Meet
Team TBG
Leadership Team
DAVID L. BAHNSEN
Founder, Managing Partner, & Chief Investment Officer
David oversees the management of over $6 billion in client assets.
Prior to launching The Bahnsen Group, he spent eight years as a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and six years as a Vice President at UBS. He is consistently named one of the top financial advisors in America by Barron’s, Forbes, and the Financial Times.
He is a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox News, and Fox Business, and is a regular contributor to National Review. He hosts the popular weekly podcast, Capital Record, dedicated to a defense of free enterprise and capital markets. He is a regular lecturer for the Acton Institute and the Center for Cultural Leadership and writes a weekly macro commentary at dividendcafe.com.
David is a founding Trustee for Pacifica Christian High School of Orange County and serves on the Board of Directors for the Acton Institute.
He is the author of several best-selling books including Crisis of Responsibility: Our Cultural Addiction to Blame and How You Can Cure It (2018), The Case for Dividend Growth: Investing in a Post-Crisis World (2019), and There’s No Free Lunch: 250 Economic Truths (2021). His newest book, Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life, was released in February 2024.
David’s true passions include anything related to USC football, the financial markets, politics, and Chinese food. His ultimate passions are his wife of 22+ years, Joleen, their children, Mitchell, Sadie, and Graham, and the life they’ve created together on both coasts.
Brian T. Szytel, CFP®, AIF®
Deputy Managing Partner
Brian manages lead relationship management, investment strategy, financial and retirement planning, and advanced estate planning strategies for our clients. Brian has a diverse professional background with over 15 years of financial advisory experience including UBS, SmithBarney and most recently at Morgan Stanley where he was promoted to First Vice President.
Brian holds the Certified Financial Planner ™, and Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ designations, along with the Series 7 and 66 securities and the California Life and Health Insurance License. Brian received his Bachelor’s degree in Business and Economics from The University of California at Santa Barbara. Brian lives locally with his wife Sara and daughters Sophie and Anna and adores his active lifestyle with them outside of the office.
Luis Garcia
Chief Operating Officer
Luis Garcia joined The Bahnsen Group as its Chief Operating Officer in the summer of 2024. Luis brings years of experience in financial and business operations to TBG, and will oversee all aspects of Business Administration, from finance, to personnel, to technology, etc.
A Southern California native, Luis began his career as an associate at professional services firm, Lit.Econ LLP. He was named the Controller for the Orange County Business Journal in 2005 where he served for eight years. In 2013, Luis became a founding member of Pacifica Christian High School-Orange County and served as the school’s Director of Business and Operations until 2024.
Luis received a B.A. in Philosophy from California State University, Fullerton and a M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is an avid reader, a lover of music, and a lover of good coffee. Luis resides in Costa Mesa with his wife of almost thirty years, Darcy.
Joseph Klein, CEP®, CFP®
Managing Director, Family Office
Joseph serves as the Managing Director of The Bahnsen Group’s Family Office offering. Joe was hired as the Director of our Financial Planning department in 2021 and quickly elevated the leadership, depth, and productivity of the department by leaps and bounds. He was then promoted to a multi-department oversight role and again demonstrated himself to have extraordinary leadership skills and organizational proficiency.
In 2023 he was a key principal in launching our Tax Planning department, and he has served as a driver of our Family Office growth since 2021. Joe joined our executive leadership team in 2023 as our Chief Operating Officer while continuing to build our Family Office services. By the end of 2024, Joe ceded his COO duties to Luis Garcia, and Joe is fully dedicated to the roster of Family Office households. He directly reports to our Managing Partner, David Bahnsen.
Joe is both a Certified Estate Planner™ and Certified Financial Planner™ and he remains a vital part of the deep offering we deliver in complex estate planning.
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, he served on the corporate Investment Solutions team at Hightower, where he co-managed over $350 million in asset allocation models as a Senior Investment Analyst. He brings a multi-faceted skillset from past career experiences, including consulting companies and municipalities in restructuring, and managing high-yield lending as a Credit Analyst in Barclays Investment Bank.
Joseph completed his Bachelor’s degree from New York University’s Stern School of Business and holds the FINRA Series 7 & 63 licenses.
Outside of work, Joseph enjoys improving his golf game and cycling. Joe lives in Orange County with his lovely wife, Amanda, and their daughter, Emilia. He was a lifelong New Yorker who loves living in Southern California.
Trevor Cummings, CFP®
Director, PWAG Group, Partner
Trevor focuses on providing clients customized financial plans, tailored investment solutions, and trusted financial advice. Trevor formerly served as the Director of Financial Planning at The Bahnsen Group and continues to have a passion and interest in both the craft of financial planning and the financial planning industry.
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group Trevor’s experience includes his service as a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley and Retail Banking with Wells Fargo. Trevor completed his bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Biola University and received an MBA with a concentration in finance from California State University, Fullerton.
Trevor is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professional. Additionally, he currently holds the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses, and California Life and Health Insurance license.
Outside of work Trevor enjoys serving as an Elder at Heritage Christian Fellowship in San Clemente. Trevor formerly competed as a cyclist and still enjoys staying active playing basketball, mountain biking, and playing ultimate frisbee.
