Oscar Jesus Aguilar Rivas, a financial advisor with more than 15 years of experience in the insurance industry and the CEO of the firm Hombre Clave, is also a successful speaker and author of financial planning books. Throughout his professional career, Aguilar Rivas has earned his place in his company’s Diamond Club and excelled as a sales champion.

Denise Allard Serna is a professional insurance agent at Seguros Monterrey New York Life.

Paola Almontes holds a bachelor's degree in international economic relations and is a successful financial and wealth advisor. She is the creator of “The Investor's Map” and the founder of the financial movement “Finance with Purpose.” She has built a digital community of more than two million followers and has delivered lectures and provided mentorship to inspire others to invest with purpose and build wealth.

Juan Pablo Araoz Martinez Sr., is a specialist in life, savings and retirement insurance at Swiss Medical Seguros. With more than a decade of experience as a financial planner, Araoz Martinez has helped independent professionals and business owners build financial security by combining traditional methods with innovation and technology. He has earned significant recognition from his company and from LIMRA-Latam for his outstanding performance.

María Lorena Arroyo Melchor holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from La Salle University. Throughout her 10 years as a professional agent at Seguros Monterrey New York Life, she has specialized in financial planning for entrepreneurs and executives. Among the recognition she has received from her company for her outstanding performance are her membership in the Centurion Legion Club and attendance at international conventions.

Mariana Atencio took the world by storm in 2017 with her viral TEDx talk on authenticity, “What makes YOU special?” — now with more than 25 million views and translated into 13 languages. Her message, what makes you different is what makes you powerful, inspires leaders and teams to embrace a blueprint to thrive through uncertainty, constant disruption and their own self-doubt. Atencio built her journalism career first at Univision in Spanish, then crossed over to English at NBC News, where her boots-on-the-ground reporting earned her a Peabody Award, a Gracie Award, three Emmy nominations and the NAHJ Presidential Award.

Nelly Attar is an adventurer and entrepreneur, recognized globally for breaking barriers as an Arab athlete, pushing human limits and guiding others to rise to their own challenges. She made history as the first Arab to summit K2 and the first Lebanese to climb the five highest peaks in the world. As the founder of MOVE, the first dance studio in Saudi Arabia, Attar sparked a movement that inspired communities across the Middle East to embrace fitness, resilience and exploration. Whether leading teams through unforgiving Himalayan climbs or advising organizations on resilience and vision, she embodies the message that, step by step, the impossible becomes possible.

Saad Anthony Baksh, BSc, is a branch manager for Maritime Financial Group. He leads 30 advisors in a multiline environment and has helped them win numerous Maritime Financial awards. He is an active MDRT and MDRT Center for Field Leadership member, currently serving on the MDRT Academy Committee-Global Member Relations, and as a member of the Brand Champion Task Force for the MDRT Center. Baksh has spoken at conferences in the United States, Barbados, Jamaica and Belize, and earned his degree from the University of London.

Maribe Carolina Barbona has an outstanding professional career of more than two decades as an insurance agent. She is the creator and host of “Let's Talk Insurance with No Prior Knowledge,” a financial education program on YouTube. She is also the founder of Vidas Seguras, an organization focused on social inclusion and insurance education, and the author of the book “Life Insurance Goes to School.” Barbona is also a renowned international speaker and a professional coach. One of her most notable awards is the LIMRA International Platinum Quality Award.

Jorge Antonio Barraza has more than 20 years of experience in the financial industry as a personal lines insurance advisor. Eager to gain new knowledge, Barraza continually seeks professional development through courses and updates. He currently serves as a moderator at the Instituto Mexicano Educativo de Seguros y Fianzas, as well as a mentor and agent developer at MetLife. He is also a prominent speaker at MDRT events.

Juan Bendaña is a highly sought-after speaker, entrepreneur and coach who has worked with top CEOs, Olympians, Grammy Award-winning artists, actors and Fortune 100 leaders. He started his first leadership development company more than a decade ago constructing personalized programming for companies such as Disney, Fidelity, Lindt, American Express, Nationwide, Sony Pictures and Zillow. Based on his research of more than 250,000 leaders at institutions such as the University of Oxford, the Pennsylvania State University and the University of Toronto, his science-backed framework helps leaders activate the confidence mindset to lead boldly, thrive through change and ignite extraordinary growth.

