Shawna brings more than 20 years of financial industry experience to XML where she is a Certified Financial Planner™ and a Senior Wealth Advisor. While she enjoys helping everyone achieve their financial goals, she has a passion for helping women and is particularly sensitive to issues women frequently face such as caring for young ones and elderly parents, losing a spouse or going through a divorce. She listens carefully, challenges when appropriate and advises honestly.
Her Story
Born and raised from a humble background, I witnessed firsthand the importance of hard work. My parents didn’t have much and neither had any kind of formal education, but they understood the importance of hard work, discipline and grit. Growing up, money was often the reason for many arguments, and it was because my parents were never formally educated on how to handle their finances. You know the saying, “knowledge is power”? Well, it’s true. When you know about your money – how to save it, spend it, and invest it – it gives you power. My desire to become a financial advisor started at a young age. While I was not old enough to understand financial insecurity, I saw the stress and anxiety it caused my parents which as a child was very unsettling. Seeing how impactful finance was on my family made me want to learn and understand all I could about money.
After I graduated from high school, I signed my name on the dotted line promising that I would pay thousands of dollars in student loans. I worked fulltime during the day at a bank and went to college at night. Adulthood meant being responsible, and it was during my early to mid-twenties that I realized how I needed to be financially independent. I began budgeting my student loan repayments, retirement contributions, rent, car insurance, cell phone plan, groceries and I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore with a degree in Finance.
It’s no secret that the financial industry has historically been a male dominated industry. When I first started in the industry right out of college, often I was one of the only women in the room. Luckily for me, I have a great support system, both male and female, who always encouraged me to achieve my goals. I started in the industry as an assistant, worked my way up in various roles, and I am now a Senior Wealth Advisor. I worked many late nights and sacrificed time away from my family to achieve my goals and life hasn’t always been easy. I know many women who have overcome great obstacles in life, and they all have one thing in common – a fire inside of them that perseveres against any setbacks. I believe that if you are equipped with the right attitude and education, anyone can feel empowered and confident about their financial future.
Education & Philanthropy
Shawna graduated magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore with a degree in Finance and she holds the FINRA Series 7, 9, 10, 66 registrations and Life and Health Insurance License. When she is not helping others with their wealth management needs, she enjoys volunteering her time with organizations local to her community and spending time with her family. You can find her at an ice rink cheering on her son’s hockey team or on a turf field rallying for her daughter’s lacrosse team. Shawna resides in Lake Shore, Maryland and is married to her high school sweetheart.