Trevor’s greatest joy is his family; his beautiful wife, Nicole, and their children, Shepherd, Judah, and Ruthie.
Joleen Bahnsen
DIRECTOR, Experience
Joleen drives the vision for our client experience, with a desire to escalate that experience at The Bahnsen Group, and to build a consistent and professional brand profile in the marketplace. She manages all client and community events as well as brand fidelity and design of all things TBG.
Joleen has served at several national ad agencies, working on such prominent accounts as Hilton Worldwide, UPS, and Del Webb.
Joleen holds a Bachelor of Communication from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and has been a part of The Bahnsen Group since its founding. She has been married to our Managing Partner since 2001 and is the mother to their three wild and wonderful kids Mitchell, Sadie and Graham.
Private Wealth Advisors
Sean Latimer, CFP®
Partner
Sean works as a private wealth advisor focused on developing comprehensive financial solutions for clients. Sean became a partner in 2022 after joining The Bahnsen Group in 2019. Prior to that he was a Financial Planning Specialist at Morgan Stanley, where he was named to the Pacesetter Club for 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Kimberlee A. Davis, J.D., CDFA®
MANAGING DIRECTOR, PARTNER
Kimberlee specializes in personal wealth advising, and financial, retirement and estate planning solutions, for high net worth individuals and multi-generational families. As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, Kimberlee’s proficiency also includes helping her clients transition to financial independence after life-altering events such as death or divorce.
Kimberlee has established The Fiscal Feminist, a platform from which she strongly advocates for women through her passion to empower and educate them concerning their finances. Her mission is to help all women — mothers, daughters, professional women, divorced women, widowed women, women of all ages and wealth levels –to embrace their responsibility to themselves to achieve solid financial footing in both calm and turbulent times.
With more than 25 years of finance, legal and corporate experience, her career has included being a corporate securities lawyer, investment banker, and Chief Financial Officer. Kimberlee received her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service/International Finance, at Georgetown University and earned a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. She currently holds the Series 7 and 66 licenses and the California Life and Health Insurance License.
As an active participant in the community, Kimberlee is a member of the United Way’s Women’s Philanthropy Fund and the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, a board member of The Valiant Women of the Mission Hospital Foundation in Mission Viejo, California which supports women’s health care and nursing education, and a board member of The Sparkle Foundation’s Sparkle BIZ platform which invests in single mothers who are business owners or entrepreneurs. Kimberlee also is the President of the British American Business Council of Orange County, an Advisory Board Member for the University of California, Irvine – The Paul Merage School of Business Center for Investment and Wealth Management, and an active member of Gen Next, an organization dedicated to learning and engaging with the challenges facing future generations.
As a Pittsburgh native, she is an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Her passions include art, traveling and cooking, and reading. Kimberlee is the proud mother of Allison, Claire and Merrill, who are in her view, her greatest accomplishments!
Don Saulic, CFP®, CPA, CAP®
Managing Director, Partner
Don serves in the private wealth management and family office practice, advising clients on comprehensive and holistic strategies to help achieve their long-term, multigenerational goals. His strategies include investment management, estate and tax planning, retirement and financial planning, risk management, real estate, lifestyle management, and charitable planning.
In the community, Don serves several philanthropic endeavors focused on helping adults and children achieve a life of success and significance. He has public and non-profit board experience and serves on the Boards of the YMCA of Orange County, the Forum of Christian Business Leaders, and the Grace and Hope Foundation. He is a Shepherding Elder at Mariners Church. A Chicago native, Don, his significant other, three daughters, son, and lab make their home in Corona del Mar, California.
James Andrews, CFP®
James is a member of our Private Wealth Advisor Group, specializing in customized wealth planning for families & institutions. Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, James was a Wealth Manager for Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management where he received the Exceptional Contributor award in 2017 and 2018. He brings a truly holistic focus to his client work and is a like-minded and aligned member of our advisory team.
James earned his degree in Entrepreneurial Finance at Cal Poly Pomona and is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional.
Outside of work, he enjoys serving at Mariners Church in Irvine, is currently serving on the National Board for RTwelve, and is a Member of the Finance & Pension Advisory Committee for the city of Costa Mesa.
He spends his off hours playing the occasional pick-up hockey game and embracing an active lifestyle with his wife, Bre, and their two boys, Gavin and Declan.
Stoddard Barnhill, CFP®
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Stoddard was the Director of Planning and co-founder of Story Capital, LLC. Stoddard lends bold ideas and strategies to the team that benefit the firm’s entire client roster — particularly leaders of Fortune 500 and large private companies with equity compensation and complex benefit plans. Stoddard finds great fulfillment in walking alongside his clients, providing them with the tools and information they need to help make educated, meaningful decisions.
Cole Brandon
Cole joined as the lead Private Wealth Advisor in our Grand Rapids office launch in August of 2024. He strives to use robust financial planning as a tool for human flourishing and takes great joy in productive and personal relationships with his clients. Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Cole worked at various financial institutions as a manager and financial advisor. He holds Series 7 & 66 securities licenses as well as a Michigan insurance license.
