Melvin Morris Jr. is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities Inc. since 2016 and with Principal Life Insurance Co. since 2004. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel abroad. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Nelson Santos is a financial advisor with Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC in Arlington, VA, holding the Series 66 designation and bringing 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Integrated Wealth Concepts and affiliated with LPL Financial since 2016. Integrated Wealth Concepts serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans through a network of independent advisors. The firm offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, family office and retirement plan advisory services, and sponsors wrap-fee programs, constructing customized portfolios using a long-term approach combined with tactical rebalancing.

Craig Pernick is a financial advisor at Chevy Chase Trust Company with 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Chevy Chase Trust since 2005 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. Chevy Chase Trust Company advises high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients, providing investment management alongside personal trust and wealth planning services. The firm employs a thematic investment approach focused on macroeconomic trends and diversified portfolio construction, serving primarily multi-million dollar client relationships.

Carolina Paramo Aguilera is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 10 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Bank, NA. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals with existing employer retirement plan relationships, as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm offers a range of advisory services combining point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management within a vertically integrated group that includes affiliated funds.

Louise Mercer is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with one year of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Amegy Bank and Truist Investment Services. Outside of finance, she was involved with Mamaka Smoothie Bowls in 2022. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation analysis, fiduciary support, and manager-selection programs, integrating third-party platforms and a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary investment management.

Robert Schneider is a financial advisor at Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Washington Wealth Advisors and the Special Olympics, Inc. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets, employing a diversified, risk-class based investment process that blends passive and active management overseen by an internal Investment Committee.

Ryan Torguson is a CFA charterholder with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors. His prior experience includes roles at RBC Capital Markets and Morgan Stanley Private Bank. He is involved with the CFA Society of Washington as chair of the External Relations Committee. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, and offers a range of strategies including mutual funds, ETFs, alternatives, and custom indexing.

Hui Zhu is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 66 license, with five years of experience in the financial industry. Zhu is currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network and has also worked at firms including Quantis Wealth Management and Oppenheimer. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs and services, including wealth management and retirement plan consulting, and supports affiliated advisors with operations, trading, technology, compliance, and practice management.

Austin Verity IV is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. and Fahnestock & Co. Inc. since 2003. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as trustee for family investment trusts. Oppenheimer serves a broad client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, utilizing strategic and tactical asset allocation and a variety of investment vehicles to meet client objectives.

Bryan Slovon is a Series 65 licensed advisor with 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc. since 2019 and previously spent nine years at Global Financial Private Capital, LLC. He is also the owner of Stuart Financial Group, an insurance agency based in Greenbelt, MD, which he has operated since 1990. Additionally, Slovon serves as vice president of SFG Marketing, Inc., where he oversees branding and marketing activities. J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc. operates a large network of independent Investment Adviser Representatives and offers fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan services, and access to third-party manager platforms and digital advice. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional accounts using both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies that combine fundamental and technical analysis.

Michael Depirri is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and previously worked at PNC Investments for 11 years before joining Citigroup in 2022. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering investment advisory programs, execution, and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs and provides specialized services including derivatives and futures.

John Nguyen is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network. He has worked at Commonwealth since 2007, including his current tenure starting in 2018, and also operates Clarendon Wealth Management. Outside of his advisory role, he co-owns Jack Books, LLC, an entity focused on authoring and publishing books. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs and support services, allowing advisors discretion in portfolio construction alongside model portfolios managed by its Investment Management and Research team.

Brandi Dickey is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 17 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney from 2009 to 2021 before joining Hightower in 2021. Outside of her advisory role, she provides pet sitting services on a part-time basis. Hightower Advisors offers investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm’s approach emphasizes multi-manager solutions and proprietary research, providing access to a wide range of investment strategies and operational support.

Connor Nagelvoort is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Washington, DC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Robinhood Markets, Inc. and Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, and non-profits, providing a range of advisory services including investment management, financial, tax, retirement, estate planning, and family office services. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing diversified portfolios with low-cost ETFs, index funds, and other strategies, alongside client education programs and a broad suite of affiliated service lines.

David Manderfield is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. and Fahnestock & Co. Inc. since 2003, and has prior experience at CIBC World Markets and Banker Finance Investment. He serves as a trustee for family trusts on a non-compensated basis. Oppenheimer serves a broad client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers advisory and brokerage services with a focus on strategic and tactical asset allocation, manager selection, and a variety of investment vehicles, while also acting as a qualified custodian and providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management programs.

Deborah Gandy is a financial advisor with Chevy Chase Trust Company in Bethesda, MD, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and having 19 years of industry experience. She has been with Chevy Chase Trust Company since 2009. Chevy Chase Trust Company serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, personal trust, family wealth and financial planning services, institutional custody, and access to collective investment funds. The firm employs a thematic investment approach focused on macroeconomic trends and sector themes, integrating fiduciary trust, custody, and investment management functions.

Frederick Hopkins is a CFA® charterholder with four years of industry experience. He has worked at Chevy Chase Trust Company since 2021 and previously spent eight years at Wilmington Trust, N.A. Chevy Chase Trust Company advises high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients, offering investment management along with personal trust and wealth planning services. The firm employs a thematic investment approach that focuses on secular trends and diversification, combining fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis across equities and fixed income.

David Burgess is a CFP® and CFA® with 17 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He has been with Creative Planning since 2014. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in client assets and employs a financial planning–led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by specialized tactics such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.

Lewis Baker is a CFP® professional with 31 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Farther. He founded Rock Creek Wealth Planners and has held roles at Coliseum Wealth Management and United Planners. Baker serves on the board of Yazam Inc. and is involved with several investor development roles and advisory boards outside of his advisory work. Farther serves individual investors, trusts, and estates through a technology-driven platform and direct client meetings, offering discretionary investment management, retirement plan consulting, and non-discretionary private fund recommendations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach using bespoke and algorithmic model portfolios, primarily allocating among ETFs, mutual funds, individual equities, and fixed income.

Pamela Cappelli is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Fairfax, VA, holding a Series 65 designation and nine years of industry experience. She has been with TIAA since 2009 and with TIAA-CREF since 2018. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected with TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm distinguishes its point-in-time planning services from ongoing discretionary management and serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund within a vertically integrated structure.