Learn from the Leading Minds in Human-First Financial Guidance

AJ Ayers, CFP®, is the CEO and co-founder of Brooklyn Fi, where she leads a national firm specializing in equity compensation and tax strategy for tech professionals, founders, and creatives. A CFP®, Enrolled Agent, and Certified Equity Professional, she is the author of Creative Money and co-hosts The Liquidity Event podcast.

Andy Baxley is the founder of Two Trails Financial Planning, a fee-only firm based in Illinois that serves mid-career professionals across the country. A former teacher with a Master’s in Financial Planning, Andy built his practice around the belief that good planning starts with understanding what clients actually value, not just what they own. That educator’s instinct also led him to co-found BuilderFP, a community and education platform helping advisors at small and mid-sized RIAs adopt AI thoughtfully and responsibly.

Andy writes and speaks frequently on the human side of financial advice, from values-based planning conversations to designing a practice that leaves room for an actual life. He lives in Oak Park, Illinois with his wife and two sons.

Barry L. Ritholtz is the co-founder, chairman, and chief investment officer of Ritholtz Wealth Management LLC. Launched in 2013, RWM is a financial planning and asset management firm with over $7.7 billion in assets under management. RWM was named ETF Advisor of the Year, is on the Financial Times Top 300 Advisors in the US, and is the 4th fastest-growing RIA in America. The firm is truly independent and is completely employee-owned .

In 2025, RWM was named to Barron’s Top 100 – Independent Advisors.

Ritholtz’s career history is filled with innovation and influential new ideas: He was one of the earliest traders to embrace behavioral economics; he created one of the first (and most popular) market blogs; his podcast was groundbreaking and among the earliest in the investment space.

Melissa Joy, CFP is the Founder and President of Pearl Planning, an independent wealth management RIA based in Dexter, Michigan serving clients nationwide. With more than 25 years in financial planning and investments, Melissa specializes in helping GenX and Millennial people including double-breadwinner families, executives, and clients navigating the messy money middle with more complexity and less time to make confident financial decisions. Melissa also hosts the weekly Women’s Money Wisdom podcast, dedicated to normalizing money conversations and amplifying women’s voices in finance.

Penny Phillips is the Head of Strategy and Experience at Hightower Signature Wealth, a rapidly growing integrated wealth management firm overseeing approximately $25 billion in assets. In her role, she focuses on advisor growth strategy, client experience, practice management, and the development of scalable infrastructure designed to help advisory teams grow more effectively.  

Prior to joining Hightower Signature Wealth, Penny was the co-founder and President of Journey Strategic Wealth, a $5 billion Registered Investment Adviser built to support independent financial advisors through hands-on practice management, operational support, and strategic growth consulting. Journey was acquired by Hightower Signature Wealth in early 2026.

Before founding Journey, Penny launched Thrivos Consulting, a practice management coaching firm focused on helping financial advisors build stronger businesses and prepare for the evolving needs of next-generation clients. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles across the financial services industry and has authored multiple advisor training and practice management programs.

A nationally recognized speaker and facilitator, Penny has presented at financial services conferences throughout the United States and Canada and has been a regular contributor to industry publications like WealthManagement.com.

Penny has been recognized across the industry for her leadership and innovation, including nominations for Innovator of the Year by WealthManagement.com Industry Awards and a Luminary Award by ThinkAdvisor. She was also named one of Financial Planning’s “23 People Who Will Change the Wealth Management Industry.”

On a personal note, Penny is certified in Advanced Behavioral Analysis and earned dual degrees in Economics and Corporate Finance from Macaulay Honors College. Born and raised in New York City, she is of Greek descent and speaks fluent Greek. 

Brian is a leading expert on the psychology of money.  He has written multiple bestselling books in behavioral finance, has 20+ years of experience as investor and educator in the hedge fund and mutual fund industries, and is the founder of Shaping Wealth. He is a CFA Charterholder and earned a PhD at the University of Chicago. 

Joy is a licensed clinical psychologist and an expert in human behavior. She has held research and clinical positions at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, Children’s National Medical Center, and the Department of Defense and has served as an Assistant Clinical Professor in Clinical Psychology at George Washington University. She earned her PsyD at George Washington University.