A Michigan native, Cole serves as an elder at his local church and as a board member at a classical Christian School. He holds an undergraduate degree in Biblical and Theological Studies as well as a Master of Divinity. Cole met his wife, Zayda, at age nine and married her eleven years later. They have three children, Lewis, Geneva, and Halle, with more to come.
Blaine Carver, CFP®, CKA®
Blaine serves as a Private Wealth Advisor in our Newport Beach office. His passion is for guiding individuals towards financial well-being. He has over a decade of experience investing client capital and crafting personalized financial plans that align with their unique values.
Drew Dill, CRPS™
Drew is a Private Wealth Advisor, in our Bend office, joining us after eight years as a Premier Banker at Wells Fargo, where he held a variety of senior banking roles and management roles. In addition, Drew is a Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist helping to implement and maintain retirement plans for employers and employees alike. Drew holds a CRPS license, Series 7 & 66 securities licenses, and a California Life Insurance license.
Outside of work, Drew is an avid baseball fan; Go Padres! He enjoys reading, teaching Sunday school at his church, fishing, hiking, long road trips, and smoking meats on the Pit Boss. Drew’s greatest joy is spending time with family as he is happily married to his wife Elisabeth, and the proud father of two young children, Edison and Isla.
Robert Graham, CFA®
Robert is a Private Wealth Advisor based in our Austin, TX office. His advisory work focuses on delivering candid capital markets insight to clients in tandem with robust, adaptable financial plans. Robert is a passionate advocate for the promise and potential of entrepreneurialism, free enterprise, and a market economy.
Robert first joined The Bahnsen Group in 2013 at Morgan Stanley after starting his career at UBS Financial Services. Robert managed TBG’s corporate retirement plan business and was a lead advisor through our transition out of Morgan Stanley. After two years away working as an outsourced Chief Investment Officer, Robert re-joined The Bahnsen Group in 2023 to lead The Bahnsen Group’s Texas expansion.
He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and he holds the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Indiana University. He has completed coursework at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford (Private Asset Valuation) and The Anderson School of Business, University of California Los Angeles (Behavioral Finance).
Robert is an avid runner, swimmer, and reader, but most enjoys spending quality time with his wonderful wife, Samantha, and their three children.
GEOFFREY GREGORY, CRPC®
SENIOR WEALTH ADVISOR, DIRECTOR, INVESTMENT BANKING
Geoff serves as a Senior Wealth Advisor and the Director of Investment Banking for The Bahnsen Group, bringing more than forty years of experience in the financial services industry. Geoff works with business owners, corporate executives, and entrepreneurs in all aspects of financial need from corporate liquidity events to private wealth management, planning, and investment services.
Brian Miller
Brian is a Private Wealth Advisor at The Bahnsen Group working from our Tennessee location. Prior to opening The Bahnsen Group office in Nashville, Brian worked from our Newport Beach headquarters. Brian worked for three years as an Investment Solutions Consultant at Alliance Bernstein, a $700 billion asset manager. Prior to that Brian was a Major League baseball pitcher in the Tampa Rays organization.
He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University where he won a 2014 world series championship.
Brian holds the Series 7, 63, and 65 designations, and is highly focused on financial planning and stewardship of all phases of the wealth management process for our clients.
He and his wife, Megan, and their two kids, Jane and Archie, live in Nashville. Brian is very involved in his local church and loves family movie nights, golfing, and SEC football.
Brendan X. Porter, CFP®
Brendan joined our Private Wealth Advisor group in the summer of 2021 after many years at Tax & Financial Group. Brendan has a substantial background in financial planning and risk management and brings significant experience and skill in high-level client relations to the team.
Brendan is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional and holds the Series 7 and Series 66 registrations. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Labor Relations and Employment Management from Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Brendan is very active with Athletes in Action and has recently joined the council for Safe Families for Children. Brendan formerly played professional lacrosse for six years and now enjoys playing golf, dance parties with his daughters, watching lacrosse, and family bike rides.
Brendan’s great joy is spending time with his wife, Jenna and their four kids: Riley, Selah, Quinn and Xavier.
Steve Tresnan, CFP®, CAIA®
Steve is a Private Wealth Advisor at The Bahnsen Group, working from our New York City office. He was formerly a Managing Director at Hightower Advisors after beginning his career as a financial advisor in 2006. Steve utilizes comprehensive financial planning, dividend growth investing, and nontraditional investments to help clients improve their ability to attain long-term financial goals.
Steve has focused throughout his career on alternative investments, research, analysis, trading, financial planning, client service, insurance, and customized reporting solutions for ultra-high-net-worth families and institutions. Previously, he supported Hightower’s Investment Solutions team by coordinating investment research, analytics, due diligence and access capabilities for the company. Prior to Hightower, Steve was a financial advisor at Ameriprise Financial in the greater Philadelphia area.
Steve is a Certified Financial PlannerTM practitioner, as well as a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst®. He is also an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, which helps him offer guidance to clients with fiduciary responsibilities, such as board members of trusts, foundations, and endowments. Steve earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Penn State University.
Steve serves on the board and finance committee of New Music USA – a national nonprofit devoted to the development and appreciation of new music in the U.S. A Pittsburgh native and long-time guitarist, he enjoys playing and writing music, grilling/BBQ, exercising, sampling IPAs, watching PSU/Pittsburgh sports, golfing, and spending time with family and friends. Steve, his wife, Katie, and daughters, Ruby and Violet, live in Leonia, NJ.
