Liz Skinner, became Special Projects Editor for InvestmentNews in 2017 to expand the range of editorial-based projects produced in print and online. Previously, she was a reporter for InvestmentNews for six years, writing many of the cover stories and special report features she now oversees. Liz covered many different beats over the years, but most recently she focused on financial advice technology and practice management. She joined InvestmentNews after five years as a reporter for Bloomberg News in Washington, where she covered the Securities and Exchange Commission and other policy issues.

As a passionate financial services marketing leader and strategist, Kerry Ryan strongly believes that the intersection between wealth and technology presents many opportunities to empower financial professionals and investors.

Kerry employs a collaborative, team-driven approach to capitalize on emerging opportunities and enjoys working across all disciplines to leverage organizational abilities to drive results. She takes pride in consistently keeping the client at center of all efforts and in her ability to be both proactive and responsive to ever-evolving needs of financial professionals and investors. As a strategic business partner, she brings passion for new and engaging ways to attract and retain relationships, placing strong emphasis on using research and data to generate powerful insights to steer business strategy.



Kerry’s industry involvement includes speaking at several noted industry conferences, including: LinkedIn Finance Connect, Financial Communications Society, NetFinance and The Financial Technologies Forum. She served as a judge at the 2017 and 2018 Female Founders in Tech innovation competition, powered by Quesnay. Kerry is also a judge for the Mutual Fund Education Alliance (MFEA) 2017 STAR Awards.



Kerry is a holder of the Certified Private Wealth AdvisorSM (CPWA) designation, administered by the Investments & Wealth Institute and taught in conjunction with The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Lisa Kueng is Director of Creative Campaigns at Invesco Global Consulting and has spent 21 years in financial services as a national speaker and developer of practice building programs. She is co-author of the book “Picture Your Prosperity- Smart Money Moves to Turn Your Vision into Reality.”

Lisa was a featured presenter at a Pennsylvania Treasury tour, “The Possible Woman Conference” and countless financial industry conferences. She’s been covered in media including Business Week, The New York Times, NPR Marketplace, NBC News Philadelphia, and WGN-TV.

Lisa holds a B.S. in journalism from the University of Illinois. She’s a Registered Corporate Coach, a member of the Invesco Women’s Network, a volunteer for One Million Degrees and a frequent guest speaker at Loyola University. Lisa lives in Chicago with her family. In her free time she enjoys reading, theatre and eating. To counteract the latter, she recently took up running.

Scott oversees one of the largest consulting divisions of its kind in the asset management industry. In this position, he works with and presents to financial advisors across North America.



Scott is a sought-after keynote speaker who brings thirty-plus years of industry experience coupled with a creativity known to educate and entertain. He is a co-author of five books, including StorySelling for Financial Advisors: How Top Producers Sell,* which was named a “must read” by financial-planning.com, and, most recently, Defining Conversations: A Little Book About a Big Idea.**



Scott was with Van Kampen Investments prior to its combining with Invesco in 2010. In the 25+ years since he joined the firm, he advanced from field sales to regional sales and finally to national sales positions. In addition, he served as Director of Marketing. Prior to his career in financial services, Scott worked in sales distribution with Procter & Gamble. Scott holds a BA in economics and communications from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois.



Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Scott is an avid hockey enthusiast. He assumes full credit for his Texas-born wife’s newfound love of the sport. Scott is the father of four children and resides in Wheaton, Illinois.

Liz Weikes is a Managing Director and Financial Advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, a wealth management division of J.P. Morgan. As principal of The Weikes Group, Liz draws on her blended capabilities to offer high-level executional services for hedge funds, family offices and institutions, as well as comprehensive investment strategies and active portfolio management for high-net-worth individuals, business owners and corporate executives. With more than fifteen years of experience developing and handling complex transactions, Liz has earned a reputation for executional excellence. She is a member of the J.P. Morgan Securities Portfolio Manager Program, a select group of advisors who undergo a screening process to manage discretionary client assets and are subject to ongoing quantitative and qualitative reviews to assess each advisor’s investment strategy. Her deep industry knowledge and ability to evaluate and respond to evolving market conditions help her to build financial strategies that seek appropriate returns.



