The InvestmentNews 2023 Women to Watch Awards celebrate excellence and the women who are making a difference in our industry.
On Tuesday, Nov. 7, at Tribeca 360 in New York City, top advisors, rising stars and leaders shaping the wealth management space will come together to recognize each other’s talents and contributions. This year’s Women to Watch Awards feature a new independent judging panel and exciting award categories for organizations and professionals alike.
As part of this Women to Watch issue, InvestmentNews is proud to profile each excellence awardee in the individual categories. The winner in each category will be announced at the event.
Here are the excellence awardees in the Allyship Champion of the Year category.
President of innovation and experience, Cambridge Investment Research Inc.
Colleen Bell is affectionately known at Cambridge Investment Research as a “change agent.” Ask any of her colleagues and they will undoubtedly tell you that her type of change is always for the better.
Bell joined the independent broker-dealer in 2006 following her experience as a securities examiner and auditor with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As president of innovation and experience at Cambridge, Bell’s focus is on driving associate engagement and advisor satisfaction. Bell also serves as an executive sponsor of Cambridge’s DEI Committee and Community of Women program.
Bell has always made an effort to share her expertise and knowledge with women at the firm and around the industry. One of the ways she’s done that is through mentorship and teaching. Bell regularly visits local schools to share with students what the financial services industry is like.
“Exposing students to key financial concepts and principles at a young age can prevent harmful and stressful financial habits from developing later in life as kids transition to adulthood and begin to take on more responsibility,” she said.
Bell is also an executive sponsor of Cambridge’s diversity, equality and inclusion advisory council, where she works with groups of associates and advisors to develop and enhance the firm’s approach to diversity and inclusion.
“My goal has always been to do whatever I can to support women in the industry so they feel as empowered as I have felt my entire career. I have been fortunate to have wonderful personal and professional mentors and allies, and my philosophy in life is to always pay it forward,” Bell said.
— Gregg Greenberg
Managing directors and private wealth advisors, Merrill Wealth Management
The combined depth of experience of Alyssa Moeder and Courtney Moore is impressive. Moeder has worked in financial services since 1991 and provides goal-based wealth management advice and services to multigenerational families, ultra-high-net-worth individuals and institutions. Moore also has more than 30 years’ experience serving institutions and wealthy families, specializing in customizing investment plans, strategic asset allocation modeling, hedging and diversifying sophisticated portfolios and incorporating liability management.
They’re also passionate about volunteering and working with organizations that center around their beliefs and values. “I firmly believe that you get what you give,” Moore said, talking about her volunteer work. “Throughout the course of my life, I’ve always been rewarded. Our business is a meritocracy-focused business. But I also believe that people need a chance.”
In 2004, Moeder founded the Women’s Exchange, a forum for women in Bank of America’s wealth management businesses to share ideas and experiences and offer support to one another. Moore became involved early on, helping Moeder spread the word, host events and expand the organization. What started as a group of women from the same office floor evolved over time into a nationwide organization, with more than 6,000 members.
Both Moeder and Moore have been recognized by countless publications for their demonstrations of success and leadership in the financial advice industry.
“Courtney and I wouldn’t have accomplished what we accomplished with the Women’s Exchange without supporting each other, and I can’t even believe it developed into what it did. We’re just a great team,” Moeder said. “I think when we work together on these things, we see ourselves as one. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still so much work to be done.”
— Josh Welsh
CEO, founder and financial advisor, The Jamrog Group
Before making a career in financial planning, Amy Jamrog wanted to be an artist.
“If I wasn’t a financial advisor, I’d be an interior decorator, or a full-time author,” she said. “I’d also carve out time to crochet blankets for hours and hours a day! I love anything crafty, creative and colorful.”
It wasn’t until Jamrog turned 25 that she was approached by a businessman who taught her the wealth management industry is not only creative but also personal and incredibly rewarding. “I am grateful every day for the fact that he took the time to really explain what the role of a financial advisor is, and that he saw what a great match it was for my skills and personality.”
In addition to working as a financial advisor, Jamrog is an author and motivational speaker, and a coach for other women advisors. Pursuing her love of writing, she has written two best-selling books, “Confetti Moments” and “Life Savings Conversations: Prepping You for The Ten Most Important Conversations You’ll Have in Life.” Jamrog hopes to write a third book next summer.
Through her consulting company, Jamrog established Coalition, a coaching group exclusively designed for MassMutual’s female financial advisors. The group’s members work toward three goals: to increase results, profitability and happiness. Last year, members reported their participation resulted in an average of a 21% increase in overall happiness, a 46% improvement in work/life balance, and a 53% increase in their business goal clarity.
Next year, Jamrog hopes to increase the number of women she coaches by 50%.
“I care so deeply about other people’s happiness, and how I can help contribute to it. That alone drives everything I do,” she said.
— Josh Welsh
Senior vice president, national sales desk, Jackson National Life Distributors
Ashley Golson knows sales. That’s her primary role as senior vice president of Jackson’s national sales desk.
She also knows that diversity and inclusion are ideas worth selling. And she’s an expert at that, too.
Golson is very involved locally and nationally in D&I efforts, consistently reminding others that the company’s diverse and inclusive workplace is essential to its continued success, positive culture and employee satisfaction. In addition to her daily responsibilities, Golson serves on Jackson’s D&I Council and provides advisory support to the leaders of Jackson’s Visions in Black Excellence Network, which supports the professional development of black associates at Jackson.
Golson is also passionate about financial education. She is a former instructor for Rock the Street, Wall Street, teaching high school girls about the principles of finance.
“Women bring a unique gift, perspective and skill set to the table. Many will become breadwinners or will inherit significant dollars. We need to understand how money works and the value of investing. We will then be able to pass this knowledge from generation to generation,” she said.
