Driven by a deep passion for finance and investing, Praveen brings a unique blend of experience to his work. As a South Asian immigrant, he navigated the complexities of building a successful 15-year career in Silicon Valley, including co-founding a startup and most recently serving as a Software Engineering Manager at Google. In parallel, he dedicated over a decade mastering various asset classes, from traditional stocks and bonds to value-add commercial real estate and alternative investments like private equity and venture capital. Having achieved financial independence through diligent saving and strategic investing, Praveen is now committed to empowering others to take control of their financial futures by drawing on his own hard-earned wisdom. Empower Financial is an independent, fee-only advisory that provides financial planning and investment consultation to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, small businesses, and a variety of institutional and nonprofit clients. The firm employs a Core + Satellite investment approach, focusing on client risk profiles and asset allocation recommendations, while clients generally execute trades themselves.

Louis Romero III is a financial advisor with OSAIC in San Ramon, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation for nine years and MetLife Securities Inc. for one year. Outside of advisory work, he owns and operates Sentinel Wealth Strategies, providing financial planning and annuity sales. OSAIC Wealth, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA member broker-dealer serving a diverse client base, including individual investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a technology-driven investment process and offers a wide range of advisory programs and investment options through a large network of financial advisers.

I am a seasoned technology professional and an entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley. I have experience starting and running a software company that was venture-funded and subsequently acquired by a public company. During my high-tech career, I got intrigued by money matters such as savings, investments, insurance, taxes in order to achieve my family's financial goals. Out of curiosity, I spent time reading and researching various aspects of personal finance. I realized that there are a growing number of financial options available with increasing complexity in these choices. My passion towards financial planning ultimately resulted in pursuing formal education in financial planning, subsequently completing the CFP Board requirements to be a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional. I launched Encover Personal Finance in 2018, primarily to help technology professionals achieve their financial life goals based on my own experience. I believe in serving clients honestly and transparently in a conflict-free manner. https://www.encoverpersonalfinance.com/about

Megan Rouse is the principal of Megan Rouse Financial Planning in Dublin, California, holding the CFP® designation and a Series 65 license with 17 years of industry experience. She is also a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary and operates a separate fiduciary services business. Megan has provided financial planning services since 2009. Her firm advises individuals, families, and small businesses with comprehensive or segmented financial planning, focusing on non-discretionary advice and low-cost investment options such as mutual funds and ETFs. The firm uses project, hourly, or retainer fee structures and does not manage client assets or take custody of funds.

Prasant Sahoo is a CFA® charterholder and principal of Mission Peak Investors, LLC, an independent wealth management firm based in Fremont, CA. He has nine years of industry experience, including time as a self-employed advisor before founding Mission Peak Investors in 2017. Mission Peak Investors is a fee-only practice serving individual and family clients, trusts, and select institutional accounts. The firm focuses on discretionary portfolio management driven by bottom-up fundamental analysis, using a mix of ETFs, mutual funds, closed-end funds, and selected individual securities, with occasional tactical strategies and performance-based fee arrangements for qualified clients.

Dalbir Gill is the principal of Khalis Financial Advisors LLC and holds the PFS™ designation with two years of industry experience. He also owns and operates Dalbir Singh Gill, CPA, a tax and accounting services business. His prior experience includes roles at Stanford Health Care, Kforce, and several accounting firms. Khalis Financial Advisors LLC provides portfolio management, pension consulting, and financial planning services to retirement plans and individual clients. The firm employs a variety of analytical approaches within documented Investment Policy Statements and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Michael Power is a CFP® professional with over 30 years of experience, operating Power Investing since 1994. He is also an Enrolled Agent authorized to represent clients before the IRS, providing tax preparation and representation services alongside his investment advisory work. The firm offers discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals, families, and small businesses. Power Investing employs a fundamental analysis approach, emphasizing broad diversification with ETFs and individual securities, and integrates in-house tax services as part of its client offerings.

John Gardner is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 36 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equity Research & Portfolio Evaluation, Inc. since 2001. Gardner is the sole advisor at Blackhawk Wealth Advisors, an independent firm based in Danville, CA. Blackhawk Wealth Advisors provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and independent security research to individuals, trusts, estates, and investment companies. The firm employs a proprietary blend of fundamental and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes, focusing on risk reduction and predictable income through both long- and short-term strategies.

Vladimir Belinsky is the sole advisor at Hermitage Advisors, Ltd. in Danville, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Hermitage Advisors since 2003. Hermitage Advisors, Ltd. serves a small, concentrated roster of primarily high-net-worth individual clients, providing individualized portfolio management and ongoing investment advice. The firm employs a primarily non-discretionary approach, selecting and monitoring external investment managers based on a multi-decade network of research, with client decisions made collaboratively.

