Speakers

Anne F. Ackerley, Managing Director, is head of BlackRock’s Retirement Group (RG), bringing together the defined contribution (DC) and retirement insurance (RI) businesses. Since joining BlackRock in 2000, she has held various leadership positions across the organization and is a member of BlackRock’s Global Operating Committee, the U.S. and Canada Executive Committee, the Philanthropy Board and the Retirement Committee for the BlackRock Retirement Plan. She is also a co-founder of BlackRock’s Women’s Network (WIN) and BlackRock’s Financial Inclusion Network (FIT).

Having led the DC business for the past seven years, Ackerley oversees the development and distribution of strategies and services for institutional and retail clients and consultants – serving over 80,000 plans, including 60% of the Fortune 100, and ultimately reaching more than 44 million people. Prior to assuming her current role, Ackerley was BlackRock’s Chief Marketing Officer, where she was responsible for driving the firm’s marketing strategy and building the BlackRock brand. She also served as the Chief Operating Officer of BlackRock’s Global Client Group, developing and driving strategy across BlackRock’s client businesses including the then newly acquired iShares business. From 2000 to 2009, Ackerley held various leadership roles in BlackRock’s U.S. Retail Group. She served as the head of the Private Client Group, where she integrated both the State Street Research and Merrill Lynch Investment Management retail businesses. She also served as the business liaison to the mutual fund Boards, and the President of BlackRock’s open and closed-end mutual funds. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2000, Ackerley spent 15 years at Merrill Lynch in investment banking.

Ackerley has written and spoken extensively on retirement readiness and women’s leadership – and has won awards for her own leadership in the industry and her work advancing gender equity. A three-time honoree as one of Barron’s “100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance”, Ackerley was also named to Yahoo Finance’s “100 Women Executives” list in 2019. The year prior, she was honored for her outstanding leadership in financial services with the Women’s Bond Club Merit Award. Ackerley is a member of the Advisory Board for the Aspen Institute Leadership Forum on Retirement Savings. Outside the industry, she is a trustee of the Mosaic Mental Health Association.

Ackerley earned a BA degree, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, in economics from Harvard College in 1984, and an MBA degree from Harvard Business School in 1988.

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Rick Adkins has served as President/CEO of The Arkansas Financial Group, Inc., since 1985.

He served on CFP Board’s Board of Governors from 2000 to 2004, serving as Chair in 2003. He also Chaired CFP Board’s Board of Practice Standards in 2000.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1975 from Harding College, in Searcy, AR and an MBA from the University of Mississippi in 1976.

Mr. Adkins serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. He serves on the Board of the Jones Eye Institute at UAMS. He is Past President of the Board of Trustees of The Anthony School.

Kimberly Beck leads marketing for iPipeline, a leading provider of no code / low code, content-based digital solutions for the life insurance and financial services industry. Prior to iPipeline, Kimberly was with Envestnet, where she led Wealth Marketing. She also served as Co-Founder and Chair of the Envestnet Women’s Initiative Network.

Additionally, Kimberly has held notable roles at BlackRock, most recently as Director of Thought Leadership and Education Programs, and Nuveen. She is a Knowledge for Practice Advisory Group Member for the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning, and has also served on the Board of Governors for the Money Management Institute.

Kimberly has her MBA in Marketing from LaSalle University, and a BA in English and Communications from Cabrini University, where she has been an Adjunct Professor of Communication, and is on the Advisory Board for the Communication Department.

As a Managing Director for Schwab Advisor Services, Tom Bradley oversees the Core Segment of Schwab’s independent advisor business, which provides custodial support and other services customized to Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) managing up to $300 million in client assets. Prior to joining Schwab, Tom spent three decades at TD Ameritrade, where he launched and built one of the largest and fastest-growing custodians serving independent advisors. He served as president of TD Ameritrade Institutional for 12 years and was widely heralded as a champion of emerging advisers and the fiduciary RIA model. He then was named president of the firm’s individual investor division for five years, where he revived growth and introduced new advice and guidance solutions for the retail market. Tom is a graduate of the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business.

Ken Cella leads the Edward Jones Branch Development division, which shapes nearly every aspect of the financial advisor and branch office administrator roles. Ken serves on the firm’s Enterprise Leadership Team, which is responsible for providing advice and counsel to the Managing Partner in helping the firm to grow its impact and create value for clients, colleagues and communities, today and in the future.

Ken helps others realize their potential by serving as the senior executive sponsor of the Latinx Business Resource Group. He also serves on the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) Board of Directors and the Private Client Wealth Management Committee.

He is active in the St. Louis community and serves on the board of directors for Greater St. Louis, Inc., is board chair for Chamber STL, and serves on the executive committee for the University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor’s Council and the Concordance Academy of Leadership Board of Directors.

Ken is a native of St. Louis and earned a degree in marketing from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. He is also a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School’s Securities Industry Institute.

Wayne is president and CEO of the Insured Retirement Institute. After nearly three decades of experience with major life insurance companies, Chopus is a respected retirement income industry executive and recognized for expertise across annuity product distribution and broker-dealer engagement.

