CFP BOARD AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WELCOMES SIX CFP PROFESSIONALS
CFP Board has appointed six additional CFP® professionals to its CFP Board Ambassador Program. These Ambassadors were selected for their volunteerism and passion for communicating with the public about the importance of working with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional.
“At a time when consumer demand for financial planning is at a record high, our CFP Board Ambassadors highlight the importance of working with a CFP® professional for competent, ethical financial planning advice,” said CFP Board CEO Kevin R. Keller, CAE. “We welcome our new Ambassadors and thank all of the CFP® professionals in the program for sharing their knowledge, experience and guidance.”
Launched in 2010, the CFP Board Ambassador program is a nationwide network of CFP® professionals working to raise public awareness of CFP® certification. The roster of 37 Ambassadors — representing diversity of age, gender, racial and ethnic background and financial planning specialty — act as valuable financial planning voices for the media, the public and individuals aspiring to become CFP® professionals. By writing articles for LetsMakeAPlan.org, speaking at events and leveraging their networks and social media platforms, they give voice to CFP Board’s consumer advocacy and support its work to advance the financial planning profession for the benefit of the public.
The new CFP Board Ambassadors are as follows:
Jamie L. Clark, CFP®
Seattle, WA
Jamie L. Clark, CFP® (they/them) is the owner of Ruby Pebble Financial Planning LLC, a fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm launched in 2022. They work with folks in their 30s and 40s who are LGTBTQ+ or allies and want a partner in navigating non-traditional goals such as early retirement, lifestyle upgrades, separate finances, unmarried and/or unpartnered folks, and a childfree lifestyle. Their areas of expertise include planning for what you want in life using your stock compensation, tax planning, and designing portfolios with index funds or a sustainability focus. They love hearing clients’ stories and working together to build out a vision of their future.
Prior to financial planning, Jamie worked as a software engineer for a decade, primarily at Amazon and Microsoft in the Seattle area. They hold a Bachelor's in Computer Science and French from the University of Waterloo in Canada and are currently pursuing a Master's degree in Financial Therapy and Advanced Financial Planning at Kansas State University.
Zaneilia Harris, CFP®
Upper Marlboro, MD
Zaneilia Harris is President of Harris & Harris Wealth Management Group, LLC. Her passion is working with Gen X executive and professional women who are going through major life transitions, such as marriage, divorce and widowhood, and need financial guidance to achieve their personal goals. Because of her passion, she launched the podcast, Heels of Success, a love story to her daughter. Sharing these positive money stories is Zaneilia’s way to combat the negativity in the media around women, specifically black women, and their finances.
She’s the author of the book, Finance ‘n Stilettos – Money Matters for the Well-Heeled Woman, member of the Newsweek Expert Forum and Bloomberg New Voices, and former member of the CNBC Financial Advisor Council. Additionally, she has been recognized five years by Investopedia as one of their Top 100 Financial Advisors. She is a financial educator and blogger who is passionate about finances and sharing her expertise with other women so they can become financially savvy.
Her expertise has been featured in over 100+ prominent publications and media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, CNBC, Kiplinger, US News & World Report, Forbes, Today Money, Women’s Day, Essence, Black Enterprise, Women’s Wear Daily, and PBS. She resides in a Maryland suburb just outside of Washington, DC, with her husband and daughter.
Autumn Knutson, CFP®
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Autumn Knutson, CFP®, is the Founder and Lead Financial Planner at Styled Wealth, a fee-only RIA serving impact-driven people. She guides people navigating complex and emotional decisions in aligning their resources to their uniquely defined vision of a 'wealthy life.'
With nearly a decade in financial planning and several years prior as an educator and counselor, Autumn has spent generous time learning what strategies help people act in alignment with their values and priorities. She is a five-time Investopedia Top 100 Advisor, an Advisory Board member for Forbes Advisor, and is listed on Financial Advisor's 2023 10 Young Advisors to Watch. She is routinely quoted in publications such as Investopedia, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, NerdWallet, CBS News and Fortune. She is a former Financial Planning Association NexGen President and Teach for America Alumna and attributes many of her professional opportunities to her involvement in those communities.
