Research shows that people with a financial plan have 2.7x the net worth of those who don’t. So, to help more women take control of their money — and their lives — our financial planning is built to be inclusive with affordable options, especially for Ellevest clients, who get up to 50% off all sessions.

Our all-women team of financial planners has years of experience helping women go after their goals: taking control of your money after divorce, knowing the smartest steps to take after a financial windfall, retirement planning, preparing to buy a home, and much more. Each planner holds the title of CFP® professional, or CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, aka the highest level of credibility in the industry. Not only do they bring a wealth of knowledge to every conversation, but they also truly want you to succeed.

Get to know Ellevest’s team of financial planners below, then see for yourself how they support you every step of the way for yourself: Book a complimentary 15-minute call with us today.

Dawn Abernathy, CFP® (she/her)

Dawn is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional who is passionate about helping people turn their dream into their reality — whether or not they currently have wealth. She supports women and diverse populations with empathy, knowledge, and strategies, equipping her clients with the confidence they need to navigate their financial lives. Dawn has 20 years of experience in the financial industry, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering and master’s degree in Financial Markets from Illinois Institute of Technology. In her leisure time, she enjoys NFL football, winning her fantasy football leagues, applying her HGTV viewing to home design and renovations, and finding healthier ways to cook delicious meals.

Lynn Ackerman, CFP®, CPA (she/her)

Lynn enjoys helping people gain peace of mind about their finances so much, she literally made it her job. She began her career in tax as a Certified Public Accountant and later went on to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. Over the last 20 years, she worked at four Chicago firms before coming to Ellevest, helping clients achieve their goals and build plans for all aspects of their big financial picture. She excels at making complex topics feel simple and guiding her clients to make smart decisions for their future. Lynn loves everything Peloton, taking her dogs for long walks, traveling, reading, and gaining new experiences.

Kendra Ballard, CFP® (she/her)

Kendra believes in the power of having a financial plan and taking ownership of your finances. She studied finance in college so she could feel more confident with her money and therefore more power over her future — and she enjoyed it so much, she turned it into a career and has spent nearly 15 years in financial services helping others manage their investments and financial lives. Kendra has seen firsthand how important it is to have the financial freedom to make big life decisions. A few years ago, Kendra was able to step away from her career to stay home with her toddler and move close to her dad who was experiencing significant health issues. It’s her mission to help her clients create the financial freedom they need to make those kinds of decisions for themselves as well. 

Sofia Figueroa, CFP® (she/her)

Sofia believes that financial education is an essential part of any woman’s toolkit. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, she’s passionate about helping women define their goals and help them reach those goals through financial planning. Sofia has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and brings many years of financial planning experience to her role at Ellevest. Her approach to planning is all about balancing long-term dreams with enjoying life today! Outside of financial planning, you’ll find her taking a hot vinyasa class, hitting the slopes on her snowboard, or relaxing with her dog, Elsie.

Uchechi Kalu, CFP® (she/her)

Uchechi is a Nigerian-American CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, and is passionate about making financial education accessible, especially to those who feel overwhelmed by or uneducated about money. She started her career serving a range of clients, including first-generation Americans, small business owners, divorcees, and individuals in the entertainment industry. She lives in Los Angeles, and during her free time you can find her writing poetry, lifting weights, or catching a show at the theater.

Lori Lustberg, CFP®, CDFA®, JD (she/her)

Lori is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® with over 13 years of experience. As a “recovering” attorney and divorce mediator with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Lori brings depth and empathy to the financial planning process, informed by her life experiences. When she’s not nerding out on financial planning issues, Lori can be found indulging in her passions of writing, meditating, laughing, befriending every animal and insect she comes across, and exploring the beauty of her home state, Vermont, with her partner and their rescue dog, Archer.

Jennifer Neeley, CFP® (she/her)

Jen believes that financial freedom is more than just a buzzword, it's a state of being. This type of financial security is achievable given the right tools, resources, guidance and education. Jen is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with more than six years of experience in the financial planning industry. She is passionate about helping clients realize their goals and passions, and through the financial planning process, helping them to achieve their dreams. Beyond financial planning, you can find Jen hiking our national parks, hitting the ski slopes, or getting in a round of golf between podcasts.

Kerry O’Brien, CFP®, EA (she/her)

Kerry understands the challenges women can face with balancing a career and raising a child. While working in the financial services industry for almost two decades, she’s had to make tough choices with her own career, parenting, and money, especially as a single parent. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and Enrolled Agent with the IRS, Kerry has acquired vast expertise in financial planning, investing, and tax. She is passionate about helping other women gain the financial knowledge, control, and confidence that they desire and deserve. In particular, Kerry has a gift for explaining complex financial topics, and guiding clients to take strategic financial actions for their future, while being mindful of living in the present. Based in the Boston area, Kerry enjoys cheering for her daughter at the hockey rink, practicing yoga or fitness, or driving in the open air in her Jeep.

Nicole Phillips, CFP®, CDFA® (she/her)

Nicole is passionate about empowering women to take charge of their financial lives. Her passion for helping women navigate life and finances started with her time as a financial planner for Gold Star Families — families who have lost a loved one in the military. Nicole is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® with a bachelor’s degree in finance from Louisiana State University. She currently lives in San Diego, CA, where you can catch her on a long walk at the beach, reading a novel, or working on a sewing project from her most recent thrift find.

