Board of Directors
NAPFA provides support and education for more than 4,500 members all over the country and is governed by the volunteer board of directors and supported by four region boards. These volunteers include leading Fee-Only financial planners from around the country that are representative of the broader membership.
Joni Alt, CFP®
Chair
Joni is Senior Wealth Advisor at Evermay Wealth Management. Joni has worked for more than 30 years in the financial planning/investment management field and uses her drive as a continuous learner to find new ways to serve her clients.
Joni began her NAPFA volunteer service as a member of the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Region Board as a way to give back to the profession. “Being part of the NAPFA Board will allow me to continue that path I began a few years back. This association has helped me connect with other liked minded planners, many of which are now friends and colleagues”.
Joni wants to “continue to give back to NAPFA community of professionals that have helped me so that I can help the next generation coming into this profession.” She is looking forward to focusing on member education, maintaining NAPFA’s reputation in the financial planning community, and remaining up to date on regulatory and public policy issues.
Natalie Pine, CFP®
Chair-Elect
Natalie's career in the financial industry has been marked by her extensive experiences in estate planning, tax avoidance, business valuation, and Medicare. Now serving as the Managing Partner, she began her journey at Briaud Financial Advisors as an Investment Analyst, and soon after obtaining her CFP®️ designation, she expanded her role to include both financial planning and wealth management. In 2011, she became a partner at the firm, and in 2020 assumed management of the day-to-day operations, ensuring an exceptional client experience.
Before joining Briaud Financial Advisors, Natalie gained valuable experience in New York and London, working for Davidson Kempner, a distressed debt hedge fund, and Goldman Sachs in the Mergers and Acquisitions department. Her diverse background has equipped her with a unique perspective that she brings to her work and her leadership roles.
Natalie is also deeply committed to her local community, having served on numerous non-profit boards, including as Chair of the Community Foundation of the Brazos Valley, President of the Brazos Valley Rehabilitation Center Board and Treasurer of the Prenatal Clinic Board. Her involvement in these roles highlights her dedication to service and leadership beyond the financial planning profession.
Michael D. Gibney, CFP®, CAP®, AIF®
Secretary-Treasurer
Michael Gibney is a seasoned financial professional, currently holding the role of Principal and Wealth Manager at Modera Wealth Management, LLC. With over 20 years of experience in financial planning, preceded by 15 years on Wall Street, he’s a trusted advisor to clients nationwide. His expertise spans various aspects of financial planning, including retirement, estate, tax planning, and risk management.
Michael’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s in Business Administration in Management Information Systems from Pace University and a financial planning certificate from New York University. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®), and Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) professional designations. Notably, he’s been quoted in esteemed publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Money Magazine, and USA Today, offering insights into personal finance and retirement planning.
His influence extends beyond his professional life, as he actively contributes to his community including leadership roles for the New Jersey Metro Multiple Sclerosis Society. Michael is a past member of the Northeast Mid-Atlantic Regional Board and served as a past Chair of NAPFA’s Leadership Development Committee.
Daphne Jordan, CFP®
Immediate Past Chair
Daphne Jordan, CFP®, is a wealth advisor at Pioneer Wealth Management Group in Austin, Texas. With a strong commitment to innovation and thought leadership, Daphne has made significant contributions within the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and the financial planning community at large. She is proud of co-founding and co-chairing NAPFA's groundbreaking Diversity & Inclusion initiative and serving back-to-back terms as the Association’s Audit Chair.
Daphne's unwavering dedication has earned her well-deserved recognition in the industry. She was honored to be listed among Investopedia's 100 Top Financial Advisors of 2021 and received the distinguished 2019 Rising Star Award from InvestmentNews' "Excellence in Diversity" program. As a sought-after expert, she has shared her insights on platforms such as Money Savage and Negotiate Anything podcasts and has spoken on financial education topics at several conferences and events. Daphne also has published an article in the Austin Family Magazine and has been quoted in Nerd Wallet's online magazine and in the Associated Press.
