The six new ambassadors bring the group’s total membership to 22 professionals representing a cross-section of leaders and rising stars in financial services. The FinServe Network includes College alumni and dedicated volunteers who represent the uniqueness and diverse landscape of the profession.

“Through valuable connections and the networks derived from those relationships, we are advancing the conversation around what the financial services profession should truly be,” said George Nichols III, CAP®, president and CEO of The American College of Financial Services. “We couldn't be prouder to collaborate with these leaders and look forward to working together to help shape the future of financial services.”

Introducing Our New Ambassadors

The latest group of FinServe ambassadors bring with them a diversity of both geographical locations — stretching from Alaska to Puerto Rico and many places in between — and expertise in fields from retirement and tax planning to small business planning, wealth management, trust and estate planning, and more.

Mónica Clesse, MBA, FPA is the CEO and founder of Clesse Financial Strategies, LLC (CFS), a financial planning firm that specializes in helping clients develop customized retirement income and tax strategies. With 23 years of experience in the financial services industry, she is committed to guiding individuals and families toward financial security and independence. Her expertise spans across comprehensive financial planning, including tax-efficient strategies, retirement planning, and risk management. Clesse is known for her holistic approach, combining technical financial expertise with a deep understanding of her clients’ personal goals and aspirations.

Terrell Dinkins, ChFC®, RICP® is the president and founder of OBN Wealth Advisors, an independent registered investment advisor (RIA) firm that specializes in wealth-building strategies and comprehensive financial planning for women and small business owners. With over a decade of experience as an investment advisor, Dinkins expertly crafts financial roadmaps that help her clients thrive now and in the future. A true advocate for personal finance education, Dinkins is not only a wealth empowerment speaker, but also a best-selling author. Her books, One Bucket at a Time: A Woman’s Guide to Creating Wealth and Secrets of The 800+ Club: How to Raise Your Credit Score, Maintain Good Credit, and Live the Life of Unicorns have become go-to guides for those seeking financial freedom.

Ande Frazier CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®, BFA™, ChSNC®, CDFA®, CEPA, CExP is a partner at Peachtree Planning of North Georgia. She began working in the financial industry over 30 years ago, specializing in personal finance and wealth-building for individuals and business owners. Her skills led her to become a prominent speaker and thought leader in the financial services industry. After serving in various leadership positions, including running a multi-million-dollar fintech company, launching a media company focused on women and money, and serving as a vice president of distribution for a large insurance company, Frazier returned to private practice by rejoining Peachtree Planning Corporation, a premiere financial services firm with offices throughout the Southeast and clientele across the country.

Sahar Pouyanrad, EMBA, CTFA, AEP®, CEP®, ChSNC® is an executive director and the West Regional Trust Team Leader for the trusts and estates team for J.P. Morgan Private Bank. In this capacity, she is responsible for oversight and administration of trust accounts and related services for the firm’s fiduciary clients across the West Region, with a primary focus on ultra-high-net-worth families. Pouyanrad collaborates with colleagues across different business lines to deliver robust banking products for wealthy, complex, and multigenerational families. As the head of new business, she is responsible for partnering with legal, compliance, and risk management to drive new business, manage risk by overseeing review of potential trust and estate opportunities, and work with senior leadership to set new business parameters relating to trusts and estates.

Ryan Swenson, RICP® is the chief growth officer and a financial advisor at Cary Stamp & Co. in Tequesta, Florida. Since joining the firm in 2021, Swenson has brought a deep passion for helping others and a wealth of experience to his role. He cites his small-town upbringing in Minnesota for shaping his strong work ethic, energy, and enthusiasm for connecting with people. Swenson’s professional journey took him through various industries before he found his calling in finance. Swenson continues to grow both professionally and personally. He is a participant in The Ensemble Practice G2 Leadership Institute and a proud graduate of Leadership Palm Beach County in 2022. His dedication to leadership and community service underscores his commitment to making a positive impact in the financial world and beyond.

Dave Valdez, ChFC®, CLU®, AAMS®, CWS®, AIF® is the chief operating officer at Alaska Wealth Advisors, where he manages all aspects of the firm’s operations. This includes financial planning, investments, client service, advisor development and recruitment, compliance, and technology. In addition to this role, Valdez serves as the State Deputy Inspector General at Joint Force Headquarters on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. His unique combination of military leadership and financial expertise makes him exceptionally qualified to help investors with their financial wellness.

