John has more than 29 years of leadership experience in both emerging businesses and mature, established organizations. He started his career designing and developing financial applications at Merrill Lynch and KPMG Peat Marwick.

Cary is one of the top, global advocates for women in diversity and business and well-known for her work in creating corporate women’s programs. Cary has motivated thousands to believe in themselves and the power of transformation to get ahead in today’s competitive workplace. Her book From Cinderella to CEO is published in 10 languages, and her podcast CinderellaCEO On Air can be found on iTunes and Spotify.

Sonya is an author and speaker, and an outspoken advocate for racial and gender equity in financial services. She has a 20 year history in the field, including as a Broker Dealer & RIA executive.

Liv is a media relations specialist, public relations consultant, and branding expert who has helped dozens of companies launch into the public eye with a focus on social values.

Jamie serves as Chief Operating Officer for Wealth Management at D.A. Davidson. She joined the firm in 2004 and has since held roles of progressing responsibility. She most recently served as Chief Operating Officer for D.A. Davidson Trust Company, where she was responsible for compliance and operations oversight, efficiency initiatives, and partnering with D.A. Davidson offices and advisors.

Jon Feinstein is Vice President, Relationship Manager, at Skience. In this role, Mr. Feinstein works consultatively with financial services organizations to inform and advise on best practices to progress the digital transformation journey and evolve the employee, advisor, and client experiences.

I had the pleasure of working with both Meg and Genevieve when I was honored to be part of their “GetReal!” TV show. I learned so much about this dynamic duo (as I call them – because they ARE!) and was so impressed by both of their individualities and their commitment to their vision, that I knew I had to share their story.

Stephanie Foster serves as the Chief Administrative Officer at XY Planning Network. In her role, she oversees the firm’s business operations including finance, legal, internal technology, data analytics, and facilities. She has been in Fintech for the last 20 years and has climbed the corporate ladder at a number of Fortune 500 companies and private equity owned firms. Stephanie was named one of the Electronic Transaction Association’s (ETA) Forty Under 40 for 2019, an annual award that celebrates gamechangers in the payments technology industry. In 2018, she was selected from a list of 500 international nominees to participate in Money 20/20’s inaugural Rise Up program, an exclusive cohort of 35 women leaders in the financial services ecosystem.

John Anderson is a managing director and heads the Advisor Services team for Independent Advisor Solutions by SEI. As the team lead, he coordinates the efforts to support advisors utilizing SEI solutions in the areas of practice management including strategic partnerships, business transitions, and business processes, as well as the creation of advisor communities and the delivery of SEI’s Advisor Benefits Program. John has been with SEI for over 25 years and is frequently quoted in publications, such as Investment News, Financial Planning magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and is also a frequent speaker at conferences and industry forums. John is the lead author of SEI’s practice management blog, Practically Speaking, found at seic.com/practicallyspeaking, and has written or co-written 15+ industry whitepapers on topics such as Advisory Firms in 2030, Fees at a Crossroads, and Your High-Net-Worth Client Strategy.

Ramsey D. Smith is an entrepreneur and founder of the digital insurance agency ALEX.fyi, a platform for retirement income solutions. He is focused on modernizing the distribution paradigm in the $230B annuities industry.

David W. Hausdorff is the Executive Vice President of New Organization Development at Lifetime Growth in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

An international speaker on social and digital marketing strategies for financial services organizations, Sheryl Hickerson has worked with thousands of professionals to grow the presence of the financial services profession through online platforms.

Aaron Klein is co-founder and CEO at Riskalyze, the company that invented the Risk Number® and empowers anyone to become a fearless investor. The company is headquartered in Auburn, California and serves tens of thousands of financial advisors.

Derek is also the Founder of Conneqtor, a tech company focused on serving financial advisors on a global scale. Our industry is in the midst of a global mega trend, advisors must evolve or go extinct, Conneqtor is empowering the Financial Advisor of the Future.

Michelle Smith has spent her 29-year career dedicated to the financial services industry, including the past 20 years of her life advocating for ‘All Things Inclusion and Empowerment.’

