About Dr. Mattia

With over thirty years of experience in finance, Laura is a fee-only comprehensive financial advisor, a member of NAPFA and a fiduciary advocate. She believes that all financial advisors should be willing to sign an oath committing to work as a fiduciary 100% of the time.

A former corporate financial executive and thought-leader in the field, Dr. Mattia’s career journey was a circuitous one. After earning a B.S. in psychology with the intention of pursuing a career as a counselor, she went on to obtain an MBA in accounting and finance, later accepting a position in the corporate world. As she tells it, it was this job that ultimately served as the inspiration for her current area of focus:

“I worked for many years as a corporate executive, CFO, and controller. I really wanted to work as a counselor for people. Though I had strayed from that dream, I had the opportunity to informally help a lot of people with their personal financial questions. I found that I really enjoyed it, much more than advising the corporations themselves. So, I went back to school and earned my CFP® designation. I then went back to school again to receive a Ph.D. in financial planning where I was trained to offer advanced financial planning solutions that truly benefit my clients and make me their trusted advisor.”

Though today Dr. Mattia is a visionary financial advisor, educator, author and TEDx speaker, she is involved in the financial planning community on many levels. She teaches future CFP® professionals at Texas Tech University and recently spent several years creating a new CFP® registered program at the University of South Florida.  She is passionate about improving the industry by ensuring future financial advisors receive a baseline education so they can be competent and ethical.

Dr. Mattia is recognized as an expert in the profession and often speaks at conferences held for financial services firms and associations such as; the national association of financial planners (NAPFA), the financial planning association (FPA) and the financial therapy association (FTA).  She is also often quoted in industry periodicals such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times and and has published numerous articles and academic research in periodicals such as the Journal of Financial Planning and the NAPFA Advisor, to educate and support financial advisors seeking to elevate the profession.

She is the author of the book Gender On Wall Street: Uncovering Opportunities For Women In Financial Services, published in June 2018 by Palgrave Macmillan. This position of prominence necessitates that Dr. Mattia stays up-to-date on developments in her field. She notes:

“This is an incredibly dynamic industry. If professionals don’t stay on top of what’s going on by constantly reading and keeping themselves in the loop, they’re not going to feel as confident or be able to help as many people. I’m a lifelong learner; it’s a part of my identity, and it’s what pushes me every day. It’s why I got my Ph.D. People are surprised sometimes at how hard I push, but I really believe that’s what it takes to remain relevant in this field.”

Awards & Honors

• Women's Choice Award® for Financial Advisors
• Five Star Wealth Manager, New Jersey Monthly (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010) Best 50 Women in Business, NJBIZ (2009)
• Five Star Wealth Manager, Sarasota, Florida (2015) Women of Influence in Sarasota (2015)
• Two times TEDx Speaker (2018, 2019)

Education & Certifications

• Texas Tech University, Ph.D., Personal Financial Planning (2016)
• Montclair State University, MBA, Accounting and Finance (1990)
• Montclair State University, B.S., Psychology (1982)
• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)
• Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®)

Professional Affiliations

About Stephen

Steve worked as an engineer for about 10 years before changing careers and joining Prudential. After a few years, he became disenchanted with the sales-oriented approach to delivering financial advice since it did not have the client’s best interests at heart and he believed strongly in the value of financial planning. In 1993 he left Prudential and founded a firm which later became Atlas Fiduciary Financial and in 1998 joined the National Association of Financial Planners (NAPFA). 

Steve feels so strongly about NAPFA and its mission to “fix” the way advice is delivered to consumers that he has been involved as a volunteer for many years in many roles, serving as eastern region chair and president and gradually rising through the ranks of governance until he was elected to the highest position, Chair of the National Board (2018-2019). NAPFA membership was a natural fit for us since we believe the client comes first and that providing detailed financial planning is key to the success of our clients. 

Steve loves helping people organize the financial aspects of their lives and planning for their future whether it will be for early retirement, buying a second house or even just helping to provide a feeling of security in knowing that you can achieve your goals and dreams in life. He particularly likes to work with executives, professionals and business owners. 