About the FinServe Network

The FinServe Network is a volunteer group that serves as a valuable resource for The College, advocating on behalf of its vast alumni network, providing unique perspectives and expertise on industry trends, and sharing a collective passion for lifelong learning. FinServe ambassadors often help provide a behind-the-scenes preview into the innovative ways The College is growing with the intent of sparking ideas to put forward in their own careers.

Issues such as training, retention, career development, access to financial services, practice management, and more were all discussed during The College’s inaugural FinServe Summit in 2023, and elaborated upon at the 2024 Summit in talks from College staff and special guests. FinServe ambassadors also have unique opportunities to play an active role in promoting College initiatives and receive exclusive opportunities to help them create content that builds their standing as leaders in the profession.

We congratulate the 2024 class of our FinServe Network, and look forward to working with them as we continue our mission to uplift the profession and benefit society.

More From The College

• Meet the Members of Our FinServe Network
• Read our 2024 FinServe Summit Recap
• Browse Our Programs
   

Steven L. Meyer, PhD, author of Personalized Philanthropy: Crash the Fundraising Matrix, recently sat down with Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) Program Director and Assistant Professor of Philanthropy Jennifer Lehman PhD, JD, CFP®, CAP® to discuss his thoughts on charitable giving and how advisors can deviate from standard ways of thinking to achieve better outcomes.

Escaping the Matrix

Lehman begins her conversation with Meyers by asking him about his inspiration for writing Personalized Philanthropy: Crash the Fundraising Matrix. Meyers responds by saying, “I wanted to share these incredible stories that I had picked up…and the experiences, and along the way I felt that I had kind of redefined the way that I was thinking about philanthropy and fundraising.”

Meyers then goes on to explain his process for writing the book, stating that one of his first challenges was what he would name it. Meyers cites inspiration from the movie The Matrix, stating, “The book and the movie are both about this process…of waking up and…gaining your superpowers as you find your voice, and you find these strategies that will work for you and allow you to thrive in an environment where a lot of people have very difficult times.”

Killer Apps

As their conversation continues, Lehman asks Meyers about his “killer apps.” These personalized plans, according to Meyers, empower all donors to qualify as “major donors,” with far greater impact than they may initially envision.

In reference to the “killer apps,” Meyers states, “Instead of…viewing donors as having just a transactional capacity, you think about them in terms of their total lifetime value.”

Meyers offers his idea of the “philanthropic mortgage” as the best means of visualizing this concept. As he explains, “When you buy a house, you don't have to wait till it's completely fully paid for. You start living there and enjoying the benefit of your house right away. So why can't we think about a gift in that same way, or an endowment in particular?”

When discussing step-up gifts, another of Meyers’ “killer apps,” Lehman points out this option may be favorable to younger donors, stating, “That could work really well for a young professional: somebody early in their career, and it gets that philanthropic mindset going where they are giving a little each year – and then, whether it's every year or every few years, they step it up a little bit.”

Meyers supports this point, sharing a personal anecdote of a young donor being able to see the fruits of his gift realized by giving through a step-up gift plan. Meyers touts this as one of the top benefits of step-up gifts.

Thinking Creatively

After discussing several of these unconventional ideas with Meyers, Lehman points out the importance of thinking creatively in philanthropic giving. She asserts that by approaching donors and expecting them to have cash assets at the point in time the gift is planned, many potential donors can be eliminated from the pool as compared to the amount of donors that may be able to provide gifts through alternative methods, such as virtual endowments and non-cash assets.

Lehman goes on to discuss more creative methods of planning charitable gifts and the concepts behind them. To learn more about these methods of planned giving, the full discussion can be viewed in Knowledge Hub.

More From The College

• Gain philanthropic and legacy planning knowledge with our CAP® Program
• Learn about the American College Center for Philanthropy and Social Impact
   

Listen in as our team of thought leaders provide insights on behavioral science discoveries, discuss ethics education programs, and provide a look into the Center for Ethics’ strategy on ethics education.