A business leader of high-profile initiatives to respond to evolving consumer demands and industry competition, Chopus understands the challenges and opportunities of this vibrant industry. As an active member of IRI’s Board of Directors for several years, Chopus has been active in industry affairs to address serious public policy issues and he has established a strong professional network of senior industry leaders, key broker-dealers and other stakeholders.

As IRI’s leader, Chopus will focus on advancing public policy goals for the retirement income industry, enhancing the member experience across the entire value chain and leading industry efforts to create optimal digital solutions to streamline business solutions and enrich the customer experience.

Prior to joining IRI in January 2019, Chopus worked at Prudential Financial for nearly a decade where he served as the senior vice president of Strategic Relationship Management (SRM) for the Individual Solutions Group. In this role, he was responsible for the oversight of external account management and back-office operations for all Annuities and Life Insurance retail sales distribution channels.

In addition to his relationship management responsibilities at Prudential, Wayne concurrently led Sales Operations and the Sales Strategy-Business Intelligence team, which focused on competitive intelligence and the use of data and technology to drive new business opportunities. He also oversaw Prudential’s Subadvisor Relationship management function along with affiliated industry Sponsorship Programs.

Chopus joined Prudential from The Hartford where he was vice president and national sales director of the Wirehouse division. Wayne’s team supported the sales effort of The Hartford’s mutual fund, annuity, retirement plans, and life insurance lines of business in the Wirehouse channel.

Dr. Daniel Crosby is a psychologist and behavioral finance expert who helps organizations understand the intersection of mind and markets. Dr. Crosby’s first book, Personal Benchmark: Integrating Behavioral Finance and Investment Management, was a New York Times bestseller. His second book, The Laws of Wealth, was named the best investment book of 2017 by the Axiom Business Book Awards and has been translated into 7 languages. His latest work, The Behavioral Investor, is a comprehensive look at the neurology, physiology and psychology of sound financial decision-making.

Larry brings a comprehensive knowledge of investments, retirement plans and wealth management into each of his engagements. He consistently provides high-quality training and learning experiences, earning him top marks from his audiences time and again. Larry is a prominent fiduciary consultant, advising and raining across the financial services industry. The end result of his guidance is efficient, strategic and in-depth product, marketing and sales plans. Larry’s work has appeared in Trust & Estates Magazine as well as other industry publications.

Dr. Ken Dychtwald is a psychologist, gerontologist, and best-selling author of 18 books on aging and longevity-related issues, including What Retirees Want and Radical Curiosity. Since 1986, Ken has been the Founder and CEO of Age Wave, a firm created to guide companies and government groups in product and service development for boomers and mature adults. His client list has included over half the Fortune 500. 

Dr Mohamed El-Erian is President of Queens’ College Cambridge, Chief Economic Advisor at Allianz, and Chair of the Gramercy Funds. He is an advisor to the GIC Investment Strategies Committee. He serves on the boards of Barclays and Under Armour. Previously, he was CEO and co-CIO of PIMCO from 2007 to 2014, and former chair of President Obama’s Global Development Council. He was President and CEO of Harvard Management Company, Managing Director at Salomon Smith Barney/Citigroup, and Deputy Director at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. Dr El-Erian writes regularly, and is a Financial Times Contributing Editor and Bloomberg View columnist. He has two New York Times’ best sellers – the 2008 “When Markets Collide” and the 2016 “The Only Game in Town” – and was named four years in a row to the Foreign Policy list of Top Global Thinkers.

Dr El-Erian holds a BA in Economics from Cambridge University, as well as a Master’s and PhD in Economics from Oxford University.

David Emson joined the Kelly Group in 2018 after graduating from Rollins College. In addition to supporting our client relationships David applies his analytical skills to refining investment strategies, developing and updating client’s financial plans, conducting portfolio risk analysis and reviewing impact investing solutions.

David has had a keen interest in finance. While attending college, he had two internships at Morgan Stanley: Wealth Management internship in the summer of 2016 in Florham Park, NJ and with a Portfolio Manager in Winter Park, FL. In 2017 David interned at an Institutional investment advisor in Washington, DC on their Impact Investment team, conducting research for the firm’s Investment Committee. David earned all of his licenses (SIE, Series 7, and Series 66) within the first 12 months of becoming a full time team member. He went on to acquire his NJ Insurance Producer license with the ability to review/sell Accident & Health, Life, and Variable Annuity policies.

At Rollins College, David earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Business & Spanish Language. He also competed as a varsity swimmer while completing his two majors and a semester abroad in Oviedo, Spain. David’s passion is to prepare and educate the next generation in making smart financial decisions and he frequently participates in meetings with our younger generation of clients as their peer. He currently lives in Morristown, New Jersey.

Marybeth Kelly Emson is currently a Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor, Family Wealth Advisor and a managing partner of her family team, The Kelly Group, at Morgan Stanley. Along with her father, brother, sister, son and additional team mates who feel like family, Marybeth counsels multi generations of families who are interested in creating, expanding, protecting and utilizing their family wealth to effect change.

