Eli Sakov is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with PlanMember Securities Corporation, based in Berkeley, CA. He has no prior industry experience but has been involved in technology and insurance-related consulting and entrepreneurship since 2018. Sakov is the founder and operator of Better Leads, Inc., a software company focused on developing tools for insurance lead identification and data management. PlanMember Securities Corporation provides retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, acting as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans. The firm uses a top-down strategic asset allocation approach to manage risk-based mutual fund portfolios and offers education, personalized retirement planning, and support services to plan sponsors and participants.

Cliff Duester is a financial advisor with Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC, holding a Series 66 license and 16 years of industry experience. He has previously worked with firms including MassMutual, Guardian Life, and MML Investors Services. Outside of his advisory role, Duester is the founder of Private Label Wealth Management, an insurance brokerage operation focused on insurance sales and service. Hornor, Townsend & Kent serves individuals, trusts, businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm operates a dual-registered advisory platform with both discretionary and non-discretionary account options and reported approximately $8.37 billion in discretionary assets under management as of December 31, 2025.

Vernon Yu is a financial advisor with Hightower Advisors in Orinda, CA, holding a Series 65 credential and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Hightower in 2023, he worked at Stoic Partners Consulting Ltd from 2020 to 2023. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers across various investment vehicles and strategies.

Shivam Sami is an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a role he has held since 2025. Prior to this, he served as a Planning Consultant from 2023 to 2025 and as a Relationship Manager from 2022 to 2023, both with Fidelity Investments. Before joining Fidelity, he worked as a Financial Solutions Advisor at Merrill Lynch from 2019 to 2021. Shivam works closely with his team to leverage Fidelity's brand, technology, and platform to assist clients in creating retirement, income, and wealth plans. He holds a California Insurance License, which supports his advisory capabilities. Outside of his professional life, Shivam enjoys activities such as spending time at the beach, family activities, visiting museums, outdoor adventures, traveling, and practicing yoga.

Felix Kwan is a CFP® with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving at Prime Capital Financial. His prior roles include positions at Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C., EF Legacy Securities, LLC, and Edelman Financial Services LLC. In addition to his advisory work, he is an agent involved in the sale and service of fixed insurance products. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm that serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans with a range of services including asset management, financial planning, and family office offerings. The firm employs various investment strategies and maintains affiliated tax and family office practices.

Scott Sprague is a CFP® professional with 37 years of industry experience, currently associated with Private Advisor Group, LLC. His prior roles include tenures at LPL Financial and Mariner Independent Advisor Network, among others. He is also involved in managing Sprague Wealth Solutions and New West Insurance, which provide non-variable insurance products. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a fiduciary-based advisory model, combining in-house portfolio management and third-party strategist selections, supported by technology platforms and a variety of investment strategies.

Ana Abraldes is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. She has been with Ameritas Advisory Services since 2021 and is also involved with Canvas Financial and Boom Planning, both financial planning firms, since 2019. Outside of finance, she is the proprietor of Studio Vidro, an artisan glass production and vending business. 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 employs a range of investment strategies and platforms, combining model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities, supported by third-party technology and managers to customize client portfolios.

Stacey Quinn is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. She has held roles at multiple entities, including Phoenix Leadership Development, Inc., where she serves as president, and Quinn Property and Casualty as a partner. Her other business activities include involvement in estate planning education and commercial property insurance. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers to implement advisory strategies through a large advisor network and multiple program platforms.

Shelby Stahr is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently serving at Cerity Partners LLC since 2021. Prior to joining Cerity Partners, Shelby worked at B|O|S, Private Ocean, and Mosaic Financial Partners. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a diverse national clientele, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, charitable organizations, and institutional investors. The firm employs a tailored investment approach combining proprietary quantitative screens with third-party managers and individual securities, and offers a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to alternative investments.

