Joy Liu is a financial advisor with Connective Wealth Partners, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and having two years of industry experience. She previously worked at FG Advisory Services, LLC and The Financial Gym. Connective Wealth Partners is an SEC-registered advisory providing discretionary wealth management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates. The firm employs a fundamentally based investment approach with a long-term orientation and manages diversified portfolios including ETFs, equities, bonds, mutual funds, and alternative investments.

Brian Liedstrand is a financial advisor at Selective Wealth Management, Inc. with 11 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has served in the U.S. Marine Corps since 2017, including a role as a Marine for Life Representative. Liedstrand also acts as the music director for Harvest Presbyterian Church PCA. Selective Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients, providing portfolio management and financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $426 million in assets across eight advisors and offers discretionary investment supervisory services with tailored financial planning and periodic account reviews.

Erin Schneider is a financial advisor at Benefit Financial Services Group with a Series 65 credential and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining the firm in 2021, she worked at Aon and was involved with Bentley University Undergraduate Admissions and the Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue. Benefit Financial Services Group serves individual investors, families, corporations, trusts, charitable organizations, and retirement plan sponsors by providing wealth management, institutional pension consulting, and tax preparation services. The firm emphasizes diversified, outcome-oriented portfolios and offers specialized services including ESG portfolios, cryptocurrency options, and ERISA fiduciary roles for retirement plans.

Laura Connors is a financial advisor with Credit Union Investment Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and four years of industry experience. She has held roles at Members Trust Company, SECU Life Insurance Company, SECU Brokerage Services, and State Employees' Credit Union. She is also a manager of Connacht, LLC, a family business. Credit Union Investment Services serves individual investors and trust clients in North Carolina, providing non-discretionary portfolio management and financial planning with a focus on low-cost, index-based mutual funds and ETFs. The firm’s advisers are salaried employees of the parent credit union, and clients retain final decision-making authority over their accounts.

Roy Atallah is a financial advisor with Compass Financial Management LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. He has one year of industry experience, previously serving ten years in the US Navy. Compass Financial Management LLC serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, providing discretionary investment management, retirement-plan consulting, and participant education. The firm manages approximately $894 million and employs a range of investment strategies including equities, fixed income, mutual funds, ETFs, and both internal and third-party managed portfolios.

Joshua Mudse is a CFP® professional with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC. His prior experience includes roles at ATFS Advisers LLC, OneAscent Financial Services, FF Advisors, and Carnegie Investment Counsel. He is also Associate Vice President of Client Services at Synergy Private in Sneads Ferry, NC, where he manages family office services including tax coordination and professional advisor collaboration. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a diverse national clientele, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs a tailored investment approach using proprietary quantitative screens alongside third-party managers and offers access to private-market investments and affiliated pension consulting services.

Rachel Carter is a financial advisor with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 19 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Bank of America N.A. and Merrill for a decade before joining Sanctuary Advisors. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in photography through Rachel Carter Images LLC and participates in nonprofit activities including communications management for Ocean Fest, Inc., serving on the board of Coastal Carolina Riverwatch, and membership in professional retirement organizations. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, through a network of over 400 independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management options and retirement plan consulting, operating under a fiduciary standard when advisory agreements are in place.

Jacqueline Jacobsen is a CFP® and ChFC® with 31 years of industry experience. She is currently with Independent Financial Group, LLC, where she has worked since 2018. Prior to that, she spent nearly a decade at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and three years at Morgan Stanley Private Bank. Jacobsen is an officer and sole owner of Sycamore Wealth Management, a DBA used for marketing purposes, and volunteers on the Government Relations Committee of the Investment and Wealth Institute. Independent Financial Group, LLC is a dual-registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, and plan sponsors. The firm offers a range of brokerage, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services through a national network of Investment Adviser Representatives and utilizes multiple advisory platforms and third-party asset managers.

Ashley Lindsay is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with five years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2018 and previously worked at Cannon Auto Collision from 2012 to 2018. Lindsay holds a Series 66 designation. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions supported by a national network of over 23,000 financial advisors.

Jeffrey Spitz is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He focuses on helping clients develop personalized wealth management strategies tailored to their individual financial goals and changing market conditions. Jeffrey provides access to investment insights from Merrill and banking and lending solutions from Bank of America, supporting clients through comprehensive financial planning. He brings expertise in guiding clients through unique financial challenges and opportunities, emphasizing the importance of understanding each client's needs to make thoughtful decisions. Jeffrey holds professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He earned his bachelor's degree from North Carolina State University. Outside of his professional work, Jeffrey is involved with the F3 organization and volunteers at Forest Hill Church. He and his wife Kimberly have three sons and enjoy family activities such as traveling to beaches and supporting the North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Jasen Hedrick is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 30 years of industry experience, including 16 years at Nationwide Securities, Inc., and has operated as an independent insurance agent. Hedrick also serves as president of Strategic Wealth Advisors. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services. The firm offers a range of investment strategies through independent financial professionals and maintains proprietary models alongside access to unaffiliated strategists.

Craig Kopka is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Swansboro, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Brighthouse Financial, Primerica Financial Services, and in public education for over 18 years. Kopka is also a part-owner of a rental property in Surf City, NC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, supported by a nationwide network of over 23,700 advisors and manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management.

Shawna Hedrington is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with a Series 66 designation. She joined Thrivent in 2025 and has prior experience as a homemaker and stay-at-home parent. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of Financial Advisors. Their approach focuses on holistic, goal-based planning across multiple topics, with options to combine planning and managed-account services while keeping them separate.

Colin Brewington is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and one year of industry experience. Before joining LPL Financial, he held various roles including at Widener University Delaware Law School and legal firms. Brewington is also connected to Beartas, a DBA related to his advisory business. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management with support from LPL Research and third-party subadvisors.

Ashley Le May is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc., bringing five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James, Le May held roles at Merrill and worked part-time as a remote scorer for standardized tests and as an independent contractor for Uber. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients, using tailored, non-discretionary planning supported by advanced analytical tools.