Conference Schedule

Linda Y. Leitz, PhD, CFP(R), EA, CDFA is the founder of Peace of Mind Financial Planning, Inc. based in Colorado Springs. While the client base of the firm is eclectic, niches include divorced individuals, widows, and intelligent people who value professional advice. Linda strongly believes in only working with clients she cares about. She has served as the Chair of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, was appointed to the CFP Board Commission on Standards, and is currently serving on the CRP Board Standards Resource Commission.

An experienced fee-only financial planner and servant leader, Richard guides a team that helps hundreds of families across the United States fulfill their dream of reaching financial independence. Their focus on middle and upper-middle class clients allows them to provide holistic, fiduciary advice on a fee-only basis to those who previously did not realize such a service existed for them. By leading their clients through understandable systems and processes they coach them to use money more effectively to realize a satisfying and fulfilling life. They strive to be a vital resource providing clarity and focus in theirr clients’ complex financial lives.

Richard's passion for leadership led to a natural transition to serving the financial planning profession. During his tenure on the Financial Planning Association (FPA) national board he served as national President in 2009. He served on the CFP® board and served as the 2018 Chair of the CFP® Board national board of directors.

Since Richard lives their message of Planning For Some Serious Freedom, he spends a few days per month enjoying his side gig which is flying Cessna Citation Jets as a professional pilot.

AJ Ayers is an Enrolled Agent, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and Certified Equity Professional. She's the co-founder of Brooklyn FI. As a writer and editor with a strong background in communications, AJ builds frameworks for delivering complex tax advice around equity compensation to clients and Brooklyn FI's message to our clients and the community. She's one of the only CFPs in the country to also hold the Certified Equity Professional designation and brings an unparalleled understanding of company stock plans to Brooklyn FI. AJ's path to entrepreneurship began with a financial advice podcast and currently finds her at the helm of a young company experiencing explosive growth and making a huge impact on the lives of clients.

Shane is a Certified Public Accountant, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and Certified Private Wealth Advisor™ professional who specializes in helping self-employed creatives and tech professionals foster wealth. After spending seven years in the public accounting space with PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Raich, Ende, Malter, Shane embraced his independent spirit and launched BKFI with AJ. He’s also a Certified Student Loan Professional and an Equity Compensation Associate.

He spent the early years of his accounting career working with start-ups in Austin, Texas before moving to Brooklyn to learn just how messy New York taxes can be. With a strong foundation in the technical elements of tax planning, Shane focuses on the nuts and bolts of our client's financial plans.

Britton is an engineer-turned-financial planner in Austin, Texas. As such, he shies away from suits and commissions and instead tends towards blue jeans, data-driven analysis, and a fee-only approach to financial planning.

Sarah founded Real Estate Wealth Planning in late 2020 serving Realtors® by providing comprehensive financial planning and investment management.

Before Sarah became a financial planner, she was a Regional Director at Dimensional Fund Advisors, and before that, spent nine years in the education sector as a middle school teacher and director at an education technology startup focused on teaching financial literacy skills.

Sarah graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 with a BA in Sociology and in 2016 with an MBA. She is married to Ross Ponder, a high-producing REALTOR® in Austin, Texas. They have three small children, Lucy, Hank, and Ruth, and two rescued German Shepherds, Bear and Molly.

Narumi Yoshida is the Founder & CEO of Yoshida Wealth Management, Inc. He is a CPA and provides tax-smart, financial life planning, and Investment Management services for individuals and families.

Mr. Yoshida was born and raised in Shizuoka, Japan. At age 19, he moved to New York in pursuit of his educational and professional goals. He is a first-generation immigrant himself, so he understands what challenges and difficulties people face by moving from one country to another. Mr. Yoshida’s unique professional and educational backgrounds give him the ability to work with clients closely and develop the most effective tax and financial strategies for them.

In addition to Yoshida Wealth Management, Inc., he owns and runs a successful CPA firm based in New York where he and his team provide tax return preparation and business accounting services.

Mr. Yoshida focuses on helping Japanese Expats in the US and Financial Life Planning for Professionals in the field of Health Care & Academics, Business Owners/Entrepreneurs, and UN Employees/G4 Visa Holders.

Arlene Moss has been coaching and nudging fee-only planners since 2004. Arlene helps financial advisors get over being overwhelmed and take on their frustrations so their businesses soar. Arlene works to ensure financial planners are able to help their clients prosper while creating a sustainable business model. Specializing in fee-for-service planners in the independent RIA space allows her to focus her development and coaching on specific issues. Through XYPN group training, public speaking, and XYPN Academy content, planners get the support they need to grow their businesses and overcome the challenges that come their way. Arlene is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Megan McCoy, Ph.D., AFC®, LMFT, CFT-I™ is an Assistant Professor at Kansas State University and Director for the Personal Financial Planning Masters' Program. Her research interests focuses on financial therapy, financial well-being, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her research has been published in top tier mental health, human development and family science, and financial journals. Dr. McCoy is on the board of directors for the Financial Therapy Association. She is Associate Editor of Profiles and Book Reviews for the Journal of Financial Therapy. AShe has been featured as a financial wellbeing expert on the Today Show, NPR, BBC, the Wall Street Journal, and many other media outlets.