Daphne is not only a trusted financial advisor but a catalyst for change and strives to be a driving force behind making financial planning accessible. As a former educator and life-long learner, she distinctly understands the transformational power of knowledge and the change it can enact.
Dr. Kristy Archuleta, Ph.D., LMFT, CFT-I(TM)
NAPFA Consumer Representative
Kristy L. Archuleta is a Professor in the Financial Planning program at the University of Georgia. She holds the Betsy Barnard Sages Endowed Professorship for Financial Therapy and Financial Planning. Prior to joining the UGA faculty, she was an Associate Professor and Director of the Personal Financial Planning program at Kansas State University. She co-founded the Financial Therapy Association, the Journal of Financial Therapy, the nation’s first academic program in financial therapy, the Financial Behavior Keynote Group, and Women Managing the Farm. Dr. Archuleta has garnered national and international attention as a speaker and author who has published numerous scholarly articles and co-edited two books on financial planning, financial therapy, financial counseling, and mental health. She serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, NAFPA’s Consumer Education Foundation, the Financial Therapy Clinical Institute, and two editorial review boards. She is commonly featured in podcasts and major news media outlets, such as the New York Times, Investment News, and CNBC, to name a few, and has won awards for her cutting-edge research. Dr. Archuleta received the Financial Therapy Association’s 2024 Hall of Fame and the 2023 Instructor of the Year awards. She also is a recipient of the Kansas State University College of Human Ecology Myers-Alford Outstanding Teaching Award and the Oklahoma State University College of Human Sciences Distinguished Alumna Award.
Feraud Calixte, J.D., CFP®
Feraud Calixte is a Senior Financial Advisor at Modera Wealth Management, LLC. His role involves working with clients to formulate planning goals, development and implement wealth management strategies and monitor clients’ progress towards their financial and investment goals.
Prior to joining Modera, Feraud was founder and lead financial planner of a boutique financial planning firm - Vantage Pointe Planning. Feraud worked as an advisor for several large national wealth management firms. Feraud is passionate about helping families navigate the complexities often associated with finances. Feraud is committed to the financial planning industry and regularly volunteers to teach financial literacy. In addition to serving on the NAPFA Board, he has served on the NAPFA South Region board, Conference Committee, Membership Committee, and more.
Feraud has been quoted by a variety of publications, such as U.S News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, Investment News, and NAPFA Advisor. Feraud has been recognized by Investment News 40 under 40 as an emerging leader in the industry. He was also interviewed for the Longview Podcast hosted by Morningstar Inc.
Ann Garcia, CFP®
Ann is the owner of Independent Progressive Advisors, a Fee-Only Registered Investment Advisor in Portland, Oregon. Besides a dozen years as a financial advisor, Ann’s business background includes marketing and strategic planning in the technology industry and owning two businesses, a professional services firm and a wine importer/distributor. Ann holds the CFP® designation and earned her BA from the University of California, Berkeley.
Ann is the author of the book How to Pay for College, and The College Financial Lady blog. She developed the College Financial Plan Masterclass to help more families through this often times anxiety-ridden, overwhelming, and confusing process. Ann is regularly cited in national media (New York Times, US News & World Report) on the subject of college planning.
Ann served on the NAPFA West Region Board of Directors, leading Local Groups and Membership initiatives.
Cheryl Holland, CFP®, CFBA
Cheryl is the Founder of Abacus Planning Group and has been in the profession for more than 30 years. She has been involved in several NAPFA volunteer opportunities, including multiple conference committees, chairman's council, leadership summit committee, and more.
Cheryl has an intense commitment to issues relevant to larger firms and broadening the diversity of the profession. She feels that NAPFA is "often the North star and change maker and can be in this area, too".
