Julie Littlechild, founder and CEO of Absolute Engagement, is a renowned expert on the drivers of client engagement and growth. Absolute Engagement provides award-winning engagement technology that helps advisory firms drive personalized engagement and growth with prospects and clients in real time and at scale.
With over 25 years of experience working with and studying successful financial advisors, Julie shares her insights through her popular blog, The Pursuit of Absolute Engagement. She has served on the national board of the Financial Planning Association and currently sits on an Investments and Wealth Institute advisory board. In 2023, she was awarded the Bob Veres’ Iconoclast Award, the ThinkAdvisor LUMINARIES Award for Innovation, and a WealthBriefing WealthTech Leadership Award.
Kristen Luke is the author of the Amazon bestselling book, "Uncomparable: The Financial Advisor’s Guide to Standing Out Through Niche Marketing." As the president and founder of Kaleido Creative Studio, a marketing agency that specializes in working with independent financial advisors, Kristen focuses on niche strategies to help financial advisors stand out in a competitive market and attract their ideal clients.
Since starting her career in financial advisor marketing in 2005, Kristen has consulted with hundreds of advisors. She regularly shares her insights on financial advisor marketing at industry events, in podcasts, and in various industry publications.
Colleen Bowler, CFP®
Colleen Bowler, CFP®, dedicated over 25 years to building her planning firm, Wealth Partners. Along the way, she received numerous awards and presented at many industry meetings, but she feels her greatest success was the impact she and her team made on the lives of hundreds of individuals and families "under their care." Planning in advance, Colleen implemented a three-year succession plan that worked!
In 2020, Colleen founded C&J Innovations with Jeanne Hurlbert, PhD, who brings expertise in assessments and surveys. Their female-led company offers patent-pending assessments that help financial professionals increase value for prospects, clients, and advisors by expanding conversations beyond the financial realm to encompass all areas of life—similar to what Colleen and her team did in her planning firm.
In addition, Colleen has been a coach with the Strategic Coach Program since 2003 and co-authored a book, “Generous Kids.”
Moderator - Marianela Collado, CPA/PFS, CFP®, CDS®
Marianela Collado, CPA/PFS, CFP®, CDS®, senior wealth advisor, and CEO and co-owner of Tobias Financial Advisors, has over 20 years of experience in tax, financial planning, and compliance. She’s passionate about serving ultra- and high-net-worth individuals and families and business owners, ensuring their overall financial plan and investment objectives are pursued in a tax-efficient manner.
Marianela is a frequent speaker on financial planning topics and has been featured in various financial and non-financial media outlets and articles. She’s also been recognized for her many accomplishments and contributions with awards like the Excellence in Finance Award by South Florida Business and Wealth, Women to Watch by InvestmentNews, and the Hispanic Women of Distinction Award, among others.
Marianela holds a B.S. from Hunter College in New York City and is passionate about giving back. She currently serves as a board member, chair, or member of 15 community and professional organizations.