Meet Your Advocates

Role

Alex delivers custom investment and financial planning advice to our clients.

Background

As luck would have it I actually found my way into wealth management and financial planning by happenstance. Upon graduating from college the idea of investments held an allure I could not pass up. I ran across a job posting for a position as a paraplanner with a wealth management firm. Knowing absolutely nothing about the industry I took the leap into the role believing I would be learning all about investing. In retrospect what I gained was far more valuable. I truly learned what it meant to develop and implement a comprehensive financial plan for individuals. What I failed to realize at the time, which has become more clear through the years, is that investing without a plan is like driving without a map. My mentor always used to say, “You can’t build a house without a blue print”, and that is really what a financial plan provides, the blue print to your financial life.

Prior to joining Integris I gained significant experience developing and implementing financial plans for small to medium size business owners, as well as executives with varying forms of compensation. I found the work to be extremely gratifying, as I was able to provide peace of mind to individuals who were going through some of life’s largest transitions. Whether it be business succession, retirement, or generational planning, being able to provide comfort and lower anxiety levels via a financial plan has been truly rewarding, and something I could have never received by simply learning how to invest. As my career developed in beautiful Sonoma County I found myself missing life near the ocean. The decision was not easy, but I made the choice to come back to my roots in the Santa Cruz/Monterey area. While searching for firms that focused on financial planning I stumbled across Integris Wealth Management. The culture, people, and most importantly the work they do for clients seemed like an opportunity I could not pass up. Integris’ holistic view into individuals’ financial lives is something that was hugely important in my decision to join the team, and I haven’t looked back since.

Education & Accreditations

• Certified Financial Planner professional
• BS in Business Administration (Finance), Sonoma State University
• BA in Economics, Sonoma State University

Associations

• Financial Planning Association

Current & Past* Community Involvement

• Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
• Legal Services for Seniors

Role

Allison delivers custom investment and financial planning advice to our clients. Additionally, as the firm’s Chief Advisory Officer, Allison oversees the advisory group and all financial advice provided by the firm.

Background

I began my professional career as an intern at Integris while still in college, where I found the work and the atmosphere enjoyable and fulfilling.  Although I majored in accounting, I found that I truly enjoyed my finance classes – the concepts came easily to me and I found them intriguing.  After graduating, I worked for a few years as a public accountant, auditing private investment companies, and obtained my CPA license.  However, I was not feeling gratified, and found myself longing for the satisfaction I felt during my internship – being part of a team of people working in the best interest of the client, for the client, and for no one else.  In 2011, I found myself back at the place where it all began, and became a partner in 2017.

Education & Accreditations

• Certified Financial Planner professional
• Certified Public Accountant
• BA in Business Economics (Accounting), University of California, Santa Barbara

Associations

• Financial Planning Association
• National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
• American Institute of CPAs
• CalCPA

Current & Past* Community Involvement

• Nancy Buck Ransom Foundation
• Legal Services for Seniors*
• International School of Monterey*

Role

Amy works closely with the firm’s Advisors to provide operational support to our clients.

Background

I grew up in Indiana, home state to the Hoosiers! I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Indiana University, which is famous for college basketball and Bobby Knight. My original plan was to become an elementary school teacher, ideally first grade. Upon graduation I covered a couple maternity leaves for teachers as a substitute. Needing a regular paycheck and benefits, I started working at a local credit union as a teller. Initially, I wasn’t planning on staying long but I enjoyed working with our members and excelled within the organization. I was promoted several times finally ending up in the Financial Services Department as an Assistant to three Advisors. The Advisors used American Funds heavily, which led to me taking a position as a Client Services Representative with American Funds. I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge about the mutual fund industry while working there, and it proved to be a very rewarding experience.

I decided to have a change of scenery and moved to California in 2009. My mom was born in the Salinas Valley, on River Road, so this area of California has always been very special to me. This move to California took me back to working for a local credit union, where I worked there for over eight years in various positions ending up as an Assistant Manager of the Teller Department.

