Geoffrey K. Alexander is CEO of R.M. Davis in Portland, Maine. Prior to assuming the role of CEO, Alexander served as president of the firm for seven years. He has also worked directly with high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients at R.M. Davis for more than 25 years. Alexander has served on numerous nonprofit boards at both the state and local levels. He has been very actively involved with the IAA, including serving as the current chair of the Board of Governors, as well as participating in numerous events and advocating for the industry on Capitol Hill. Alexander earned an MBA from Boston University and a B.A. from Colby College.
Mary Claire Allvine, CFP, co-founded Doyenne Wealth Advisors, LLC in 2022, and is the firm’s CEO. Previously, she was an equity owner at another national RIA. She also co-authored a financial planning book for young couples entitled “The Family CFO” (Rodale 2004). Allvine received an A.B. from Princeton University and an M.B.A. from University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business.
Karen L. Barr is president and chief executive officer of the IAA. Before assuming the role of president and CEO in 2014, she served as the IAA’s general counsel for 17 years, with responsibility for the wide range of legal and regulatory matters affecting the investment adviser industry. Prior to joining the IAA, Barr was in private practice at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now WilmerHale), where she represented clients in SEC investigations, securities class action litigation, internal corporate investigations, and securities regulatory matters. She received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
Gail C. Bernstein general counsel and head of public policy for the IAA. She joined the IAA in 2017 from the law firm of WilmerHale in Washington, DC, where she had been a special counsel and before that a partner in the Securities Department. While in private practice, Bernstein counseled clients on all aspects of financial and securities regulation. Bernstein earned her B.A. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and her law degree from Harvard Law School in 1988. After law school, Bernstein clerked for the Honorable Douglas P. Woodlock of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Michael F. Bisaro AIF joined StraightLine Group LLC in October, 2004 as a financial advisor and has served in numerous roles throughout the years, overseeing advisory services as well as the implementation of educational programs and participant account investment management for StraightLine’s higher education and corporate clients. In February 2020, Mike and his wife Elizabeth completed their purchase of StraightLine at which time Mike added the duties of StraightLine’s President and CEO to his ongoing role as a financial advisor. Mike has presented nationwide and has been quoted by numerous publications on a range of topics including fiduciary responsibilities, retirement plan operations, RIA operations, financial planning, and investment management.
Charles B. Burkhart, Jr. is chief executive officer of Rosemont Investment Group, LLC. Burkhart founded Rosemont Investment Partners, LLC, in 2000, prior to which he was the president of Investment Counseling, Inc., the asset management business consultant and industry strategy firm he founded in 1989. Over his career, he has worked on hundreds of advisory assignments on compensation, business strategy, valuation, partnering and best practices in the asset management industry. Prior to establishing Investment Counseling, he was a principal with the executive search firm of Lee Calhoon & Co., specializing in the field of pensions and investments. He holds a B.A. in English from Boston College.
Al Castillo is the vice president of solutions management at SS&C Advent. As the leader of the Managed Services team, he provides guidance to wealth and asset management clients on the most suitable managed services for their business and technology requirements. Castillo has been with the company since 2000 and has served in multiple roles throughout his tenure. He holds a B.S. in Information Technology from University of Phoenix.
Scott Eckel joined Schwab’s Office of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs in March 2012, and has more than two decades of policy experience in Washington, D.C. In his role at Schwab, Scott engages with policymakers, both on Capitol Hill and in the regulatory agencies, on issues of importance to Schwab and its clients in the areas of financial services, banking, market structure, tax, retirement, cybersecurity and privacy. Scott came to Schwab after serving in senior policy roles in Congress for Members of both the Senate Banking and House Financial Services Committees. Scott is a graduate of Duke University. He resides in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife and six children.
Langston Emerson is a partner at Mindset, a policy advisory and advocacy firm in Washington, DC. Emerson leads the asset management practice, where he advocates on federal policy issues important to clients and their investors and shareholders. He also leads a team to conduct due diligence on behalf of private equity and venture capital investments. Previously, he was the head of government affairs for the American Investment Council, advising large private equity firms, and led the financial service government affairs practice at TIAA during the creation of the Dodd Frank Act. Emerson holds a B.A. from Howard University, magna cum laude, and a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School.
Erin Goss, CFA®, CAIA, CIMA®, CFS®, is the Chief Operating Officer at Blue Chip Partners. She is responsible for overseeing and optimizing the day-to-day operational functions of the company, organizational effectiveness, and accountability in executing the business plan. Prior to joining Blue Chip in 2021, Erin spent over 16 years at Plante Moran Financial Advisors, one of the nation’s largest Registered Investment Advisors. At Plante Moran, Erin held a variety of roles within their Investment Research group, including spending the last 11 years as a Senior Analyst helping to build out the firm’s alternative investment capabilities. Erin graduated from the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
Jonathan W. Hubbard, CFA, is a managing director and lead asset allocation strategist within the Strategy and Insights Group for MFS Investment Management®. In this role, he focuses on portfolio design, including asset allocation strategy and portfolio structure as well as global macroeconomic and capital market trends. In addition, he works closely with the various investment teams across asset classes in determining capital markets expectations and asset class views. Hubbard joined the firm in 2000 and has held a variety of roles within the institutional and advisory departments. Prior to this, he was an investment specialist and associate regional vice president at CDC Nvest Funds. Hubbard earned a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and an MBA from Boston College.