One of Liz’s distinguishing talents is the ability to look at the big picture and identify ways in which to integrate her client’s investments, income requirements and personal goals into one comprehensive wealth management plan. By looking at both sides of her clients’ balance sheets and leveraging the extensive breadth of services available at J.P. Morgan, Liz addresses multifaceted and sophisticated objectives that range from wealth transfer and philanthropy to tax mitigation, business succession, pension planning and a range of lending, mortgage and credit needs. She brings an unbiased standpoint and works alongside her clients’ attorneys and accountants to ensure the entirety of each financial picture is considered.



A graduate of Indiana University, Bloomington with a B.A. in Political Science and Finance, Liz took a nontraditional path to Wall Street and began her career at the British Embassy working for the Department of International Trade. She joined J.P. Morgan Securities predecessor firm in 2006, managing money for wealthy families and trading for institutions. With the dedication to support educational opportunities for the industry, Liz is a member of 100 Women in Finance and a mentor for American Corporate Partners.



She lives in Westchester with her husband, Adam, and sons, Matthew and Alexander. When not in the office, she loves to work out, ski and spend time at the beach.

Colleen O’Callaghan is a Managing Director and Financial Advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, a wealth management division of J.P. Morgan. As a founding member of The O’Callaghan Thomas Group, Colleen works directly with a select group of ultra- high-net-worth individuals, multigenerational families, corporate executives and entrepreneurs to help them address the complexities of significant capital.



Offering guidance based on a deep understanding of immediate and long-term needs, Colleen develops strategies tailored specifically to her clients’ challenges and aspirations. She leverages the global resources and financial strength of J.P. Morgan to provide full service capabilities that help meet individualized goals. Colleen is highly-responsive to client needs and her unbiased and detailed approach helps cultivate exceptional and long-lasting relationships.



With a passion for financial markets, Colleen has spent almost two decades as a steward for sizable assets. She has built The O’Callaghan Thomas Group upon the shared vision of excellence, critical thinking and discipline. Most recently, Colleen and her team were in the Private Wealth Management division at Morgan Stanley. Together, they joined J.P. Morgan Securities in 2017 to provide clients with the personal touch of a small boutique setting coupled with the firm’s global reach and renowned investment platform.



Colleen began her career in 1996 in the MBA program of Brown Brothers Harriman and later joined Credit Suisse to institute a wealth management practice in the United States. The O’Callaghan Thomas group moved to Lehman Brothers in 2000, where she was a leading advisor and served on the philanthropy group of the Women’s Initiative of Leadership and Learning. Colleen has been a guest speaker at leading wealth management conferences as well as a speaker at the Barron’s conference.



A graduate of Miami University in Ohio, Colleen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and History.

Dr. Cate Shanahan is a board certified Family Physician. Her expertise is diet-driven metabolic disease, specifically the twin roles of PUFAs and sugar in promoting weight gain, insulin resistance, prediabetes and other common conditions. Her passion is educational programs that improve productivity & reduce employer healthcare costs by cultivating healthy habits at the individual and organization-wide levels.

After getting her BS in biology from Rutgers University, she trained in biochemistry and genetics at Cornell University’s graduate school before attending Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She practiced in Hawaii for ten years where she studied ethnobotany and her healthiest patient’s culinary habits. She applied her learning and experiences in all these scientific fields to write Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food. Together with Dr. Tim DiFrancesco and NBA legend Gary Vitti, she created the PRO Nutrition program for the LA Lakers and helped forge a partnership between Whole Foods Market and numerous NBA teams. In May of 2018 she begin Director of Metabolic Health for ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, a progressive, family run company interested in saving money by betterment of health.

Kate Healy, is the managing director for Generation Next at TD Ameritrade Institutional. In this role, she is responsible for the helping solve the talent crisis confronting the industry by opening the RIA career path to fresh faces – including new graduates, career changes, military veterans, and other groups that aren’t traditionally represented in the financial advice field. In this crucial role to industry sustainability, Healy promotes diversity and inclusion initiatives to bring more women and underrepresented minorities into the profession. The goal isn’t just to increase diversity – but to equip RIAs with a rich talent pool to grow strong for the long term. Healy joined TD Ameritrade in 2008, most recently serving as a director of marketing responsible for promoting the firm’s technology and investment products offerings, as well as supporting the firm’s advocacy and client loyalty efforts. Prior to joining the firm, Kate served as vice president of IRA product strategy at Merrill Lynch. She has spent more than 20 years in a variety of roles supporting the program development and marketing of financial and estate planning services in the financial planning industry. Healy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Rutgers College and has completed the Securities Industry Institute program, sponsored by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) at the Wharton School of Business.