Wanting to make a career change and go back to my roots in education I took a position overseas in Djibouti, Africa on a US Military Installation for the University of Maryland University College as a Program Coordinator. It was a wonderful experience that was not without its challenges, but it allowed me the opportunity to test my inner strength and immerse myself in the life of a third world country. I missed my life in Monterey County so I came back after six months, more thankful and appreciative of being an American.

I am very excited to be with the Integris team and having the opportunity to help our clients achieve their financial goals. In my free time I enjoy hiking, going to the beach with my dog Norman, shopping for treasures at second hand shops, painting, and making pottery.

Education & Accreditations

• Notary Public
• BA in Education, Indiana University

Role:

Cynthia works closely with our Advisors to help design financial plans.

Background:

I grew up in the Silicon Valley and attended CSU Monterey Bay. During my time at CSUMB, I tutored students in Finance and Microsoft Excel and was involved in several on-campus events. The semester before graduation, I interned with Integris Wealth Management and saw first-hand the amount of care and diligence that goes into creating financial plans and what it means to be a fiduciary and care for clients. The experience I gained from my internship shaped my view of financial planning, so when the opportunity arose to return to Integris full-time after graduating, I was very grateful for the position and eager to start.

In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and cats!

Education & Accreditations:

BA in Business Administration concentrating in Financial Planning, CSU Monterey Bay

Current & Past* Community Involvement: 

Volunteer at the Monterey County SPCA

Role:

Erik is responsible for portfolio monitoring, trading, and accounting and works closely with the firm’s Advisors to provide operational support to our clients.

Background:

I have been working in the financial services industry since 2001, most of which has been spent with independent broker-dealers and investment advisors in back office operations handling aspects such as tracking of accounts, fee billings, and setting up accounts. I also spent time working for Bank of New York Mellon and Computershare processing direct investment distributions and reconciliations. I am very excited to be on the Integris team and to have the opportunity to help clients achieve their life’s financial goals.

I live and work remotely in Michigan, am married with 2 kids (one son and one daughter), and outside of work I enjoy going camping, watching sports and going on family vacations a couple times a year.

Education & Accreditations:

• BBA in Finance, Eastern Michigan University

Role

Giff serves on Integris’ Investment Committee, which is responsible for the firm’s investment philosophy and tactics.

Background

Prior to my retirement in June of 2020, it was a great pleasure working with colleagues who shared my vision about creating a firm “we would want to hire for ourselves”.  But what was really rewarding was seeing clients transform from a place of anxiety to a place of clarity and confidence regarding their money.

I was fortunate in that I was raised in a family that communicated good “money messages.”  I grew up hearing things like “If you can’t afford to pay cash, then you can’t afford it” from my dad.   I put myself through college and graduated with a degree in Speech Communication, which helped me listen to and talk with my clients about their money.  I obtained an MBA from Carnegie-Mellon University which gave me the analytical tools to understand markets and finance.  I then spent 20 years in New York City as an institutional investment professional, which provided me with invaluable real-world experience.  Lastly, I earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) designation to round out my financial planning knowledge and founded Integris in 1997, where I focused mostly on financial planning.  You might say that being at Integris is what I had been training for my whole life.

On a personal note, my wife, Pam, and I have been married since 1977 and we are the proud parents of two great adult children. Outside of work, Pam and I try to take a “lifelong learning” approach to life and are interested in history, performing and visual arts, photography, and nature, which we pursue through hiking, reading, lectures, and travel.  

Education & Accreditations

• BA in Speech Communication, University of Washington
• MBA, Carnegie-Mellon University

Current & Past* Community Involvement

• Community Foundation for Monterey County
• Montage Health
• CSU Monterey Bay
• York School
• Pacific Repertory Theater*
• Monterey Peninsula College*
• Center for Photographic Art*
• Monterey Museum of Art*
• Financial Planning Association*

Role

Jenna oversees the group responsible for portfolio monitoring, accounting, trading, and performance reporting and the group responsible for all client operations needs.