Currently entering her third decade of experience in the financial services industry, Marybeth has been named to Forbes 2020 “America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors,” and Working Mother Magazine and Shook Research “Top Wealth Adviser Moms.” 2020 ranking. She holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP^®) designation and the Certified Investment Management Analyst^® (CIMA^®) designation from the Wharton School of Business.

A lifelong learner and passionate industry change maker, Marybeth is Past President, current Board Member and Co-Chair of the 2021 national conference for APIC (the Association of Professional Investment Consultants). She also serves as a member of the Leadership Council of “Next Chapter” which is an organization comprised of senior executives across the industry that is acting as a think tank to reimagine retirement solutions for the future.

Marybeth is a true believer in the opportunities that the wealth advisory industry holds for women and as a result is active in educating and mentoring young women on financial empowerment through her alma mater, the George Washington University as well as within Morgan Stanley through the FAME mentoring program.

A former member of the women’s swim team, Marybeth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics and Public Policy from George Washington University where she also met her husband Kenny when he was a member of the men’s soccer team. She lives in the greater Washington, D.C. area and when not trying to keep up with her three children, Marybeth enjoys playing tennis badly, participating in open water swims at the Jersey shore and randomly pursuing her ambition to be a backup singer for Tina Turner.

Securities Agent: NE, OR, IL, WA, TX, CO, SC, GA, CA, FL, NY, NJ, DE, NC, MD, OH, MA, AL, PA, DC, RI, VT, WI, VA, IN, NH, CT, AZ; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Transactional Futures/Commodities; Managed Futures
NMLS#: 1375300

Jason Fichtner is Chief Economist at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Previously, he was Senior Lecturer of International Economics and Associate Director of the International Economics and Finance (MIEF) program at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His research focuses on Social Security, federal tax policy, federal budget policy, retirement security, and policy proposals to increase saving and investment.

Fichtner served in several positions at the Social Security Administration, including Deputy Commissioner of Social Security (acting), Chief Economist, and Associate Commissioner for Retirement Policy. He also served as a Senior Research Fellow with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Senior Economist with the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress, Economist with the Internal Revenue Service, and as a Senior Consultant with the Office of Federal Tax Services at Arthur Andersen, LLP. Fichtner earned his BA from the University of Michigan, his MPP from Georgetown University, and his Ph.D. in public administration and policy from Virginia Tech.

Michael Finke, PhD, is Professor of Wealth Management, Director for the Granum Center for Financial Security, and the Frank M. Engle Distinguished Chair in Economic Security at The American College of Financial Services. He joined The College in June 2016, having served since 2006 as a professor and PhD coordinator in the Department of Personal Financial Planning at Texas Tech University. From 1999 through 2006, he served as the Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Missouri.

Finke is a nationally renowned researcher with a focus on the value of financial advice, financial planning regulation, investments, and individual investor behavior. He was named to the 2012 Investment Advisor IA 25 list and the 2013 and 2014 Investment News Power 20. His research conducted with fellow professor Wade Pfau questioning the 4% rule of retirement planning was published in the Journal of Financial Planning and won the 2014 Montgomery-Warschauer award for most influential article. He previously won the award with Thomas Langdon in 2013. He was also selected to present his research on financial literacy and aging at the 2015 MIT Center for Finance and Policy Conference.

Finke has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and is widely quoted in many of the nation’s leading consumer publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Time, and Money Magazine. He also has worked on white paper research projects for companies that include MetLife, Northwestern Mutual, OneAmerica, the Society of Actuaries, and TIAA.
Finke received a doctorate in consumer economics from The Ohio State University in 1998 and in finance from the University of Missouri in 2011, and his CFP® in 2006.

Jed Finn is a Managing Director and Head of Corporate and Institutional Solutions, which includes Morgan Stanley at Work, a business focused on delivering Stock Plan Administration, Retirement, Deferred Compensation and Financial Wellness programs to Corporations and their employees. He also serves as Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

As lead marketing researcher at Jackson, Glen focuses on providing fact-based observations to help provide clarity in retirement planning. The studies he conducts investigate important financial and retirement planning issues from the perspectives of both financial professionals and investors saving for retirement. Glen leverages various research methodologies in his work designing and executing proprietary studies exploring behaviors related to retirement finances and consumers’ emotional relationship with money.

Glen is an accredited retirement income certified professional who brings over 30 years of industry experience to his role with considerable expertise in product management and development and marketing research. He earned a bachelor’s degree and certificate in international relations from the University of Rochester and a graduate certificate in business strategy from the Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Management.

An industry leader for nearly 40 years, Steve is the ceo of The Execution Project, LLC, a consulting firm on a mission to rethink retirement and improve results for financial companies. As part of this effort, he leads Next Chapter, an active industry think tank of more than 50 firms in partnership with the Money Management Institute and Financial Advisor magazine, and serves as a senior educational advisor to the Alliance for Lifetime Income. Prior to founding his own firm, he was executive vice president and head of the Private Client Group at Fidelity Investments. Steve is the author of five books about wealth management and is a graduate of Brown University.

