Elevate is a two-day in-person and online event for financial advisors who want to strengthen the core of their firm — their advice.
This is where investment philosophy, tax strategy, and estate planning come together to create advice clients trust, understand, and act on.
Elevate is designed to make your advice stronger where it matters most: how clearly clients understand it, how confidently they act on it, and how much value they actually feel from it.
A clearer investment philosophy clients stick with
Tax strategy that shows up before decisions are made
Estate conversations that actually influence outcomes
Advice that feels more integrated across every client interaction
Clients don’t experience what you know. They experience how clearly you communicate it, how confidently you guide decisions, and how well everything fits together. When those pieces don’t align, advice feels fragmented—no matter how technically sound it is.
And right now, “good” advice is everywhere. The difference is how it shows up:
Elevate is organized around the areas where advisory depth becomes visible, valuable, and differentiated.
Build investment frameworks that clients understand, believe in, and remain committed to through market cycles.
Deliver proactive, year-round tax planning that creates measurable value and reinforces your advisory role.
Lead estate and legacy conversations that deepen trust, expand relationships across generations, and elevate your stewardship.







Elevate is a two-day, in-person experience in Austin, with a virtual option for advisors who can’t attend live.
Sessions are designed to balance technical depth with real application. You’ll have time to think, refine, and integrate ideas, not just hear them.
You will spend two days with a focused group of advisors working on the parts of advice that create the most impact for clients
When the in-person experience sells out, the only way to join us will be online.
June 23 - 24, 2026
Dimensional Place, 6300 Bee Caves Rd Building One, Austin, TX 78746
9721 Arboretum Boulevard,
Austin, TX USA, 78759
Austin Bergstrom International,
Austin, TX USA, 78759
You don’t need more ideas. You need time and space to refine how your advice actually shows up.
That’s what Elevate is built for.
Prior to starting Forefront, I was the President of a billion-dollar bank’s wealth management group. In 2016, we launched Forefront with a passion to provide exceptional and personalized advice to our family members (most folks refer to them as “Clients”). It was paramount to build an environment where every team member was a good human being first and foremost and they just so happen to also be brilliant and passionate professionals.
Joel H. Hefner spearheads the firm’s global financial advisor virtual initiative by coordinating live video webcast content and other virtual programs designed to expand Dimensional’s offering to advisors. A former senior manager of a Big Four accounting firm, Joel was also the chief portfolio manager for a large fee-only advisory firm, managing more than $1 billion in client accounts.
Joel graduated magna cum laude with a BA in economics and political science from California State University, Chico, and an MA in economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is also a CFA® Charterholder.
Kacie Walsh is a Regional Director and Vice President at Dimensional Fund Advisors, where she is a seasoned expert in investment solutions tailored for high-net worth clients. She leads client engagement for Dimensional’s separately managed account (SMA) and unified managed account (UMA) offerings, along with the exchange fund. Prior to her current role, Kacie provided exceptional support to newly established financial advisors nationwide, helping them navigate investments, messaging, and business strategy to foster growth.
Michael F. Niemann is the founder and managing member of The Niemann Group LLC, a boutique advisory firm serving ultra-affluent families, closely held business owners, and senior executives nationwide. With more than 35 years of experience in advanced income tax planning, estate and succession strategy, and sophisticated life insurance advisory, Michael specializes in solving complex planning challenges for high-net-worth and multigenerational clients.
Prior to founding The Niemann Group, Michael held senior leadership roles at Ernst & Young LLP, where he served in the Private Client Services practice and as the National Life Insurance Advisory Leader. He also served in leadership positions at Arthur Andersen and as Regional Managing Partner of an M Financial firm, advising many of the country’s most successful entrepreneurs and family enterprises.
Michael is a frequent national speaker on advanced tax, succession planning, and life insurance strategies. He is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and currently serves as Chapter Chair of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) St. Louis.”
“Steven Jarvis is proudly the “least boring” CPA you’ll ever meet.
He proudly has NOT committed the entire tax code to memory and instead focuses on teaching financial advisors how they can actually work with their clients to help them not get killed on taxes. Everything Steven does is focused on how to take action. Google can recite the law, Steven gives the roadmap for taking relevant tax planning strategies from an idea on a whiteboard to real clients saving real money and creating real impact over the lifetime of their wealth. Steven is a licensed CPA, has an MBA, has taught as an adjunct professor and has given tax planning presentations to audiences large and small across the country. Steven is also a sought after author having published a book on tax planning and contributing articles to renowned publications throughout the industry.
When he’s not talking taxes Steven is always in search of a new adventure and is currently focused on obstacle course racing and other endurance events and even gets the whole family involved as his wife and two kids are often along for the journey.”
Christine Travis is an award-winning Executive Sales Leader with over 22 years of success in the insurance and financial services industry. Known for building trusted relationships and delivering exceptional customer experiences, she has a proven track record of generating multi-million-dollar revenue and driving long-term business growth through innovative marketing strategies and compelling storytelling. Christine is highly effective at developing talent, leading high-performance teams, and consulting with top-tier clients across multiple territories. Her career spans leadership roles at top insurance companies including Nationwide Financial, New York Life, and Prudential. As Regional Vice President at Nationwide Financial (2011-2025), she tripled business in the Philadelphia region, led the NY/NJ territory to $25M in overall insurance premiums, and was a seven-time President’s Council honoree. She is widely recognized for her expertise in complex case design, strategic partnerships, joint marketing initiatives, and her ability to consistently exceed performance goals. A frequent industry panelist and go-to specialist in Long-Term Care, Christine continues to advance organizational growth and drive revenue all while championing excellence in client engagement and team leadership.
