John Dunegan joined Thrivent in 2023, bringing over 25 years of financial industry experience with five years of financial advising experience. As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), he provides expert investment and retirement planning services tailored to meet his clients' unique needs.

Before joining Thrivent, John served as a technical manager of business resilience in the financial industry and worked as a management consultant. His diverse professional experience equips him with the skills to deliver comprehensive financial solutions.

Financial planning is his passion. He shares, “I enjoy taking my life’s hobby of helping people solve their financial challenges and making it a full-time profession with a Christian-based organization.”

John holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from Texas A&M University. As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), he adheres to the highest standards of financial planning.

A dedicated servant leader, he volunteers as a third-grade Bible schoolteacher and Deacon at Second Baptist Church. John also teaches third graders through the AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed) program, nurturing their faith and understanding of God’s teachings. His commitment to his community reflects his deep faith and desire to make a positive impact.

John resides in Houston with his wife of 34 years, Brooke, and treasures their time together, especially relaxing on a beach. He spends quality time with his children and grandchildren, helping lead them by example to a love and commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Griffin Rathgeb is an Associate Financial Advisor at Thrivent specializing in providing tailored financial guidance to individual households, business owners, medical professionals, and entrepreneurs.

He has over six years of experience and began his career in financial services at Merrill Lynch. Since joining Thrivent in 2023, Griffin has leveraged the organization’s vast resources to create effective financial plans encompassing prudent investing, tax strategies, and estate planning.

Griffin shares, “My goal is to add value to each client by addressing their unique needs and aspirations, both personally and financially. By utilizing Thrivent’s comprehensive tools and resources, I aim to develop strategies that empower clients to achieve their financial dreams.”

He holds a Bachelor of Science and Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin, with a major in Biology Pre-Medicine, a minor in Chemistry, and a McCombs Business Foundations Certificate. During his academic journey, Griffin was recognized as a Conclave Delegate and honored as both a Ruck Leadership Scholar and Carlson Development Scholar, reflecting his leadership and dedication to excellence.

A committed member of his community, he actively participates in various organizations. Griffin is a proud member of Houston Young Professionals for the American Cancer Society (HYP4ACS) and an engaged member of the Houston Audubon Society.

Outside of work, Griffin is an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys hunting, fishing, birding, gardening, and cooking. He and his wife, Hanna, share their home with Allie, their beloved English Cream Golden Retriever.

Before Thrivent Alicea she began her career at Millenium PetroCapital Corporation. In her role as a business development manager she implemented their customer relationship management (CRM), established metrics and tracking systems, and consolidated lead generation resources.

Alicea contributes in a myriad of ways which includes developing and executing the business plan and client service model tied to the CRM refining tracking and enhancing reporting. She provides client support and management and manages the life and health products lifecycle for clients from quoting and submission to claims processing.

She was able to transfer her skills into the financial services industry to better serve clients. Alicea provides quality customer service, life insurance advice, and oversight of the CRM for reporting and data analytics.

Alicea earned her Life and Health insurance license in 2022. In addition, she is a certified associate in project management from the Project Management Institute. She earned a Bachelor of Science – Public Relations with a business administration minor from Texas State University.

At the end of the day, Alicea enjoys spending time with her partner of five years, her dog Rose, and four cats: Morris, Cookie, Nina and Nocturne. She likes going to the gym, hiking, reading and coffee shops. Her goal is to travel and see the world through a different lens giving her an appreciation for different cultures.

Laura Popp joined Thrivent in 2024, bringing over two decades of expertise in marketing and communications, advertising, corporate events, and customer service within the insurance industry. Her extensive background enables her to provide seamless and high-quality support to both clients and financial advisors.

As a Client Service Administrator, she serves as the primary point of contact for clients, ensuring their needs are met with efficiency and care. Laura is responsible for coordinating client meetings, managing financial documentation, organizing financial seminars/events, email strategy and website content. Additionally, Laura oversees client updates within the contact management systems (CRM) and supports several financial advisors in delivering exceptional service.

Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with a concentration in Public Relations from the University of Houston. Her skills in communication and organization, coupled with her servant leadership mindset, make her an invaluable asset to the team and the clients she serves.

