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2026 Connect Money Next Generation Wealth Management Awards
Winners
- Cristina Wiebelt-Smith: Redefining Wealth Advice Through Education, Community Impact
- Jack Reifsnider: Linking Capital, Community, and Client Outcomes
- Ximena Silva-Avila: Pairing Values-Based Planning with Community Advocacy
- Scott Frazin: Blending Personal Engagement with Next Gen Advisory Approach
- Ken Vendley: Driving Growth Through Mentorship and Holistic Planning
- Michael Bueti: Scaling Growth, Innovation and Next Gen Client Engagement
- Abhishek Vakil: Aligning Personal Performance with Firmwide Growth
- John B. Petrick: Advancing Next Gen RIA Framework
- Alan Simeon: Transformation Through Growth, Innovation and Mentorship
- Julian Locke: Expanding Industry Access Through Mentorship
- Dana Hall: Redefining Wealth Creation Through Community Equity Innovation
- Alex Pape: Bringing AI, Unified Portfolios to the Advisor Desktop
- Nicholas Petrelli: Powering Growth Through Client Acquisition and Team Leadership
- Kelly Ann Winget: Challenges PE Norms With Access and Innovation
- Ashton Lawrence: Building $200M Practice Around Trust, Planning and Education
- Jacob Gurock: From Messaging to Mentorship
- Robert Howland: Modernizing a Legacy Firm While Deepening Client-Centered Advice
- Mamadou-Abou Sarr: Building $1.4B Quant Platform With High-Touch Innovation
- Collin Lyon: Rewiring Tech, Talent, and Team-Based Planning
- Lucas Mijares: Putting Values at the Center of Wealth Planning
- Danielle White: Building a One-Stop Operations Platform for Independent Advisors
- Susy Thomas: Bringing Athlete’s Discipline to Client-Centered Planning
- Rebecca Trethewey: Strengthening Platform With Retirement, Benefits Expertise
- Gautam Muthusamy: Accelerating Growth Through Personalized Advisory and Strategic Leadership
- Joseph Spina: Bridging Institutional Research and Private Wealth Advice
- Lowell Lyon: Prioritizing Simplicity in Wealth Management
- Greg Giardino: Turning Personal Experience Into Client-Focused Advisory Approach
- Hannah Forney: Guiding Families and Athletes Through Wealth Decisions
- Zach Schear: Fueling Record Growth and Transformation
- Megan Higgins: Driving Operational Innovation, Next Gen Talent Development
Cristina Wiebelt-Smith: Redefining Wealth Advice Through Education, Community Impact
Wiebelt-Smith is reshaping advice delivery through women-centric education, multi-channel outreach, and service-driven leadership
As a senior wealth advisor at Gertsema Wealth Advisors, Cristina Wiebelt-Smith exemplifies the next generation of wealth management through her leadership, outreach, and education-first philosophy. She has made a lasting impact on individuals and families across the Saint Joseph community by meeting clients where they are and giving them tools to make confident decisions.
Cristina created the Women & Wealth Workshop, an educational initiative designed to address the unique financial challenges women face and to build confidence in managing household finances. She has delivered the program to clients, community groups, businesses, and local organizations, helping women move from passive participants to active stewards of their financial futures. Beyond this signature workshop, she regularly presents at senior living facilities, schools, and professional organizations on tax planning, retirement options, education savings, and comprehensive financial planning—meeting demand that continues to grow.
Her outreach extends across multiple platforms: she writes educational articles, appears on a local financial news segment, and records short-form financial tip videos to make learning accessible and engaging. Cristina also serves on the boards of a local Catholic Academy and the Pregnancy Resource Center, where she mentors new and expectant mothers, underscoring her belief that financial wellness is inseparable from family and community support.
Cristina’s approach challenges the traditional, product-led model by centering financial confidence, inclusion, and lifelong learning. She brings expert guidance to audiences often overlooked by conventional wealth management and tailors her delivery to their needs, whether in classrooms, senior facilities, or digital channels.
With a service-first mindset, a tax and planning background, and growing recognition as a media resource on topics like Roth conversions and Gen X tax planning, Cristina is helping define where the industry is headed: more inclusive, more educational, and more human.