Michael R. Harris, CFP, CLU, ChFC, is a senior education advisor for the Alliance for Lifetime Income, a nonprofit organization founded to help Americans address the risk of outliving their retirement income. For almost 30 years, he worked as a senior executive in the life insurance industry, collaborating closely with financial advisors, insurance agents, CPAs, attorneys and their clients to help design financial strategies and solutions for the “new” American retirement.

As an Alliance senior education advisor, Michael provides strategic guidance, thought leadership and educational resources and speaks at industry events to help increase awareness among financial professionals and consumers of protected lifetime income solutions, including annuities, and how they fit into a comprehensive retirement plan.

In his previous role as vice president and head of the Advanced Solutions Group at Lin coln Financial Distributors, Michael was a key member of a team tasked with supporting Lincoln’s extensive network of wholesalers, helping contacts all over the country develop creative, holistic financial strategies to meet the goals of distributors, advisors, agents and their clients.

With more than 25 years in the financial services industry, Jasmine Jirele is the president and CEO of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life). She has broad experience in financial services strategy, marketing, product, and operations.

Prior to becoming CEO in 2021, Jirele led the Growth and Marketing team where she was responsible for strategy, new markets, global business development, product innovation, marketing, digital and experience management, Allianz Ventures, strategic communications and sponsorships, and enterprise Agile. She also has previous experience as executive vice president at Wells Fargo.

Jirele holds a B.A. in business and journalism from the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) and an MBA from Hamline University (Minnesota). She is a Director of Allianz Australia Life Insurance Holdings and Allianz Australia Life Insurance Limited. She sits on the board at ACLI and is a member of the Steering Committee on Taxation and the Committee on Prudential Issues. Jirele is also on the boards of College Possible and the Minnesota Business Partnership, and serves as an advisor for the Washburn Center for Children’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. She is also a member of the Strategic Board of Advisors at University of St. Thomas’ Opus College of Business, and the LIMRA LOMA Global Board. She holds FINRA Series 7 and Series 24 securities registrations.

Jenny Johnson is president and chief executive officer of Franklin Resources, Inc. She is also a member of the company’s board of directors. Ms. Johnson is responsible for developing the company’s overall strategic direction, executing on its strategy, and advancing Franklin Templeton’s client-centric culture.

Ms. Johnson joined the company in 1988 and previously held the role of president and chief operating officer. Over the past three decades, she has managed all major aspects of the business, including investment management, distribution, customer service, fund administration, technology, and the company’s high-net-worth business. She serves as a director of Fiduciary Trust Company International and several other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc.

In 2020 and 2021, Ms. Johnson was named to Barron’s list of the 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance. She has been named one of Money Management Executive’s Top Women in Asset Management and was chosen by her peers as one of Ignites’ Most Influential Women in Fund Management. Ms. Johnson is a recipient of the Robert L. Gould Award presented by global investment management association NICSA, which recognizes outstanding achievement in helping the mutual fund industry better serve investors through customer service, thought leadership and technology. She has also been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business. Ms. Johnson is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, notably on the topics of leadership, technology and innovation.

Ms. Johnson earned her B.A. in economics from the University of California at Davis. She is a board member of the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, JMT Wilderness Conservancy, and the Carolands Foundation, and a trustee at Crystal Springs Uplands School. Ms. Johnson also serves as an advisor to Shatter Fund LLC, a venture capital firm focused on investing in technology companies led and founded by female entrepreneurs. In addition, she is a member of the NYSE Board Advisory Council, which identifies and connects diverse board candidates to NYSE-listed companies seeking new directors.

Robert S. Kapito is President and a Director of BlackRock, a premier provider of  global investment management, risk management, and advisory services.  

Mr. Kapito is a member of BlackRock’s Global Executive Committee and  Chairman of the Global Operating Committee. He is responsible for day-to-day  oversight of BlackRock’s key operating units, including Investment Strategies,  Client Businesses, Technology & Operations, and Risk & Quantitative Analysis.  Mr. Kapito is also a Director of iShares Inc.  

Mr. Kapito serves as a member of the Harvard Business School Board of Dean’s  Advisors and the Global Leadership Council at the University of Oxford’s Saïd  Business School. He is President of the Board of Directors for Hope and Heroes  Children’s Cancer Fund. Mr. Kapito is a former Trustee of the University of  Pennsylvania and former Chairman of the UJA-Federation of New York. He is  the recipient of the 2009 Joseph Wharton Leadership Award, the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation’s 2010 Semper Fidelis Award and is a frequent  public speaker on best practices in investment management.  

Mr. Kapito earned a BS degree in economics from the Wharton School of the  University of Pennsylvania in 1979, and an MBA degree from Harvard Business  School in 1983. 

A member of The Kelly Group since 1994, Brian J. Kelly, Jr. assists the team’s clients with asset allocation, portfolio optimization and management, executive compensation and estate planning. As a designated Family Wealth Director, Brian is also able to provide guided access to Morgan Stanley experts in an broad range of wealth management disciplines, from philanthropy management to wealth education to tax, trust and estate advisory and more.