Juan Bendaña is a highly sought-after speaker, entrepreneur and coach who has worked with top CEOs, Olympians, Grammy Award-winning artists, actors and Fortune 100 leaders. He started his first leadership development company more than a decade ago constructing personalized programming for companies such as Disney, Fidelity, Lindt, American Express, Nationwide, Sony Pictures and Zillow. Based on his research of more than 250,000 leaders at institutions such as the University of Oxford, the Pennsylvania State University and the University of Toronto, his science-backed framework helps leaders activate the confidence mindset to lead boldly, thrive through change and ignite extraordinary growth.

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John F. Nichols, MSM, CLU, is the 2026 President of MDRT. He served as Global Council Member of MDRT’s Membership Division in 2020 and Chair of its Bylaws and Ethics Committee in 2019. In 2022, he served as President of the MDRT Foundation, for which he is a Royal Order Excalibur Knight and a member of its Inner Circle Society. Nichols is the founder of Nichols Consulting LLC, a disability insurance benefits practice.  

Magali Bernal holds a master's degree in financial services from The American College of Financial Services. In 2007, she established Trasciende Hoy, a company focused on developing and executing wealth management strategies. Bernal helps her clients transcend more effectively and across generations through asset protection.

David C. Blake is the founder and president of InsMed Insurance Agency Inc., an independent insurance company that specializes in creating voluntary benefit offerings for health care organizations across the United States. Since it was established more than 30 years ago, Blake has sold more than 20,000 individual disability insurance policies to health care professionals. He credits his success to having staff members who not only exude a sense of pride in and ownership of their responsibilities but also possess a caring and sharing attitude toward their peers and clients. He also currently serves as the MDRT Foundation President.

Kavita Bothra is the founder and partner of the financial firm Primassure LLP. With more than 20 years of experience in the profession, she focuses on life insurance, retirement planning and guiding women and families toward long-term financial security. As a strong advocate for women’s financial empowerment, Bothra has spoken at global forums, mentors advisors and is recognized for her empathetic, practical approach to wealth and legacy planning. She also holds a science degree and personal finance professional certification.

Delia Brimmer is a successful financial advisor with New York Life. Since beginning her career in 2013, Brimmer has grown her business into a multistate practice, in large part because of her focus on building relationships. She attended her first MDRT meeting in 2022 and is an active MDRT member volunteer.

Delia Brimmer is a successful financial advisor with New York Life. Since beginning her career in 2013, Brimmer has grown her business into a multistate practice, in large part because of her focus on building relationships. She attended her first MDRT meeting in 2022 and is an active MDRT member volunteer.

Mark D. Olson, CFP, MSFS, specializes in providing customized comprehensive financial and retirement planning for corporate executives, business owners and other professionals. For more than 30 years, Olson has helped his clients find financial peace of mind by serving as their financial coach and advocate. He enjoys working with those who are preparing for retirement or just beginning that chapter of their lives.

Ted Rusinoff is managing partner at Wealth Design Partners. With more than 30 years in the profession, Rusinoff has discovered creative ways to better manage insurance and investment assets for a significant community of individuals and businesses nationwide. He’s mastered how to build the systems and structures necessary to effectively manage an office, meet clients’ needs and educate the public on financial matters. He has spoken at industry leading events including MDRT EDGE and on Main Platform at the MDRT Annual Meeting. He served as the 2019 MDRT Foundation President and is an Excalibur Knight of the MDRT Foundation.

Irene Stolte, ChFC, has been a financial advisor since 2001 and joined Horizon Wealth Strategies in 2014. She provides a foundation for her clients' financial futures and helps instill confidence within her clients as she navigates them through what can often be an overwhelming process of identifying and coordinating financial goals.