Katherine is the Founder and CEO of High Note Wealth and she personally brings over 25 years of wealth management expertise to the business. She founded the firm with her brother Michael Forrester on the belief that all clients should be treated like family. Katherine was a recipient of the 2016 Top 50 Women in Business Award (Minneapolis Business Jouranal) and the 2017 and 2011 Top Women in Finance Award (Finance & Commerce magazine).

Ryan Shanks has over 21 years experience in financial services. He is the Co-founder & CEO of FA Match, the industry’s only data-driven solution for advisor recruiting. Previously he was Founder & CEO of Finetooth Consulting, which provided transition consulting, outsourced recruiting, and succession planning to financial advisors within the United States.

Skip Schweiss was most recently president of TD Ameritrade Trust Company (TDATC) which offers retirement plan solutions and services for independent registered investment advisors. Schweiss was also managing director of advisor advocacy and industry affairs for TD Ameritrade Institutional. In that role he advocated with policy makers in Washington and in the states for fiduciary investment advisers and their clients. In 2014 and 2016 he was named by Investment Adviser magazine as one of its top 25 most influential people in the industry. In 2015 he was named Fiduciary of the Year by the Committee for the Fiduciary Standard, and in 2016 he was named Insider’s Forum Leadership Award winner. In 2018 and in 2019 he was named by readers of Investment Advisor magazine as one of the industry’s 25 most influential people.
Schweiss holds a B.S. in business administration from the University of South Dakota and a M.S. in finance from the University of Colorado. He has completed the Securities Industry Institute sponsored by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) at the Wharton School of Business. He is 2021 president of the Financial Planning Association. He recently completed a three-year stint as president of NAPFA’s Consumer Education Foundation. He is a CFP® professional and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®).

Aixa Betancourt Robinson is a Financial Advisor and Resident Director for the Merrill Lynch office in Jersey City, New Jersey. In her 24 years with the company, she has held roles in service, mutual fund operations, product development and market leadership. Today she focuses her efforts on helping women in transition, engaging them in personal and meaningful conversations around family, financial goals and retirement. Having entered financial services at a time with very little representation of female and Latina advisors and leaders, she has mentored young women and encouraged them to pursue these career paths. Aixa is an avid believer in the power of your network, through both personal and professional alliances with female executives and community leaders. Within her firm, she proudly holds a leadership role and is vocal in the company initiatives to bring more diverse advisors to the organization.

Christi Staib is a Wealth Manager for Silver Sail Wealth Advisors. She is a wealth manager not a financial advisor. Financial advisors focus a relationship on investments. Wealth management professionals focus a relationship on you.

Ron Carson is founder and CEO of Inc. 5000 firm Carson Group, a Barron’s Hall-of-Fame wealth advisor, one of Forbes’ top wealth advisors in America, radio talk show host and New York Times bestselling author.
Throughout his 37-year career as a financial advisor and industry icon, Ron has always believed in fulfilling a deep-seated purpose to be the most trusted for financial advice – to provide families and individuals with straightforward guidance and full transparency when it comes to planning their financial future. This mission – and Ron’s own success as one of the most celebrated and respected independent advisors in the country – has attracted the attention of thousands of advisors hungry for a recipe for success in improving their own businesses and better serving their clients.

Lori is a 25-year veteran of the wealth tech industry and known for her intense passion for continuous improvement on behalf of financial advisors and the firms that serve them. Today, Lori is Chairman of Riskalyze where she helps guide strategy and product solutions as part of the Riskalyze executive team.

Cheryl Nash, President, Investment Services at Fiserv, drives the strategic vision for industry-leading technology solutions in wealth management. With over 30 years of experience, Cheryl has a keen appreciation and understanding of industry trends, priorities and challenges, and is a highly sought-after subject matter expert. Her consultative approach has yielded enduring client partnerships. Cheryl is next in our Hear and Persevere series.

Jim Nonnengard serves as Head of Regions Investment Services for the Wealth Management Group at Regions, a regional bank that operates throughout the South, Midwest and Texas and is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala. He is responsible for providing executive and regulatory oversight of the Investment Services Department, which is comprised of Securities Licensed Financial Advisors and Insurance Licensed Bankers.

Angela has spent the last 16 years enabling leading financial services organizations to address third-party cybersecurity and business risks in successful, programmatic ways. She serves on the Steering Committee of the member-led Shared Assessments Program, aiding in the development of standardized resources which are now widely used in third party risk assurance. She also chairs the organization’s Standardized Control Assessment (SCA) Committee.