Passionate about giving back, she is actively involved in the CyFair Women’s Club. Her dedication to service reflects her commitment to making a positive impact both professionally and personally.

Outside of work, Laura enjoys pursuing creative and relaxing hobbies such as reading, crocheting, and gardening. She also loves experimenting with new recipes. Laura resides in Cypress with her husband, Al.

Marie Villicanni brings over 20 years of administrative expertise to her role at Thrivent, specializing in managing C-Suite operations. Her extensive experience spans office management, organization, travel coordination, calendar management, event planning, and project oversight, including process improvement and optimization.

As an Executive Administrative Assistant, Marie focuses on delivering exceptional customer service through client greetings, meeting coordination, and managing client documentation. Her multilingual skills enable her to effectively translate and communicate on behalf of vendors and clients. By working at Thrivent, Marie is expanding her knowledge of the financial industry. She shares, “Not only am I assisting the financial advisors and clients, but I am also gaining knowledge to better understand my own finances.”

Marie attended Triton College in Illinois, where she developed a strong foundation for her career. Her organizational skills, adaptability, and client-focused approach make her an invaluable part of the team.

Marie is deeply committed to giving back to her community. She actively volunteers at her church, participating in event planning, coordinating food drives, and offering transportation to the elderly.

Outside the office, Marie enjoys painting, arts, and crafts. Above all, her favorite pastime is spoiling her beloved black Labrador, Bella. She and her husband, Chris, reside in Cypress.

Angelica Young joined Thrivent as a dedicated support staff member, assisting financial advisors with client meetings and documentation. Her role encompasses coordinating client calls and meetings, managing office expenses, ordering supplies, preparing reports, and contributing to special projects and events.

She brings a wealth of experience from her 23-year career in education, where she taught middle school and held leadership roles in Administration and as a Project Director of Schools for Mission Nation Publishing. Angelica’s extensive background in teaching and project management equips her well for this role.

She earned a Lutheran teaching diploma and a bachelor’s degree in education from Concordia University in Michigan and a master’s degree in Middle Grade Education from Appalachian State University in North Carolina. Angelica’s dedication to excellence was recognized when she was named a 2016 Finalist for Texas District Educator of the Year. A passionate advocate for faith-based education, she co-authored the CPH seventh-grade curriculum “One in Christ” and has published multiple articles for the Lutheran Educators Association.

Angelica’s deep faith is central to her life as she leads women’s Bible studies both virtually and onsite. She aspires to help individuals of all ages grow in their faith through teaching and publishing Bible studies, journals, books, and devotionals.

She resides in Houston, and outside of work she enjoys cooking, traveling, wine tasting, reading, and creating Scripture art.

Heather Reh joined the Thrivent to assist with client calls and appointment scheduling for quarterly and annual reviews, Thrivent Choice Dollars, financial seminars, RMDs, and Thrivent Action Team submissions. Her extensive knowledge of Thrivent’s products and services makes her an invaluable asset to the team.

As an Office Professional she focuses on client engagement and operational support, ensuring that appointments, financial seminars, and key submissions run smoothly.

Heather is no stranger to Thrivent, having previously worked in the Trust Department. Before rejoining Thrivent, she served as a Plan Consultant for Solo(k) Retirement Plans at National Administration. With her expertise in retirement group plans, record-keeping, contributions, eligibility, placing trades, allocations, distributions, RMDs, and investments, Heather brings a wealth of experience to her role.

She has 25 years of professional experience, and Heather’s educational background includes studying Marketing at Fox Valley Technical College in Wisconsin.

Heather values the flexibility of her part-time role, which allows her to spend quality time with her son, Owen, cherishing her role as a mother. She is actively involved in St. Paul Lutheran Church in Appleton, Wisconsin, participating in community events and women’s groups that reflect her commitment to giving back.

She enjoys fishing, reading, vacationing, and watching movies with her family. She and her husband, Dave, share their home with their three dogs: Rocky, Gunner, and Maverick. Heather dreams of traveling more as family schedules permit, seeking to create lasting memories with her loved ones.