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Carla Brown, FPFS, CFP, isCEO of Oakmere Wealth Management and the current president and chair of thePersonal Finance Society. With more than 28 years of experience in financialplanning, Brown has built an award-winning practice focused on helping clientslive their best lives through clarity and confidence. She is passionate aboutshifting the profession from products to people, inspiring advisors worldwideto embrace the transformative power of financial planning.

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Carla Brown, FPFS, CFP, isCEO of Oakmere Wealth Management and the current president and chair of thePersonal Finance Society. With more than 28 years of experience in financialplanning, Brown has built an award-winning practice focused on helping clientslive their best lives through clarity and confidence. She is passionate aboutshifting the profession from products to people, inspiring advisors worldwideto embrace the transformative power of financial planning.

Derek Wong Tuck Kong began his career in financial services 17 years ago at Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computing, manages a team of 10 and holds the record for the highest number of insurance cases closed in 2023.

Fiona Foo Yuet Ling, ChFC/S, is an executive senior manager with more than 10 years of experience in financial planning. Since joining Great Eastern Financial Advisers Singapore in 2014, she has been driven by her passion and conviction to build lifelong relationships with clients and journey with them through different phases of their lives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business, specializes in wealth protection and holistic financial planning, and is an active member of MDRT’s Membership Communications Division. She has also spoken at company and industry events.

Nathan Graff, CFP, BFA, has been helping clients manage their financial puzzles since 2008. He aims to understand his clients’ goals, so he can provide customized and creative solutions to ensure their visions for themselves and their families become a reality. Graff attended Southern Oregon University, the University of Oxford and Oregon State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in philosophy. He holds Series 7 and 66 Securities Registrations with LPL Financial and an Oregon health and life insurance license.

Ross G. Hultgren, CFP, DFP, is a senior financial advisor at Community Chapman Welsh. He has 38 years of experience in the financial services profession, currently works with pre-retirees and the recently retired, and has received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to the community and his clients.

R.J. Kelly, AEP, MSFS, is the founder and chief visionary officer of Wealth Legacy Group Inc., a firm that specializes in meeting the diverse needs of successful entrepreneurs, professionals and their families. His strengths and talents lie in his ability to quickly grasp complicated and delicate situations, communicate complex ideas in easy-to-understand ways, and find integrated solutions for clients through holistic and multidisciplinary methods that other advisors often overlook, dismiss or simply are not aware of.

Danny O’Connell, MBA, is CEO of Next Level Insurance Agency, where he focuses on company-sponsored employee benefits. He has built two insurance practices, started his own agency in 2016 and has received numerous industry awards. With more than a decade of experience volunteering for Top of the Table, O’Connell has served as Top of the Table Global Council Member and Advisory Board Chair in 2024 and Divisional Vice President of the Top of the Table Annual Meeting in 2023.

Helen Jayne West, APFS, has been in the financial services profession for 36 years, owning and running her own company as the principal director for 23 years. Committed to lifelong learning, West has earned many additional qualifications and has participated in the Strategic Coach program for nearly 20 years. She believes that by taking time each day to focus on your goals and being intentional about them, along with making a note of any improvements, you are programming your brain for a better life in the future.

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Andrew Busch is the former first chief market intelligence officer for the U.S. government and an economic futurist. For the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, he was charged with gathering all the news, information and data on the economy and markets and filtering it into condensed, easily understood research, then communicating it to the government and public. He is a consultant and keynote speaker with a wide range of clients in a variety of fields, including chemicals, financial services, energy, real estate, manufacturing, construction and agriculture, and is author of the book “World Event Trading.”

To come

John Ross Cachia is founder and strategic wealth advisor atThriving Wealth. He began his career in financial services at 14, founded hisfirm at 20 and has since built a thriving 20-person practice. With specialtiesin succession planning, intergenerational wealth, behavioral coaching andscalable business growth, Cachia has received more than 50 industry honors,including the 2024 FAAA Adviser of the Year, and is recognized amongAustralia’s top advisors.