Brian is a member of the Association of Professional Investment Consultants (APIC), a professional organization of leading Morgan Stanley advisors and their team members who are committed to fostering professionalism through a culture of consulting and education. He has also earned designations as an Accredited Investment Fiduciary^® (AIF^®) and as a Senior Investment Management Consultant, honors given only to the top Financial Advisors who have met specific experience and educational criteria. He holds a Bachelor of Science in both finance and economics from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Brian is an avid outdoorsman and a rabid Yankees fan. His ideal day is sharing those pursuits with his wife, Tina, and three children: James, Tess and John.

Securities Agent: NE, NJ, PA, VA, MA, WI, WA, VT, TX, SC, RI, OR, OH, NY, NH, NC, MD, IN, IL, GA, FL, DE, DC, CT, CO, CA, AZ, AL; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Transactional Futures/Commodities; Managed Futures
NMLS#: 1295594

The founder and senior advisor of the Kelly Group, Brian J. Kelly brings over five decades of wealth management experience to the service of the team’s clients. Brian leads a team that focuses on the complex, multigenerational challenges of affluent families, providing the experience, insight and resources needed to address their precise needs and goals. His primary focus is on providing market commentary and advising clients on equity investment strategy. As a designated Family Wealth Director, Brian is also able to provide his clients with guided access to Morgan Stanley experts in an broad range of wealth management disciplines, from philanthropy management to wealth education to tax, trust and estate advisory and more.

Brian is a founding member of the Association of Professional Investment Consultants (APIC) and continues to serve on the board of directors executive committee. He is also the Board Liaison to the ultra-high net committee and the team committees. When not moving at the speed of light, Brian enjoys time with his family in New Jersey and Florida, and traveling throughout the world.

Securities Agent: OH, NC, MA, TX, SC, IL, FL, WI, DE, NJ, OR, DC, NH, RI, NY, CO, NE, VT, PA, VA, CT, CA, GA, IN, AZ, WA, MD, AL; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative; Transactional Futures/Commodities; Managed Futures
NMLS#: 1398703

As Senior Vice President of Advisory Solutions and Strategic Accounts at Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life®), Heather Kelly is responsible for helping drive the strategy, sales results and growth of the company’s advisory channel and broker/dealer partnerships.

Prior to joining Allianz Life, Kelly served as senior vice president at United Capital and executive vice president of United Capital Risk Management. She was responsible for deploying strategic initiatives to educate advisers and clients on how properly designed, executed, and managed insurance-based solutions can help address financial instability. Before joining United Capital, Kelly was managing director of Strategic Alliances at NFP Securities, and sales vice president at Leaders Group/Capitas Distributors.

Kelly attended the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, and holds several designations from the American College, including: Charted Life Underwriter (CLU), Charted Financial Consultant (ChFC), and Registered Health Underwriter (RHU). She also holds FINRA Series 6, 26, and 63 securities registrations. Kelly was also honored as a nominee for Investment News’ 2019 Women to Watch.

Liz Koehler, CFA, has been in the financial services industry for over 18 years and is currently the head of BlackRock’s Advisor Insights team, which partners with financial professionals as they grow their businesses. Her team is responsible for developing and delivering educational programs for financial professionals and investors, focused on practice management, portfolio construction and financial market insights. She was recently named Woman of the Year in 2021 by Women in Asset Management.

Prior to her current role, Liz led business strategy for BlackRock’s Multi Asset Solutions (MAS) and portfolio construction platforms, where she was responsible for product management, business development and brand building. Liz also led U.S. Retail Product Marketing where she oversaw the development of content for BlackRock’s open-end mutual funds, separately managed accounts, alternative investments and 529 solutions.

Liz earned a B.S. in Business from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia and a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Robbinsville, NJ with her husband and two sons.

Anne Lester, former portfolio manager and Head of Retirement Solutions for JPMorgan Asset Management’s Solutions group, retired in 2020. She is on a mission to help Americans, particularly those in their 20s and 30s, understand that it is possible for them to achieve a happy retirement, on their time and target. She continues to be a regular commentator on an array of retirement issues for consumers, industry and public policy through traditional media outlets and social media. She is currently working on a book which will help younger savers understand how to overcome their own behavioral biases and set out on the path to long-term savings success.

While at JPMorgan, she advanced the firm’s market-leading retirement investment product offerings and thought leadership agenda, developing investment products integrating anonymized data and insights from behavioral economics. Under her leadership, JPMorgan partnered with AARP and the Aspen Institute to found the Aspen Leadership Forum on Retirement Savings, bringing together industry, advocacy, academic and government leaders to converge on ideas and innovations that will help build a private savings system in the US that delivers retirement security for all.

Anne, who joined J.P. Morgan in 1992, worked as a fixed income and currency trader and portfolio manager in the Milan office prior to her move to the Solutions group in 2000. She spent over a decade managing Public, Private, and Multi-Employer Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution plan assets before focusing exclusively on Defined Contribution research, product development, and management.

Before beginning her career with J.P. Morgan, Anne spent a year in Tokyo as a Fulbright Scholar working for a member of the Japanese Parliament. Previously, she worked as a staff assistant for the U.S. Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, John Glenn, Chairman. Anne earned an MA in international economics and Japan studies from the John’s Hopkins University’s School for Advanced International Studies and received a BA in Politics from Princeton University.

