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For any awards, carrying out fair, consistent, and accurate judging is key to ensuring the true winners are recognized. To deliver this, we have assembled a diverse and unbiased judging panel of experts. The judges are assigned categories which reflect their expertise and are asked to recuse themselves from voting in any category in which there is a conflict of interest.
All Judges are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement for the purpose of preventing the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. This includes the sharing of the information contained within the submission forms with any third parties and communicating with shortlisted nominees in any way.
Chief Executive Officer
Association of African American Financial Advisors
Chief Executive Officer
Association of African American Financial Advisors
Sheena Gray serves as the Chief Executive Officer at the Association of African American Financial Advisors, where her visionary leadership and strategic approach to human resources, diversity, equity, and inclusion have been instrumental in shaping the organization’s culture and driving its mission forward. With a master’s in business administration in Management from DePaul University, coupled with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology of Law, Sheena brings over two decades of extensive experience in the wealth management industry within corporate America.
With a rich background that spans across Wealth Management and commercial banking, global financial crimes, cybersecurity, legal compliance, and risk management, Sheena has established herself as a formidable leader in navigating complex regulatory landscapes and fostering inclusive workplace environments.
Beginning her career in financial services, Sheena quickly rose through the ranks, demonstrating an exceptional ability to assess risk, implement effective mitigation strategies, and cultivate collaboration across diverse business units. Her tenure as an HR Diversity and Inclusion Executive and Global KYC/Cybersecurity Manager is marked by innovative program development and the successful recruitment, development, and motivation of talented teams.
Sheena holds a deep commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the financial advisory sector, leveraging her expertise to empower professionals and advocate for equitable opportunities. Her strategic initiatives have not only enhanced employee engagement but have also aligned with the organization’s financial planning goals, contributing to its overall success and reputation as a leader in the industry.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Sheena is a dedicated mother to six children, balancing her demanding career with a vibrant family life. Her personal interests include golfing, skiing, and spending quality time with her family, reflecting her belief in the importance of work-life balance and personal fulfillment.
As a respected voice in the field, Sheena continues to inspire with her dynamic leadership and unwavering dedication to making a positive impact on the financial advisory community and beyond.
COO
Changing How Individuals Prosper
COO
Changing How Individuals Prosper
Cameo Roberson, Founder and Managing Principal of Atlas Park Consulting https://www.atlasparkco.com/, a Fractional COO and Business Strategy Agency. Our mission: we conquer operational chaos; restoring peace and profits for Financial Advisors. RIAs and Wealth Management Teams!
Our solutions help clients improve business processes, streamline operations and systematize the day-to-day so you can be prepared for next level growth. Previously, Cameo spent more than 15 years in the client service and operational trenches of fee-only and fee-based advisory firms. She has been interviewed about how advisors can improve leverage of people, processes and technology to enhance efficiency in several publications; including Wealth Management Magazine,The Journal of Financial Planning, Forbes Magazine, Financial Planning Magazine and Investor’s Business Daily
Investment Advisor, Partner
AIM Advisors
Investment Advisor, Partner
AIM Advisors
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.
Senior Vice President
Nationwide Retirement Institute®
Senior Vice President
Nationwide Retirement Institute®
Kristi Martin Rodriguez currently serves as Senior Vice President of the Nationwide Retirement Institute for Nationwide Financial, leading the teams responsible for advocating for and educating members, partners and industry leaders on issues impacting their ability to have a secure financial future.
In her current role, Kristi oversees an extensive network of knowledgeable professionals who provide hands-on consultation to develop client strategies and address the major concerns America’s workers face when planning for retirement. Through timely insights, education and client-ready tools, both financial professionals and individuals are able to work directly with Nationwide to increase their awareness and knowledge of complex financial topics such as retirement income planning, health care, long-term care and Social Security.
Kristi has over 20 years of extensive experience in business-to-business and direct-consumer strategies and building high-performing teams. She joined Nationwide in 2015 as the Vice President of Marketing for Nationwide’s retirement plans business. Before joining Nationwide, Kristi held marketing and business leader roles at Aetna and UnitedHealth Group. Her experience includes functioning as the enterprise program lead of health care reform for UnitedHealthcare. Additionally, Kristi led a business development team working with the public sector, labor and trust and national accounts as liaison to their sales organization. She has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Hampton University as well as a Series 6 and 26 securities registrations.
She is an active member of the community, working with several non-profit and social organizations that aid unserved communities throughout the country. Kristi is the Founder and President of the Financial Alliance for Racial Equity (FARE) – a 501(c)6 organization dedicated to increasing racial diversity, driving greater equity and fostering inclusion within the financial services industry and the communities served. She is one of the founding members of the Ohio chapter of The National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP), an organization helping people of color and women achieve inclusion in our industry. Kristi recently served as a board member for Kindway, a non-profit organization dedicated to the successful re-entry of incarcerated men and women into the community. Additionally, she is a member of the Board of Trustees for The American College of Financial Services.
Abundance Activist
Create Great
Abundance Activist
Create Great
CEO
Harvest Wealth Financial
CEO
Harvest Wealth Financial
Head of Practice Management
SEI
Head of Practice Management
SEI
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