Within the umbrella of comprehensive financial planning, Autumn has specific knowledge in supporting people through decisions on equity compensation, business strategy and projections, irregular cashflow management, sabbatical planning, and planning toward financial independence. Her background as a high school counselor has given her deep experience with college planning, advanced student loan strategies, FAFSA and CSS Profile knowledge, and of course, navigating complex emotions amidst important, life-changing decisions.
Autumn's personal life undoubtedly influences her ability to communicate as a financial planner. She is a first-generation high school and college graduate, holding a B.A. in Psychology from Whitman College. She is able to relate to people who find personal finance mystifying and empowers them toward a productive relationship with their personal finances. Much of her academic and professional knowledge came through mentors, luck, and a try, try again attitude. Autumn is a wife and a mother to two young children, who offer her opportunities to become a better person and communicator each day.
Kurt Whitesell, CFP®
Rapid City, SD
Kurt Whitesell learned at an early age that setting goals, hard work and determination are the keys to success. When he was 9 years old, he started boxing and over the next 14 years compiled a winning record of 135W-22L. He competed in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), Golden Gloves and Amateur Boxing Federation (ABF) circuits winning multiple state and regional titles along with the National Multi-Sports Boxing title.
In 1987, he embarked on a career as a financial advisor to help people start investing and planning their futures, earning his CFP® certification in 1994. In 2007, he founded his own independent financial advisory firm, Whitesell Financial Group, LLP, helping his clients work towards achieving their goals. His belief is that a financial professional should be free from Wall Street and corporate influences to ensure the highest ethical standards are consistently practiced and upheld. In 2022, Kurt and his team joined Summit Wealth Group.
Outside of his professional and community commitments, Kurt is a devoted family man. He and his wife, Suzie, are the proud parents of four children and three grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys a variety of activities, including working out, hiking, and traveling. His love for card games and quality time with his family further underscores his balanced approach to life. Kurt is honored to be named a Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor annually since 2018.
Lauryn Williams, CFP®
Dallas, Texas
Lauryn Williams is an Olympic medalist, University of Miami alum, thought leader, speaker, and an incredible businesswoman who continues to build the bridge between sports and finance.
Starting her journey in the sports arena, Lauryn became a 4x Olympian, and a 3x Olympic Medalist, winning a silver medal in the 2004 Olympics in the 100m Dash, a gold medal in the 4 by 100m relay in the 2012 Summer Olympics, and a Silver medal in the 2014 Winter Olympics in the two-woman bobsled — making her the first American woman to earn a medal in the Summer and Winter Olympics.
After retiring from sport, she started Worth Winning, a virtual fee-only financial planning firm to help millennials and professional athletes get the answers to the financial questions that matter most to them. To further connect her passion for sports and finance, Lauryn used her expertise in both areas to write a book titled The Oval Office: A Four-Time Olympians Guide to Professional Track and Field.
She also hosts a biweekly financial literacy podcast called Worth Listening and is a regular contributor to news and media outlets frequently as part of the CNBC Advisor Council. Her continuous involvement in the financial industry has resulted in her being consistently named as one of Investopedia's top 100 advisors. And more recently Lauryn has started to make a name for herself in Venture Capital.
Despite wearing many hats, Lauryn makes it a priority to donate some of her time to various causes, volunteering with USA Track and Field junior athletes and serving on the World Anti-
Doping Agency finance committee. She’s on a mission to impact as many people as she can in her lifetime.
Felicia Wong, CFP®
Las Vegas, Nevada
Felicia is the founder of Aventurine Planning, a full-service tax firm, and is a financial advisor with Financial Futures LLC, a fee-only fiduciary, independent financial planning and investment management firm specializing in tax planning.
Felicia has always been fascinated with teaching, learning and financial well-being. As a result, she has combined her passions with her expertise to help individuals plan a secure financial future. Felicia began her career in auditing, where she earned her CPA and developed an understanding of business operations and finance. She then shifted to tax services to have a more direct impact on individuals and earned her CFP® certification along the way. She aims to build long-lasting relationships, teaching others and empowering them to align their financial goals with their life objectives.
She specializes in working with women in tech and employees with equity compensation, including stock options and stock purchase plans. She also is active in content creation, sharing educational and fun content with her audience to bring a lighter side to financial literacy.
Felicia graduated from Chapman University with a double major in Accounting and Business Administration and a minor in Education.