Our team

Austen is a proud alumnus of Pacific Lutheran University, where he earned his MBA and leveraged his 6’7” frame playing for the Lutes basketball team. In his holistic advisory approach, Austen is driven by a passion for connecting with clients and listening to their unique stories. From his experience, he recognizes that wealth lacks genuine value without good health, family, quality relationships, and faith. He aims to empower clients financially, emotionally and spiritually, guiding them to ascend towards true wealth.

As a Pacific Northwest native, Austen finds joy in serving as an unofficial salmon fishing guide in his free time. He also enjoys reading, traveling and cherishing quality time with his wife, Allegra, friends and family. In his personal and professional life, Austen is guided by the philosophy that success is born out of consistency and commitment, with his personal mantra being to challenge himself and inspire others to do 1% better every day.

As a financial advisor, Nick knows the sense of accomplishment that comes with completing extensive licensing and accreditations but feels it just doesn’t compare to the rewarding experience of helping people reach their financial goals. By bringing forth his knowledge, expertise and communicative skills, he helps clients build better strategies that can help them navigate the journey to financial security.

With more than seven years of experience as a financial advisor, Caty feels called to leverage her talents and expertise in guiding clients to optimize their financial opportunities. Through her work, she finds profound fulfillment in returning to God what He has graciously bestowed upon her and feels blessed to witness clients achieve goals that align with their purpose. Caty's approach starts with recognizing the “why.” It is essential for her to understand her clients' perspectives and motivations so she can then use meaningful and measurable data to help them achieve their objectives.

In her personal life, Caty treasures moments with her husband and three children. As an active church member, Caty’s heart feels full when serving God and giving Him thanks.

Andrew's extensive background in wholesaling has profoundly shaped his approach as a support advisor. Over the seven years he spent collaborating with hundreds of advisors, he saw firsthand the distinct difference in value that financial advisors brought when taking a holistic approach for their client's financial journey. Andrew is committed to partnering with his clients. He strives to provide them with the financial confidence that allows them to focus on life's genuine priorities. Or, as he likes to put it, help them bring more life into their lives. 

In his early years, Andrew cultivated a strong dedication to serving his community. Currently, he holds the position of treasurer for the Friends of President Polk's Birthplace and actively volunteers at his church, coordinating blood drives and working with his local soup kitchen. In his spare time, he is an avid baseball fan (go Yankees!), an American history buff, and enjoys golf.

In his 6 years of service as an EOD tech in the army, Brian cultivated the invaluable skill of being prepared for anything - a quality he applies to his work today as a service advisor. Having seen the importance of having a plan in his own life, he is passionate about assisting families in creating a comprehensive strategy, ensuring they are thoroughly equipped for whatever the future holds. Brian also finds great reward in exploring various scenarios with clients and witnessing the shift in their perspective from uncertainty about their retirement to excitement about the possibilities. 

Brian is dedicated to delivering prompt, high-quality service and demonstrates a keen eye for detail. Outside of work, Brian is a loving father to his beautiful daughter, Grace, whom he loves to take on outdoor adventures. He also enjoys hunting and fishing with his father whenever he finds time to visit him in Mississippi. 

Through her dedication to continuously raising the bar for client satisfaction, Ellis employs a thoughtful blend of creativity, compassion and analytical acumen. Her previous professional experience includes collaborating with businesses, managing multimillion-dollar inventories and implementing sophisticated system processes. Ellis measures success through positive client feedback, finding fulfillment in fostering meaningful connections and transforming financial conversations into positive, rewarding experiences.

Beyond her professional commitments, Ellis is an active church member and contributes to the Charleston community with her exceptional baking skills. She finds joy in interior design, hosting gatherings for friends and family, and teaching horseback riding lessons. Quality time with her husband, Cody, their dog, Riptide, and her horse, Code, holds a special place in her heart.

With over two decades of multifaceted experience in the financial industry, Kristin utilizes her insight, operational proficiency, and passion for fostering meaningful partnerships in her role of Senior Relationship Manager. She firmly believes that delivering exceptional value begins by listening with purpose to truly understand clients’ aspirations, needs, and what matters most to them. Kristin finds great fulfillment in accompanying clients throughout their financial journey, celebrating their wins - both big and small - and providing support and encouragement during the challenges along the way.

Kristin resides in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania with her two children, five cats and dog. Outside of work, she channels her compassion as a volunteer at a local animal rescue, where she serves as an advocate for animals in need.

Blessed with a natural talent for providing attentive and thoughtful care, Melissa employs her skill set to help ensure clients feel supported and advocated for throughout their financial journey. In 2021, we welcomed her to our team, impressed by her extensive background in customer service, meticulous eye for detail and excellent communication skills. In the role of relationship manager, she shines at delivering prompt, proactive client care and diligent follow-up, confirming clients can effortlessly address crucial tasks on their financial checklist.

Melissa enjoys singing with her church’s praise band and attending Bible study in her free time. As a devoted wife, mother to five children and grandmother, family is central to her life. She is also passionate about promoting natural health and wellness through her knowledge as a certified aromatherapist.

