CFP®-certified financial advisors working with newlyweds and engaged couples in Gaithersburg, MD

Martin Depetris is a financial advisor at Fidelity with seven years of industry experience and holds the Series 66 designation. His prior work includes roles at Bank of America, Merrill, H. Beck, and Scottrade, as well as four years at Fidelity Investments, LLC. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including an IRS-qualified Charitable Gift Fund and registered investment companies. The firm employs a systematic investment approach that combines proprietary research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Matthew Bacon is a CFP® professional with 14 years of experience in financial advisory. He currently works at MAI Capital Management, LLC and has held previous roles at Carmichael Hill & Associates, University Federal Credit Union, CUSO Financial Services, MSI Financial Services, and New England Securities. MAI Capital Management, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, institutional clients, and sports professionals. The firm employs a range of portfolio management strategies and serves as both product sponsor and adviser to mutual funds and private investment vehicles.

Cornell Abod is the sole advisor at Beacon Investment Advisors LLC with a Series 65 credential and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Beacon since 2003 and is also the owner of C.P. Abod & Co., LLC, an accounting firm, as well as Beacon RPC, LLC, a retirement plan consulting company. Beacon Investment Advisors LLC provides discretionary wealth management, portfolio management, and financial and retirement planning services to individuals, families, high-net-worth households, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $542 million in discretionary assets and uses fundamental analysis to develop client-specific investment plans that often include diversified portfolios and derivative strategies.

Mariah Lightfoot is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with LPL Financial, based in Gaithersburg, MD, and has eight years of industry experience. She has worked at LPL Financial since 2019 and previously held roles at Mass Mutual Investors Services, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co, MGM National Harbor, and Capella University. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions and supports its advisors with proprietary research, third-party strategies, and various operational tools.

Robert Costello is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at several firms including Grove Point Investments, H. Beck, and Prudential. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in rental property management. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a wide range of clients including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers both advisory and broker-dealer services, utilizing proprietary and third-party model portfolios across discretionary and non-discretionary platforms.

Leslie Goodwin is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones, based in Junction City, KS, and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2023, Goodwin worked at Redfish LLC and Junction City Enterprises Inc. Goodwin is involved in local community organizations as a board member of the Junction City Noon Kiwanis, Greater Geary Community Foundation, Geary Community Schools Foundation, and Manhattan Area Technical College. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Cynthia Flannigan is a CFP® professional at MainStreet Financial Planning, Inc. in Los Gatos, CA, with eight years of industry experience. She worked at Evercore Wealth Management for six years before joining MainStreet Financial Planning in 2018. MainStreet Financial Planning provides fee-only, advice-only financial planning and consultation to individuals, families, business owners, and nonprofit employers. The firm focuses on comprehensive planning and favors a long-term, low-cost passive investing approach, delivering advice through multi-session planning engagements and educational programs.

My Financial Background: I am a CFA® Charterholder and CFP® Professional. For over a decade I served in various roles at Morgan Stanley and BNP Paribas in the New York metro area before relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2021 where I was most recently a Vice President at Bank of America. Why I founded PB Wealth: I started PB Wealth to make a real impact in people’s lives, specifically focusing on professionals and families who may have some time before they retire, but they are in their peak decision-making years and need someone that truly invests in and empowers them. Starting my own RIA has given me the flexibility and independence I need to serve clients in their best interest, without compromise. My Mission: I believe a financial advisor should meet you where you are, whether you’re just starting out or whether you’re in your peak earning years, it should not matter. My mission is to help you build a life that is truly meaningful to you and that starts with getting to know who you are and what matters most to you.

Amy Wrightson is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with six years of industry experience. She previously worked at Edward Jones for six years and spent nearly two decades in behavioral healthcare. Wrightson serves on the Board of Directors for Centerstone of Florida, where she participates in CEO appointment and organizational governance. Ameriprise Financial Services is a diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering specialized retirement income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Chia Hsin Chen is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She specializes in working with newly resident clients from the Asia Pacific region, including China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Chen brings to her role extensive knowledge of the financial concerns these clients face in the US market, assisting them in customizing family financial plans upon their arrival in the United States. With over 17 years of experience managing assets for high net worth individuals, families, and institutions, Chen focuses on areas such as college education planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income. She holds a bachelor's degree from National Taiwan University and a master's degree from Boston University. Additionally, she is designated as a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Outside of her professional responsibilities, Chen enjoys interior decorating, spending time with her family, swimming, and traveling.

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, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

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 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Investment Management & Planning LLC and LPL Financial since 2010, following two years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, employing fundamental analysis and continuous supervision, and operates as both a wrap program sponsor and affiliated registered representatives of LPL Financial.