Rhonda Riggins-Farrell, CFP® (she/her)

As a dedicated CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Rhonda Riggins-Farrell has been helping people with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds live their best lives for more than 15 years. She’s fueled by the belief that everyone can achieve financial wellness, no matter where they are in their financial journey. She brings warmth and empathy to all her client relationships, and is committed to helping them navigate life’s ups and downs with confidence and ease. Rhonda has an MBA with a specialization in Finance from Saint Louis University. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, experimental cooking, and going on family vacations. She currently lives in O’Fallon, Missouri.

Corrinne Rivers, CFP®, AFC® (she/her)

As a former professional pilot and current financial planner and counselor, Corrinne embraces the idea that life follows no script, and an unforeseen path usually takes us to places that enrich our lives in ways we never expected. She has lived internationally and across the United States, exploring the country on a sailboat and in a Sprinter van. What Corrinne brings to her financial planning clients is an enthusiasm for the road less traveled, as well as the knowledge and experience to traverse it in a way that doesn’t threaten security or well-being. She holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Accredited Financial Counselor® designations, and is passionate about working with women who hunger to be daring and different. If you have a bold goal, she wants to be your partner to help you get there.

Sabrina Rosh, CFP® (she/her)

Sabrina is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional™ with more than 15 years of experience in financial services and investments. Sabrina is passionate about helping clients achieve their financial goals through strategic planning and personalized solutions. She especially loves talking about all forms of charitable giving. Outside the world of financial planning, she calls the Bay Area home and enjoys exploring new destinations with her husband and cherished puppy, Finn.

Victoria Sado, CFP® (she/her)

Victoria is a huge believer in financial education, and that no amount of debt or other money-related hurdles are too difficult to overcome. She’s a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and has more than 10 years’ experience in accounting and financial services, including the time she spent in tax planning for small business owners and financial planning for people who received large financial settlements. Victoria loves any opportunity to meet new people and to get to know more about them. During her free time, you can usually find her hiking, volunteering, traveling, enjoying a good book, or practicing the three (and counting!) other languages she speaks.

Kate Schwartz, CFP® (she/her)

Kate grew up watching her mother navigate her own career in finance — and the roadblocks that came with working in an industry that wasn’t built for women. Now, as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with more than 8 years of experience, she’s helping women navigate their own financial lives with confidence. Kate’s financial planning strategies are rooted in empathy and active listening: she received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Oregon and is currently studying to become a Certified Financial Therapist. She’s also an active member of the Portland Women in Investment Management Group. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her husband and their labradoodle, Penny.

Patricia Stallworth, CFP® (she/her)

Patricia Stallworth has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ for more than two decades, helping women take control over their financial lives and navigate their finances with knowledge and planning. Growing up in a family that never talked about money, Patricia received her MBA from the University of Kentucky and became a financial advisor to help women avoid making the same mistakes that she did. Since then, she's authored several books about personal finance, built her own financial planning practice, and taught financial planning courses. She currently lives in Southern California where you can find her reading, writing, working on her latest project, and walking on the beach.

Lyndsi Stender, CFP® (she/her)

Lyndsi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with more than a decade of experience in financial services and investments. Lyndsi enjoys helping clients work toward and accomplish their financial goals through holistic planning. She thrives off of being presented with a financial challenge a client is facing, and coming up with a solution that’s attainable. Lyndsi's received a bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics at the University of Oregon. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, whether it’s hiking, snowboarding, or going for a run with her dog, Kiwi.

Veronica Taylor, CFP® (she/her)

Veronica is one of our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals with her own personal journey of paying down debt and breaking the generational cycle of living paycheck-to-paycheck. Ever since then, her mission has been to help close the racial wealth divide by sharing her knowledge and guiding others in the Black community particularly — not by just paying down debt, but helping to build their financial legacies. She switched careers to reposition her life’s work and career path in support of making that vision a reality. She believes it’s one thing to help clients with their personal finances, but it’s a very different thing to help them build wealth for themselves and their families and is doing her part in making that change.

Michelle Wagner, CFP® (she/her)

Michelle is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with more than a decade of experience in helping people reach their financial goals. She has seen firsthand how much of an impact having the right financial guidance — and making small adjustments early on — can make over time. Her passion is in helping people go from feeling like their finances are “good enough” to “fully optimized”. In her free time, Michelle loves scuba diving, hiking, skiing, and traveling with her husband, daughter, and puppy.

Brooke Weise, CFP®, JD (she/her)

Brooke enjoys helping women create strong financial foundations for building wealth. She has many years of professional experience in a variety of industries — including estate planning, tax planning, and small business management — which helps her give her clients a well-rounded and comprehensive financial planning experience. She is a graduate of Smith College and Westover School, both schools for women and girls. Brooke received her Juris Doctor degree with honors and a Tax Concentration certificate from Quinnipiac University School of Law. A native New Englander, Brooke lives in Connecticut with her husband and two young children.

Darci Zaunmiller, CFP®, CDFA® (she/her)

Darci Zaunmiller’s financial planning ethos is inspired by the words of Edwin Louis Cole: "There are dreamers and there are planners; the planners make their dreams come true.” As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® with over 15 years of experience, Darci has been helping women make their dreams come true through the transformative power of strategic planning. Based in sun-drenched Arizona, she spends her free time playing recreational paintball, reading, and hiking.

Feel like you matched with a financial planner? Book a complimentary 15-minute call to determine which session is the right fit for you.