Steve’s hobbies include photography, cooking and sports cars. He stays in shape through weightlifting and karate (black belt, Shotokan). He enjoys playing with his 3 dogs; don’t mention them or you’ll have to see their pictures! He is married and has a 19-year-old daughter attending George Washington University.

Education & Certifications

• Stevens Institute, BE, ‘77
• MBA, Finance
• MS, Financial Planning
• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®)
• Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC)
• Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU)

About Alison

Alison Hall is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2008. Like most fresh graduates, she was unsure what the future held at the time, but knew that student loan repayment was fast approaching. She began working at a nearby hotel with hopes of networking possibilities and at a minimum, a steady paycheck. While working as a hotel clerk, Alison learned about the opportunities of working in the financial industry and within a few months, she was working with the firm which is now Atlas Fiduciary Financial, learning the ins and outs of the firm. 

After passing the Series 65, proving an established familiarity with the extensive rules and regulations that accompany the finance world, Alison decided it was time to move forward. By completing the CFP® certification process at Fairleigh Dickinson and passing the comprehensive, 10-hour exam, she could not only further her career but also begin to help people more directly – so that’s precisely what she did. 

Being a young woman in the field proved to be a blessing. There are many individuals seeking help, advice and direction that aren’t receiving it for one reason or another. Alison is familiar with common plights of millennials, being one herself. She also enjoys helping women, whether single, divorced or widowed, gain a better understanding of their personal and/or family finances. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for women and younger individuals to feel like they are not being heard or taken seriously. Alison finds a sense of purpose in helping these people achieve their goals, both short and long term. She is frequently quoted in “Ask NJMoneyHelp”, where readers can submit general questions about their finances online and receive answers from a professional at no cost.   

In her spare time, Alison can be found playing with her bulldog, cooking and reading non-fiction books. She also enjoys watching and training in Muay Thai with her husband.

About Gary

Gary Hirsh is a fee-only planner and began his professional career in 1979 as a CPA for Coopers & Lybrand. Upon realizing that he enjoyed working with smaller clients, he became a partner with 3 accounting firms. In 1987, after the sudden passing of his father, Gary realized that there was a tremendous need for financial planning and investment advisory services for clients with varying net worth. Shortly thereafter, Gary earned his certificate in financial planning from Adelphi University. Previously, Gary earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from the State University of New York at Binghamton where he graduated magna cum laude. 

In addition to being a CPA, Gary is a financial planning specialist. The integration of financial planning expertise and accounting and tax knowledge enables Gary to bring the firm’s clients a unique, multidimensional perspective on accounting, tax and financial and investment matters. Gary provides comprehensive financial planning, including the construction of investment portfolios to assist clients in reaching their goals, improving current tax positions while minimizing estate taxes and preserving wealth. He provides advice in evaluating life insurance strategies, college planning, lifetime asset transfers, IRA distributions, long-term care alternatives and investment review with the goal of increasing wealth at manageable risk levels.

Professional Affiliations

• Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Member, New York and New Jersey State Society of Certified Public Accountants
• Member, National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, (NAPFA)

About Michael

Michael (Mike) Ippolito has a career spanning over 30 years in the areas of public and private accounting, corporate finance, personal financial planning and wealth management. He aspires to use this experience and training every day to guide his clients in a holistic, comprehensive, conflict-free environment and always in a fiduciary capacity. 

Mike began his career in public accounting as a CPA in Seattle, Washington providing auditing, tax and accounting services to corporations and high-net-worth individuals. He then transitioned to wealth management as an advisor with PaineWebber, Inc. and UBS Financial Services. Disillusioned with inherent conflicts of interest, high fees and product commissions, Mike migrated to institutional portfolio management as a principal with Sage Capital Management, LLC. Additionally, Mike worked as a wealth strategist for a private bank based in Orlando, Florida as well as the Chief Financial Officer of a specialty contract manufacturing company.

A voracious reader and lifetime student, Mike continually pushes himself to stay current with the latest research and practices in the areas of financial planning and wealth management.

Education & Certifications

• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®)