In this episode of our Shares podcast, Lindsey Lewis, MBA, CFP®, ChFC® speaks with Padric H.B. Scott, AEP®, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, WMCP®, CCFC, CAP®, MSFP, founder and CEO of Crossroads Capital Partners and a member of The College’s FinServe Network and NextGen Advisory Task Force, about his philosophy of coordinated planning. They discuss Scott’s background in the NFL and transition to financial services, as well how he has adapted the strategies of a winning football team to a new approach toward managing client relationships.

Padric H.B. Scott, AEP®, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, WMCP®, CCFC, CAP®, MSFP is the president and CEO of Crossroad Capital Partners, where he oversees a team of 10 lady boss associates in the firm and has five advisors in his brokerage unit. In seven years of private wealth practice, he has been named to prestigious lists such as Advisor Today’s Top 4 Under 40 Nationally 2024, The American College of Financial Services’ NextGen Financial Services Professional Award recipient 2023, NAIFA Florida Top 4 Under 40 2023, Northwestern Mutual's Forum, and Forbes Best-In-State Financial Security Professional. He graduated from The College with his Master of Science in Financial Planning (MSFP) degree in December 2023, receiving along the way the CFP® certification as well as the Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®), and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) designations among other planning designation specialties. As a result, he is listed as an estate and business planning specialist in the Northwestern Mutual framework of wealth advisors. He loves his God, family, church, and believes strongly in the motto "Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor!"
 

Any views or opinions expressed in this podcast are the hosts’ and guests' own and do not necessarily represent those of The American College of Financial Services.

More From The College

• Learn About Our CFP® Certification Education Program
• Learn About Our Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) Program
• Learn About the Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) Program
• Learn About Our Master of Science in Financial Planning (MSFP) Degree Program

This Financial Planning article highlights Filabi’s presentation on the ethical concerns of AI in financial services. The concerns include transparency, data privacy, racial bias, and over-reliance on AI-driven tools. Filabi emphasized the importance of human oversight, long-term thinking, and the need for regulatory accountability in AI use. She also discussed how historical biases in data, such as big data used as inputs into AI-enabled underwriting, can lead to unfair discrimination, an issue already being addressed by some state regulators and the NAIC through testing and risk management frameworks.  

More from The College

Read on to discover additional insights on Filabi’s presentation!

To learn more about AI in financial services, you can explore further with research from the Center for Ethics in Financial Services.
 

This panel discussion, led by Kevin Crawford of Northwestern Mutual, highlighted AI’s current impact, its future potential, and the ethical implications tied to its adoption.

Filabi emphasized the importance of managing AI systems ethically and transparently. Drawing from her policy background, she raised concerns about the potential for AI to reinforce faulty data or human biases, warning without proper oversight, AI could lead to significant harm. Filabi illustrated this by questioning the fairness of using AI for underwriting that relies on private data from individuals without their consent, stressing the misuse of AI in such ways could have severe consequences. While recognizing AI’s potential to improve fairness and efficiency, she noted these benefits can only be realized through ethical management.

Ethical Concerns Surrounding AI

Filabi also discussed the potential of generative AI to enhance financial education, particularly for underserved populations, by increasing access to critical knowledge and fostering trust in the financial industry. However, she warned this opportunity comes with ethical responsibilities, as AI systems must be competent and transparent, and misinformation or misuse of personal data could erode trust. Bennetts responded there’s a challenge to maintaining privacy in an era where AI systems often access personal data without user awareness. He expressed concern people have become complacent with these invasions of privacy, accepting them as part of daily life. Bennetts also noted while AI has the potential to serve as an equalizer, it may also deepen inequality if access to technology remains uneven, particularly for those without the resources to understand or use AI effectively.

The Path Forward: Ethical Management of AI

Ludwig echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for AI literacy. He highlighted professionals and consumers alike must understand how AI operates and where their data is being used. Ludwig pointed out AI's growing complexity could create a divide between those who master the technology and those left behind, reinforcing the need for clear, accessible education on AI systems.

Filabi turned the conversation to regulatory developments, noting states like Colorado have taken first steps with comprehensive AI laws aimed at protecting consumers and ensuring fairness in AI-driven decisions. She stressed the importance of setting clear standards on data quality and transparency to help regulate AI’s impact on financial services.