Daniel Kopp, CFP ®, is a fee-only financial planner, financial therapist, and founder of Wise Stewardship Financial Planning where he helps young widows and widowers as well as military members organize their financial lives by aligning money with their deeply-held values. He leverages his personal experiences as a widower and an Air Force veteran to offer a deeper level of client engagement. Daniel has been an XYPN member since 2018 and loves helping his fellow members succeed in their life and business. Daniel is now married to his wife Anna, and lives in Sarasota, Florida along with their son, Weston, where they love to explore new places, try interesting cuisines, play board games, and serve in their local church.

Dann is the founder of Sincerus Advisory and has over 15 years as a fee-only Financial Planner. As a CFP(r) since 2010, Dann was included on the Investopedia Top 100 Advisors list and has also been featured on CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Time, and Cheddar TV. He has a B.A. and M.A. in Economics from the University at Buffalo, and is on the Board of Directors of Chess in the Schools.

David Flores Wilson helps professionals and business owners in New York City achieve financial freedom. Named to the Investopedia 100 Top Financial Advisors in 2019 and 2020 and WealthManagement.com 2019 Thrive list of fastest-growing advisors, he is a Managing Partner for Sincerus Advisory and Writer/Editor for Planning to Wealth. His financial guidance has appeared on Yahoo!Finance, the New York Times, MSN News, CNBC, and InvestmentNews. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, he holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designations, and Certified College Financial Consultant (CCFC) designations. David represented Guam in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and sits on the Board of the Lower East Side Girls Club. He enjoys traveling, reading, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, yoga, and snowboarding.

Natalie and Dan Slagle are partners in life and business. Together, they focus on providing financial guidance to millennial couples. Fyooz (pronounced 'fuse') Financial Planning was launched at the end of October 2019. Their firm was named #XYPNLive(ish) 2020 Firm of the Year. Natalie and Dan have had the privilege of serving over 70 households in their first 3(ish) years. New firm owners often hear "it takes 3 years". They are excited to provide real insights into this as they are only a few days from their 3 year business anniversary.

After seeing how numerous family and friends were being exploited by so-called “financial advisors,” Trent Porter wanted to offer trust worthy financial services that truly focused on clients’ needs. With this goal in mind, he founded Priority Financial Partners.

Trent is uniquely qualified as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and a certified life coach, he combines all three to manage his clients’ financial futures, enabling them to focus on what’s really important in life.

Previously as a director and CCO of nationally recognized Veritat Advisors, Trent worked closely with co-founder and Wharton professor Kent Smetters to successfully launch a fee-only financial planning platform that erased commission-based bias and put clients’ interests first, an effort that was praised by the Wall Street Journal.

From regular features in the Wall Street Journal to guest hosting the “Your Money” show on SiruisXM radio, media outlets frequently reach out to Trent for his extensive industry insight and expertise in personal finance.

Chloe is the Founder of Financial Staples, a virtual, fee-only financial planning firm based in Atlanta, GA and serving clients nationwide. Her firm is dedicated to serving tech employees who are entrepreneurial-minded, philanthropic, and purpose-driven. Chloe enjoys helping clients unpack their money history and discover how they can use money to support a life that is most meaningful to them.

In addition to promoting financial literacy through speaking, writing, and volunteering, Chloe also focuses on the cultivation of female and minority financial planners. She launched the BLatinX Internship Program (BLX) in 2020 with three colleagues. The program provides paid internship opportunities to aspiring Black and Latinx financial planners.

Maddy Roche is the VP of Getting Sh!t Done at XYPN, and has been making moves and getting sh!t done since she joined the team in May of 2014 when the Network was made up of our first 30 founding members. Since then, Maddy has worked with and welcomed each of the Network’s members, and helps all of them take advantage of XYPN membership. Together with her team, she helps advisors shine and, in true XYPN fashion, live their great lives.

John Mason is a CFP® and the President of Mason & Associates, a fee-only financial planning firm that specializes with Federal Employees. He has 12 years of experience serving as a financial planner, successfully transitioned his firm from commission based to AUM, and in 2020 transitioned the firm from independent broker dealer to a fee-only RIA registered with the SEC.

In addition to his duties as President and Lead Advisor, John is a co-host of the firm’s podcast, Federal Employee Financial Planning, and live radio show. John and his team have been hired by several Federal Organizations to provide financial planning courses and he was frequently a speaker and keynote speaker at his broker dealer education conferences. https://www.masonllc.net

Tommy Blackburn, CFP®, CPA, PFS is a Partner and Lead Advisor of Mason & Associates. Mason & Associates is a fee-only financial planning firm that specializes with Federal Employees and places an emphasis on tax planning. Tommy has 11 years of experience as a financial planner and helped lead the transition of the firm from an independent broker dealer to a fee-only RIA registered with the SEC.

