Shawna has been providing financial and wealth management advice and services since 1997. A graduate of the University of San Diego, Shawna joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management after working for a boutique financial services firm in Orange County.
In 1999, Shawna was selected to manage a Merrill Lynch Wealth Management branch in Del Mar, California, becoming one of Merrill's youngest managers. In 2006, she became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certificant, a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. And, more recently, Shawna was named to the Forbes "America's Top Women Wealth Advisors" list in 2020, 2021* (published annually Feb - April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 - September 30 of prior year), and the Working Mother/SHOOK Research's "Top Wealth Advisor Moms" list in 2020 and 2021** (published annually Sept - Oct. Rankings based on data as of Mar 31 of current year.) In addition, Shawna was named to the Forbes "America's Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State" list in 2022, 2023, and 2024*** (published annually in February. Rankings based on data as of Sept 30 of the prior year).
As a Wealth Management Advisor, Shawna’s responsibilities include identifying and delivering financial strategies for individuals, families and businesses to help them pursue their financial goals and objectives. Clients include business owners, medical professionals and non-profit organizations as well as a wide variety of entertainment clients. Shawna's mission is to develop lifelong business and personal relationships with clients and their families while delivering the highest quality service, ideas and information with integrity, timeliness and ease. Shawna resides in Carlsbad, California with her husband, Mike, and their three children, Shelby, Kylie and Max. In her free time, Shawna enjoys surfing with her family and helping Kylie in softball. *Source: The Forbes “America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors” list, published annually Feb - April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 - September 30 of prior year.
Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes.com America’s Top Women Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client impact, industry experience, review of best practices and compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC. **Source: Working Mother/SHOOK Research’s “Top Wealth Advisor Moms” list, published annually Sept - Oct. Rankings based on data as of Mar 31 of current year.
Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. SHOOK Research considered women advisors with children living at home under 21 years of age. The ranking algorithm is based on qualitative measures derived from telephone and in-person interviews and surveys: service models, investing process, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations, etc.; and quantitative criteria, such as assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Rankings and recognition from Working Mother/SHOOK Research are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results, and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Neither SHOOK nor Working Mother receives compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking. SHOOK Research is a trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC. All rights reserved. ***Published annually in February. Rankings based on data as of Sept 30 of prior year.
Forbes “Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State” list. Opinions provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC and is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due-diligence meetings that measure best practices, client retention, industry experience, credentials, compliance records, firm nominations, assets under management and Firm-generated revenue (investment performance is not a criterion). SHOOK’s rankings are available for client evaluation only, are not indicative of future performance and do not represent any one client’s experience and available for investor help in evaluating the right financial advisor and should not be considered an endorsement of the advisor. Compensation was not received from anyone for the study. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Details available at the SHOOK Research website. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.
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