Cheryl L. Evans is a Director in MI Finance at the Milken Institute. She leads the Lifetime Financial Security Program. Evans frequently discusses a variety of issues related to financial security and retirement savings and she has been cited in publications such as U.S. News and World Report, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg News, MarketWatch, CBS News, Pensions & Investments, McKnight’s Senior Living, and TheStreet. Her program is focused lifetime income, financial education, retirement plan structures, early wealth building, how AI and FinTech are shaping long term saving, and the financial security of women, among other issues. She is the co-author of Shifting the Retirement Paradigm: Moving Towards Lifetime Financial Security. She has also written for the Work Megatrends Section of AARP’s International Website. Evans has worked at CFA Institute where she worked in its enforcement program, helped lead the research for its Future of Finance global initiative, and worked in its educational programs area where she also spoke on issues faced by women in finance and law. Evans worked as special counsel at the US Chamber of Commerce. She was a part of the Chamber’s economic crisis working group, contributed to two capital markets studies, and led a large economic study. She spent over 11 years at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). At the SEC, she worked in the Division of Enforcement where she was a member of the WorldCom case team, and she worked in the division of Trading and Markets and the division of Examinations. She was appointed to work as a special assistant US attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuting general criminal cases. Evans also served as a trial attorney in the Commercial Litigation Section of the US Department of Justice, and she served as a judicial law clerk at the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Evans holds BA, JD, and LLM degrees. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar.  

Don has 23 years’ experience educating financial professionals on emerging asset classes and investment vehicles, including private equity, hedge funds, liquid alternatives, fixed income, MLPs, Smart Beta, digital assets and ETFs.

He was Co-Founder of Inside ETFs, the industry’s largest and most successful conference, and Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President and Board Member of ETF.com. Don also created Inside ETFs Europe (that continent’s largest ETF event), Inside Commodities (the largest institutional-focused US-based commodities event) and Inside Fixed Income (the world’s largest independently run fixed-income event).

After leaving ETF.com, he founded JV Events Group (JVEG) where he created “institutional investor only” events including the Liquid Alternative Strategy Summit, MLP Strategy Summit, Smart Beta Strategy Summit, ETF Strategy Summit and the Digital Asset Strategy Summit. He sold JVEG to DACFP in 2020 and is the CEO of both DACFP and its sister company, The Truth About Your Future with Ric Edelman.

 Sheena Gray is the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of African American Financial Advisors (AAAA), where she is redefining leadership in the wealth management industry. A results-driven executive, Sheena is known for her transformative vision, strategic acumen, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. With a distinguished career spanning over two decades in corporate America, she has become a formidable force in shaping inclusive financial services, championing underrepresented talent, and driving systemic change. Sheena holds a Master of Business Administration in Management from DePaul University and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology of Law. Her expertise is backed by a robust background in wealth management, commercial banking, global financial crimes, cybersecurity, legal compliance, and risk management. Having ascended through key leadership roles in financial services, she has built a legacy of developing high-impact programs, mitigating risk, and influencing firm-wide strategic decisions. As a former HR Diversity and Inclusion Executive and Global KYC/Cybersecurity Manager, Sheena has spearheaded transformative initiatives that have elevated workplace culture, strengthened recruitment pipelines, and ensured regulatory compliance across complex global frameworks. Her ability to navigate intricate corporate structures while advocating for progress has cemented her reputation as a thought leader and change agent. Sheena is a sought-after speaker and industry advocate, frequently engaging in high-profile conferences, executive panels, and thought leadership forums. Beyond her professional endeavors, Sheena is a dedicated mother of six, seamlessly balancing the demands of executive leadership with an enriching family life. An avid golfer and skier, she embraces the importance of resilience, strategy, and work-life harmony. A dynamic leader with a relentless drive to elevate the financial industry, Sheena Gray continues to set the standard for what it means to be a CEO in today’s evolving financial landscape. 

An award-winning, international speaker on social and digital marketing strategies for financial services organizations, Sheryl Hickerson founded Females and Finance, a private online membership organization supporting women in financial services and financial technology. Their industry rally cry called The Fearless Pledge, was introduced in 2022 to support the hiring, mentoring, training, and advancement of 100,000 women in the profession by 2025.

Membership today is more than 4,100 professionals with no signs of letting up. After 30 years in financial services, Sheryl has dedicated her professional life to promoting better networking and diversity initiatives within the Financial Services community.

Karin is an accomplished marketing leader and Global Head of Financial Services Marketing at LinkedIn. In her role, she leads the development and execution of marketing strategies aimed at building the LinkedIn value proposition for financial services marketers through actionable thought leadership and compelling go-to-market activations. With her expertise as an executive strategist, industry thought leader, and C-suite advisor, Karin has established herself as a trusted advisor to many leading brands. Her prior work experience includes Mastercard, JPMorgan, Allianz, Deutsche Bank, and NY Life Insurance.

Beyond her professional achievements, Karin also serves on the board of directors for The Family Center, a Brooklyn-based non-profit organization. She is a proud alumna of Syracuse University, her dog aptly named Carmelo Anthony.