Seasoned tech veteran.
Co-founder Campfire.ai (YCombinator S23)
Co-founder Thyme (YCombinator S24) — acquired by Altruist.
Now Product Manager on the Hazel.ai team.
Lou Mandia, Head of RIA Strategy & Distribution, delivers the firms “Integrated Morgan Stanley’’ initiative to RIAs and Family Office, helping clients curate bespoke portfolio solutions to achieve targeted outcomes. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Lou spent three years at UBS spearheading RIA and Broker Dealer distribution within the Global Equity Division, and five years at Goldman Sachs & Co, focused on structured investments and cross-asset distribution.
About the Morgan Stanley’s Advisor Solutions Team:
The Morgan Stanley Advisor Solutions Team (MSAS) within the Institutional Equity Division (IED) provides best in class service that reflects the Firm’s commitment to thought leadership, innovative solutions, and cutting-edge strategies while offering Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) the flexibility to hold collateral at third-party custodians. MSAS specializes in Hedging & monetization strategies for client’s with concentrated stock positions, Structured Products, Thematic Investment Strategies.
Patrick Anderson is responsible for the origination and trading of Structured Products as well as Rates trading which includes Treasuries, Agencies and CDs. In addition, Patrick is responsible for Structured Product issuer relationship management and business development within Independent Broker/Dealer and RIA channel. Prior to joining AAM, Patrick had a 17-year career at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, where he served as a Director-Head Trader of Rate, FX, Commodities and Hybrid-Linked Structured Products Trading in the Americas. Patrick started his career at Citigroup in Institutional Equities Trading.
About the Morgan Stanley’s Advisor Solutions Team:
The Morgan Stanley Advisor Solutions Team (MSAS) within the Institutional Equity Division (IED) provides best in class service that reflects the Firm’s commitment to thought leadership, innovative solutions, and cutting-edge strategies while offering Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) the flexibility to hold collateral at third-party custodians. MSAS specializes in Hedging & monetization strategies for client’s with concentrated stock positions, Structured Products, Thematic Investment Strategies.
Marla is a financial and estate planning professional with a mission to help people protect what matters most. She brings a rare combination of lived experience and professional expertise to this work. Having lost both parents in her twenties, she experienced firsthand the profound gift of having estate plans in place — not as a transfer of wealth, but as a transfer of clarity during the hardest moments of her life.
She is passionate about making estate planning accessible to everyone, because it isn’t just for the wealthy. It’s for anyone who wants to ease the burden on the people they love.
Chris Quandt is a Success Enablement Manager at Nitrogen. Over the last 10 years, he has served on the Marketing and Advisor Success teams, helping financial advisors see how Nitrogen’s suite of advisor products can help them demonstrate the value of their advice and give every client a deeper, more personalized experience. On his best days, he helps turn a good advisor into a great one. On his second-best days, he is available to weigh in on the pineapple on pizza debate. The answer is no. It has always been no. He will not be taking questions on that matter.
“Jonathon DiGiovanni is a Managing Director of the Direct Indexing & SMA group at First Trust Portfolios L.P. Along with his teammates, he is responsible for
executing the strategic direction of the CEO. Jon has over 13 years of financial services industry experience.
Prior to his role as Managing Director, Jon served as Vice President and was responsible for First Trust’s ETF and SMA product lines.
Jon is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of DePaul University with a BS in Finance. He is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA). Additionally, Jon holds Series 4, 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities licenses.”
Matthew Incitti is Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Hamilton Point Investments LLC, where he is responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with Registered Investment Advisors and Family Offices nationally for the firm.
For close to 20 years, Mr. Incitti has held senior roles in distribution predominately within real estate equity and private credit, across a variety of fund structures and investors. Mr. Incitti previously served as Vice President – Alternatives Specialist for asset manager DWS. Mr. Incitti earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and currently lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with his wife and 3 children.
Kayla McCollum is a Vice President and Alternative Investment Specialist within the Asset & Wealth Management Division. Kayla is responsible for the sales, marketing and ongoing client support for alternative investments including private equity, private credit, real estate and hedge funds in the South Central part of the United States. Kayla works with third party intermediaries including banks, registered investment advisors and broker dealers to distribute the alternative investment products offered by Goldman Sachs. Kayla joined the firm in 2016 and earned a B.S. in Business Administration, Summa Cum Laude, from Florida A&M University.
Carl Pikus is an invaluable asset to real estate investors, agents, lenders, financial advisors, attorneys and CPAs, offering extensive expertise in 1031 Exchange regulations coupled with over 11 years of experience wholesaling for institutional commercial real estate syndications. As a Vice President for IPX1031, Carl leverages his deep financial planning background to investigate strategic, comprehensive tax-deferred solutions. He is dedicated to educating clients on the full spectrum of 1031 advantages, from immediate transactional tax benefits, to long-term estate planning strategies.
Jordan Burg guides CSG Partners’ comprehensive ESOP awareness efforts. By leveraging his broad creative, financial, and entrepreneurial experience, Jordan helps introduce the unique benefits of employee stock ownership plans to closely-held companies and their trusted advisors. A content-focused marketing professional, Jordan has established CSG as a go-to employee ownership resource through a series of educational initiatives.
The Forefront Advisor Network (FAN) is unsurpassed in its approach to supporting advisors in serving their clients. Whether you are looking to enhance, scale, or exit your financial advisory practice, FAN will provide the technology and resources for your next level.