Gen X advisors focused on career changers in the US

Samuel Smith is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, specializing in assisting clients through career transitions and the unique financial considerations they entail. He works closely with professionals who have recently changed jobs, providing tailored financial strategies that address new compensation packages, retirement account management, and employer benefits optimization. His approach emphasizes creating personalized financial roadmaps aligned with clients' evolving career goals and long-term aspirations. Samuel's areas of expertise include college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy and philanthropic planning, liquidity management, retirement income, and portfolio management services. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) designation and is a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Samuel earned his bachelor's degree from Indiana State University and is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Indianapolis. Outside of his professional work, Samuel enjoys baseball, basketball, football, spending time with his family, and watching movies. He is a proud father of two boys and a husband, committed to helping clients achieve their financial goals through disciplined, client-focused service.

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. In this capacity, Avery partners with clients to develop personalized investment strategies that align with their financial goals, utilizing Fidelity's planning tools to provide clarity and confidence in financial decision-making. Avery's experience in the financial services industry includes previous positions at Fidelity Investments as a Relationship Manager from 2024 to 2025 and as a Financial Representative from 2023 to 2024. This progression reflects Avery's growing expertise in client relationship management and financial planning. Outside of professional responsibilities, Avery has personal interests in cooking and baking, exploring food as a foodie, spending time with pets, practicing Pilates, and engaging in puzzles.

Lelamarie Kelly is a financial advisor at Life UnLocked Partners LLC with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. She has held roles at Leyland Cypress LLC, Carbon Law Group, and RGP Legal, and has operated her own legal practice, LSK Legal, since 2010. Kelly is also principal and general counsel at Tennenbaum & Kelly, Inc., overseeing legal matters related to privately held investments, and serves as CFO and general counsel for businesses in email security and skincare sectors. Life UnLocked Partners provides financial planning, investment monitoring, and recommendations to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm’s investment approach centers on a value and dividend strategy aimed at income replacement around career transitions, followed by a shift toward longer-term appreciation vehicles, including venture capital, hedge funds, and private equity.

Michelle Vargas, Certified Financial Planner™ is the President of Waymaker Financial Planning, a Fee-Only firm that provides transparent and accessible financial guidance. She enjoys helping clients navigate and plan all aspects of their financial life so that they will worry less about their future and free up more time to spend doing what they love. After earning a degree in Finance from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1990, she moved to Florida and started her career with Harcourt Brace Publishing. Her journey into personal finance began when she signed up for her 401K and wanted to learn about additional options to plan for retirement. This eventually led to working as a financial advisor and completing the extensive education requirements for becoming a CFP® in 1998. She believes her experience as a young professional searching for unbiased advice enables her to better serve Gen XY professionals because she remembers what it was like being in their shoes. As a former homeschool parent and the wife of a federal employee, she is passionate about helping women, homeschool families, and federal workers plan wisely for a comfortable financial future. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking in Colorado, barbecuing with family, and working in her garden.

I work with two types of clients: small business owners who need financial clarity, and families who want to make smarter decisions with their wealth. For business owners, I act as a Fractional CFO—helping you understand your numbers, improve cash flow, plan for taxes, and make better strategic decisions. Most owners don’t fail because of a lack of effort—they struggle because they’re making big decisions without a clear financial framework. That’s where I come in. For families, I serve as a long-term financial partner. Whether you're approaching retirement, building wealth, or navigating a major life transition, I help you align your investments, tax strategy, and long-term goals into one cohesive plan. At the end of the day, my job is to help you see clearly, act confidently, and build a life that actually works—not just one that looks good on paper.

I believe that everyone should have access to a professional advisor who understands their needs and can help them achieve the lifestyle they desire. As a financial advisor, I am dedicated to learning about your personal goals and using them to build a retirement plan tailored to your unique situation. NexJenn Financial Services was founded in response to the demand for financial planning from my tax clients. Often squeezed between spending for their kids’ education, caring for an elderly relative and saving for their own retirement, many were anxious about their financial future. I have enjoyed helping my clients find a balance and focus on building a strong financial future. I am a CPA® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professional®, as well as a Retirement Income Certified Professional®. Additionally, I am a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors and the XY Planning Network. In my spare time, my husband and I volunteer at a homeless shelter. I also love to bike and travel and am an aspiring photographer. I have been married for 30 years and together with my awesome husband, we’ve raised three awesome kids.

I'm a fiduciary & CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER living in Indianapolis, Indiana but serving clients nationwide. For years I've helped individuals and families plan for retirement and other imporant financial decisions. In college, I studied economics with a concentration in finance. After college, I worked for large wealth management firm in Indiana and then a boutique financial advising office specializing in retirement planning. That firm was later acquired and after a few years working for the acquiring firm I left to start WealthGuides. As an advisor I've worked with clients age 22 to 92. While I've worked with a wide range of people, I've always found my passion was with working with people to create a plan for retirement. As an advisor I provide guidance to my clients on taxes, their investment portfolios, estate planning, & charitable giving amongst others areas. I show people where they can save on taxes and I give clarity and strategies for how my clients can maximize the potential for what they can spend on themselves and give to others. On the personal side I'm a runner, a reader, a cat dad, and a traveler. I also enjoy sipping on a nice glass of wine or whiskey.

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