Anne holds three patents for the development of innovative financial services products and analytics. She is a frequent contributor at industry, academic, and public policy conferences in the US and abroad and is a contributor to Bloomberg TV, CNBC, WSJ, NYT and industry publications. She is a Non-Executive Director Smart USA and volunteers on the board of Trenton Music Makers, an El Sistema-inspired after school program in Trenton, NJ.

Long an industry leader, Ross Levin, CFP, translates his expertise into meaningful conversations with clients about integrating their money and values. Levin was the first recipient of the Financial Planning Association’s Heart of Financial Planning Award, and the inaugural recipient of Financial Planning Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He currently serves as past chair of the University of Minnesota Foundation and as an ambassador for the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards in Washington, D.C. He is a regular columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Financial Advisor magazine as well as the author of The Wealth Management Index.

Michael Liersch is head of Advice and Planning for Wealth and Investment Management, which is responsible for developing and propagating research-based methods to help advisors and clients most productively collaborate around their money decisions. 

Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Michael worked at JPMorgan Chase where he served as managing director and global head of Wealth Planning and Advice. Prior to his role at JPMorgan Chase, he served as head of Behavioral Finance and Goals-based Consulting at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, and as head of Behavioral Finance at Barclays Wealth, Americas. He was also a faculty member at New York University, where he taught management and organizational analysis.

Michael earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with honors from Harvard University and earned his doctorate in Cognitive Psychology from University of California, San Diego. His perspectives have been featured in media outlets, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Bloomberg and USA Today. Michael is also published in academic and industry journals for his research on human behavior.

Michael resides in Connecticut with his wife and daughter where they enjoy time with family and friends.

Frank McAleer is the Senior Vice President of Wealth Planning at Raymond James. Frank leads Raymond James’ efforts to empower their financial advisors with thought leadership, advisory technology and practical guidance to address the evolving retirement and longevity planning needs of their individual clients.

Frank has previously held various leadership roles at Merrill Lynch and Fidelity Investments. He received his Bachelor of Science from Drexel University and holds the CFP® (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®) and CIMA® (Certified Investment Management Analyst) designations.

Myles is President and Founder of Wealthcare Advisers and Consultants, LLC. Wealthcare focuses on providing successful financial transition consulting services to Not for Profit Organizations and their Boards as well as assisting families and individuals. His experience and success in both the institutional and wealth management arenas allow him to share unique perspectives with both students and clients.

Most recently, he was the Regional Managing Director for US Bank’s Private Wealth Management Group in SWFL. Myles has over 40 years of experience leading successful teams and designing strategies tailored to meet and exceed client specific needs and objectives. Prior to joining US Bank, he was Market President and Managing Director at Wilmington Trust \ M&T Bank; serving in several capacities including Senior Investment Officer for New York State. In addition, he has held a variety of leadership roles at Fleet Investment Services, Chase Manhattan Bank, and The Morgan Bank.

Myles has been a guest lecturer and media commentator on the subject of investment management, charitable foundation management and retirement services at several colleges and universities; and at Cannon Financial Institute, where he has been an Adjunct Instructor for the past ten years. He continues to volunteer and serve in his local community, currently as a STARability Foundation Board member. : In addition, he is a member of the local AFP (Association of Fund Rising Professionals) – SWFL Chapter.

A past national President of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), Dan Moisand, CFP® has been featured as one of America’s top independent financial planners by Financial Planning, Financial Advisor, Investment Advisor, Investment News, Journal of Financial Planning, Accounting Today, Research, Wealth Manager, and Worth magazines.  He practices in Melbourne, FL.  

Over the last 20 years, Nalika has worked extensively with many of the top global Wealth and Asset Management firms, leading a broad array of programs ranging from strategy to execution focused on growth, transformation and innovation.     

Nalika is a frequent speaker on topics such as future of Wealth Management, strategic growth priorities and digital disruption.  Prior to consulting, Nalika worked in M&A Advisory. 

Chris is Director of Global Learning at Cannon. He has responsibility for consulting, instructional design, program materials, and content creation. In addition, Chris leads all organizational change management projects for Cannon. For over 15 years Chris helped various financial services teams improve. He spent the majority of his time focused on increasing performance and efficiency. He has worked extensively on both the cost side of financial services in Operations and Technology, as well as the revenue side in Wealth Management and Corporate Banking.

Suzanne Norman is an Education Fellow, Financial Literacy Expert, Executive Coach, Speaker, and Mentor who consults on a variety of financial, investment, and planning topics. She has 30 years of investment industry experience and has worked for both national and international investment firms. Suzanne has held roles in management, consulting, and advisory with a strong emphasis on helping people plan and save for retirement. Suzanne received a BA in Psychology from Hood College, holds a certificate in Women in Leadership from Cornell, is a certified Life Coach (CPCC), and is a Certified Investment Management Analyst^® Suzanne lives by the motto- Scientia potentia est- particularly when it comes to money. She is passionate about helping women develop strong financial skills and writes about topics that matter to them. Suzanne is an active member of CFA Society Boston’s Financial Literacy committee and a board member of Junior Achievement of Northern New England. In her spare time, she enjoys pursuing her love of travel, the outdoors, and photography.