In her final remarks, Filabi emphasized professionals must remain accountable for their use of AI, even in the absence of robust regulation. While AI holds great promise for advancing fairness and efficiency, its success depends on responsible, transparent management. The panel concluded with the consensus that AI, while a powerful tool, must be approached thoughtfully to ensure that its implementation in financial services serves the greater good and enhances trust in the industry.

More from The College

• To learn more about AI in financial services, you can explore further with research from the Center for Ethics in Financial Services.
• Learn More About Our Center for Military and Veterans Affairs
• Read Our 2024 Military Summit Recap

The 2024 FinServe Summit opened with a presentation from Jared Trexler, chief marketing and strategy officer, to the 13 ambassadors present – including several new members. Trexler covered the latest developments and initiatives from The College, from upcoming events like the Horizons 2025 conference to new programming like the Tax Planning Certified Professional™ (TPCP™) Program, and more.

Following Trexler’s presentation, Senior Vice President of Advancement and Alumni Relations Carol Parlin Prushan discussed philanthropic giving and some of the advancement and alumni relations team’s ongoing work to engage The College’s students and alumni.

“We’re like the filter for our clients,” said Ande Frazier, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®, BFA™, ChSNC®, CDFA®, CEPA, CExP, one of 2024’s new recruits to the FinServe Network. “We need to get them information that is true, real, and important to them – and which reflects their values.”

Ambassadors present at the 2024 Summit came from across the country, including such locations as Alaska and Puerto Rico.

Practice Management and Personal Growth

The first day of the Summit ended with special guest Marc Butler, an author, entrepreneur, and financial advisor, speaking to the ambassadors about how to organically grow an advisory practice, as well as the obstacles independent wealth management firms face in technology, talent acquisition, business development, leadership, and operations.

“Many businesses and professionals have ideas, but many don’t have a strategic plan,” Butler said. “Having that plan is critical because that’s what really brings a team together.”

“Many businesses and professionals have ideas, but many don’t have a strategic plan. Having that plan is critical because that’s what really brings a team together.”

—Marc Butler

Butler also discussed potential uses of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to reduce demands on advisors’ time, as well as the importance of a practice’s vision, mission, and core values as a value proposition to clients – especially in the critical focus area of retirement planning.

Strengthening the Foundations of Financial Services

In keeping with tradition, the second day of the FinServe Summit began with an early morning conversation over coffee and breakfast with George Nichols III, CAP®, College president and CEO.

In his talk with the ambassadors, Nichols highlighted the differences between the financial services “industry” and “profession,” including the duty of financial professionals to benefit society as well as influence the direction of the industry for the better. He especially called attention to the subject of recruitment and retention in the field, saying The College is dedicated to addressing both areas, but that in some cases, retention has become the more pressing concern.

“The fact is 72% of people who start in this business leave after only a few years,” Nichols said, citing research from Cerulli. “A lot of the time we focus on the diversity of the industry and bringing more people of color, women, and others on board – but if we don’t fix this retention problem, we’re still failing them, and we’re failing white men, too.”

After the conversation with The College president, members of The College’s marketing and communications team led a workshop on social media usage and content creation for the ambassadors. They were welcomed into brainstorming sessions for future College content and various video clips and segments to use in their own personal branding and for The College’s marketing efforts.

“72% of people who start in this business leave after only a few years…if we don’t fix this retention problem, we’re still failing [diverse professionals], and we’re failing white men, too.”

—George Nichols III, CAP®

Further activities included individual interviews with new ambassadors, as well as group panel discussions on some of The College’s most important areas of focus: financial products and planning strategies for retirement; philanthropy and donor-advised funds (DAFs) for giving; tax and small business planning; and the future of specialized knowledge in the financial services industry. Associate Professor of Business Planning Sophia Duffy, JD, CPA, AEP® and ThinkAdvisor senior reporter John Manganaro joined President Nichols in hosting those panel discussions.

After the individual and group sessions were concluded, Trexler reconvened the ambassadors for a final thank-you and farewell.

“We’re incredibly lucky to have you all on our team,” he said. “You are the people who will help carry our mission forward.”

More From The College

• Learn more about the FinServe Network
• Meet the New FinServe Network Ambassadors