Meet our Financial Coaches

Chris is a navy veteran and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with a full-service advisory and wealth management practice. As a financial advisor, Chris has helped many clients put their financial house in order after the loss of a loved one. After working with Liane Laurion, widowed in 2017, and hearing about how many women like her were struggling after losing their husbands, Chris realized he could do more, and founded Wings for Widows. (Visit Our History for the full story.)

I was born above the Hollywood Freeway and grew up in the San Fernando Valley. I earned my bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from U.C. Berkeley and a master’s degree in Political Science from San Francisco State University, both with honors. 

In 1979 I joined the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer. Along with assignments in Washington, D.C., I served at U.S. Embassies in the Dominican Republic (where I met my wife), Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Barbados, and as the State Department’s liaison with the Consular Corps in Southern California. 

After retiring from the State Department, I earned a Certificate in Personal Financial Planning from U.C.L.A. and began a career as a financial advisor. In 2016, I was awarded the CFP® designation. Semi-retired, I now practice as an Advice-only Independent Financial Advisor, working exclusively for clients on an hourly or project basis 

I’m Grant Meyer and I grew up in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. I attended Concordia University and received a degree in finance and minor in International Business and Spanish.

I enjoy spending time with my wife and two young daughters as well as my extended family.  I am enthusiastic about helping people understand the complexities of financial planning and find meaning with their money. I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with over 12 years of experience helping clients.  I volunteer my time promoting financial literacy on the PR Committee of the Financial Planning Association.

I’m Jeff Olson and as a husband and proud father of four humans and three dogs, I know firsthand the challenges of managing finances with conflicting goals. Planning for retirement and college education while paying a mortgage and extra-curricular activities with the hope of attempting to go on vacation every once in a while.

As I reflect back over the years on what inspires me the most, it is knowing that my job is not as much about accounts and numbers as it is about helping people achieve their goals and dreams and attain a sense of security about their future and their family’s future.

I’m Melissa Brennan, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and I live in Plano, TX.

I am a 20 year veteran Financial Planner who has a calling to work with widows.  Widows tell me that their biggest stressor, besides the overwhelming grief and loneliness, of losing a spouse is the financial challenge of settling the estate and taking on new financial responsibilities.

I love to be the shepherd walking the widow through that transition and watching her grow in confidence until she ultimately feels empowered to take control of the decision making.

I’m Nate Ostertag and I have been an investment advisor since 1995.  I currently own and manage a fiduciary investment advisory company.  I earned a BA from the University of Saint Thomas (Saint Paul, MN), a MSc from the London School of Economics (London, UK), and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN).  I hold a CRPC® designation (Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor).

I am also a widower.  After a marriage of 22 years, I lost my wife, Jill, to a rare and aggressive cancer.  I am the father of six children.

I’m Ross Krause, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional dedicated to empowering clients with the financial knowledge and tools they need to work towards achieving their long-term financial goals. 

With more than 10 years of financial services and 5 years of securities industry experience, I have worked with virtually every demographic group to develop a wide range of solutions related to retirement and estate planning, cash flow management, budgeting, debt management, investment management, education planning and more. 

When I’m not saving the world from financial illiteracy, I enjoy cooking, hiking, traveling, binging Netflix shows and mentoring future CFP® professionals. 

I am volunteering for Wings for Widows because it is such a great cause that provides important and valuable help for people that really need. This industry has been so great to me and I would like to pay it forward. 

I’m Tara  Bansal, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.  I have been working as a life coach and financial planner since 2005.

I am passionate about helping others achieve their goals and live the life of their dreams.

I volunteer for Wings for Widows because I have always been especially focused on helping women with their finances.

I am drawn to helping widows since they are especially vulnerable and need specific help during this emotional and possibly overwhelming time in their lives.