Nathan R. Straw
Nathan is a Private Wealth Advisor at The Bahnsen Group’s new Phoenix office, joining us after six years as a Financial Advisor and Portfolio Manager at Morgan Stanley. Nate was named to the Morgan Stanley Pacesetter’s Club from 2018-2021. He will be deeply focused in our Private Wealth Advisor Group as a lead relationship manager, financial and retirement planner, and investment allocator.
Nate completed his MBA with a concentration in Management from California Baptist University. He holds Series 7 and 66 securities licenses.
Outside of work, Nate enjoys backpacking and fishing, ushering at his church in San Clemente, and volunteering as a Young Life youth leader. A former chef, Nate continues to live out his passion for the culinary arts, cooking for friends, family and charity events. Nate truly loves volunteering at orphanages in Vietnam, Philippines, Haiti and Mexico.
Sean Ullrich
Sean serves as a Private Wealth Advisor at the Bahnsen Group, working from our Nashville, Tennessee location. Prior to joining the Bahnsen Group, Sean worked for an advisory firm in St. Louis, Missouri guiding clients through comprehensive financial planning.
Sean played college baseball at both the University of Missouri and Louisiana Tech University.
He is active with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is very involved in his local church. Sean lives in Nashville where he met his fiancée, Rachel, and they enjoy going to see live country music and sporting events.
Operations
ALEXIS GALES
Director
Alexis joins us from the University of Southern California where she was the Director of Operations for USC Volleyball.
Prior to her working for USC, she worked in sales development for Highspot Inc., a software company providing sales enablement tools and software for improving marketing effectiveness.
Alexis graduated with a B.S. in sociology from USC where she was also a starting volleyball player earning the AVCA All-America honors in 2013. Alexis went on to play professionally including contracts in Germany, South Korea, and the Philippines and was a member of the USA Women’s National Training Team competing for Team USA at the 2014 NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifier.
BETH FIDUCCIA
Associate Director
Beth joined the Operations Department of The Bahnsen Group in the spring of 2019, bringing valuable experience and skill to the team.
Beth began her career in 1991 at Shearson Lehman. Over the last 25 years she has seen time at Smith Barney and UBS in various senior administrative roles. Her experience covers both the RIA world and large firms, and she has tremendous ability to solve problems and serve clients.
Beth resides in Huntington Beach with her daughter. She enjoys riding her bike to the beach, baking with her daughter, and loves teaching Pilates.
Tammie Etchells
Tammie joined The Bahnsen Group in December 2021 as a member of the Operations team.
After graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in Communications, Tammie started her career at Dean Witter/Morgan Stanley in Los Angeles. She developed operations, marketing, and advisor communications experience in her seven years there. Subsequently, she spent the last fifteen years in a couple of different high-level Account Executive and Senior Operations roles. She has experience in relationship management, client service, and high-level administration.
Tammie enjoys spending time with her family and dogs and in her free time enjoys going to USC football games.
Megan Geary
Megan is a member of our Operations Department working from our Minnetonka, MN location. Prior to joining TBG, Megan worked in various financial services roles in South Dakota and Minnesota, building experience in financial planning and trust services.
Megan is a graduate of Augustana University and has resided in the Midwest her entire life. She enjoys playing competitive ultimate frisbee, serving in her local church, and hunting and fishing with her family. She currently lives in Minneapolis with her husband, Caleb.
Darren M. Lightfoot, AAMS®
Darren joins the Operations Department of The Bahnsen Group after spending 6 years at Charles Schwab, where he began his career in finance in 2016.
During his last 3 years in the Schwab Newport Beach office, Darren was a direct partner to 2 senior financial advisors, specializing in serving UHNW clients.
He graduated from The Master’s University in 2015, where he earned athletic (soccer), academic, and music scholarships. He was a 2-time Academic All-American, and was given the Champion of Character award by the university’s athletic department.
Darren lives in San Clemente with his wife and 2 daughters, and enjoys leading the worship band at their local church.
CAMILLE MESITE
Camille works within our Operations Department, assisting in the daily needs of our clients. After graduating from The Pennsylvania State University, she began her career in New York City and has over 30 years of experience in brokerage, mutual fund sales and asset management. She started with Dean Witter Reynolds, Oppenheimer & Co, and Fred Alger Management in New York, followed by Shearson Lehman Hutton, Palley-Needelman Asset Management and Metropolitan West Capital Management in Newport Beach.
Camille is a Board Member of the Orange County Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association. Besides cheering on the Nittany Lions, she enjoys going to concerts, Anaheim Ducks hockey and using her Disneyland annual pass.
HANNAH JUST
Before joining TBG as an Associate in the Operations department, Hannah worked as an Investor Relations Associate at a Houston-based private equity firm, specializing in client relations and communication management.
A graduate of Northwest Missouri State with a BS in Marketing, she also interned with two nonprofits during her time there. Outside of work, Hannah enjoys camping, hiking, and gardening with her husband.