Julio Barrientos is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets in San Francisco, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, he works as a merchandising associate at Total Wine and More in Pleasant Hill, CA. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a broad range of investment advisory programs and broker-dealer services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs, supported by internal standards and oversight committees.

Anna Dearborn is a Series 66–licensed financial advisor with nine years of industry experience. She currently works at Principal Financial Services and has held roles at Principal Bank, Principal Trust Company, and Principal Securities since 2023. Prior to that, she was with Fidelity Investments, Bank of America, and Merrill. She also serves as a bank and trust officer at Principal Bank and Principal Trust Company, supporting retirement plan account relationships. 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 military personnel. 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.

Benjamin Buck is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Independent Financial Group, LLC since 2024. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities, Chase Investment Services Corp., and Wells Fargo, spanning over a decade. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member for the Benicia Arsenal Futbol Club, where he assists with organizational activities such as hiring and scheduling. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and institutional plans. The firm employs a combination of firm- and third-party models to tailor investment strategies based on client risk tolerances, utilizing both passive and active portfolio exposures.

Harrison Kim is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with 4 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Before joining Cerity Partners in 2023, he worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. from 2017 to 2019 and has experience in the food and beverage industry, including a position at Devils Canyon Brewing Company. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a diverse national client base, including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored asset allocation and manager selection, combining proprietary quantitative screens with third-party managers and individual securities.

Matthew Schmidt is a CFA® and holds a Series 65 license, with seven years of industry experience. He is currently with Cerity Partners LLC and previously worked at Parallel Advisors, LLC, and Violich Capital Management. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a broad national client base, including individuals, families, trusts and estates, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm offers tailored asset allocation, manager selection, and periodic rebalancing using proprietary quantitative screens alongside third-party managers and individual securities.

Laura Carmany is a financial advisor at Private Advisor Group, LLC with 26 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Crown Capital Securities, LP and Quest Securities, Inc. prior to her current roles. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a fiduciary-based advisory model that includes using technology platforms and third-party managers to implement a range of investment strategies.

Jeffrey White is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 10 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and CFA® designations and has worked at several firms, including Kera Capital Partners and Vista Wealth Management Group. He is based in San Francisco, CA. Creative Planning serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans, providing investment advisory and financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in assets and employs a financial planning–led investment process that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by specialized approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.

Joshua Becker is a financial advisor with Farther in San Francisco, holding a Series 66 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Farther, he worked at Equitable Advisors, LLC and Stross Wess Cutcher and Levin. Outside of his advisory role, Becker serves as a direct support professional with A Broader Living Experience and as an AV technician for St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Farther provides discretionary investment management and related advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through a digital platform and in-person meetings. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach using proprietary model portfolios, algorithmic rebalancing, and a range of investment vehicles, while incorporating AI tools alongside advisor judgment.

Kevin Choi is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) based in San Francisco, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Eagle Strategies since 2013 and has worked with New York Life and its affiliated entities since 1997. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored advice delivered through multiple program types, with the majority of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Steven Cutcliffe is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Abbrea Capital, LLC for nine years before joining Cerity Partners in 2024. Cerity Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base, including individuals, families, trusts, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm offers a range of services such as investment management, financial planning, and access to alternative and private-market investments, with a focus on customized, diversified portfolios.

Joshua Erickson is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, based in Walnut Creek, California. He has been with Merrill Lynch since 2012, bringing experience in corporate finance and real estate analysis. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, he worked as a senior financial analyst in real estate for Gap, Inc., and as a Senior Associate at Panattoni Development Company, where he was involved in securing private and institutional equity investments for real estate projects across North America and Europe. Mr. Erickson earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics in 2002 and an MBA in 2006, both from Brigham Young University. He holds several professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Outside of his professional work, Joshua Erickson is an Eagle Scout and enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, trail running, mountain biking, and backpacking, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He is also actively involved in coaching his children's sports teams. He lives in Moraga, California with his wife, Rachel, their daughter, and three sons.