Background

I have been providing client service and support in the investment advising industry since 2006. In that time I’ve developed a passion for helping clients gain insights from reporting and financial data as well as for the operational infrastructure and systems required to meet clients’ needs accurately and efficiently.

My early career, with Charles Schwab, was centered on portfolio accounting, data aggregation and portfolio performance and analytics. This provides the data-driven foundation to my client service and operations philosophy in the support of financial advisors. Most recently I was employed at Philip Benson Financial Services. Philip was very generous in sharing his approach and ideas with me and instilling a foundation of outstanding client service all the while teaching me the operations of running a successful firm. These past experiences have taught me that fundamentally, I strive to empower clients with a full and accurate financial picture, the tools to manage and implement our solutions in a timely and accurate way and to help clients navigate the investing landscape. Joining a team so similarly focused on positive outcomes for their clients is what brought me to Integris.

I live and work remotely in North Carolina and enjoy spending weekends on the lake, bike riding and yoga.

Education & Accreditations

• Series 65, Investment Adviser
• AA, Johnson County Community College

Role

Jessica is responsible for portfolio monitoring, trading, accounting, and billing.

Background

I first learned about Integris Wealth Management during the last year of my undergraduate studies, and was amazed at the level of care and attention that was put in to meeting each clients’ individual needs. After graduation, I pursued an internship with Integris, which has since evolved to a position of Sr. Investment Associate. I am thrilled to be part of such an exceptional team of professionals.

My interest in financial management became apparent later in my education. My early college career was spent in pursuit of a degree in Viticulture, as I spent several years helping to manage and harvest my family’s small, Pinot Noir vineyard. I also became Assistant Manager of a local winery which, coincidentally, shifted my focus to business operations and management, and away from winemaking.

With a newfound purpose and direction, I began bookkeeping for two small, local businesses, while pursuing my undergraduate degree. In 2018, I received a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from California State University, Monterey Bay.

My most enjoyable activities outside of work include spending time with friends and family, hiking with my dog (Murphy), and visiting local wineries throughout Monterey County.

Education & Accreditations

• Series 65, Investment Adviser
• BS in Business Administration (Accounting), California State University, Monterey Bay

Role

Katherine works closely with our Advisors to help design financial plans.

Background

The summer between my junior and senior year of college I was eager to gain professional work experience as well as experience in my field of study and while searching for internship opportunities I stumbled upon an internship with Integris Wealth Management. This internship was my first time really learning what financial planning is and what careers within financial planning look like. Over the summer, I found it very rewarding to be a part of a firm that genuinely cared about helping its clients, so I could not have been more excited when the opportunity arose to return to Integris full-time after graduating.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time outdoors. I love going to the beach, going on hikes, and playing with my dog.

Education & Accreditations

• Certified Financial Planner professional
• Series 65, Investment Adviser
• Notary Public
• BA in Business Management & Economics, University of California, Santa Cruz

Role

Kay works closely with our Advisors to help design financial plans.

Background

I was drawn to a career in finance and wealth management because of my passion for doing work that would help others organize their financial lives and maximize their hard-earned dollars. I enjoy understanding the unique situations of each investor and finding new ways for clients to build and preserve their wealth.

Prior to Integris, I worked in the investments industry for Vanguard as an Internal Sales Consultant to institutional advisory firms across Northern California and Idaho. My clients aggregated approximately $75 billion in assets under management and represented some of the largest firms on the West Coast from broker dealers including Merrill Lynch, UBS, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo. I now apply the best practices from my industry knowledge to my work with Integris.

During my free time, you’ll often find me testing new recipes in the kitchen, listening to podcasts and audiobooks, and spending quality time with my husband and daughter.

Education & Accreditations

• Series 65, Investment Advisor
• BA in Global Economics, University of California, Santa Cruz

Associations

• Women in ETFs

Current & Past* Community Involvement

• IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA)*

Role

Ken delivers custom investment and financial planning advice to our clients.