ERICCA MURILLO
Ericca brings stellar experience in client service to The Bahnsen Group. Prior to joining us, she managed the office of an international manufacturing company in Orange County, covering more than fifty employees. She possesses great skill in business administration and has a real passion for supporting the client experience and advisors at The Bahnsen Group.
A devoted mother, Ericca enjoys outdoor activities, year-round youth sports, and days at the beach.
Abigail S. Murphy
Abigail serves in the New York Office as an Operations Associate for The Bahnsen Group. Before joining the team, Abigail worked in various financial services, investor relations, and non-profit administrative positions in New York City.
Abigail is a graduate of The King’s College in Lower Manhattan and has lived in Brooklyn, NY most of her life. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, writing, and running in New York City parks.
Natalie Hammonds
Natalie joined our Operations Department at our New York City office in 2024. Before becoming a part of TBG, she gained experience in operations through roles at a local non-profit and her church, in addition to assisting a family on the Upper East Side. Natalie is a graduate of Baylor University.
In her free time, she enjoys attending Broadway shows, spending time with friends, and taking dance classes.
Laura Sauer
Laura joined the Operations Department of The Bahnsen Group in March of 2022 at our brand new Nashville office. Prior to joining TBG she spent three years as a private client associate at Janney Montgomery Scott. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, where she majored in Kinesiology and minored in business administration.
In her free time Laura loves exploring new Nashville restaurants, hanging out with her niece and nephews, and cheering on the Tennessee Vols.
Carly Whelan
Carly joins us after graduating from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa with a B.A. Humanities degree, majoring in Psychology. After living and studying abroad for the past five years, she has moved back to Southern California and now serves as a member of our Operations Department in our Newport Beach headquarters.
In her free time, Carly enjoys being outdoors, going for a run, spending the afternoon at the beach, going to church, grabbing coffee, and simply being with her family and friends.
Madison Boyken
Madison joined TBG in the summer of 2024 as the lead Operations Associate in our Phoenix, Arizona office. Prior to that she worked in operations and client service roles for ClearEdge Private Wealth and Northwestern Mutual for over six years.
Madison is a graduate of Columbia College in Missouri where she starred on the soccer team and was a member of the AMC Academic All-Conference Team.
Along with spending time with family and friends, Madison enjoys the various outdoor adventures Arizona provides, indulging in weekly cold plunges, attending local fitness classes, and experimenting with different culinary creations.
Sarah DeChristopher
Sarah recently joined our office in Bend, Oregon branch as an Operations Associate. She previously worked in client service at Wells Fargo.
Most of her free time consists of spending time with her husband watching movies, hiking around Oregon, spending time with friends and family, or reading a book with a coffee on standby.
RAYNA AUSTIN
Rayna serves as the Treasurer for The Bahnsen Group, formerly the team’s Business Administrator, and is responsible for financial operations, Human Resources functions, and all control functions in our finance department. She is based in our Newport Beach office.
Rayna joined The Bahnsen Group in 2018 after four years with Capstone Partners and Gemini Southern, LLC where she gained experience in management consulting, corporate finance, and accounting services.
Rayna is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice and a minor in psychology. She also earned her Paralegal Certification from the University of California Irvine, and her Accounting and QuickBooks Certifications from the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers.
Peter A. Chin
Peter joined our Business Administration Department in late 2024 as a Senior Accountant, responsible for the team’s financial operations. He works from our Newport Beach location.
Prior to joining TBG he worked at Baker Tilly for five years in client accounting services, also serving in a local community service planning team. Peter obtained the Master of Science in Accounting from California Baptist University and is a QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor and has the Bill.com Pro Certification.
Outside of work he enjoys listening to audiobooks, going to theme parks, and spending time with friends and family.
Ryan Dennee
Ryan has two decades of bookkeeping experience at several companies and now serves as the Business Administrator in our Newport Beach office. Ryan lives in Costa Mesa with his wife and son.
A former professional musician, Ryan has released over a dozen albums and performed all over the world. In his free time, he still enjoys playing guitar with his son in addition to golfing and surfing.
Planning
Matthew Gregory, CFP® CEP®
Director
Matthew serves as the Director of our Planning Department, working out of the New York office. He oversees our vast team of planners across the country, is responsible for our client web portal, and has a strong focus on aspirational, values-based financial and estate planning. Matthew is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Estate Planner™ professional and holds the Series 65 FINRA license.
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Matthew graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama. He is also a singer/songwriter and composed the music and lyrics for two off-Broadway premiere musicals. Since music activates both sides of the brain, Matthew brings a balance of analytical and creative thinking to all that he undertakes.
Nick Dally, CFP®
Associate Private Wealth Advisor
Nick is an Associate Private Wealth Advisor serving in our Oregon Office. Nick’s primary focus is on planning and client analysis. He moved to Bend in 2019 after serving six years in the United States Navy. In the Navy, he was focused on intelligence collection and analysis while stationed in Colorado and Hawaii. Immediately after he arrived in Bend, Nick attended Oregon State University and earned his degree in Business Administration. Nick gained experience in both project management and corporate finance roles prior to beginning his career in wealth management.
When he is not at work, Nick spends time with his wife and friends snowboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing, and surfing. He is passionate about veteran outreach and enjoys participating in Honor Flight trips, as well as different veteran-focused surfing organizations.