As President at Carson Group, Teri Shepherd focuses on strategic planning and development, financial forecasting and analysis as well as continuous improvements to optimize the financial services client experience. Teri was the first female executive to join the Carson Group leadership team and now oversees the operations, technology, compliance, HR and talent, and legal teams that support more than 130 advisor firm locations. Teri loves to spend time with her husband, Glen, and three sons. Her family loves to go camping, water ski, play sports, and are big fans of Star Wars.

Tina Powell is the CEO of C-Suite Social Media, a full-service digital marketing and social media marketing consultancy for leaders in financial services who want to stand out. She is a TEDx Speaker and host of In the Suite – a podcast that explores contemporary themes for mid and senior women leaders in the financial services and wealth management industry. Tina is a member of TD Ameritrade’s President Council and a judge for the WealthManagement.com Industry Awards.

Tina earned a Masters in Graphic Communications Management and Technology from New York University where she received the Prism Award and taught Integrated Marketing and Leadership in the Graduate Program. She also earned a B.S. in Business Management, magna cum laude, from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and holds a Series 65 license.

Tyrone is the CEO of Onramp Invest, founder of 401, and host of Altruist’s The Human Advisor Podcast. He is a graduate of Seton Hall University, and was also a 2004 Olympic Trials qualifier in track and field in the 400 meters. He was recognized by Investment News 40 under 40 (2019), and WealthManagement.com as a top ten advisor set to change the industry in 2019. Financial Planning.com named him as one of 20 people who will change wealth management in 2020.

Lisa Shalett is a retired Goldman Sachs Partner who now advises and invests in growth companies and serves on corporate boards. Known for her agility, she has thrived in large, complex organizations as well as smaller fast-growing ones, and uses her considerable, diverse business expertise and operational experience to help startups scale, and large corporates stay innovative. Her leadership roles have included capital markets, brand marketing, digital transformation, crisis management, and strategic innovation, as well as risk/control areas compliance, legal and audit. She led Goldman Sachs’ brand during the financial crisis.
Lisa currently serves on the boards of AccuWeather and digital agency Bully Pulpit Interactive; prior boardwork includes Brookfield Property Partners and PerformLine. In 2016, she founded Extraordinary Women on Boards, a community now close to 250 women corporate board directors focused on advancing board excellence, modernizing governance, and increasing board diversity. She is a sought-after coach and mentor, committed to paying it forward, and a frequent speaker and podcaster.

With over 25 years of experience, Estee Faranda has had leadership roles ranging from operations to distribution in several different sectors of financial services; from Retirement Plans to Advisory to FinTech. At Primerica, Estee heads up the securities division, specifically the retail Broker Dealer and Investment Advisory business lines. In her previous role at Envestnet, Estee built the asset management network and was responsible for all asset management product on the platform, as well as the economic model between Envestnet and the thousands of product providers distributing through its platform. Prior to joining Envestnet, Estee spent eight years at Morningstar Investment Management, where she led their National Accounts team. Estee was on the Board of Governors of the Money Management Institute (MMI), named one of the 2018 Women to Watch by Investment News, named one of the 16 Top Women in Wealth Tech by Investment Advisor magazine, is on the board of EIOC’s Women in Wealth Management, is on the mentorship committee of Women in ETFs, and is passionate about both mentoring and the advancement of women in financial services. Estee attended Kean University and spent six years in the United States Naval Reserve.

Kimberly Beck has more than 20 years of financial services marketing experience. At Envestnet, Kimberly is responsible for leading the firm’s Wealth Solutions marketing efforts, including the Client Experience Office, product and platform marketing strategy, practice management initiatives and strategic messaging efforts. Prior to joining Envestnet in 2016, Kimberly spent 12 years at BlackRock in various product and channel marketing leadership roles, most recently as Director of the firm’s Thought Leadership and Education Programs. She started her career at Nuveen Investments. Kimberly has also been an Adjunct Professor of Communication at Cabrini University. She received her MBA in Marketing from LaSalle University and her BA in English and Communications at Cabrini University