Alexander Conaghan is the principal of Conaghan Financial Services in Dublin, CA, holding a Series 65 credential with 12 years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Strand Boyce O'Shaughnessy CPAs and TruNote Investment Advisors. He also operates a sole-proprietorship tax and accounting service known as Five Star Tax and Accounting. Conaghan Financial Services serves individual investors, small and medium-sized businesses, pensions, trusts, and other entities, providing financial planning, portfolio management, retirement planning, college savings advice, and small-business retirement plan services. The firm integrates tax-related services into its advisory work and employs a proprietary investment process that emphasizes risk mitigation and a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Satya Chillara is a financial advisor at RAJS Funds with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Boustead Securities, Darrow Associates, Mercury Securities, and Aemetis. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in investing in almond farms and serves on the advisory board of Blue Power Systems. RAJS Funds provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management and financial planning services to institutional investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, banks, charitable organizations, corporations, and individuals. The firm employs diversified, asset-class exposure strategies using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, fixed income, and alternative instruments, with portfolios monitored continuously and reviewed at least annually.

Timothy Smith is a financial advisor at Fairway Asset Management, Inc. in San Ramon, CA, with 24 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Fairway Asset Management since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and operates an insurance agency that offers life insurance policies and fixed annuities tailored to client needs. Fairway Asset Management serves individuals, high net worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, and businesses by providing asset management, financial planning, consulting, and educational workshops. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis across various investment strategies, including long-term holdings, active trading, and options, while maintaining liquidity through cash and short-term instruments.

Kevin Chung is a CFP® and CFA® with 17 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is the founding advisor of Generative Family Office LLC, where he has worked since 2024, following prior roles at JPMorgan Private Wealth Advisors and First Republic Investment Management. He holds an insurance license but is not actively engaged in insurance sales. Generative Family Office advises ultra-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, families, and related entities, focusing on comprehensive family office consulting rather than direct portfolio management. The firm provides investment oversight and guidance to external managers while emphasizing long-term, diversified portfolio principles and extensive non-investment services, including family governance and life-planning coordination.

Denise Johnson is the principal of Five Talents Wealth Management in Dublin, CA, with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 66 and Series 65 credentials and previously worked at Accenture, LLC for eight years. Denise also founded Denise-Danielle Strategy Consulting, where she provides business strategy consulting, authors content, and delivers educational materials. Five Talents Wealth Management offers non-discretionary investment supervisory services and financial planning to individuals, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm uses a range of analytical approaches and implements diverse investment strategies tailored to client goals, operating primarily on an asset-based advisory model without taking custody of client assets.

Durga Eedara is a financial advisor at Eedara Financials with a Series 65 designation and over 20 years of industry experience, including a long tenure at Franklin Resources Inc from 2002 to 2021. Eedara Financials LLC, founded in 2025, provides discretionary portfolio management to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses a combination of charting, fundamental, and technical analysis alongside various trading strategies, operating under client-granted discretionary authority.

Samah Naguib is a CFA® charterholder with 12 years of industry experience. She has worked at Pleasanton Wealth LLC since 2018 and previously spent 11 years at Charles Schwab. Pleasanton Wealth provides comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management to individuals, families, trusts, estates, business entities, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a discovery-driven financial planning process and combines technical, fundamental, cyclical, quantitative, and qualitative analysis in portfolio construction.

Sunday Peters is the principal of SOBORA Capital and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with nine years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Security Industry Specialists, Inc. and various SOBORA entities dating back to 2016. Peters also holds California real estate, mortgage, and insurance licenses and provides related services through affiliated SOBORA entities. SOBORA Capital offers non-discretionary investment management, capital-markets advisory, and financial planning primarily to institutional and business clients, including pension plans, endowments, and firms in real estate, construction, and engineering. The firm combines investment advisory with mortgage, real estate, and insurance services and provides ERISA plan consulting and participant education.

Matthew Rittmann is the sole advisor at Rittmann Capital Management Co. in Moraga, CA, holding a Series 65 credential with 21 years of industry experience. He has led Rittmann Capital Management since 2004. Rittmann Capital Management Co. provides discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individuals, small businesses, trusts, estates, pooled investment vehicles, and charities. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and charting analysis across various instruments, actively managing accounts on a discretionary basis with regular reviews and tax-loss harvesting.

Eugene Demmler is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Castro Valley, CA, holding a Series 63 designation and over 33 years of industry experience. He has been associated with LPL Financial since 1996 and operates E. Demmler & Associates, an independent investment advisory firm, since 2002. Through this firm, he provides financial planning and consulting services. LPL Financial offers advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, institutions, and high-net-worth households. The firm supports its investment advice with in-house research and a broad range of portfolio management options, combining advisory operations with non-advisory product offerings.

Eric Hull is a CFA® charterholder with 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Evergreen Wealth Advisors, Inc. since 2005, serving as the firm's sole advisor. Evergreen Wealth Advisors, Inc. is a fee-only independent registered investment adviser offering discretionary investment management and consulting services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach combines strategic and tactical asset allocation with economic trend analysis, emphasizing risk assessment and portfolio volatility control.