CFP®-certified financial advisors working with career changers

Samuel Smith is a Financial Advisor with The Avagian Smith Group at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) designation and the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) credential. Samuel works with successful individuals, families, business owners, and corporate executives to help them make informed financial decisions throughout different life stages. Samuel's areas of expertise include retirement planning, investment management, tax-efficient strategies, estate and legacy planning services, business succession planning, concentrated stock and stock compensation planning, and wealth transfer strategies. He and his team focus on coordinating key aspects of their clients' financial lives to provide a disciplined framework for making confident decisions. Samuel is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Indianapolis and holds a Bachelor's Degree from Indiana State University. Outside of his professional work, Samuel enjoys baseball, basketball, football, spending time with his family, and watching movies.

Jesse Zora is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience and has been with Zora Financial since 2014. He serves on the board of directors for Seabed, Inc., a closely held family farm in Marion Junction, AL. Zora Financial serves individual households—including both high-net-worth and non-HNW clients—and sponsors of employer retirement plans. The firm employs a long-term, buy-and-hold investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory, supplemented by fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and offers a range of planning and advisory services.

Laura I. Rotter, CFA, CFP is the founder of True Abundance Advisors, a fee-only financial life planning firm. Laura runs a unique firm built on the belief that true abundance comes when we create meaning with our money. Her meetings are a safe space for her clients to explore what they value and what gives them a sense of meaning and purpose. Together, they develop and implement a plan that broadens the concept of “investing” beyond financial assets to another scarce resource: time. Laura had a successful career on Wall Street, managing money for institutional investors, including Citicorp and Para Advisors. Her definition of abundance shifted, and she realized that she was using her life to make money, rather than using her money to make a life. She is drawn to work with others navigating a big life transition, and who are seeking purpose in their lives.

Avery Krasnow is an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a role held since 2025. They work directly with clients to develop personalized financial strategies that align with their individual goals, using Fidelity's planning tools. Avery's professional background includes experience as a Relationship Manager at Fidelity Investments from 2024 to 2025 and as a Financial Representative from 2023 to 2024. This progression demonstrates a focus on client relationships and financial planning within the firm. Outside of work, Avery has personal interests in board games, cooking and baking, exploring food, caring for pets, pilates, and puzzles.

Lelamarie Kelly is a financial advisor at Life UnLocked Partners LLC with a Series 65 credential and two years of industry experience. She has a background in legal services, owning LSK Legal, a professional law corporation, and serves as principal and general counsel for Tennenbaum & Kelly, Inc., which manages privately held investments. Outside her advisory role, she holds CFO and general counsel positions at both MailRoute, Inc., an email security company, and SCBI Online Store, LLC, a skincare business. Life UnLocked Partners provides financial planning, investment monitoring, and recommendation services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, and other business entities. The firm’s investment approach centers on a value/dividend strategy designed for income replacement around career changes, transitioning to longer-term appreciation vehicles, and also includes sub-advisory arrangements.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Investment Management & Planning LLC since 2010 and is also affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases. The firm emphasizes ongoing account supervision and individualized asset allocation, often utilizing LPL-sponsored platforms and model portfolios.