Mathew Kraines, CFP®
Associate Private Wealth Advisor
Mathew works as an Associate Private Wealth Advisor in the Planning Department of The Bahnsen Group’s office in Minnesota. His work is focused in all aspects of the financial planning process. Matthew support advisors and the financial planning function with a wide array of services.
Mathew received his Business/Finance degree from the University of South Dakota. Mathew’s interest for Wealth Management grew out of an internship he held in college with RBC Wealth Management working on a portfolio strategies team. Upon graduation he worked within Global Custody Operations for US Bank.
Jeremy Polon, CFP®
Associate Private Wealth Advisor
Jeremy is an Associate Private Wealth Advisor in our Planning Department, located in our West Palm Beach, Florida office. Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Jeremy worked as a paraplanner at Lucia Capital Group, a wealth management firm in San Diego, CA managing $450 million. He graduated from California State University-San Marcos with a finance degree and holds Series 7, Series 66, and California Life and Health Insurance Licenses.
Outside of work, Jeremy enjoys reading and maintaining an active lifestyle, which consists of surfing, playing tennis, and playing in a softball league. He is a member of West Hills Champions, a local little league facility where he serves as a mentor to children with special needs and disabilities. His greatest joy is spending time with family
Josh Klooz, CFP®
Associate Private Wealth Advisor
Josh is an Associate Private Wealth Advisor serving the Texas market. He provides advanced planning and client advisory services out of our newly-created Houston satellite office.
Before joining The Bahnsen Group, Josh served as an Infantry Officer in the United States Army and as an Operations Manager at Cintas Corporation, where his fascination with the power of dividends began. He has spent six years in wealth advisory roles with UBS and then Carson Wealth. Josh holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation and received his MBA from Georgia Tech and a Bachelor of Arts from Hillsdale College.
Formed by working with his father on their farm in the sandhills of Nebraska, Josh is a committed worker and family man. His greatest joys are his wife, Ashlee, and their four children. Outside of work, Josh enjoys watching college football, all sorts of activities with his family, and serving with Ashlee on the Board of Evergreen Classical School.
Drew Sherwood
Drew Sherwood is an Associate in the Planning Department of our Newport Beach office. Before joining The Bahnsen Group, he served as an Analyst on the Institutional Trading & Rebalancing team at Russell Investments, where he was tasked with contributing to the trade and settlement cycles across the firm’s assets.
Drew completed his Bachelor of Business Administration at Boise State in May of 2022. During his studies, he participated in multiple internship programs including Corporate Finance, Capital Markets, and Real Estate.
Outside of work, Drew enjoys skiing and spending time in the water during the summer. Drew is also an enthusiastic sports fan.
Joel Pietila
Joel joined the The Bahnsen Group’s Phoenix office in the summer of 2024 as an associate in our Planning Department. Prior to joining TBG, Joel worked as a financial advisor at Thrivent Financial. He has previously been a middle and high school math teacher and an admissions counselor for his alma mater, Hillsdale College. While at Hillsdale, Joel participated on the golf team and graduated with a BS in Applied Mathematics and Religion. He currently holds his Series 7 and 66 licenses.
Joel grew up in Grand Rapids, MI but was originally born in Finland. When his parents immigrated to Michigan when he was a baby, they kept the Finnish pronunciation of his name, “yo-el.”
He met his beautiful wife, Alexis, while attending Hillsdale, and they have been happily married for six years. They welcomed their first baby in September 2023. Joel enjoys spending quality time with his family, the Arizona outdoors, golfing, hiking, running, and biking, as well as serving his church. He also loves cheering for his beloved University of Michigan and Detroit sports teams.
Blake Booth
Blake joined the Planning Department of TBG in the summer of 2024, and will serve as the Planning Associate of our Nashville office. Prior to joining TBG Blake served for 12 years as a Navy SEAL. Before that long bout of courageous national service, he graduated from Murray State University where he studied Finance and earned his MBA while also playing football.
In his free time, Blake enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Jenna, and their children, Harper and Everett. He loves competing in triathlons and ultramarathons, and can be generally said to be physically and mentally tougher than the typical financial planner. Blake is dedicated to making a positive impact in the veteran community.
Investment Solutions
KENNY MOLINA, CAIA®
DIRECTOR, Investment Process
Kenny serves as the Director of the Investment Process Department, focused on equity and bond trading, portfolio analytics, and alternatives manager research and diligence. Kenny also oversees The Bahnsen Group’s in-house hedge fund solution ‘Alternative Income Solutions’ an alternatives strategy that was structured, launched, and continues to be managed internally.
Before joining The Bahnsen Group, Kenny was a wealth management analyst with Valensi Rose, PLC, a law practice situated in Century City. He assisted in improving and standardizing financial schedules and provided departmental analytics.
Kenny completed his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, currently holds the Series 65 license, is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst, and is a LII CFA candidate.
Manuel A. Ramirez
Manuel provides direct support to the Investment Process Department, focusing on internal performance reporting and substantial research of investment products and ideas. Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Manuel worked closely with high net worth individuals in the acquisition of commercial real estate properties.
