Patrick Day is a CFP® professional with 41 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with Edelman Financial Engines and its predecessors since 1992. Outside of his advisory role, he writes articles supporting a book on life planning and wealth, scheduled for publication in June 2024. Edelman Financial Engines provides technology-enabled investment advisory and financial planning services to individual investors, retirement-plan participants, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a committee-driven proprietary modeling process combined with planner delivery and online tools, offering diversified model portfolios and a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary investment management.

Daniel Lash is a CFP® professional with 28 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Cetera since 2023. He has held roles at VLP Financial Advisors and Cetera Wealth Services, LLC, where he has been engaged since 2013. Lash is involved in several community and educational activities, including serving as chairman of the financial planning and wealth management advisory board at George Mason University and acting as a basketball referee and mentor for youth leagues in Northern Virginia. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC operates a multi-manager platform serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a nationwide network of over 10,000 advisors with assets exceeding $256 billion.

Christopher Mellone is a CFP® and CFA® with 14 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cetera and has prior experience at VLP Financial Advisors, where he is also an owner and works as an associate para planner. Mellone serves as Director of PR for the Financial Planning Association, National Capital Area chapter, and is a board member of the Virginia Tech Financial Planning Advisory Board. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser that supports a nationwide network of independent advisors, serving individual clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through multiple program structures and a multi-manager platform.

Douglas Haller is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2022, he held positions at Blue Collar Scholars, Damascus Enterprise, and in government, as well as roles in education and the private sector. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a broad range of advisory programs to individual and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery processes and advanced modeling tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers both direct and employer-sponsored financial planning services.

Alvaro Suarez Oviedo is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. He has held roles at Banco Popular Dominicano, AMSO Corporate Events, and Bank of America. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutions.

Jonathan Thomas is a CFP® certified financial advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He currently works at RBC Capital Markets and has prior experience with Truist Advisory Services and BB&T in various advisory and investment roles. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves individual investors, institutional clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, custody, and brokerage services through diverse wrap fee advisory programs tailored to clients’ risk profiles.

Hanane Lemlih is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 24 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016, following seven years at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment menu.

Mark Vago is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 27 years of industry experience. He has held roles at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wells Fargo Clearing since 2009. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a power of attorney for his mother. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s IPS-driven investment approach incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a broader range of financial products than typical institutional advisers.

Nan Juan is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Falls Church, VA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. She has been with Equitable Advisors and its predecessor, AXA Advisors, since 1999. Equitable Advisors serves individual clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and other institutional clients by providing financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and various asset-management programs through a broad network of Investment Adviser Representatives. The firm emphasizes matching clients to advisory program models and third-party managers, offering access to mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts, and select alternative investments.

David Litman is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services Inc for 13 years before joining Wells Fargo in 2020. Outside of his advisory role, he is a recipient of a bequest unrelated to investments. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary solutions. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates a wide range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Franklin Rinko is a financial advisor at Merrill in Bethesda, MD, holding a Series 66 credential with four years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Bank of America, N.A. Outside of advising, he has served as an independent contractor with Vector Marketing, focusing on sales of Cutco kitchen knives. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, and charitable organizations.

Maryury Burbano Montano is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She specializes in goals-based financial planning, seeking to align clients' financial lives with their personal values to optimize outcomes. Her approach involves creating personalized, dynamic financial plans that are continuously monitored and adjusted as clients' priorities evolve. Her areas of expertise include education planning, family wealth management strategies, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, small business strategies, socially responsible and ESG investing, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income. She utilizes comprehensive evaluation techniques across investment management, cash-flow management, debt management, risk management, estate planning, tax minimization strategies, and healthcare cost planning to support her clients' financial goals. Maryury holds a Bachelor's Degree from George Mason University and the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) professional designation. She is fluent in English and Spanish. Outside of her professional role, she enjoys dancing, music, spending time with her family, traveling, and watching movies.

Gabriel Plazola Martinez is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with six years of industry experience. He is currently with Raymond James Financial, where he has worked since 2023, and he also serves as Chief Operating Officer at Financial 360, LLC, a support company based in Rockville, MD. Martinez has held roles at both firms since 2016. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and investment consulting using analytical tools to project potential outcomes and supports both wrap-fee advisory programs and institutional consulting.

Thad Bisselle is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 42 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Chalice Capital Partners, Chalice Wealth Advisors, and Morgan Stanley Private Bank. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services focused on individuals with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to develop written recommendation reports. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated entities.

Edward Dahl is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services for 14 years. Outside of his advisory role, Dahl is the sole proprietor of Ocean Block Properties, LLC, a real estate property management business. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that provides a range of advisory programs to individuals and institutions, including personalized financial planning and estate planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs structured planning tools such as Secular Return Estimates and Monte Carlo simulations.

Mei Mei Chow is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 20 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at RBC Capital Markets since 2020, with previous roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves individual investors, institutional clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs that combine discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and brokerage services tailored to each client’s risk profile.

James Battle IV is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience, currently advising at Cetera in Rockville, MD. His prior roles include financial planning and consulting with several organizations focused on federal employee benefits. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in educational consulting and provides general education on federal benefits through multiple independent contracting roles. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers diverse portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform with access to both affiliated and third-party managers.

Roni Murshed is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 24 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley. Outside of his advisory role, he owns AML Capital Advisors, LLC, a separate investment-related business. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network provides investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutions, offering a broad array of planning options including retirement, education, and specialized services such as business-owner transition and special-needs planning. The firm combines advisory services with various financial product offerings and referral channels.

Carmen Wu is a financial advisor at Cetera with 36 years of industry experience. She has previously worked at Voya Financial Advisors and Cetera Wealth Services, LLC. Outside of advising, she is a past president of the Rotary Club of McLean. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and consulting services across various program structures and custodial relationships.

Evan Felix is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors, holding the Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include work with Daurem LLC and Greek House, along with time at Virginia Commonwealth University. Equitable Advisors provides financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset management services to individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm’s approach involves assessing client information and risk tolerance to match clients with program models or discretionary managers, utilizing both proprietary and third-party investment solutions.