Our Team.

Jim is redefining partnership in independent wealth management — building a model where growth, autonomy, and alignment coexist.

Renowned for his advocacy of independent financial advisors, Jim is a visionary leader who specializes in designing and implementing high-growth strategies to give advisory teams the freedom to deliver truly differentiated client experiences.

Alongside several seasoned industry veterans, Jim co-founded Elevation Point in 2024 to serve as a value-aligned, advisor-first minority investment growth partner. The firm equips breakaway teams and established RIAs with enterprise infrastructure, advanced technology, and differentiated institutional-quality investment opportunities through its proprietary Alt:62 private markets platform, empowering them to scale and thrive in an evolving marketplace.

Jim draws on more than four decades of experience in the wealth management industry to help entrepreneurial advisory teams achieve meaningful independence without surrendering culture, control of the business or the client relationships they’ve built and cultivated over the years. His track record of visionary leadership, ability to spot and scale great talent, and deep conviction in the future of independent advice make him one of the most transformative CEOs in wealth management today.

In its first year, Elevation Point completed eight strategic minority investments representing more than $8.2 billion in client assets, a feat rarely achieved in the RIA space. Under Jim’s leadership, the firm has assembled a leadership team drawn from wirehouses, RIAs, custodians, and fintech firms, while cultivating a culture of ownership, with nearly half of employees holding equity.

Jim previously founded and built nationally recognized wealth management firm Sanctuary Wealth, which he launched in 2018. He was the visionary behind Sanctuary Wealth’s Partnered IndependenceSM platform, providing elite advisors with all of the tools, services, and resources needed to fully and effectively serve their clients. Under Jim’s leadership, it grew rapidly into one of the industry’s top RIA firms, with more than $25 billion in assets and 76 partner firms in 28 states by 2023, when he departed.

Prior to Sanctuary Wealth, Jim spent 20 years as a senior divisional executive building and leading strategy for Merrill Lynch in Indianapolis and Chicago. He began his career as an accountant at Ernst & Young in Indianapolis.

Jim has been a leadership conference judge for FFA, a national non-profit organization preparing middle and high school students for careers in agricultural science, business, and technology. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from Butler University, where he later served on the Board of Trustees for six years.

Based in Indianapolis, Jim enjoys spending time with his wife, four children, and his first grandchild.

Brad leads Elevation Point’s wealth management strategy, guiding advisor partnerships, business development, and system execution by drawing on more than three decades of industry leadership.

Brad leads the firm’s business development, relationship management, and wealth management strategy, ensuring advisor partners have the resources, infrastructure, and strategic alignment required to scale with confidence.

A 30-plus year veteran of the wealth management industry, Brad works closely with entrepreneurial RIAs and independence-seeking advisors to help them access institutional capabilities without relinquishing ownership or control. His leadership reinforces Elevation Point’s commitment to durable growth, advisor trust, and long-term enterprise value creation.

Prior to co-founding Elevation Point in 2024, Brad spent more than 15 years at UBS, where he served as Divisional Director overseeing more than 1,900 financial advisors responsible for nearly $500 billion in assets under management. Earlier in his career, he spent more than 15 years at Merrill Lynch in leadership and advisory roles including Financial Advisor, Complex Sales Manager, District Sales Manager, and Complex Director.

Brad holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Florida and earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designation. He currently serves on the Board of the Planned Giving Council of Place of Hope, The Gator Family Giving Council, and the Board of the Hope Florida Foundation, Inc.

Brad is married to Laura and together they have three children, two dogs, and a cat. As native Floridians, they enjoy time on the water—fishing, boating, and snorkeling—as well as supporting the University of Florida, playing golf and tennis, and traveling to the Bahamas.

Caitlin architects the operational engine behind Elevation Point’s growth, building and maintaining the infrastructure that allows independent advisors to scale with institutional strength and retain control.

Caitlin leads Elevation Point’s operations, transition strategy, and advisor experience ecosystem. She designs and implements the scalable corporate infrastructure, service models, and onboarding processes that enable independence-seeking RIAs to grow efficiently and sustainably.

From advisor transitions to middle-office integration and service excellence, Caitlin ensures partner firms gain institutional-grade depth and discipline without sacrificing autonomy.

With over 20 years in the wealth management industry, she is widely regarded as an expert in building and operationalizing independent advisory businesses designed for long-term success.

Prior to co-founding Elevation Point in 2024, Caitlin was Managing Director of Transition Services and Co-Head of Service at Dynasty Financial Partners, where she managed both the transition and relationship management teams. During her tenure at Dynasty, she was a member of the executive leadership team as well as the Dynasty Women’s Network, which supports and mentors women in the financial services industry.

