Matthew Barnard

Oak Wealth Advisors was founded to provide families with special needs members with experienced and objective financial advice and investment management services that have traditionally been available only to very wealthy families and institutions. I first met Oak Wealth Advisors founder, Mike Walther, when Mike guest lectured about special needs financial planning in one of my classes at the University of Wisconsin. In the decade that has followed, I have taught courses at the University of Wisconsin while deepening my knowledge and experience in financial planning and wealth management. I am a CFP® practitioner. I also obtained the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® designation issued by the Investments & Wealth Institute after completing the course work at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In addition to my personal experiences living with a sister with special needs, I have increased my technical knowledge of special needs financial planning. I earned the Chartered Special Needs Consultant®(ChSNC®) designation from the American College in 2018, and in 2020, was admitted as a member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners. I served on the Board of Directors of Wispact, Inc., an organization that manages pooled Special Needs Trusts for over 3,000 individuals in Wisconsin. At the appointment of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, I serve on the Wisconsin Board for Persons with Developmental Disabilities and the state College Savings Board. At Oak Wealth Advisors, in addition to advising clients, I lead the innovation efforts to ensure that new opportunities for client service are implemented seamlessly to support the delivery of the best possible client experience with the firm.

Garrett Dahm is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been providing financial guidance since 2017. He specializes in developing strategies and offering advice tailored to the short- and long-term financial objectives of individuals, families, and businesses. As a qualified Portfolio Manager, Garrett manages discretionary Personalized and Defined Strategies that may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management model portfolios, and third-party investment options. His areas of focus include family wealth management, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, liquidity management, retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and strategies for sports and entertainment clients. Garrett earned a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He completed his high school education at Prospect High School and attended Harper College without earning a degree. Outside of his professional role, Garrett has a background in classical guitar, having performed solo and with orchestras worldwide since the age of four. Notably, he performed in multiple cities in Australia during the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Olympics. He lives in Mt. Prospect with his wife Tanya and their son Jace. His personal interests include golfing, ice hockey, practicing guitar, and spending time with his family.

Frank Novelli is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments. He collaborates with clients to understand their unique financial goals and motivations, aiming to develop tailored financial plans that address individual needs and objectives. His objective is to serve as a primary financial advisor, providing advice and service. Frank's professional experience includes roles as Vice President and Financial Consultant at Charles Schwab (2022-2023), Senior Financial Consultant at TD Ameritrade (2020-2023), and Vice President and Advisor Consultant at Nuveen Investments (2014-2020). Outside of his professional career, Frank's personal interests include concerts, fishing, parenthood, scuba diving, snowboarding, and traveling.

Amir Jafariaria serves as a Senior Portfolio Advisor and Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He brings a global perspective to his role, shaped by his experiences living in six countries across multiple cities and working in private equity in Istanbul before relocating to the United States in 2014. Since joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2015, Amir has focused on delivering comprehensive wealth management services and proactive financial strategies tailored to his clients' diverse needs. With a background rooted in an entrepreneurial family and professional experience spanning private equity, start-ups, and wealth management, Amir specializes in areas including college education planning, employee benefits planning, executive and equity compensation services, family wealth management strategies, institutional and corporate benefit services, and wealth planning for LGBT and women clients. He integrates his services with clients’ external advisors such as attorneys, tax professionals, business managers, and family offices. Amir holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), both from Eastern Mediterranean University. He also holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and is proficient in English, Persian, and Turkish. Outside of his professional life, Amir’s personal interests include bungee jumping, cooking, pickleball, refereeing, skiing, soccer, table tennis, and tennis.

Brian Segura is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a position he has held since 2025. He works with clients across various financial situations, including retirement planning, investment guidance, insurance, college planning, and long-term care considerations. He focuses on building long-term relationships with clients to ensure their financial plans meet the unique needs of their families. Prior to his current role, Brian served as an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments from 2023 to 2024. He has also held several positions at Merrill Lynch and Merrill Edge between 2018 and 2023, including Market Supervision Manager, Supervision Principal, Team Lead, and Financial Service Representative. His professional experience encompasses a broad range of financial services and client support. Outside of his professional work, Brian has interests in football, golf, movies, parenthood, reading, and traveling.

Michelle Place is a Wealth Management Advisor and principal of The Place Wealth Management Group based in Northbrook, Illinois. She began her career in the investment industry in 2007 with Morgan Stanley Asset Management and joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management as a Financial Advisor in 2010. Michelle focuses on serving high net worth individuals and families, providing guidance in areas such as executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, philanthropic planning, portfolio management, small business strategies, and tax minimization. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin System and has completed an Accredited Certificate Program at the University of Chicago. Michelle is a Certified Financial Planner® professional, a Certified Private Wealth Advisor®, and a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™. Her team's mission is to deliver confidence and peace of mind to clients by managing the complex aspects of their financial lives with enduring value. Outside of her professional work, Michelle's personal interests include dancing, ice skating, pickleball, yoga, and spending time with her family.