Jennifer Bacarella, is an Executive Director for SPS Family, a group of affiliated firms consisting of Sigma Financial Corporation, Parkland Securities, LLC, and Sigma Planning Corporation. As a member of the firms’ Executive Committee, Jenny provides leadership and vision in their overall management and operations. Jenny is also Director, Firm Development, responsible for expanding and maintaining the firms’ relationships with independent financial advisors. Since joining Sigma Financial Corporation in 1994, she has taken a proactive relationship manager role, allowing her to interact with the firms’ most successful advisors in their businesses and in their lives. Her high-touch approach has created firms with some of the lowest advisor turnover ratios in the industry. Jenny’s personal interaction and attention to detail confirms for advisors that they have direct access to a member of the firms’ Executive Committee. Her efforts and leadership are carried throughout the firms by the management team and staff. Jenny is a member of NAIFA, WIFS, and the FPA.

As head of Advisor Recruiting and Field Marketing, Kristen Kimmell leads the firm’s efforts to invite the best talent in the industry to join the firm’s nearly 2,000-strong financial advisor base. In her role, Kimmell works closely with the firm’s global head of diversity and human resources to recruit and retain diverse talent in both the advisor and corporate ranks. She is also the leader of the firm’s push to cultivate a diverse and inclusive advisor force and elevate the role of women within the wealth management industry.



A nearly 25-year veteran of RBC Wealth Management – U.S., Kimmell is known for out-of-the-box thinking and for her ability to bring teams together to accomplish big goals. She most recently served as head of Credit Strategies and Business Development. She’s also held a variety of roles in Finance, Capital Markets and Wealth Management, including roles leading Technology, Credit Strategy and Business Development. She also serves as the co-executive sponsor of RBC Wealth Management’s Women’s Association of Financial Advisors (WAFA).



Kimmell began her career in the financial services industry as a financial accountant with Marquette Bancshares in 1993. She joined RBC Wealth Management in 1995 and has held numerous positions, including staff accountant, accounting supervisor and fixed income accounting manager. In 2006, she was promoted to director of financial reporting and administration for RBC Capital Markets. Kimmell was named director of strategic finance in 2008, where she oversaw all financial aspects of Private Client Group, including compensation. She became the chief of staff in 2010.



She was named co-executive sponsor of WAFA in September 2012. In this role, she provides input and leadership to WAFA on their goals of recruiting and retaining female financial advisors (FAs) and branch directors (BDs) along with enhancing FA productivity. In the community, Kimmell is a board member of the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery and the industry association SIFMA Foundation Board.



She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration from Jamestown University.

Liz Skinner, became Special Projects Editor for InvestmentNews in 2017 to expand the range of editorial-based projects produced in print and online. Previously, she was a reporter for InvestmentNews for six years, writing many of the cover stories and special report features she now oversees. Liz covered many different beats over the years, but most recently she focused on financial advice technology and practice management. She joined InvestmentNews after five years as a reporter for Bloomberg News in Washington, where she covered the Securities and Exchange Commission and other policy issues.

Advisors each have their own way of serving clients. As Branch Manager for the Wells Fargo Advisors office in Barrington, I'm the same way. I take time to get to know each of the advisors to individualize the ways in which I support them. Keeping lines of communication open is paramount in the development of relationships which can help advisors provide quality advice and service to their clients. I don't simply have an open door policy, I live by it.



My experience in financial services dates back to 2002 and includes work as a financial advisor, which provided me a solid understanding of the most important aspect of this business: the advisor – client relationship. I served as the interim Complex Manager for Wells Fargo Advisors' Deerfield Complex and as Associate Manager for our Chicago Northwest Market, working closely with the firm's home office, and regional team, doing what was right for our clients.



At Wells Fargo Advisors, we welcome conversations with advisors who are passionate about serving all of their client's financial needs. Let me show you the support, research and resources we have to help you grow your business. Contact me to learn more.

Lauren Matles joined Wells Fargo in September 2008 and currently serves as a Private Wealth Advisor within the Wealth Management Group.