Caitlin previously served as Director of Client Services at Keeney Financial Group in Columbia, Maryland, and began her career as a Wealth Advisor with Integrated Financial Solutions, Inc.

Caitlin earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Ohio University, where she received an athletic scholarship to play NCAA Division 1 Women’s Lacrosse.

Caitlin lives in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, with her husband, Ryan, and their son, Tucker. Outside of work, she can often be found on the lacrosse field cheering on Tucker’s club team.

Duke leads Elevation Point’s investment strategy, capital formation, and minority partnership model — driving disciplined growth across the firm.

Duke plays a key role in executing Elevation Point’s minority investment model, designed to align capital with founder-led advisory businesses without disrupting control or culture. The model pairs strategic investment with shared growth infrastructure, allowing partner firms to scale while maintaining the entrepreneurial characteristics that drive their success. He also developed Elevation Point’s succession partnership program, which supports generational transitions within advisory firms by aligning founders, next-generation leaders, and long-term capital.

Prior to co-founding Elevation Point, Duke served as Director and Head of Corporate Development at Sanctuary Wealth, where he helped develop the firm’s platform and focused on advisor transitions, strategic partnerships, and supporting the growth of independent advisory teams entering the RIA channel.

Earlier in his career, Duke was a Senior Analyst at AdvicePeriod in Los Angeles.

Duke holds the Certified Financial Planner™ designation and FINRA Series 65 license. He is a proud graduate of Pepperdine University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Certificate in Conflict Management and Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine’s Caruso School of Law.

When he’s not on the road working with partner firms, Duke enjoys spending time at home in Scottsdale, Arizona – often out on a long trail run or on the golf course in a never-ending pursuit of a lower handicap.

Greg harnesses decades of experience in wealth management and financial services to identify and deliver the investment solutions and management services that entrepreneurial advisors and RIAs can utilize to bring their clients success, and grow their practices.

Greg helps independence-seeking advisors secure seamless, scalable access to the traditional and alternative investment products their clients need to achieve their goals. Greg is experienced at working with advisors to create and implement customized Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) solutions as well as comprehensive middle- and back-office support services, giving them the power to meet high-net-worth clients’ complex needs at scale.

He joined Elevation Point when the firm acquired Mount Yale Capital Group in 2024. He co-founded Mount Yale in 1999 to bring Wall Street experience and solutions to financial advisors across the country. His leadership was key to propelling Mount Yale to an OCIO market leader with a network of elite affiliated advisors comprising $3.4 billion in assets under management.

Prior to co-founding Mount Yale and serving as its President, Greg worked for Portfolio Management Consultants, Inc., where he was a Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Investment Manager Search, Evaluation, and Due Diligence.

Earlier in his career, Greg was part of Deloitte & Touche, where he concentrated on estate planning, healthcare, non-profit organizations, and tax and personal finance planning for high-net-worth individuals.

Greg earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School, and completed his undergraduate studies at Hamline University in Minnesota. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).

From inception, Melinda has shaped and guided Elevation Point’s strategic narrative and market presence, defining how the firm positions itself, communicates its value, and activates its brand to drive growth.

Melinda leads the firm’s integrated marketing and communications strategy, overseeing brand development, executive positioning, media relations, and partner-firm launch initiatives. She builds the infrastructure that connects Elevation Point’s growth objectives to its voice in the marketplace, ensuring alignment across business development, capital strategy, and advisor experience.

From national media and thought leadership to digital strategy and content architecture, Melinda connects brand and storytelling to measurable growth. With nearly two decades of experience advising founders and C-suite leaders at RIAs, family offices, and high-growth financial firms, she has built brands designed to scale, influence, and endure — a foundation that positions Elevation Point as a differentiated partner for elite advisors navigating independence.

Prior to joining Elevation Point, Melinda worked at JConnelly, an integrated communications firm, rising to the position of Managing Director. In that role, she led strategic campaigns for many of the agency’s marquee clients in the financial services and consumer sectors, building robust thought leadership activations and refining brand messaging to align with evolving market demands. Earlier in her career, Melinda worked for Krupp Communications and Oxford Communications.

Melinda earned her Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from The Pennsylvania State University.

Melinda and her husband, Adam, share a lively household where their three young children set the pace and their French bulldog provides plenty of comic relief. She is a foodie who recharges through time with her family, cooking and baking, reading, barre, Pilates and seeing new places.

Katie brings institutional-grade solutions to independent advisors through best-in-class partnerships, freeing them to focus on clients.