Curtis V. Cloke, LUTCF, RICP, is a recognized thought leader in the retirement industry, known as one of the brightest minds in retirement education and academia today. He is an adjunct professor with The American College of Financial Services and an inspiring keynote speaker, sharing his passion, knowledge and love for the art of retirement planning with audiences worldwide. Cloke received the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Financial Hall of Fame in 2025, is a frequent guest on radio and TV commentary programs, and has been featured on a variety of news media platforms.

Sarah Helen Hogan, ACII, is the director and owner of KBA, where she leads a team of financial advisors specializing in retirement planning, business financial planning and succession planning. She has received accolades for her exceptional leadership and client-focused service, such as being named Team Leader of the Year and Financial Adviser of the Year in the North West at the 2019 Professional Adviser Women in Financial Advice Awards, among many other nominations for her inspiration and mentorship. In addition to building lasting relationships with clients and their families, Hogan also actively volunteers at numerous charitable organizations.

Panos Leledakis, LUTCF, has been in the financial services profession for 25 years and is considered a pioneer in the insurance industry. He is an insurance futurist and an expert in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, internet marketing strategies, automation, CRM, virtual and augmented reality, and cutting-edge technologies in the insurance sector. As the inventor of two innovative software solutions for insurance needs analysis and financial planning, Leledakis has earned 11 global innovation awards, holds a certification in “AI for Business” from the University of Pennsylvania and is furthering his expertise in artificial intelligence through ongoing studies at MIT.

Jane Lim is the founder and director of Prosper Financial Planning and has more than 15 years of global experience in financial services. She is passionate about helping her clients build financial resilience and achieve financial freedom. Lim holds an MBA from UNSW, where she received the 2022 Business School Dean’s Award for Service. She also holds a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Business in financial planning from RMIT.

Edward Franklin Marshall, APFS, is a holistic, values-driven financial planner and managing director at Deans Wealth Management, with 23 years of experience in financial services. He started as a tied financial advisor in 2001 and progressed to an independent financial advisor in 2004, moving to Kingsland Wealth Management in 2006 and then their joint venture with Deans in 2008. Marshall bought out Deans in 2024 and leads a team of seven. He is a trusted voice on BBC radio, both national and local, and has appeared on BBC Breakfast News and BBC Politics covering various financial planning topics.  

Svetlana Plitin-Tamaviciene has been a financial advisor at Allianz since 2014, specializing in retirement planning and insurance solutions for business owners. She has a bachelor’s degree in maritime engineering and a master’s degree in maritime law, which shaped her strategic and disciplined approach to financial planning.

Paresh B. Shah, CFP, is the managing principal for PareShah Partners and CEO of Merkkuri Wealth Advisors. As a wealth strategist for the past 30 years, Shah helps individuals and businesses create innovative financial strategies that protect today and build for tomorrow. He specializes in pension and profit-sharing, asset protection, estate planning and business succession planning, and co-hosted the talk show “Money & Prosperity.” His professionalism and active service in the community, including his support of many charitable organizations, make him a trusted advisor within the financial services profession.

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Dayra Irene Chávez served as Country Chair for MDRT’s MCC Zone 11, Panama, from 2016 to 2018. She has a remarkable 17-year career as an insurance agent and is the founder and CEO of D.C. Asesores de Seguros S.A., a brokerage specializing in personal and general insurance as well as surety bonds. Chávez served as president of the National Association of Insurance Producers of Panama from 2021 to 2023 and is currently a member of the advisory board of the National Association of Insurance Professionals of Panama. She is also the host of her successful podcast @dayraasegura.

Aprilyn Chavez Geissler, LACP, CCP, began working in the financial services profession while in college. She has served as a NAIFA national trustee and is currently the national treasurer at WIFS, where she specializes in wealth management, employee benefits, fixed insurance and multiline insurance. She is the first executive vice president for Gateway Insurance and Financial Services and runs her own practice, which focuses on empowering women. She was the recipient of the 2019 NAIFA National Diversity Champion Award and was recognized by Investment News in 2020 as one of the top women to watch in the country.

Yung-Han Cheng, AFP, serves at Nan Shan Life Insurance and has 13 years of industry experience, specializing in tax planning and family legacy strategies. He graduated from National Taiwan University and began his career at Deloitte before transitioning to the insurance sector.