Lauren is responsible for working with high networth clients to meet their short term and long term financial needs. She works closely with the Private Bank team to implement investment and insurance strategies unique to each client situation.

Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Lauren spent seven years with LaSalle Financial Services where she did similar work. Before joining LaSalle, she was with Merrill Lynch and Northern Trust.

Lauren has over 22 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Maureen, a premier advisors, is a partner of the Merkel-Damer Financial Strategies Group of Wells Fargo Advisors. Starting with Prudential Securities in 1994, she has been with the firm through two mergers. Maureen holds the Series 7, 63 and 65 Securities Registrations. Over the years, she received the following designations: Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor, Charter Retirement Planning Counselor and Retirement Income Certified Professional. She is certified in Medicare and Social Security planning. Maureen also has her health and long term care insurance licenses. She is a member of the American Association of Long Term Care Insurance. Prior to joining the firm, she worked for several companies including Junior Achievement where she worked in the national office and oversaw the operations of a local office and where she won several awards including Executive Director of the Year.



Originally from South Bend, Indiana, Maureen graduate from St. Mary’s College in 1983 with a Bachelors of Business degree. She is active in her church and community, and has served on many local not-for-profit boards and organizations such as ZWIN, the Indy Rainbow Chamber, the American Lung Association, Rotary Club of Indianapolis, AYS, Inc., Boy Scouts – Troop 514 and St. Monica School Commission. She has volunteered for the Sunshine Ministry at St. Monica Parish, St. Vincent DePaul, Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, Indy Rainbow Chamber and Zionsville schools.



Maureen is married to Scott, an entrepreneur, and has three children, Alec, Austin and Alena.

Carolyn Armitage is a Managing Director at ECHELON Partners; the leading investment bank and consulting firm to the wealth and investment management industries. As a serial enterprise builder of RIAs, Hybrids and Broker/Dealers, Ms. Armitage helps CEOs make better informed strategic planning decisions, improve their enterprise value, and design the proper legacy.



With a strategic and holistic approach to each engagement, Ms. Armitage provides valuations, expert witness, management consulting and investment banking services. For mergers and acquisitions, Ms. Armitage is an influential woman who understands the complexities of wealth and asset managers and offers an objective perspective, advice and implementation guidance.



Ms. Armitage’s areas of expertise include transaction advisory services, mergers and acquisitions with an emphasis on founder-owned businesses, corporate and family office governance, strategy, and succession planning.



Ms. Armitage’s experience includes roles as an independent Financial Advisor, producing Branch Manager, the head of multiple wealth management teams such as HD Vest - now Advantax, ING Advisors Network - now Voya & Cetera, among others. She also led the Large Enterprise Business Management Consulting team for LPL Financial. Her extensive experience affords her a rare and valuable command of the entire wealth management value chain to help entrepreneurs navigate complex entity, family, and legacy decisions.



In addition to holding numerous FINRA licenses, she holds the CFP® & CIMA® designations. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota and a Masters in Management from The American College.



In addition to growing numerous financial services organizations, Ms Armitage founded and runs a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, True Circle Organization, which provides immediate resources, sustenance and compassion to improve the lives of people who are homeless throughout California.

Liz Skinner, became Special Projects Editor for InvestmentNews in 2017 to expand the range of editorial-based projects produced in print and online. Previously, she was a reporter for InvestmentNews for six years, writing many of the cover stories and special report features she now oversees. Liz covered many different beats over the years, but most recently she focused on financial advice technology and practice management. She joined InvestmentNews after five years as a reporter for Bloomberg News in Washington, where she covered the Securities and Exchange Commission and other policy issues.

Kim is President of Schwab Charitable, a non-profit donor-advised fund provider established with the support of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. to make charitable giving simpler and more tax-efficient for clients. She is responsible for the general management of Schwab Charitable and the fulfillment of its charitable mission, setting strategy and priorities and ensuring all contractual obligations and goals are met. Prior to joining Schwab Charitable, Kim held a variety of leadership, strategy and general management positions at Charles Schwab & Co. Earlier in her career, Kim was a Vice President for Citibank-Asia/Pacific and a Consultant for Bain & Company. She also has served on the board of the Educational Foundation of Orinda and as the head of its investment committee. Kim has been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the most influential women in Bay Area business. She holds a BA in Economics and a BS in Biology from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Jenifer Cannon is Vice President, Business Development, at Impax Asset Management LLC and Pax Ellevate Management.