Katie leads the design and delivery of innovative wealth management capabilities that empower advisors to scale their businesses and deliver exceptional outcomes for clients. Her work focuses on creating scalable, repeatable solutions that enhance the advisor experience while driving meaningful, long-term impact.

She brings more than two decades of leadership experience in the RIA and wealth management industry. Prior to joining Elevation Point, she served as President and Partner at Ficomm Partners, where she helped shape the firm’s strategy, culture, and growth initiatives. She continues to serve as an Advisory Board Member and Equity Partner. Earlier in her career, Katie spent 15 years at United Capital—including two years with Goldman Sachs following its acquisition—where she held senior leadership roles across communications and organizational effectiveness and served as Chief of Staff to founder and CEO Joe Duran. Her background reflects a consistent focus on aligning people, strategy, and execution to drive transformational growth.

She holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Communications from California State University, Long Beach, and previously maintained her Series 7 license. Katie’s strengths include relationship building, developing scalable processes, empowering leaders, and connecting strategic dots to move organizations forward.

Katie also serves as a faculty member for BNY Pershing’s NEXT Gen Leadership Forum, mentoring emerging leaders in the industry, and volunteers with Working Wardrobes to support individuals re-entering the workforce with confidence.

Away from the office, you’ll find Katie wandering new countries, at the beach in a trucker hat, in Pilates, worrying about her kids, or cheering them on from the sidelines as a soccer and all-star cheer mom.

Michele brings deep care for people and decades of experience shaping talent strategies that help organizations and individuals thrive.

Michele shapes and executes enterprise-wide talent strategies focused on attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional talent. Her work spans the full employee lifecycle, with an emphasis on building scalable, people-centered practices that align business objectives with a strong, supportive culture.

She brings more than 30 years of experience across human resources, including 29 years at Ernst & Young, where she served in a variety of HR leadership roles and spent her final decade as Director of Onboarding. Her background also includes time at Coach Leatherware in payroll, giving her a well-rounded operational and people-focused perspective. Across roles, Michele has been known as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and a steady advocate for employees at every level of the organization.

She holds a B.A. in Psychology from The Catholic University of America and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Rutgers University. Michele’s strengths include translating business goals into effective, scalable HR solutions and creating environments where people feel supported, seen, and empowered. Her work has been recognized with multiple Brandon Hall awards in talent acquisition and talent management during her tenure at EY.

Outside of work, Michele enjoys spending time with family and friends and is a proud mom to two adult sons. She loves shopping, traveling, and spending time at the beach, and gives back through organizations including the ASPCA, Tunnel to Towers, and Wounded Warriors.

Michael plays an integral role in executing Elevation Point’s mission, overseeing compliance, finance, accounting, and administration for the firm, and for the entrepreneurial advisors and RIAs for which it serves as an engaged growth partner.

Michael helps independence-seeking advisors optimize the outcomes they can deliver to clients, and lay the groundwork for scalable growth for their practices.

Michael joined Elevation Point in 2024 when the firm acquired Mount Yale Capital Group, where he had served as Chief Operations Officer and Chief Compliance Officer since 2003. Under his leadership, Mount Yale became an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) market leader, growing to encompass $3.4 billion in assets under management across its network of elite affiliated advisors. Michael’s experience launching and executing dynamic and customizable OCIO solutions, alongside comprehensive back and middle-office support services, give independent advisors the power to manage the complex needs of high-net-worth clients at scale.

Before he joined Mount Yale, Michael was part of the private banking group and the Latin American finance department at JP Morgan in New York. For nearly a decade, he managed a private equity firm, Capital Management Partners, specializing in healthcare, manufacturing, and real estate.

Michael earned his MBA from The Anderson School of Management at the University of California-Los Angeles. He also graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Economics.

Having raised his children in Minnesota, Mike spent years on the sidelines of nearly 2,000 youth hockey games. These days, with two of his children having attended SEC schools, his passion has shifted to college football.

Brian focuses on building operational systems that make growth sustainable and execution seamless.

Brian leads efforts to simplify and automate processes across the organization. His work is centered on improving the experience for employees, advisors, and clients alike—creating scalable systems that support both efficiency and service excellence.

He brings more than 28 years of experience in financial services, spanning client service, transitions, and operations. Throughout his career, he has served Registered Investment Advisors and their clients in a variety of roles, both as a manager and individual contributor. This breadth of experience gives him a practical understanding of how operational decisions impact teams on the ground and the broader advisor experience.

He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Vermont and an M.B.A. in Business from Seton Hall University. Brian’s strengths include financial services operations, people leadership, and client service management, all grounded in a disciplined and solutions-oriented approach.

Away from work, Brian enjoys serving as a soccer referee and traveling whenever he can.