Golson attended Grambling State University, a historically Black university, and has developed a passion for supporting students. In 2022, she joined Tennessee State University’s economics and finance board to support students on their journeys into the financial profession.
“I obtained an amazing education, but it also built my confidence and prepared me for the challenges and opportunities ahead. Many students at HBCUs come from backgrounds similar to mine. They are extremely intelligent, hardworking, and resilient, and just need an opportunity to shine,” Golson said.
— Gregg Greenberg
Co-CEO, Abacus Wealth Partners
As a public speaker, podcaster and industry leader, Mary Beth Storjohann has never shied away from using her voice to promote positive change in the financial industry.
As co-CEO of Abacus Wealth Partners, Storjohann makes it her mission to help clients expand what’s possible with their money. She joined Abacus in 2019 as chief marketing officer after successfully launching and growing her own RIA firm, and in 2022 was named co-CEO.
Over the course of nearly two decades in the financial services space, Storjohann has focused on financial education. She started the website and podcast “Workable Wealth,” which provides financial education and empowerment to those in their 20s through 40s, and wrote a book, “Work Your Wealth: 9 Steps to Making Smarter Choices with Your Money.”
Storjohann makes frequent media appearances to offer her ideas on wealth management and advocate for women in the industry. A believer that “actions speak louder than words,” she’s known for sparking debate in order to make the industry a better place.
Storjohann also believes in making sure the next generation follows through on her drive for equality. She oversees the BLX Internship Program, a charitable organization whose mission is to make the demographics of the financial planning profession more representative of our country’s population.
“Even small pieces of financial education can create a large impact in someone’s life,” Storjohann said. “Working to spread financial literacy helps to increase the accessibility of information and it allows our team members to show up in a variety of ways within different communities.”
— Gregg Greenberg
Chief strategy officer, president of retail investments and head of institutional investments, Northwestern Mutual
Ask Aditi Javeri Gokhale what success means to her, and she’ll say it’s what defines her sources of happiness.
“That means spending time with my 16-year-old, spending time with my friends, delivering and succeeding professionally, and ensuring that my family and I feel connected,” she said.
Born and raised in Mumbai, India, in a close-knit, middle-class family, Javeri Gokhale came to the U.S. with two large suitcases and $150 in her bank account. She earned her bachelor’s degree and an MBA at MIT.
After working in several positions at leading brands, she settled into her current role at Northwestern Mutual as chief strategy officer, president of retail investments and head of institutional investments.
Javeri Gokhale has several accomplishments under her belt. In the first part of the year, she led the company’s wealth management business to extraordinary performance with growth of $30 billion in assets under management. She was also recognized by Involve’s Empower Awards list of 100 top executives, highlighting those who support and empower people of color in the workplace.
“It’s an honor for me to champion others in the workplace and help create a world where everyone has an equal voice and a seat at the table,” she said.
When it comes to planning ahead, Gokhale aims to set strong and lofty goals, but also take realistic steps to reach them.
“Something my father always said to my sister and me growing up is this: ‘Eye on the sky, feet on the ground.’ To me, this means staying humble, but always aiming high,” she said. “While this approach has guided me through my education and career, I’ve also seen this mantra play out in business.”
— Josh Welsh
Vice president of business development, Avantax Wealth Management
Everybody can benefit from a little coaching in their careers. And Laurie Stack is dedicated to providing that mentorship to young women in finance seeking to get a leg up.
Stack joined Avantax four years ago after three decades in leadership positions at financial services firms including LPL Financial, Cetera Advisors and The Wealth Consulting Group. In addition to helping run business development at Avantax, Laurie heads the Avantax Women’s Advisor Forum, where she focuses on developing educational resources, coaching and mentoring programs and face-to-face engagements.
“Surveys show that by the end of 2032, two-thirds of American wealth will be controlled by women, and I know firsthand that women clients often prefer working with women advisors, so by mentoring young women we help them pursue a thriving future in financial services,” Stack said.
She said that she’s committed to shifting the investment industry’s perspective away from focusing on women “breaking barriers” because she believes women have already broken those barriers.
“It’s imperative we change the narrative and feature successful women so others can see there’s a clear path to being a financial advisor running her own rewarding and potentially lucrative business,” Stack said.
Stack is also a highly sought-after speaker for investment industry conferences and thought leadership panels. She frequently advocates for women on behalf of Avantax.
“The days of women holding only support roles is over. Our industry is pivoting, as women now are among the most sought-after and deeply trusted financial advisors,” said Stack.
— Gregg Greenberg
Founder and CEO, Curo Wealth Management
If Marianna Goldenberg weren’t a financial advisor, she would be a teacher.
“I love teaching,” she says. When she’s not working at her Langhorne, Pennsylvania-based firm, she’s a guest lecturer at Temple University and Bucks County Community College.
“I’m a believer that, as a society, we don’t do a good job educating our kids in school and that’s why we have so much student debt and people are not able to retire, and also have so much credit card debt,” Goldenberg said.
An immigrant from the former USSR, Goldenberg worked tirelessly to achieve the American dream. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, she started her financial career at Salomon Brothers, then trained in the prestigious financial advisor professional development program at Merrill Lynch.
Through those experiences, Goldenberg started her firm Curo Wealth Management, featuring a team of strong women who aim to better the lives of women through financial awareness and empowerment. In Latin, curo means “to take care.” That’s what she and her team do every day for their clients.
Seven years ago she also created a study group made up of six women who regularly discuss business ideas and the latest developments in the industry, supporting each other through both professional and personal ups and downs.
Her goals next year will be to continue to grow and serve her clients. “I enjoy it, I really do,” Goldenberg said. “It’s something that I love, and I see the difference we make in people’s lives. It’s been a really rewarding career.”
— Josh Welsh
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