Angie O’Leary is head of Wealth Planning at RBC Wealth Management-U.S. In this role, O’Leary and her team are focused on helping clients live life with more clarity and confidence through goals-based planning delivered by skilled financial advisors.

O’Leary is a 25-year veteran of the financial services industry, most recently serving as the head of investment solutions for U.S. Bank Wealth Management where she was responsible for investment product management, desktop tools and digital investment capabilities. She also oversaw the business line’s mutual fund and insurance product distribution relationships. Prior to her career at U.S. Bank, O’Leary previously held leadership positions at UBS and Piper Jaffray.

She sits on several industry roundtable and advisory boards and is often asked to contribute her expertise. O’Leary has authored numerous white papers, published articles and is active in the media and press. She has a passion for financial literacy and is an advocate for women and their financial success.

O’Leary holds a bachelor’s degree in business finance from San Jose State University and has completed coursework toward a master’s in accounting from Santa Clara University. She is active in her community, serving as an executive board member for the Wayside Recovery Center, a treatment center for women and their families recovering from substance abuse, and has a passion for family mission work in Haiti.

Rose Palazzo is Group Head of Envesnet | MoneyGuide leading the organization’s vision of creating financial wellness for all. 

Prior to joining Envestnet MoneyGuide, Rose held the role of Head of Financial Planning for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.  In that role, she was responsible for managing the development, implementation, and support of Morgan Stanley’s financial planning offering. 

Rose has hands on experience in designing financial planning and advice software.  She was a key architect of Morgan Stanley’s proprietary Goals Based Wealth Management platform, Goals Planning System (GPS).  In addition, she led the development of the firm’s first proprietary progress to goals platform as well a tax-efficient liquidation capabilities.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Rose spent 9 years with Merrill Lynch where she served in several roles within the Firm’s Financial Planning and Retirement Groups, helping to develop and deliver financial planning tools to their Financial Advisors and clients. 

Rose is a frequent speaker at Industry events addressing financial planning topics. She especially enjoys participating in events focused on advancing women in financial services.

Wade D. Pfau, PhD, is Professor of Retirement Income in the PhD in Financial and Retirement Planning program, Co-Director of the American College Center for Retirement Income, and RICP® program director at The American College of Financial Services. Pfau is a co-editor of the Journal of Personal Finance.

Mr. Pfeiffer, a senior financial services executive with 40 years of industry experience, has been president and CEO of MMI since 2015. Mr. Pfeiffer started as a financial advisor and transitioned into field and corporate management at all levels within Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and predecessor firms.

Paul has 36 years of experience working in both government and the private sector, where he has directed federal and state government affairs programs. Currently, Paul serves as the Chief Government and Political Affairs Officer at the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI), where he leads the association’s legislative and political strategy for all efforts before Congress and the Administration.

In 2022, Paul has been recognized by Association Trends as a leading lobbyist and innovator who has helped further the mission of IRI. In 2020, Paul was chosen as one of the “Top 20 in 20” advocates by the Advocacy Association in recognition of his leadership and innovation to help advance the profession through thought leadership and mentoring the advocacy community. Paul’s advocacy leadership for IRI was also recognized by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) with their “Power of A” Gold Award for Advocacy in 2020 and their “Power of A” Silver Award for Advocacy in 2021.

Before joining IRI, Paul served as the Vice President of Government Affairs at the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations; the Director of Federal Affairs for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs at NSI, Inc. a national government affairs firm representing fortune 500 clients; and Vice President of State Government Affairs at the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Paul also has had a distinguished career in public service where he served in senior policy-making positions during the Clinton Administration at the White House in the Office of the Vice President and the U.S. Department of Labor in the Secretary’s office. Prior to coming to Washington, DC, Paul served as the Special Counsel for Economic Development to former New York governor Mario M. Cuomo.

He is a lawyer admitted to practice in New York, where he had received his Juris Doctor degree from Cardozo School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from Brooklyn College, City University of New York.

Michelle Richter, MBA is Founder of Fiduciary Insurance Services, LLC. She has twenty years of experience inventing, deploying, advocating for, and growing innovative products (trademarkable IP) and programs (servicemarkable IP) that create a scalable intersection between the historically disparate worlds of Insurance and wealth management. Michelle also serves as executive director for the non-profit think tank, the Institutional Retirement Income Council.

Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Wesleyan University, and an MBA in both Management and Finance from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. Michelle is both an investment adviser and an insurance advisor, and she is neither an agent nor a currently registered representative. Follow Michelle’s opinionated, direct commentaries on LinkedIn.

Fiduciary Insurance Services (FIS) advises Academics, Insurers and Financial Institutions on new product and program design, strategic planning, launch execution, industry advocacy, white papers, comparative analytics, forecasting and competitive intelligence.

FIS seeks clients with interest in catalyzing a gestalt shift away from insurance understood exclusively through the lens of sold product, and towards practical integration of insurance within lifetime wealth-optimizing advised solutions.