Ben Jacobs, M.S., CFP®, EA, AIF®
Ben is the Founder of Fully Financial. Ben received his undergraduate and master's degrees in financial planning and consumer economics from the University of Georgia, where he graduated summa cum laude with highest honors. He has nearly ten years of experience in NAPFA as a student member, associate, and NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor. He served on the NAPFA Genesis Committee for five years, most recently as Chair. Additionally, he was a 2021 recipient of NAPFA's New Professional Award. Ben is also a part-time instructor in the financial planning program at UGA, teaching the Capstone in Financial Planning course.
As a member of the board, Ben hopes to build on the work the DEI Committee has done and address important DEI issues in the profession. He also hopes to address the "ongoing issue of compensation as a financial advisor." He believes "providing more education to consumers and transparency in how advisors are paid should remain a top concern". He is extremely passionate about the community that NAPFA provides for fee-only advisors and is honored to serve on the NAPFA Board. Ben lives with his husband, Cody, and their three dogs in Athens, GA.
Justin Nichols, CFP®
Justin Nichols is a Managing Principal - Operations at CGN Advisors, a Fee-Only, financial advisory firm based in Manhattan, Kansas. In his role, Justin is responsible for advisor development and onboarding, as well as ongoing operations. An advisor since 2003, he loves developing long-term relationships with clients, and thrives off helping them realize their personal finance goals, such as paying off student loans or retiring early. Justin is skilled at simplifying complex topics, and his clients are grateful to have a trusted fancial partner who keeps their best interests at heart. He prioritizes listening to their concerns so they know their efforts will be collaborative, with full context and straightforward options that address all their questions and concerns.
Justin obtained a finance degree from Kansas State University and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. With a passion for financial education, Justin has served in a number of roles with various organizations, including more than six years teaching as an adjunct instructor in Kansas State University’s Personal Financial Planning program. Justin lives with his wife, Edee, and sons, Nate and Luke, in Manhattan, KS. He enjoys traveling with his family, spending time at the lake, snow skiing, and playing tennis a couple times per week. He volunteers at his church, his son's 4-H club, as well as for GPN Alliance membership corporation and, of course, NAPFA.
Cheryl J. Sherrard, CFP®, M. A. in Gerontology
Cheryl is Director of Planning, a Senior Financial Advisor and part-owner at Clearview Wealth Management in Charlotte, NC. She has been an active member of NAPFA for over 20 years, serving on the South Region Board, various conference committees and the Leadership Development Committee. NAPFA has provided a way to learn from other like-minded advisors and through her volunteerism, it has provided the perfect way to give back to the financial planning community.
She focuses on assisting with later life decisions for aging clients, including women who are aging alone. She has become a vital resource to aging client families and other advisors across the United States, presenting at national conferences and speaking in the community on aging topics. She completed a M.A. in Gerontology to better understand aging and its potential issues.
Cheryl is also trained as a Stephen’s Minister to support those in crisis situations. The training taught her to use active listening and reflective questions to help others as they share their concerns. These skills help her as an advisor, where listening well is one of the greatest gifts she can give clients.
James J. Williams, CFP®, MBA
James (JJ) Williams is the CEO and Founder of Williams Financial, LLC. With over 20 years of experience, he has built a team that is passionate about helping clients understand and play an active role in their financial planning.
JJ holds a business administration degree from Southern Vermont College, an MBA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, as well as a certificate in financial planning from Boston University. He has held multiple securities licenses, such as Series 7 and 63 and currently holds the Series 66 FINRA licenses. Before establishing Williams Financial, JJ’s career spanned various roles, from bank manager to marketing director, and overseeing operations, finance, and compliance as an independent broker.
He is an engaged educator, having taught business courses at Castleton University, Community College of Vermont, and Southern Vermont College. He has also held the position of Department Chairperson – Entrepreneurship at Hudson Valley Community College, a SUNY college.
Prior to joining the NAPFA Board, he served as a past Chair of the NAPFA Membership Committee and previously served as a board member for NAPFA’s Northeast Mid-Atlantic Regional Board.