 Sonya Lutter, Ph.D., CFP®, LMFT serves as the inaugural Director of Financial Health and Wellness with Texas Tech University’s School of Financial Planning. She leads curriculum and continuing education opportunities in the areas of financial psychology, financial therapy, and financial behavior. She earned her PhD in Financial Planning from Texas Tech in 2010. She holds degrees from Kansas State University in marriage and family therapy and financial planning. Dr. Lutter is a principal at No Coast Financial Group in Manhattan, Kansas. Her work is regularly featured in major news outlets as she draws upon decades of experience in academia to apply theory to practice. Her developmental work in financial therapy is summarized in Financial Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice with co-editors Drs. Brad Klontz and Kristy Archuleta. She is also the creator and author of A Couples Guide to Love & Money: 15 Exercises to Strengthen Your Relationship. Dr. Lutter’s work at the financial counseling centers at Texas Tech University and Kansas State University have guided her effectiveness of financial counseling research agenda, which culminates with a co-edited book with Dr. Dorothy Durband titled, Student Financial Literacy: Campus-Based Program Development. 

Nina O’Neal is a Partner and Investment Advisor with AIM Advisors, an RIA headquartered in downtown Raleigh, NC. A financial advisor since 2006 and a financial services professional since 2004, Nina O’Neal is an industry veteran. She began her career in New York, NY in institutional finance and after some time on Wall Street, moved back to North Carolina. In 2009, Nina became co-owner of AIM Advisors to fulfill her desire to provide unparalleled client service. She has been featured in multiple industry publications as a sought out national thought leader and commentator on industry topics and trends. Named one of the InvestmentNews 40 Under 40 Financial Professionals, Nina frequently serves as a panelist and participant in think tank meetings, podcasts, webinars, and industry conferences. Nina has also been featured as a commentator on CNBC and ABC11 as well as in InvestmentNews, The Wallstreet Journal, Financial Planning, US News & World Report, The Washington Post, OnWallStreet, The Street, Citywire RIA Magazine, wealthmanagement.com, and more. She was named from 2019-2022 an Investopedia Top 100 Financial Advisor as well as Onalytica’s Women in Finance: Top 100 Influencers. Nina was named as one of the InvestmentNews 2020 “Women to Watch.” As contributor to the book, How I Invest My Money: Finance Experts Reveal How They Save, Spend, and Invest, Nina shares candidly how she handles her own personal finances and what shaped those decisions. Nina is the founder and organizer of the Female Advisor Network, a national membership organization dedicated to empowering female financial advisors. She has a passion for helping to drive industry advancement for female financial advisors as well as all women in financial services.  

Reverend Dr. Nicole B. Simpson, CFP® is a practitioner with over 30 years of experience in the securities industry which she entered in 1991 and holds Series 7, 63, and 65 Securities licenses. On September 11, 2001, her life was drastically altered as a financial planner working at 2 World Trade Center on the 73rd floor. Simpson was still in the building on the 44th floor when Tower 2 was hit during the World Trade Center attacks. Today, Simpson compassionately assists families on how to begin to walk along the road to recovery when faced with a catastrophic, unexpected disaster. She is actively involved in spiritual, emotional and economic empowerment. A compelling empowerment speaker, television/ radio personality and author, Ms. Simpson travels throughout the United States teaching in a practical and easy to understand manner. Her simple approach motivates everyone who hears her message to take action to change their future. Her commitment is to engage people with the thought, “If money were not an issue, what would be your life’s purpose?”

After 30 years of industry experience that recognizes an economic cultural reckoning is occurring, Simpson is equipped, realizing she is an anomaly and has much to contribute to the inevitable change America is demanding. This reality demands her to be available as a “teacher, trainer, mentor, guidance counselor”

 Darren Tedesco has a proven track record for transforming the financial advisory landscape. With a deep understanding of the industry’s challenges and opportunities, Darren has led Advisor360° to the forefront of technology-driven solutions for advisors. He is known for his innovative approach to client-centric strategies and his dedication to empowering advisors with the leading-edge tools they need to thrive in an ever-evolving market. Darren began his career at Commonwealth Financial Network in 1994, starting as a member of the finance team and transitioning to the company’s newly formed technology department in 2000 where he became Managing Principal of Innovation and Strategy. He regularly speaks at conferences and is often quoted in industry publications for his WealthTech expertise in the financial advisor community. Darren received his MBA from Bryant University and a BS from the University of Connecticut.  

Kara Valentine is a Managing Director at The Rudin Group, responsible for high-net-worth (HNW) and registered investment advisors (RIA) marketing strategy. Kara’s extensive career spans from wirehouse to bank wealth management to family office, and the independent RIA channel. The brands Kara has helped build include Morgan Stanley, Bank of America’s Global Wealth and Investment Management Division – Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust, Dynasty Financial Partners, Rockefeller Capital Management, Cary Street Partners, and Transcend Capital Advisors before she joined The Rudin Group in 2023.

Kara’s marketing expertise includes strategic and tactical execution for brands, creative design, storytelling, lead generation, internal and external communication, and MarTech platforms.

Kara serves on the Executive Board for the Center for Marketing and Consumer Insights at the Villanova School of Business. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Marketing from Villanova University.