His work included the development of budgetary reports and extensive analytics around projects and proposed investment. He is a diligent analyst with a high regard for details and nuances that impact investment opportunity and results. Manuel completed his degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is currently pursuing the Series 65 FINRA license
Gale Millington
Gale works in our New York office as a dedicated Alternative Investments resource in the Investment Process Department. She is responsible for operational administration, data processing, and tax reporting across our entire Alternative Investment business. She is instrumental in making the workflow of this vital business line more efficient.
In her prior role, she worked as a Senior Operations Associate for the Commercial Bank Unicredit SPA, overseeing the daily monitoring of payment transfers locally and internationally.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Brooklyn College and an Associate’s Degree in Marketing and Sales from NY City Tech College.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading and traveling.
Eddie Molina
Eddie joins The Bahnsen Group in October 2022 as the newest member of our Investment Process Department, where he will tackle a heavy load in Portfolio Analytics and soon be trained in trading operations, as well. Before joining The Bahnsen Group, Eddie initially worked as an Operations Representative at Merrill Lynch in Newport Beach. He audited large money movement transfers and was responsible for red flags in the processing of incoming deposits and stock certificates. He became a wealth management associate for two financial advisors and handled all administrative needs for client investment and banking accounts.
Eddie holds Series 7 and 66 licenses. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon, and enjoys all things soccer.
Chloe Wood
Chloe joins TBG in January 2024 as their new Investments Associate in the Newport Beach office. Chloe graduated from The New School, Eugene Lang College in New York City as a merit scholar with a B.A in Economics and a B.A in Art History.
Before joining TBG she was a market analyst within the real estate market where she focused on providing analytical support that secured business from potential investors and clients. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends, family and is a lover of the culinary arts.
Sarah Kaley
Sarah recently joined The Bahnsen Group as an Investment Solutions Associate in the New York City office. Before joining the team, Sarah worked at Wolfe Research in Manhattan. Sarah graduated from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business in their Lincoln Center Campus. She grew up in Southern California but left her comfort zone and moved to Manhattan.
In her free time she enjoys taking workout classes, walking and biking in the city, watching movies, and reading.
LIPING "LEO" OUYANG, CFA®
Research
Liping supports the Investment Committee through idea generation, fundamental research, portfolio monitoring, and the value-added delivery of research and analytical work.
Theodore McEntee
Research
Theodore McEntee (Teddy) joins TBG as the newest analyst in our Research Department. A recent graduate of the University of Tennessee, Teddy will work in our Nashville office in portfolio analytics, special research projects, and alternative investment due diligence. He was a scholarship tennis player at the University of Tennessee. He previously worked as an associate at Gulfstream Capital, and brings a wide array of talent in analysis and research to the firm.
He holds a Series 65 license from FINRA and completed the Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst program with the Corporate Finance Institute last year.
Risk Management
Sarah Leitzke, CFP®
Director
Sarah serves as the Director of Risk Management, working from our Minnesota location. Sarah has a true passion for helping people feel both knowledgeable and at ease with their financial decisions. She is driven to find solutions to complex problems. Sarah obtained her CFP® certification in November 2020.
Before diving into the financial industry in mid-2017, Sarah was in church leadership for 6 years and received Bachelor of Arts degrees from both the University of Minnesota and North Central University in Political Science & Communication Studies and Music, respectively.
Jonah Lems
Jonah is an Associate in Risk Management, working with the awesome team in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Jonah has always been passionate about wealth management and is serious about helping clients achieve their financial goals and protect their future.
He has a degree in Financial Services, but his financial education began much earlier. At 16, while Jonah’s friends were thinking only about how to get their driver’s license, Jonah was reading prospectuses and researching investment strategies, working after school to fully fund his Custodial Roth IRA.
Beyond financial planning, Jonah enjoys spending time with his friends and family, listening to podcasts, and challenging himself in the gym. Jonah is also an avid angler and many Saturdays he can be found on a lake in Northern Wisconsin.
Tax
Jay Kim, J.D., CPA
Director
Jay Kim serves as Director of our Tax Department. He joined The Bahnsen Group as a Senior Tax Consultant, a role he held for years at Deloitte after he started in the tax advisory world at KPMG. He has lots of experience working with a range of individuals and businesses in complex tax planning. After becoming a tax lawyer, Jay worked in tax controversy cases representing clients in all sorts of tax and legal compliance matters.
Jay is a graduate of Ohio State University where he graduated magna cum laude as an Accounting and Finance major. He obtained his Masters Degree in Taxation from DePaul University in Chicago, and then did his law degree at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Outside of work, Jay enjoys traveling with his family and spending time with his three kids and two dogs.
Vivian Yang, CPA, CDFA®
Associate Director
Vivian joined The Bahnsen Group’s Tax Department as the Associate Director in the spring of 2024, having spent 17 years in senior tax roles at various firms. A Certified Public Accountant with stellar skills in tax compliance and planning, Vivian works from our Phoenix, Arizona, office.
Vivian began her career at Deloitte as a Senior Tax Accountant before moving to KPMG in the same role. She has spent fifteen years as a Tax Manager inside companies and wealth management firms, where she has accumulated vast experience in all aspects of tax planning, preparation, and strategy. She is passionate about the integration of tax and wealth advisory needs that TBG offers its clients.