Background

When I first learned about financial planning, I thought it was the perfect blend of two of my passions: helping others and solving puzzles. In college, I was lucky enough to be part of an inaugural class for a financial planning undergraduate degree. This program gave me an accelerated path into the world of wealth advisory and provided me a solid foundation of the many components that go into a financial plan.

I first began my career in 2016 when joining a Sacramento-based wealth management firm. I had the privilege of working with people of integrity. It was an amazing experience, however after a couple of hot summers in Sacramento, my wife and I were ready to move closer to the water. It was around that time that I had first seen the opportunity to join Integris. After meeting the team here, I knew that I would be joining an organization dedicated to putting the client first.

If you were to ask me, “What makes a good financial plan good?” I would have to say that it comes down to simplicity. Simplicity in explanation and in design, I would argue, lead to better outcomes long-term. This is particularly true in the communication portion of the planning process. Frankly, if I can’t distill an idea to its most basic terms, it means that I don’t know it well enough in the first place.

I am a lifelong learner and those who know me would tend to say that I’m an old soul in a young body. When I tackle any new subject I always start out with the same question, “What makes a good thing good?” I believe that good design tends to be shared across multiple disciplines if you compare their most basic elements. I’ve learned more about project management by reading a book about how to write good software code than I did in my college business courses. Every time that I try to expand my knowledge base, I always enjoy making new connections or finding little gems to carry with me.

Education & Accreditations

• Certified Financial Planner professional
• BA in Financial Planning, Colorado State University

Associations

• Financial Planning Association

Current & Past* Community Involvement

• Carmel Public Library Foundation
• California Arts & Sciences Institute

Role

Kevin delivers custom investment and financial planning advice to our clients. Additionally, as the firm’s Chief Operating Officer, Kevin oversees the client operations group and business operations such as compliance, technology, and facilities.

Background

I got into this line of work at the age of 23 with delusions of grandeur that included a large home, a boat, golf in the afternoons, cigars and a Porsche in the garage. Well, I was due for a reality check and some maturity.

I realized my work is far more fulfilling than it would have been had my delusions come true.  What really gets me up in the morning is helping clients solve life’s financial challenges, creating a greater sense of financial security for clients, forging great relationships, and bringing integrity to a service that needs it.

Oh, and by the way, I can’t stand cigars, I owned a boat once and the cliché “the best two days of being a boat owner are the day you buy it and the day you sell it” were very true for me, I’m very satisfied with my Carmel sized home, golfing rarely, having a Jeep in my driveway, and spending most of my time outside of work with my wife and four wonderful kids.

Before joining Integris in 2009, I spent 10 years in various roles at Fisher Investments including Group Vice President of the Investment Counselor department. Prior to that, I spent several years as a Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley.

Education & Accreditations

• Certified Financial Planner professional
• Financial Planning Certificate, University of California, Santa Cruz Extension
• Certified Investment Management Analyst
• CIMA Education Program, University of Chicago, Booth School of Business
• BA in Law & Society, University of California, Santa Barbara

Associations

• Financial Planning Association
• National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
• Investments & Wealth Institute

Current & Past* Community Involvement

• Montage Health Foundation
• VNA & Hospice
• Carmel Public Library Foundation*
• United Way of Monterey County*
• Hospice Giving Foundation*
• Monterey Peninsula College Foundation*

Role

Liz is responsible for portfolio monitoring, trading, accounting, and billing.

Background

I have been in the financial services industry since 2015 and have had various roles within it from back office operations at wirehouses to working with clients at small family-style financial planning firms. My love for being in this industry comes from a passion to help others maximize wealth so they are able to live out their dreams and be an impact for good to those around them. My role enables me to think analytically as well as big picture while helping others in a very valuable part of their lives.

I work remotely and enjoy any variety of traveling and experiencing new cultures. I love camping and am always up for a burnt marshmallow over a bonfire surrender by family and friends.

