2024, Lin held roles at Zeczec, Appier, and was a backer-founder of a startup from 2015 to 2018. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs including tailored financial planning. The firm’s process employs structured discovery and planning tools to model outcomes, while clients are responsible for plan implementation and updates.