Kirsten Williams is a financial advisor with Cerity Partners LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning her industry career in 2026. Prior to joining Cerity Partners, she worked four years at Heb and has experience in both education and the hospitality sector. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management services to a wide range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored asset allocation and manager selection processes, combining proprietary quantitative screens with third-party managers and individual securities.

Joanne Nguyen is a financial advisor at Prime Capital Financial with 14 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at Goldman Sachs and Cetera Advisor Networks. Outside of her advisory role, she is a partner in CHHSZ Holdings, LLC. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals—including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients—trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers a broad range of services including asset management, financial planning, qualified retirement plan sponsor and trustee services, family office offerings, and manages accounts using a mix of core/satellite, thematic, and tactical strategies.

Patrick Burdick is a financial advisor at Corient with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Capital Advisors, Inc. and Belpointe Asset Management, LLC. Burdick is based in Houston, TX. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that combines proprietary strategies with third-party solutions, and employs continuous portfolio monitoring and risk management tools to align investments with client objectives.

Derek Platt is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience, currently with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC in Houston, TX. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Equitable Advisors, and Axa Advisors. He also serves as a Senior Vice President in a fixed insurance capacity at Wealth Enhancement Group. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized consulting, employing a strategic investment approach that combines passive and active management guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Kyle Mason is a financial advisor with VALIC Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and the Series 66 license. He has four years of industry experience, including roles at Bank of America, Merrill, and AGIA. Outside of financial advising, Mason participates in affiliate marketing through Pinterest, posting product images linked to Amazon.com. VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, providing portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors. The firm manages approximately $29.2 billion and leverages centralized technology and model solutions across its advisory services.

Laura Brantley is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors since 2025. Prior to joining Hightower, she worked at Wealth Enhancement Brokerage Services LLC and Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC for nine years, and LPL Financial, LLC for ten years. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, with a broad range of investment products and strategies.

Noel Thomas is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with a Series 66 credential and ten years of industry experience. He has previously worked at firms including MassMutual, Fidelity, TD Ameritrade, Merrill Lynch, and Agia. Outside of the financial sector, he is the owner of a collision auto repair business in Houston. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving those with pre-existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers a range of advisory services including model portfolios and customized portfolio management under a fiduciary standard.

Charles Donnell is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management based in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and has 20 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at BBVA Wealth Solutions Inc., BBVA Securities Inc., and COMPASS Bank from 2015 to 2021. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary model account that uses algorithmic recommendations and manages investments via mutual funds and ETFs.

Robert Gilliland is a financial advisor with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 30 years of industry experience. His career includes long-term roles at Bank of America and Merrill. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in an outdoor recreation company founded by his family and serves as a board member of Northland Syllian Field. Sanctuary Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations, through a network of more than 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of portfolio management solutions and consultative services, utilizing multiple analytical approaches and both discretionary and non-discretionary account structures.

Lilian Cadore is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and 13 years of industry experience. She has worked at VALIC Financial Advisors since 2015 and is currently affiliated with Corebridge Capital Services, Inc. Outside of her advisory role, Cadore serves as president of a St. Vincent de Paul chapter, where she leads group meetings and helps coordinate assistance for those in need. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and wrap programs through a large advisor network, utilizing discretionary unified managed accounts and optional tax-aware and ESG overlay services.

Carl Montano is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, Montano has been involved with the Heartland Institute of Financial Education and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church of Beaumont. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers across multiple platforms, managing approximately $1.7 billion in regulatory assets under management.

Joseph Briggs is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Directed Trust Company and IRA Plus Southwest. Outside of his advisory work, he has experience as an agent selling non-securities insurance products for AGIA and operated a photography business for six years. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction and management.

Griffin Weinstein is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently advising at Mariner with three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Crestmont Private Wealth LLC and Mariner Wealth Advisors. Mariner serves a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm combines in-house research with third-party managers across a range of asset classes and provides integrated tax, accounting, and administrative family office services.

Christopher Owen is a Series 65-licensed advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC in Houston, TX. He has been in the industry since 2023, previously working at Ascend Integrated Wealth and Teamwork Financial Group. His background also includes four years at the University of Texas at Austin and four years at Culver Military Academy. Private Advisor Group serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, business entities, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting, providing access to third-party asset managers and firm-managed model portfolios supported by major strategists.

Kris Lloyd Jr. is a financial advisor at AE Wealth Management, LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has been involved in financial planning and wealth management through his roles at AE Wealth Management, The Lloyd Financial Group, LLC, and Lloyd Tax Planning, LLC. In addition to his advisory work, he is active in financial education as an educator and speaker for nonprofit organizations such as the American Financial Educators Alliance and the Society for Financial Awareness. AE Wealth Management provides fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base including individual households, corporations, trusts, and ERISA plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes discretionary model portfolios and delivers services through a platform-focused approach serving a large number of clients with standardized investment solutions.

Edwin Warren is a CFP® and Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He currently works at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services, where he has been since 2018, following three years at Merrill. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships with non-discretionary consulting and uses third-party platforms and AI-enabled tools to support its investment approach.

Zachary Hayslip is a financial advisor at Sanctuary Advisors, LLC in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Turnkey Solutions, Norman CPA, Engie North America, and Texas A&M. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, through a network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers diverse portfolio management options and employs various analytical approaches while acting as a fiduciary under written advisory agreements.

Sonja Simmons is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments, Prudential Insurance Company of America, and Pruco Securities, LLC. She has also worked for United Airlines for over 25 years and is appointed as an agent to sell non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.

Juan Perez Hernandez is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at MassMutual Greater Houston and Progressive. Outside of advisory work, he is also an insurance agent with Agia, focusing on non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction and management.

Michael Branham is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and having seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2018 and concurrently serves as an agent with Agia, focusing on non-securities insurance products. Prior to his advisory roles, he spent five years with Villasport Athletic Club & Spa. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.