Our team

Introverted people person. That’s what I’ve always been. As a child, I was a little shy, but I also loved community, connectedness, and being around people. It was a tiny tug-o-war. 

My people side won out, though. And so, during the summer, the other kids and I would dash out of the house in the morning and ride our bikes around all day; not coming home until after dark. There was nothing better. Those were simpler times I look back on with fondness. 

The one thing in life that was never a tug-o-war was my desire to have a family. I was blessed to meet and marry the love of my life, Don. Together, we raised three wonderful boys, here in Loveland, who grew into men we're proud of. They have families of their own now and we’ve been blessed again to have five grandchildren who are the light of our world. 

Some things never change. I still love riding my bike in the mountains and I still love people and belongingness. Which is why I’m grateful I get to serve as a connection point between Thrivent and our community of people I adore. 

Mom can do it. That’s what my four kids learned when the furnace went out while their dad was away for work. They learned it again when the microwave caught fire, and when it’s bath time and the 7 year old watches the 1 year old while I bathe the 2 and 4 year old. Sound chaotic? Being the mother of four is! Having my husband work 20 days away and 10 days home taught me to be super independent. I love that my daughters and son get to see that. 

When our second was just 4 ½ she got E. Coli and spent 10 days in the hospital. Our people showed up to help almost without me asking. Six months later, a friend’s daughter was diagnosed with cancer. I was in the room when the doctor shared the official diagnosis. While they were still reeling, my experience and presence of mind as an outsider allowed me to ask the doctor a dozen questions they might not have thought of for days or weeks, if ever. 

I want to use that independence and my experience stretching a young couple’s budget to help others get a grasp of their finances both week-to-week and in the long term. That’s why when Andrew asked me to join Together Financial Group, I thought “Mom can do that.” 

I was born in Loveland and went to Loveland High. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from UNC. We’ve been living in Johnstown since 2004. What else do we have in common? 

Confident and curious. That’s what my wife and I are raising our daughter to be. Which is why we’ve moved closer to town. To give her opportunities to do “stuff” and to have access to a variety of experiences. 

We used to live way out in the country. That’s where I grew up; in the country. Quintessential small-town America. It was great. I loved it. Plenty of space to be active and play sports with my younger brother. But I would also get bored sometimes because of my active mind. So, I learned to enjoy all types of puzzles. The more intricate the better. 

Little did I know then how useful my love of problem solving would be now. All the intricacies and moving parts of financial planning, the nuances and ramifications of changing just one thing; I enjoy it so much. I know, to most people that sounds less than exciting. But to me, I feel blessed. Every day I come to work I get to resolve all the moving parts of finance into plans that make sense. 

Humility and gratitude. Those are two qualities I’d like to raise our son with. Because if I can teach him anything, I’d like to show him how to be a good Christian. It’s something I work on every day and where I always have room to grow. 

I grew up in a Christian household. My mother, through her example, imparted a strong faith in me that I consider to be a gift above all others. And so, with my son—through our prayers at meals, before bedtime Bible stories and worship on Sundays—I hope to gift him what she gifted to me. And I couldn’t do it without the support of my beautiful wife. She is an amazing mother and gives so much of herself to our son. I admire and am in awe of her selflessness. 

When I was 12 my grandfather died. He didn’t really have a good succession plan. It was a complicated estate and took a long time to settle. The stress it added to my parents and extended family left an indelible mark on me. It’s part of the reason I got into finance. Now I work behind the scenes leading Cedar Cove Wealth Partners’ investment research. It’s a blessing that I get to contribute to a team whose primary focus is helping people. 

^{Investment advisory services offered through Thrivent Advisor Network, LLC., (herein referred to as “Thrivent” except where noted), a registered investment adviser. Clients will separately engage an unaffiliated broker-dealer or custodian to safeguard their investment advisory assets. Review the Thrivent Advisor Network Financial Planning and Consulting Services, Investment Management Services (Non-Wrap) and Wrap-Fee Program ADV Brochures (Form ADV Part 2A and 2A Appendix 1) for a full description of services, fees and expenses, available at Thriventadvisornetwork.com. Thrivent Advisor Network, LLC financial advisors may also be registered representatives of a broker-dealer to offer securities products.}  

^{Advisory Persons of Thrivent provide advisory services under a practice name or “doing business as” name or may have their own legal business entities. However, advisory services are engaged exclusively through Thrivent Advisor Network, LLC, a registered investment adviser.} 

Pray. Teach. Do! Both my parents were teachers. Dad taught anatomy & biology. Mom taught P.E. In high School I played baseball and football. Then at Colorado State, in the football program, I had to reflect. I had sustained a few concussions already. I couldn’t expect to be a starter until my Senior year, and then only if… 

The truth was my heart wasn’t in it. I transferred to the University of Northern Colorado and got a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. 

Feeling predestined, I followed in my parents’ footsteps and became a teacher. I taught at Resurrection Christian School, also coaching track & football for a few years. All the while, I was praying on it. What’s my path? Should I be looking to do something different?

Being a Financial Advisor meant new education & certifications. Financial topics can be challenging for our clients, but I’m no stranger to teaching and a complex gameplan.

It’s not as different as you might think, teaching middle schoolers and helping adults with finances. It’s still teaching and service, but it sure beats that unmistakable funk of a middle school locker room! 

For fun? I’m a doer, always doing. It’s a quintessential Colorado list, but I love fishing, hunting, camping, snowboarding, and hiking. I’ve bagged 36 of the 58 Fourteeners. I also love the laughter of a big, close-knit group playing games.

Finances are no game…. But I’ll help you get the ball downfield.

Family, faith and music. Those have been the pillars of my life. Growing up, besides taking good care of my brother and me, my mom was always doing things for other people. I didn’t realize how much effort that takes until I had two boys of my own. 

Now, I appreciate her even more. So, in her memory, I set time aside for my boys and me to help others. It’s important that they learn to love God and their neighbors and respect their elders. (But they’re teenagers…soooo…results may vary.) 

I’ve always loved music and its ability to speak to us in ways words can’t. Which is why I count it a blessing that I get to play piano for the choir at Redeemer Lutheran Church. And I sing off Broadway. (Otherwise known as the shower.) 

I had been a music teacher for over 20 years when I first met Andrew and became his client. It didn’t take long before we were like family. I joined his team at Thrivent so I could help others achieve financial clarity. 

Now, I’m still teaching, it’s just a different subject. 

People not Parts. I am an only child with siblings. I’m 12 years younger than my next-older sister. My parents weren’t raising me in their 20’s and 30’s. I was raised by adults in their 50’s. My father is a Pastor. From him I learned the nature of “being in the know” and how to respect that privacy.  

On summer days through high school, I woke up at 5:00 AM. Together, my buddy, Matt and I drove the 25 minutes to the factory where we’d work 5:30 - 5:30, turning sheet metal into grain bin accessories in the sweltering heat of Iowa in July. After my “shift,” I rode my dirt bike to the farm and worked in the pumpkin patch until dark. Then it was home, dinner and sleep. 

On Saturdays, I’d work a half-day at the factory and then spend six hours manicuring 20 acres around the church. On Sunday, I had church in the morning, boating in the afternoon and relaxing at home in the evening. 

During the school year I’d shoot hoops religiously. In college, I could touch my elbow to the rim and throw down a two-handed alley-oop like gravity was optional. My biggest regret is not competing on the court in college. Instead, I went into mechanical engineering, studying the complexity of things that move under stress.  

Ultimately, though, I felt called to work more with people, not parts. When I build a financial plan for a client, I bring an engineer's attention to detail and the compassion of a pastor.