Noreen D. Beaman is Chief Executive Officer of Brinker Capital. As CEO, Noreen manages corporate direction and strategy at Brinker Capital, setting a clear course for company activity. As one of Brinker Capital’s founding partners, Noreen has been dedicated to helping financial advisors and their clients build better outcomes for over 30 years. Noreen has received numerous accolades for her lasting impact on the financial advice industry, including Philadelphia Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO in the Philadelphia region, Investment News’ 2017 Women to Watch, and Greater Philadelphia’s Entrepreneur of the Year, alongside Chuck Widger, in the financial services category by EY. Noreen is passionate about supporting the workforce of the future. She is a mentor for the Money Management Institute’s Leadership Pathway, which connects members of the next generation with industry veterans to further enhance the mentees’ knowledge and insights surrounding the investment advisory industry. Additionally, she is a board member of the Envestnet Institute Women in Wealth, a program focused on inspiring, educating, engaging, and empowering women to succeed in wealth management. Follow Noreen on Twitter: @NBeaman

Ms. Cates is responsible for public relations for Dynasty Financial Partners and the Dynasty Network of Advisors. She has designed and managed worldwide public relations programs and has strong, sophisticated media relations and communications skills. Prior, she handled public relations for Standard Chartered Private Bank – Americas, International Planning Group and Evercore Wealth Management. Before that, she led corporate communications at Thomson Reuters and at Epsilon, a leading digital marketing firm. Before that, she was at Citigroup and led global communications for The Citigroup Private Bank.

Alexis Gladstone is the founder of Intelead, a Chicago-based consulting practice dedicated to aligning people strategies and business results. Intelead designs strategies and programs to help clients develop current and next generation leaders, increase the effectiveness of individuals in sales, and drive organizational change that delivers results.

Judy Hoberman, President of Walking on the Glass Floor and Selling In A Skirt- International Speaker, Trainer, Coach, Author and Mentor. Her 30 years in business has given her both the knowledge and sense of humor about how men and women sell, work and live differently will enlighten you in learning how both genders can support each other’s successes in a more productive way.

A financial advisor since 2006 and a financial services professional since 2004, Nina O’Neal is an industry veteran. During her career she has been an advocate for female financial advisors and is dedicated to being a voice to help to develop more support, initiatives, and programs for women in financial services.

Carmen always knew building a business was always something she’d pursue. Like many entrepreneurs the freedom to create your own schedule and build a life of independence is the number 1 priority. After climbing the corporate ladder successfully (in project management), her income was limited, and was constricted by the regular workday and vacation policies. Looking for change, she took a risk and broke into real estate investing, found success, but still had to trade time and presence for money.

Founder and President of The Rudin Group, April J. Rudin is widely acknowledged as a top marketing strategist for the financial-services and wealth-management sectors. Distinguished by her ability to forecast and leverage critical trends, and by her expertise in digital and traditional media, she leads a firm that designs bespoke marketing campaigns for some of the world’s leading wealth-management firms, fintechs, and family offices; campaigns that strengthen brand value and drive client acquisition. The Rudin Group was founded in 2008.

Michelle Feinstein is a Director for BNY Mellon’s Pershing in Technology and has more than 25 years of experience in the areas of client engagement, strategy and product development for wealth management.

We continue our series of interviews with inspiring women in the leadership. This time we feature Rene’ Nourse — Founder and CEO, Urban Wealth Management. A frequent guest speaker and contributor about women and finance, she was one of twenty awardees for 2017’s Investment News Women to Watch, has been a recipient of the Five Star Wealth Manager Award since 2014 and recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal’s as one of LA’s Most Influential Wealth Managers for 2018. In January 2019, she became the 10th President of the Association of African American Financial Advisors, known as QUAD-A.

Catherine Allen is an entrepreneur, former corporate executive at Dun and Bradstreet and Citi-corp, corporate and nonprofit board member, former professor of business and advocate for more women in the C suite, on corporate boards and in public policy. She is Chairman and CEO of The Santa Fe Group, a strategic advisory firm, focused on third party risk and cybersecurity and second in our series: “Hear and Persevere: Inspiring Stories of Dynamic Women”

Our series, “Hear and Persevere: Inspiring Stories of Dynamic Women,” debuts interviews with remarkable women whose counsel and support have inspired our leader and CEO at Copytalk, Maree Moscati. Our first interview is with Marla Sofer, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Jemstep.