B.A., University of Tennessee (Economics)

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J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, Lead Investment Strategist and Portfolio Manager

Bank of America, Portfolio Manager

Bank of America, Portfolio Analyst & Investment Strategist

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How and why did you get into this business?

My path to working in this business started unintentionally but, looking back now, I believe it was fate. I graduated college with a strong curiosity around behavioral economics but had little idea where to go next to feed that curiosity. After some time spent travelling and a bit of trial and error, I found a job working for a Financial Advisor in Buckhead where I got a small taste of public markets, portfolio theory, and financial planning. My eyes were opened to a world of constant change and uncertainty driven by both rational and irrational investor behavior that lends itself to a type of job where the learning is truly never-ending and the outcomes infinite. I also realized the importance of having a professional guide you through this challenging world I'd just discovered. I was hooked. I set out to learn as much as I could about every aspect of portfolio management and financial planning. I haven't looked back since and continue to feed my curiosity and learn more every day.

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What was your best business decision?

To prioritize learning above all else for the first decade of my career and follow my natural curiosities to do so. This was advice I was given shortly after graduating and I'm thankful every day that I listened. I'm extremely lucky find myself in a line of work I am genuinely passionate about and where natural curiosity is constantly rewarded and leads to endless learning and growth.

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If you weren't in this business, what would you be doing?

I would be a teacher, preferably teaching personal finance and financial literacy in high school. I believe it only takes one teacher to make a permanent positive impact on the trajectory of a student's life. I was fortunate to have one of those teachers, but I know many students are not as fortunate. I also believe one of the most important things we can do as a society is to set up future generations for success by making sure they have at minimum a basic understanding of personal finance before becoming adults.

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Why did you choose to come to work at Balentine?

I was immediately drawn to the culture at Balentine and to the people responsible for building and maintaining that culture. I believe a strong set of values and ethics combined with a culture of support and encouragement leads to the best experience not just for those who work at Balentine, but more importantly, for the clients and families that Balentine serves.

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What do you like to do in your down time away from work?

I love to cook. I have cabinets full of culinary text books, recipe books going back generations, cook books, and books from chefs. Sharing love through food has always been important to me and I feel I speak best when it's through a home cooked meal. In my downtime, I can usually be found around my stove cooking an old recipe or tinkering with a new recipe for the 100th time hoping to get it just right.

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