As a leader, Alex believes by going the extra mile to be excellent for her team, she encourages them to extend the same level of commitment to others. She entered the financial industry in 2012, driven by a passion for connecting and coaching people towards improvement. Since joining the team in 2019, Alex has played a pivotal role in cultivating a dynamic and supportive culture by harnessing our team’s natural strengths and motivating them to bring their best for our clients.

Many of Alex’s leadership lessons stem from her role as a parent to her son, Beck, and as a partner to her husband, Kent. Through them, she has learned the value of humility, patience and unconditional love. Alex holds FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Her favorite pastimes include volunteering with her husband’s ministry, cooking, traveling and having quality chats over coffee.

Kim brings more than two decades of experience in the financial industry. Her extensive background includes collaboration with investment research analysts, fintech executives and financial advisory professionals. Within our team, Kim’s knowledge and expertise are pivotal in optimizing our systems and processes for seamless operations. Kim is fully licensed in securities, state and insurance, allowing her to provide support with case management, daily investment transaction monitoring, portfolio model management, compliance and due diligence documentation.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Kim cherishes quality time with her family and friends. Her favorite pastimes include hiking, traveling and attending live Christian concerts.

In his role as office manager, Tanner ensures the seamless operation of our office, prioritizing the efficient handling of client inquiries and managing our financial advisors’ schedules for timely access. Committed to delivering exceptional care, Tanner strives to assure every client of our dedication to their success by providing quick response times and transparency. In every interaction with our team, he aims for clients to feel valued and supported as they navigate the path God has laid out for their journey.

One of Tanner’s favorite ways to give back is as a counselor for Camp Croix’s Christian youth summer program. This camp holds special significance for him, being a cherished childhood memory and where he met his best friend and wife, Kenya.

With her natural knack for logistics and organization, Suzy enriches our team with more than 40 years of professional operations experience. She started her career journey at a start-up biotechnology company in Seattle, where she began as a science secretary. Throughout her 24 dedicated years within the company, Suzy's innate management skills led to several promotions from the executive assistant to the CEO to senior manager. Suzy is also an entrepreneur with her own event planning business, where she has honed her relationship-focused approach.

Outside her professional sphere, Suzy is a scrapbooking enthusiast, devoted cat mother, and an active member of her large family. To give back to her community, she recently joined her local emergency preparedness team, which is focused on disaster response and readiness education.

Jaynee joined our team in 2023 as our marketing coordinator, bringing four years of administrative experience in the financial industry. She utilizes Thrivent resources to champion client causes and passions in her role. Jaynee also plays a crucial role in organizing educational workshops and client appreciation events. She spearheads the marketing efforts, focusing on keeping us connected with our community through our newsletter, social media channels and online presence.

Outside of her role, Jaynee manages a small, eco-conscious farm where she grows organic produce and tends to her beloved flock of ducks and geese. She aspires to one day develop this passion further by establishing an animal rescue and sanctuary.

After stepping down as CEO of a publicly traded company in 2017, Monty transitioned to Thrivent to pursue his passion for assisting Christian families in aligning their financial plans with their faith and values. As a CPA certified in Financial Forensics, Monty employs tax-efficient planning and adaptable financial strategies tailored to clients' diverse life stages and circumstances. Central to his approach is the establishment of trust and dependability, aiming to provide his clients with risk-appropriate solutions to safeguard their financial futures.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Monty actively engages with his community and church, serving on the Pension and Benefits Board for the National Covenant Church. As the regional President of Men’s Ministry for the Pacific NW Covenant Church, he coordinates activities like Men’s Bible Study and quarterly Men’s breakfasts. Monty and his wife, Lorie, take pride in their roles as grandparents and parents to their five children.

Monty Harmon, Financial Advisor in Olympia, WA | Thrivent

Phil currently serves as Market Director for the Seattle/Tacoma region of Thrivent. In his role he oversees the onboarding and launch of new financial advisors. Leaning into his background of coaching and mentoring leaders, he works with new financial advisors to help them build and develop their practices.

Phil and his wife, along with their three children, enjoy pursuing sports activities and exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Phil Wuerffel, Financial Advisor in Bellevue, WA | Thrivent

J.W. joined Thrivent in 2020, driven by a desire to integrate his passions for entrepreneurship, personal finance, and mission work into his professional career. As an advisor, J.W. leverages his talent for simplifying complex financial topics through engaging whiteboard visuals and compelling social media posts. 

J.W. finds fulfillment in giving back through his mission work and volunteering with his church. Outside of work, he cherishes moments with his fiancée, Kaitlin, and his beloved Great Pyrenees Mix, Abe.

J.W. Burt, Financial Advisor in Nashville, TN | Thrivent

Kellen, a Pacific Lutheran University alum, approaches advising with an emphasis on cultivating meaningful relationships. Shaped by family and faith, he attributes his identity and success to these foundational pillars. Driven by principles of hard work, excellence and leadership, Kellen channels his passion into providing purpose-based financial guidance.

Kellen's commitment lies in helping clients make decisions aligned with their values, goals and financial situation.

Kellen Kranc, Financial Advisor in Bellevue, WA | Thrivent