Daniella MacRitchie is the COO and Partner at Howland Capital, where she has been instrumental in the firm’s growth and operational evolution since joining in 2007. She oversees the firm’s operations, technology, human resources, and compliance functions, while leading strategic initiatives designed to enhance efficiency, scalability, and the client experience. Daniella plays a key role in executing the firm’s long-term vision and supporting continued growth across the organization. Daniella earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Management and an Executive MBA from Suffolk University. With nearly two decades of experience in the wealth management industry, she brings a practical, solutions-oriented perspective to leadership, operational excellence, and organizational development.
Jen Marr is the Founder and CEO of Showing Up LLC, where she helps organizations build the practical human capabilities leaders need to navigate pressure, uncertainty, growth, and change. A global speaker, three-time author, and creator of the Showing Up Operating System, Jen translates complex relational and leadership challenges into clear, usable skills leaders can apply in real time. Her latest book, Lifting Up: The Transformative Power of Supportive Leadership, equips leaders to strengthen communication, build trust, and create resilient cultures where people can move forward together.
Sumedh Mehta is Chief Technology Officer at Harris Associates, where he leads the data, technology and AI strategies for the firm. Previously, he was Chief Information Officer at Putnam Investments, where he led enterprise technology strategy and transformation. Earlier in his career, Sumedh held leadership roles at Fidelity Investments, Marsh McLennan Companies, Mercer, and Patni Computers, and served as CEO of The Reference, an IT services firm focused on investment management. Mehta earned a B.S. (with honors) from the University of Southampton, an M.S. from Columbia University, and an M.B.A. from Babson College.
Kurt Miscinski is a partner and the chief executive officer of Cerity Partners, responsible for the strategic direction and management of the firm. Prior to founding Cerity Partners, Miscinski was a managing director and an executive committee member of a global investment bank’s Private Wealth Management division, where he managed the bank’s U.S. wealth management offices, including the provision of the bank’s investment, credit, and wealth management services to individual, family, business, and nonprofit clientele. He is a member of Young Presidents’ Organization, Vistage International, and the CNBC CEO Council. Miscinski earned a B.S. from the University of Illinois and an MBA from DePaul University.
Jason Patel is chief technology and AI officer at Salus GRC. Patel is a hands-on technology executive with nearly two decades of experience driving innovation in governance, risk, and compliance. He has built award-winning code of ethics and RegTech solutions and, as the former global head of RegTech products at ACA Group, led the launch and expansion of the firm’s technology platform. in his current role, he is developing Vela, an agent-enabled AI platform that helps services firms keep pace with rapid AI advances. He also leads AI research in predictive, time-series risk analytics, applying techniques such as Gramian Angular Fields and 3D convolutional neural networks to surface early risk signals and improve decision-making.
Aliya Robinson is director of congressional affairs for T. Rowe Price, leading the Legislative and Regulatory Affairs team’s work on all retirement-related public policy issues, which includes highlighting emerging retirement and compensation issues, coordinating the company’s policy position, and engaging with industry associations, policymakers, and thought leaders. Robinson previously served at The ERISA Industry Committee and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In these roles, she advocated for retirement legislation and testified on retirement and compensation issues before Congress, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Treasury. Robinson earned a B.A. in Economics and African studies from Yale University and a J.D. and MLA in Taxation from New York University School of Law.
Albert G. “Skip” Schweiss, CFP, AIF, is CEO of Sierra Investment Management in Santa Monica, CA. He has more than 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, beginning his career in 1987. Before joining Sierra, he spent 20 years at Fiserv Investment Support Services, ultimately serving as Executive VP of Client Services. Following Fiserv’s acquisition by TD Ameritrade in 2008, he led the firm’s retirement plan services business for 12 years and directed its public policy advocacy efforts on behalf of fiduciary advisors. Schweiss has served as president and chair of the Financial Planning Association, chaired the FPA Political Action Committee and the NAPFA Consumer Education Foundation, and currently serves on the Investment Adviser Association’s Advocacy Council. HE holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota and an M.S. in Finance from the MS Finance, University of Colorado.
Jonathan Stern, CFA, is a partner at Berkshire Global Advisors. He leads Berkshire’s Traditional Investment Management coverage, is a member of the Wealth Management coverage team and has extensive relationships across Berkshire’s coverage sectors. Stern joined Berkshire in 1998 and has 40 years of industry experience. During his 25 years at Berkshire, he has worked on transactions across all of the coverage areas including traditional investment management, wealth management, real estate and infrastructure, and the capital markets sectors. Prior to Berkshire, Stern worked at First Fidelity/First Union Bank in a number of finance and corporate development positions. He graduated from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Economics and received an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University.
David Wasserman is the senior editor and election analyst for the nonpartisan newsletter The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and a contributor to NBC News. In an era of polling uncertainty, Wasserman is the rare analyst who has accurately forecast the last three presidential elections. His data-driven forecasting looks at both national and local trends, the relationship between consumer brand loyalty and voting, and what the future holds for American elections. Previously, Wasserman served for three years as House editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, a widely respected political analysis newsletter and website founded by renowned University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia.
Rana J. Wright is partner and chief administrative and legal officer of Harris Associates, responsible for managing the firm’s legal, compliance, people, risk, and regulatory functions globally. She is also the principal executive officer and president of the Oakmark Funds. Previously, she served as the chief legal officer for BofA Global Capital Management, the proprietary asset management arm of Bank of America and was an associate and partner at Reed Smith LLP, where she counseled clients on regulatory, strategic, and transactional issues and served as vice-chair of the firm’s Global Diversity and Inclusion initiative. She earned a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh and a J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law.