Education & Accreditations

• BS in Business Management, Lee University

Role:

Michelle assists our Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Mahoney, with the administrative functions of the firm. Her responsibilities include assisting with the firm’s technology oversight, human resources, facility management, vendor relationships, internal policy and procedures, and more.

Background:

Growing up in my Dad’s law office, I quickly developed a passion for all things administrative. That passion grew into a 15 year career that began when I started working at a local property management company, where I grew and advanced through the company for 7 years, in various administrative and managerial roles.

In the years prior to joining Integris, my administrative career also took me into the hospitality industry where I worked as an Office Manager for a local senior living facility and into the financial services industry where I worked as an Administrator for a corporate investment firm. The financial services industry fascinated and inspired me, but I wanted to find a firm that truly cared for the client and had their best interest at heart. I was lucky enough to find Integris, whose mission, vision and core values truly embody the qualities I was searching for. I am thrilled to now be a part of the team and look forward to a bright future with the firm.

When I am not at work, I enjoy spending quality time with my family and can often be found in the kitchen cooking and baking, or outdoors exploring our beautiful surroundings.

Role

Mike delivers custom investment and financial planning advice to our clients. Additionally, as the firm’s Chief Investment Officer, Mike oversees the investment group and all investment management provided by the firm.

Background

I began my career in 1986 in San Francisco as a financial analyst and portfolio manager for corporations and institutional investment management firms. In 2004 I joined Giff at Integris and became a partner in 2006.

I believe that one of the most important attributes in working with clients is an ability to withhold judgment. It is my clients’ values and choices, not mine, that are most important in crafting a financial plan. I am married with three daughters, and we are a blended family; if there is any experience that challenges the ability to withhold judgment and stay focused on everyone else’s goals and values, it is the experience of being a parent in a blended family.

Education & Accreditations

• Chartered Financial Analyst®
• BA in Economics, University of California, Santa Barbara

Associations

• CFA Institute
• Security Analysis of San Francisco

Current & Past* Community Involvement

• Harmony at Home
• Hospice Foundation
• Congregation Beth Israel
• Legal Services for Seniors*

Role:

Rebecca supports the daily administrative needs of the firm, assists the entire team in maintaining exceptional client service, and sets the initial impression when a client walks in the door or calls on the phone.

Background:

With most of my career being in various roles of Customer Service and Administrative Roles, being the front face of any company is incredibly important. I have spent most of my career within the hospitality and restaurant industry, which helped me build communication skills and learn to be quick on my feet (literally and figuratively!). Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it was time to pivot my skills to a more reliable career, which led me into administrative fields. Now at Integris, I can combine the two skillsets to fulfill my role as Office Assistant. Making a good first impression and approaching the day with kindness and integrity has always been the forefront of my core values.

Outside of work I enjoy film photography, thrift shopping, hiking, gardening, and reading. I also love to make sure my time outside of work is well spent with my family, even if that means just lounging around the house together.

Current & Past* Community Involvement: 

Advocate for the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center (MCRCC)

Role:

Tanya works closely with the firm’s Advisors to provide operational support to our clients.

Background:

My professional background includes a range of customer service oriented positions from law firms to retail settings and manufacturing. My most recent position was answering the Social Security Administration’s national 800 line, which gave me the opportunity to connect with people all over the country from all walks of life. Prior to that, I spent over 20 years with Casella Lighting, beginning in San Francisco and continuing when the company was sold and relocated to Sacramento. At Casella, I worked with showrooms, designers, and end users, and had the opportunity to help in production.

Outside of work, I enjoy gardening with a focus on drought tolerant native plants (salvias are my favorites), classical guitar (member of the Davis Guitar Orchestra), abstract painting and wood sculpture. Recently I have started learning qigong. As I only moved to the area during Covid, I am still discovering all that the area has to offer. The redwood forest of Nisene Marks State Park is one of my favorite destinations.

I live in Seaside with my cat, Pashmina, a former outdoor cat who now does not go near the door.

Education & Accreditations:

BA in Psychology, New York University