A gender lens investing expert, Jenifer helps financial advisors integrate sustainable investing strategies into their practices and portfolios. She is a product specialist supporting marketing and sales initiatives for the Pax Ellevate Global Women’s Leadership Fund.



Jenifer has been in the financial industry for more than 20 years and has been with Impax and Pax Ellevate since 2018. Before joining the firm, she worked for Fidelity Investments, Putnam Investments and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. in various retail and institutional roles. She also held positions at The Boston Foundation and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, where she worked closely with advisors and families to design charitable giving strategies. Jenifer has also helped family foundations develop strategic plans for impact giving and investing as well as multi-generational engagement.



Jenifer holds the FINRA Series 6, 63 and 65 registrations, and she’s a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) as well as a 21/64 Certified PHILANTRHOPIC Advisor.



Jenifer Cannon is a registered representative of ALPS Distributors, Inc.

Rachel Busman, PsyD, ABPP is the senior director of the Anxiety Disorders Center and director of the Selective Mutism Service at the Child Mind Institute. She leads a team of clinicians providing evaluation and innovative treatment to children with selective mutism. Dr. Busman is President of the Selective Mutism Association, the nation’s largest network of professionals, families, and individuals with selective mutism.

Dr. Busman has extensive experience providing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to children, teenagers and young adults struggling with anxiety disorders, school difficulties and behavioral problems. She also has specific interest and expertise in the evaluation and treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, separation anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and specific phobias.

Dr. Busman has worked with children in both inpatient and outpatient settings at a major academic medical center, where she directed a multidisciplinary team. She has taught and supervised psychiatry residents and child psychiatry fellows, and lectured extensively on a variety of topics, including the evidence-based assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders in children and teens.

Dr. Busman works intensively with children who have selective mutism, and is dedicated to establishing trust and instilling a sense of hope in her patients as she helps them on their path to recovery.

David Lau is widely recognized as an innovator and disruptor in the financial services industry. He is a sought-after speaker, commentator and advisor by financial journalists, insurance carriers, RIA firms, fintech companies and others seeking insights on industry products, trends and best practices. His work has received coverage in The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, CNBC, Wealth Management and other financial media.



Currently Mr. Lau is the CEO of DPL Financial Partners, a firm he founded in 2014 to bring commission-free, value-driven financial services products to the RIA channel. DPL went to market in 2018; in that time, over 800 RIA firms have joined DPL to implement insurance and annuity products, from 18 leading carriers, into their practices.



Prior to founding DPL, Mr. Lau was Chief Operating Officer of Jefferson National, a leading innovator of tax-advantaged investing strategies for Registered Investment Advisors and fee-based advisors at broker dealers.



Earlier in his career, Mr. Lau served as Chief Marketing Officer of E*Trade Bank and its predecessor TeleBank, the nation’s first internet bank, where he helped pioneer branchless banking.

Chris Harvey is the Chief Executive Officer of J.P. Morgan Securities. He began his career at J.P. Morgan 34 years ago in wealth management, joined the Investment Bank after that assignment, and worked primarily in the foreign exchange and fixed income businesses across developed and emerging markets. His roles included global head of the FX options and the emerging markets derivatives businesses. He then built a solutions team focusing on corporate finance valuation, as well as pension, tax, and accounting efficiency. After spending the next several years in Japan as senior country officer, he returned to the wealth management business where he was CEO of the Latin America Private Bank for five years. Chris is currently leading JP Morgan Securities, a U.S. wealth management segment of the firm. Chris is from Columbus, Ohio, and holds an undergraduate degree in economics from Harvard College. He and his wife Mary Beth live in New York City and have four children.

After being diagnosed with SLE Lupus in 2012, suffering from a bevy of different symptoms ranging from loss of rotation in her joints to hair loss and brain fog, Moore followed her intuition and begun to study the power of alternative therapies including meditation, yoga and herbal medicine and many of the healing practices she utilizes with clients now.



After years of applied research, Moore is grateful to be healthy and symptom-free, ‘healing’ and connecting to the truest version of Self, became a regular part of daily life. Possessing a great veneration for this work, she knew that everything she learned was not only for her healing, but it was also for the healing of people all over the world.