Kevin Ruth is the Senior Vice President for Raymond James Private Wealth.  He is responsible for leading the firm’s commitment to providing advanced, custom wealth management strategies for advisors serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients.  With over 25 years in the industry, Kevin brings extensive experience leading the development and implementation of Private Wealth programs at Merrill Lynch, UBS and Fidelity. Most recently, he served as Head of Wealth Planning and Personal Trust at Fidelity Investments. 

Kevin is also the founder of Finance411.  He believes all high school students should be taught basic financial literacy skills.  He created an app/game, Give-Get, that teaches budgeting, saving, investing, and borrowing.  

In addition to his professional experience, Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a Master of Science in financial services from The American College. He has served in the U.S. Army and is currently chair of the CFP® Board’s Standards Resource Commission.  Kevin is a CFPⓇ, ChFCⓇ, CLUⓇ, AEPⓇ, CAPⓇ.

Amanda connects financial advisors with resources to help clients and their families plan for the caregiving and healthcare needs related to longer lifespans. She is currently pursuing an MS in Gerontology from the University of Florida, has a Certificate in Aging and Geriatric Practice from the University of Florida College of Medicine, and a BS from Florida State University.

Jack Sharry has been an executive at Morgan Stanley, Putnam, Virtus, and now Lifeyield.com, where he is EVP & CMO. LifeYield’s household-level portfolio management software maximizes retirement income.

Jack co-chairs MMI’s Digital Advice Community, is on the Next Chapter Advisory Board and is a columnist for FA Mag. He has authored numerous papers on retirement, is an MMI Pioneer, and recipient of the MMI Chairman’s Award for thought leadership.

Ainslie Simmonds is a Managing Director and member of the Executive Committee for Pershing. She is the President of Pershing X, a new business unit that designs and builds innovative digital solutions for Pershing’s Wealth Solutions clients, including broker dealers, registered investment advisors (RIAs) and trust companies.

Prior to joining Pershing, Ainslie was the Global Head of Digital at PIMCO, a $2.2T investment management firm where she led a team responsible for the development of all client facing and sales enablement technologies across 17 offices worldwide.

Ainslie also has extensive fintech startup experience helping build and successfully exit two financial technology companies. She served as the Chief Marketing and Product Officer at thinkorswim, a high-frequency options trading brokerage, and LearnVest, a digital financial advice platform, where she served as the Chief Operating Officer and was appointed Executive Officer and Vice President of Digital Products and Design.

Ainslie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario, Canada and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is a current board member of the Harvard Business School Women’s Alumni Association and advises several early-stage start-ups.

Evan Simonoff is a founding partner of Charter Financial Publishing Network (CFPN). Simonoff has spent more than 20 years as an editor and reporter covering the financial services industry. He is a widely recognized expert on personal finance and investments.

Managing Partner Jeff Strunk spent eight years working for senior House Republicans on Capitol Hill. Most recently, he served as Deputy Floor Director to then-Speaker of the House John Boehner. Jeff spent six years working for House Republican leadership, including two years with former House Ways and Means Subcommittee Chairman on Health Pat Tiberi. He possesses extensive relationships with House leadership, Committee staff, and members of the House Republican Conference.

As head of Global Atlantic Consulting, Jeannie travels nationally presenting at conferences and special events. Jeannie delivers impactful and inspiring trainings, presentations, seminars and workshops. With nearly 25 years in financial services, Jeannie brings a wealth of knowledge to her presentations and she continuously keeps abreast of industry trends and best practices affecting financial services to keep her workshops fresh and current.

Jeannie joined Global Atlantic in 2018 as a Vice President, Advisor Practice Consultant. Prior to Global Atlantic, she was a Sr. Regional Vice President at Invesco/Van Kampen Investments, where she was named wholesaler of the year in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2016.

Previously, she was an Internal Sales Consultant on the Variable Insurance team with Van Kampen Investments. She also held various sales and marketing roles at Edward Jones and Northwestern Mutual Life. Jeannie resides in Springfield, IL, with her husband Marcus, and their two children, Lexi and Kody. In her spare time, Jeannie indulges in the arts, specifically painting, and is very involved in her children’s activities, including figure skating, gymnastics, soccer, and swimming.

As president of Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC, Corey Walther is responsible for the business results, strategic direction, and distribution for all Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life) product lines – including variable annuities, fixed index annuities, and life insurance – through broker/dealers and various financial institutions. In this role, he is also responsible for expanding the company’s wholesale distribution network.

A prominent voice and advocate for the independent advisor, Burt White is Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at Carson Group. He helps steer the company’s strategic focus as a member of Carson’s executive board.

Kelley Williams is a Senior Vice President of Government Relations at Forbes Tate Partners, where she focuses on Democrats primarily in the financial services and banking sphere. She also lobbies on telecom, fintech, energy, and transportation issues for the firm’s clients. Previously, Kelley was Associate Vice President of Legislative Affairs at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). In this position, she served as MBA’s lead Democratic lobbyist for the House of Representatives. She lobbied on real estate investment trust issues, GSE reform legislation, flood insurance, High Volatility Commercial Real Estate loans, and regulatory relief.