Richard Romero is a CFP® and ChFC® with 25 years of experience in the financial industry. He currently works at TD Private Client Wealth LLC and has prior experience with firms including Ameriprise, Prudential, and Q3 Advisors. He is based in Vienna, VA. TD Private Client Wealth LLC provides discretionary wrap-fee managed account programs and brokerage services to institutional clients, high-net-worth private clients, and retail TDIS clients. The firm uses a combination of strategic and tactical asset allocation with investments from both affiliated and third-party sub-managers, offering ongoing portfolio management, financial planning support, and custody through third-party custodians.

Kristine Bennett is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Healthy Wealthy Alex and Mass Mutual, and she spent over a decade as a homemaker before entering the financial services field. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, complemented by tax-loss harvesting, direct indexing, and selective private market exposure.

James Fegan Jr. is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. He has 30 years of industry experience, including long tenures at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance Company. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Fegan Insurance, LLC. 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 range of financial planning, consulting, and investment management solutions that combine advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies using proprietary and third-party platforms.

Michael Stafford Jr. is a CFA® charterholder with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with ASB Capital Management LLC since 2010. ASB Capital Management LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $32.9 billion, primarily for institutional clients through pooled investment vehicles and separate accounts. The firm offers both active and passive equity strategies, fixed income approaches, and real estate investments across equity and debt instruments.

Jenevieve Lenz is a financial advisor with Cerity Partners LLC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, Mercer Global Advisors, M&T Securities, Charles Schwab, and Merrill. She is involved with Lenz4Women, a non-investment related activity based in Reston, VA. Cerity Partners advises a broad client base, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets as of the end of 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services with an investment approach focused on client-specific profiles, combining quantitative screening, manager selection, and both third-party strategies and direct security selection, and provides access to alternative and private market solutions for qualified clients.

Christopher Laughlin is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has worked with Ameritas Advisory Services since 2021 and has been involved with Ameritas Life Insurance, Ameritas Investment Corp., and Wealth Advisors Group LLC for two decades or more. Outside of his advisory role, he owns Laughlin Financial Group, a small business unrelated to investing. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers asset management and financial planning through multiple program platforms and employs a combination of model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities, leveraging third-party technology and managers.

John Devine is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 13 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63, Series 66, and Series 65 credentials. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Advisors, Wells Fargo Bank, Bank of America, and Merrill. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platform and manager arrangements, to implement its investment strategies.

Gregory Sullivan is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning since 2021. Prior to this, he spent over three decades at Sullivan, Bruyette, Spero & Blayney, Inc. He is also the author of the book *Retirement Fail*. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a broad range of affiliated non-investment businesses.

Derrick Carter is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving at Schwab Wealth Advisory. His prior experience includes roles at Fidelity Investments and Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning services primarily to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program. The firm’s approach uses Charles Schwab & Co.’s asset-allocation models and research tools, offering tailored recommendations with client-authorized trade execution.

Wanjia Li is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with four years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Citigroup since 2018. His prior work includes roles at AroundCampus Group LLC and the Daily Iowan, as well as full-time education at the University of Iowa. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across multiple wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and broker-dealer services. The firm combines multi-asset, multi-manager strategies with in-house research and unique market roles, catering to diverse client needs from workplace accounts to ultra-high-net-worth relationships.

Rody Nunez is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory Services and holds a Series 66 designation. He has three years of industry experience and previously worked at ALSI, Inc for 14 years. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a consultant for various companies. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors and a diverse range of institutional and individual clients, offering services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, and employee education. The firm manages approximately $79.8 billion in assets and serves large institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds.

Michael Looney is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Bethesda, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities Inc. and Principal Life Insurance Company since 1995. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of Term Nation LLC, an LLC that holds Maryland Basketball season tickets and makes charitable donations to the university. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Joseph Gallemore is a financial advisor with Osaic Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 21 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Triad Hybrid Solutions, Triad Advisors, and Spire Investment Partners. He also serves as director of research at Argent Bridge Advisors and consults business owners on exit planning through a separate advisory role. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate and charitable entities, retirement plan participants, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers various investment programs, retirement plan consulting, financial planning, and access to alternative investments and donor-advised funds.

Xiaohuan Xu is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Gaithersburg, MD, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and possessing 10 years of industry experience. Xu is also involved in managing accounting operations for Catherine Xu Financial Dynasty LLC and participates in the food and beverage sector as an investor in Water Song Food and Beverage LLC. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers both advisory and broker-dealer services, providing access to proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

Diane Gould is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Bethesda, MD, holding a Series 63 license and over 44 years of industry experience. She has been affiliated with New York Life Insurance Co. since 1975 and has operated the D.H. Gould Company since 2008. Outside of advisory work, she serves as a notary public, providing notarization services as a client offering. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors, through a broad network of affiliated advisors. The firm provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, with a strong focus on non-discretionary asset management and tailored solutions linked to insurance and annuity products.

Alexander Cochran is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Seia LLC, Royal Alliance, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, and LPL Financial, among others. He also serves as a Planning & Investment Associate at CURO Private Wealth, where he manages client service operations and supports financial planning and trading activities. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a wide range of institutional and individual clients, including plan sponsors. The firm offers services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and access to multiple management platforms, serving large institutional investors and diverse client types.

Lauren Watson is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cresset Asset Management, LLC. Her prior roles include positions at Brightside Advisory Partners, LLC, Pagnato Karp Partners, LLC, and WMS Partners, LLC. She holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Reston, VA. Cresset Asset Management, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $71.9 billion in client assets across a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth families, trusts, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a diversified, asset-allocation-driven approach using both active and passive strategies, supported by a structured due-diligence program and a broad range of services including portfolio management, wealth planning, private fund advisory, and family office services.

Michael Clemm is a financial advisor at Chevy Chase Trust Company with five years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. His prior experience includes roles at Goldman Sachs and Bridgewater Associates, as well as time at the Darden Graduate School of Business. Chevy Chase Trust Company serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients, offering investment management, trust, and custody services. The firm uses a thematic investment approach focused on secular trends and employs a combination of fiduciary trust and custody functions alongside portfolio management.

Matthew Witchko is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Commonwealth since 2015 and has been associated with Kaplan Financial Group since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of Kaplan Benefits Group, LLC. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their retail and institutional clients, offering a variety of advisory programs and services. The firm provides operations, trading, technology, investment management, compliance, and practice-management support, allowing advisors to construct client portfolios with a broad range of securities and insurance products.

Lauren Lehman is a financial advisor at NewEdge Advisors with 19 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® and CFA® designations, as well as Series 65 and Series 66 licenses. Prior to joining NewEdge Advisors in 2023, she worked for SOL Capital Management Company for 12 years and LPL Financial for 4 years. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad range of portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, utilizing multiple program structures and technology tools to support advisor and client needs.