Vivian holds a Master’s degree in Accounting from Farleigh Dickinson University and an advanced degree from Rutgers University.
In her free time she enjoys yoga and all sorts of outdoor activities.
Menka Singh, M.B.T., CPA
Menka joins The Bahnsen Group as a Senior Tax Consultant, working directly with our Private Wealth Advisor Group, our clients, and where needed, outside tax advisors, in all tax-related endeavors.
She is a Certified Public Accountant and works from our Newport Beach location, bringing more than twenty years of experience in the accounting and tax preparation industry. She provides guidance on new tax rules, planning for liquidity events, year-round tax planning, and tax return preparation.
Vanessa Miranda
Vanessa Miranda recently joined The Bahnsen Group as a Tax Associate, having worked in public accounting for the past couple of years. She is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting.
In her free time she enjoys walks with her dog and indulging in arts and crafts.
Susan Zeng
Susan joined The Bahnsen Group in January 2024 as a Tax Planning Associate in the Newport office. She started off her career as a tax team specialist and has worked in public accounting for the past year. Susan graduated from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, with an MBA in Accounting, where she also earned her B.S. in International Business with a minor in accounting. Before coming to the US, Susan studied at Southwest University in China where she earned her B.S. in Finance and Economy.
In her free time, Susan loves reading, spending time with friends, and experiencing new things.
Carol Dsouza
Carol Dsouza joined the Bahnsen Group as a Tax Associate at our Austin, TX office in late 2024. She has spent the last three years preparing Individual and business tax returns, developing valuable experience with a public accounting firm. She has a serious passion to help clients navigate complex tax matters and a strong foundation in tax preparation.
Carol holds a MBA in Finance from India, obtained from Visvesvaraya Technological University.
In her free time, Carol enjoys spending time with family and being outdoors.
Content
brian tong
DIRECTOR, Digital Communications
Brian guides our digital communications and is responsible for the curation and cultivation of the collective thoughts and wisdom of The Bahnsen Group.
He supports the creation and distribution of the many forms of communication created by the thought leaders of the company and connects to the public through a host of digital methods and channels, providing preferred points of contact to an interested public.
Utilizing his years of experience in marketing and branding, he crafts new ways to reach the current and future clients of the group so that the investment philosophies and principles that drive The Bahnsen Group can serve them in their financial lives.
Brian received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of California, Irvine.
GLEN HALL
Director, Digital Solutions
Glen provides analysis and guidance regarding the client experiences we create and deliver on our various digital platforms. Glen manages our digital solutions with a deep digital and creative marketing experience he gained over the last twenty years as a Partner of the Brainyard advertising agency where he produced over 100 websites. Glen has both front and backend coding skills bringing The Bahnsen Group senior level deployment of digital initiatives.
Glen provides deep analysis through the use of enterprise level tools to help create a functional yet simple online experience.
His early professional experience was spent in financial accounting and the design of control and reporting systems for a variety of financial institutions, the Resolution Trust Corporation, and a host of digital startups.
Glen received his Bachelor’s in Economics and Master’s in Business Administration from the University of California, Irvine.
Lukas Klause
Lukas is the newest member of the company’s Content Department, collaborating with our content and experience teams to drive optimal content strategy and execution.
Lukas supports the department with digital & video production, social media strategy, and broad departmental support to manage the continued growth of The Bahnsen Group and the content the firm uses to serve its clients.
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Lukas was the Marketing Director at a Southern California Apartment Brokerage where he directed the marketing and content development of over $200,000,000 worth of apartment transactions. He holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration (Marketing) from Biola University.
Lukas grew up in Laguna Niguel and now resides there with his wife, Audra. In his free time he loves spending time with his wife, family, and friends, playing roller hockey, taking trips to Disneyland, collecting vinyl & cassettes, going to church, and trying different foods here in Southern California.
Experience
MINA WIDMER
Director, Design
Mina leads design efforts with a background in branding, promotion, packaging design, front-end web development, and collateral design. As a strategic designer, Mina specializes in creating powerful and memorable designs. Through the power of typography, color, and visual communication, she aims to convey a consistent brand message by creating unforgettable visual experiences.
Prior to beginning her formal education in design, Mina worked on the trading floor at Morgan Stanley in New York City assisting the foreign currency and US interest rate strategy teams. After receiving her Masters Degree in Design, Mina has served as a senior level designer at several New York City agencies, working on such prominent accounts as Mondelez, Pepperidge Farm, Colgate, Nestle, Baby Einstein and more.
Mina holds 2 Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in German and one in Political Science, from the University of Georgia as well as a Masters of Arts in Visual Communication, Packaging Design from Pratt Institute in New York.
Mina spends her free time playing pool, attending design/typography events, finding ways to practice her German, and relaxing with her 2 tiny chihuahuas.
Kayla Swanberg
Office Reception
Kayla serves as the Newport Beach office receptionist. With years of experience in customer service across several industries she provides needed organization, service, and smile to the vital day-to-day operations in our primary company headquarters.
In her free time, Kayla enjoys watercolor painting, traveling, and enjoying a conversational pint with friends and family.