In addition, Tommy is a co-host of the firm's podcast, Federal Employee Financial Planning, and a live radio show. Tommy has received recognition within the profession, is a Past President and Past Chairman of his local FPA chapter, and routinely spoke and volunteered with his alma mater, Virginia Tech. Learn more about his firm at https://www.masonllc.net.

Ben Raikes (CFP®, EA) is a Senior Financial Planner at Mason & Associates, a fee-only financial planning firm that specializes with Federal Employees. Ben has 10 years of experience serving as a financial planner and has worked with firms both large and small. Ben’s primary responsibilities consist of working directly with Mason & Associates clients in all aspects of their financial plans, with a particular emphasis on the subjects of tax, retirement, and estate planning.

Scott Frank is the founder of Stone Steps Financial, a financial planning and investment management firm located in Encinitas, CA that helps families and professionals align their money with life. He is passionate about pursuing life-long learning in order to best serve his clients and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), and Registered Life Planner (RLP®) designations.

Scott was named to Investment News 40 under 40 in 2019 and has contributed to numerous articles on personal finance for the Los Angeles Times, CNBC, the Washington Post, and USA Today. When he's not helping clients step into their visions of a great life, you'll find Scott co-hosting, Real Personal Finance, where he and another financial advisor break down listener’s personal finance questions into easily digestible answers, training advisors on the EVOKE process at the Kinder Institute of Life Planning, surfing, or hanging out in Cardiff, where he lives with his wife and two boys.

Meg Bartelt, CFPⓇ, RLPⓇ is the founder of Flow Financial Planning, LLC, a fee-only, virtual financial planning firm dedicated to women in their early-to-mid career in tech. The firm specializes in pre-IPO and IPO planning and not making people feel bad about their finances.

Meg received a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Wellesley College and a Master's degree in Financial Planning from Golden Gate University. She is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, a Registered Life PlannerⓇ, and a member of the Financial Planning Association and the XY Planning Network. The years before Flow featured a career change from tech, one wedding, two kids, and two cross-country moves. She, her family, and Julia the dog now live and wear fleece in Bellingham, WA.

Leighann Miko, CFP ® is the founder of Equalis Financial, a Los Angeles & Portland-based independent fee-only RIA providing financial planning and responsible investment management services. With a passion to empower and equip underserved communities, Leighann works with thoughtfully ambitious mid-career LGBTQ+ creatives in entertainment. Her goal is to help them stay in their right brain by acting as a stand-in for their left brain.

With a commitment to human-centered financial planning, Leighann devotes time to understand the whole person before addressing their finances. This intentional approach was born from a desire to help others create a financially secure life she never thought she’d have. Having grown up in a household faced with constant financial volatility, Leighann recognizes the value of financial stability.

As both a tax attorney and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Brian provides comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. He helps his clients create and run businesses that are both impactful and profitable.

Brian was named to InvestmentNews' 2018 "40 under 40" and given the Inspiring Leader Award by the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). He’s a Senior Contributor to Forbes.

Kathleen Boyd is XYPN’s resident Financial Planning & Process Coach. She holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation and possesses over 10 years of experience working for a variety of financial services firms. Kathleen is an Investment News ‘40 Under 40’ recipient, and FA Magazine named her a "Top 10 Advisor to Watch." Outside of XYPN, Kathleen has written financial planning pieces for the Journal of Financial Planning and Michael Kitces’ Nerds Eye View blog, and currently works as an adjunct professor teaching CFP® coursework at Oklahoma State University.

We all hear whispers within us. They might guide us to a new career, towards a creative peak, or away from something at odds with our values. What we do with them is the bigger question. Ginger Ames founded Whisper Financial to help fellow creatives listen to their whispers and use the power of financial planning to create more authentically without the nagging financial limitations. Ginger’s professional life has delved into the artistic and business worlds, working as a glassblower and property manager. As she listened to (and ignored) her whispers, she developed a keen understanding of how a financial plan can support and enable one to create more deeply and truly.Amongst investors, interest and demand for cryptocurrencies continues to rise—it's becoming increasingly clear that digital assets aren’t “just a fad” like the Beanie Baby or tulip bulb crazes of the past. Whether you have prospective or current clients inquiring about these assets, or perhaps they're coming to your firm already owning the assets, advisors have a fiduciary responsibility to help clients understand the numerous financial planning implications of this emerging asset class, even if you’re not assisting with managing the assets directly. In this session, attendees will get an overview of some of the most common financial planning concerns regarding crypto and how to effectively help clients navigate them.

Jessica is an EA and a CFP®, with 9 years of tax preparation experience working at several RIAs. She launched her own firm with XYPN in 2021 focused on financial planning for tech workers and sex workers. Her firm is virtual but is based out of Allentown, Pennsylvania. She would much rather be talking about Star Wars or Tolkien mythology than taxes, but unfortunately, New York Comic Con hasn't returned her phone calls.