Our team

Don Knoernschild is a Senior Wealth Advisor with Pinnacle Financial Advisors and has been with Thrivent since 1982. Throughout his career, he has found great fulfillment in helping clients achieve their financial goals, mentoring colleagues, and building lasting relationships. One of his greatest joys is working alongside family members in the practice. Don attended Arkansas Tech University and Purdue University–Calumet, where he majored in business.

He and his wife, Brenda, have been married since 1980 and have two children, Chelsya Welihindha and Shane Knoernschild. Chelsya works with him at Thrivent as part of Pinnacle Financial Advisors.

Outside of work, Don enjoys golfing, traveling, and spending time at the lake. He is passionate about financial education and generosity in the community, actively supporting his local church and a variety of charitable organizations.

Autumn has been a Wealth Advisor with Thrivent since 2014. She focuses in tax-efficiency planning with legacy and charitable giving strategies. Her priority is to address retirement income needs and create confidence for unexpected events in life. Being part of Pinnacle Financial Advisors fulfills her goal of consistent, quality service and ongoing expert advice.

Autumn is a Montana native and loves living in Big Sky Country. She is a wife, a mother of three grown sons, and a grandmother. When she’s not working, Autumn is blessed to volunteer as a church musician and vocalist. She is a member of the Helena Symphony Chorale and serves as the director of a local hand bell choir. Autumn builds her legacy of generosity by giving back to the local church and a variety of charities.

Hector started his career as a Financial Advisor at Thrivent in 2016. He has always enjoyed working with people and numbers, so his work at the practice is the perfect fit. Originally from Denver, Colorado, Hector ended up coming to Arkansas to attend Harding University, where he double majored in finance and leadership & ministry.

He and his wife, Jill, have three girls, two of which are identical twins. They are active in their local church and Hector serves with various organizations in Arkansas. When he is not in the office, Hector is most likely with his wife and their girls exploring every park in Little Rock.

Michael joined Pinnacle Financial Advisors in 2016. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He is married to his wife, TJ, and has two children: Samantha and Tod. Michael is very active in his church, serves on several nonprofit boards and committees, and enjoys experiencing the outdoors with family and friends.

Kyle joined Pinnacle Financial Advisors as an Associate in 2022. He graduated from Baylor University with a double major in history and religion and has a Master’s degree in educational administration from Concordia University Irvine. 

Much like when he was teaching and coaching, Kyle loves helping people set and achieve their financial goals. He and his wife, Andrea, have two children: Micah and Annie. They love to explore the outdoors, serve at their church, and participate in children’s activities at school and in their community.

John has worked at Pinnacle Financial Advisors since 2003 and has been in the financial services for more than 21 years. He attended Arkansas State University–Beebe. John has two children and one granddaughter. When he is not in the office, John enjoys hunting, fishing, boating, and skiing. John is also an active jogger, putting in the miles for the serenity of peace and quiet.

Chelsya Welihindha joined Pinnacle Financial Advisors in 2004 after earning a degree in Marketing Management from the University of Arkansas. She is passionate about great food, community service, and actively serves at New Life Church–West Little Rock. 

A lifelong learner, Chelsya is currently pursuing her MBA at John Brown University. Outside of work, she enjoys golfing and spending time at the lake with her two teenagers.

Derek joined Pinnacle Financial Advisors in 2014 and is the analyst for the practice. He completed his undergraduate studies at Ball State University, majoring in finance. He then went on to earn a Master’s of Science degree in international economics and finance from Valparaiso University. As an associate, he is actively analyzing the financial markets. When he is not watching the markets, Derek enjoys finding new local restaurants around central Arkansas.

Jill joined Pinnacle Financial Advisors in the Fall of 2021. Jill has a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Central Arkansas. She enjoys singing all genres of music but has earned a spotlight of singing The National Anthem at sporting events throughout the state of Arkansas. Jill was a state ambassador for The National Anthem Project in 2005-2006. Outside of work, Jill loves listening to motivational podcasts, yoga and spending time at the cattle farm with her three boys and her Dad.

Joseph joined Pinnacle Financial Advisors in 2025 after starting his career at Thrivent in 2023. He is a graduate of Benedictine College with a double major in Elementary and Special Education. He and his wife, Jenny, have two children: Hannah and Leah. They can be found at various church and community events, participating in children’s activities. Joe also officiates wrestling during the winter months.

Pete joined the Montana branch of the Pinnacle team in January of 2025 as an Office Professional and transitioned to a Practice Support Associate in May of 2025. A native of Alabama, he moved to Montana in 2021 to pursue the great outdoor activities of the state and to escape the oppressive heat. He and his fiancée, Bonnie, and their enormous dog, Cowboy, love adventuring throughout the state and look forward to establishing a family and becoming actively involved in the Helena community.

Clarice joined Pinnacle Financial Advisors in 2022. She is married to her husband, Daniel and has two children: Andrew and Emily. Clarice loves spending a lot of her time outdoors, camping, hiking and by the rivers. Clarice and her family are also very active in their home church and love volunteering in the community events. 

Carrie joined Autumn’s practice in 2016 and currently works as the Office Manager for the Montana branch of the team. She spearheads the generosity programs for the Montana office, loves volunteering for special projects and working to make a positive impact on our community. Carrie and Jim have been married for almost 40 years and have 2 children - Jane & Eric. Carrie enjoys quilting, gardening, kayaking, camping, exploring our National Parks, walking the dogs and spoiling her grandson.

Steve joined Thrivent in 2020 after retiring from the Montana Department of Transportation as the communications bureau chief. Steve has a degree in electrical engineering from Montana State University and served his community as a reserve deputy with the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Department for over twenty years. He currently performs data analysis within the office in preparation for client reviews. When he is not in the office, he enjoys spending time with family and friends in Montana’s great outdoors hiking, biking, golfing, and hunting.