Paul Brahim named 2024 president-elect of the Financial Planning Association

DENVER (September 27, 2023) – The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) announced today that the Board of Directors elected Paul Brahim, CFP®, CEPA, as the 2024 FPA President-elect for a one-year term. Brahim’s term will begin Jan. 1, 2024, succeeding incoming 2024 FPA President Claudia Cypher Kane, CFP®, CIMA®, CPWA®, ADPA®, CDFA®.

Brahim is managing director and senior vice president at Wealth Enhancement Group in Pittsburgh, Pa. Brahim, a passionate volunteer in the financial planning profession, is completing a three-year term on the FPA Board of Directors.

“Paul Brahim has honorably served our profession for many years and in several capacities – nationally and through FPA of Pittsburgh, his home chapter,” says 2023 FPA President James Lee, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF®. “Paul’s leadership has been felt at all levels of the Association, and his passion for financial planning is palpable. He will play an integral role in advancing the Association’s many objectives, especially for the legal recognition of the term financial planner through title protection. I look forward to working closely with Paul and know he will be a wonderful steward of the profession in the years to come.”

At Wealth Enhancement Group, Brahim uses his financial planning, investment management, and business acumen to work with chief executives on their retirement and succession plans. He also provides guidance and counsel on their respective employee retirement and financial wellness programs. With a passion for volunteerism, Brahim works with several organizations, including the Heritage Community Initiative and the Navy Seal Foundation.

Brahim earned a bachelor’s degree from Washington and Jefferson College.

"I am grateful for this opportunity to use my case-making, consensus-building, and decision-making skills that I have accrued over years of work in financial planning to support our members and advance our primary advocacy objective: the legal recognition of the term 'financial planner' through title protection," said Paul Brahim, CFP®, CEPA. “I love the financial planning profession and, in partnership with the entire Board and staff, will harness our collective desire and skill to advance it as a distinct, true, and legally recognized profession."

Daniel Galli, CFP®, who has served on the Board for the past two years, was selected to serve as the 2024 FPA Treasurer. Next year, Galli will complete his third year of Board service and will also serve as the volunteer leader of the FPA Finance Committee.

FPA is also pleased to announce the election of three new members to its Board of Directors. Based on the recommendation of the OneFPA Nominating Committee, a committee composed of equal representation from FPA chapter leaders and Board designees, the new board members will serve a three-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2024. Newly elected Board members will apply their diverse backgrounds and experience to help guide FPA’s business mission while working to advance the recognition of the financial planning profession. The new board members are:

• Lisa A.K. Kirchenbauer, CFP®, RLP, CeFT— Founder and president of Omega Wealth Management, LLC, in Arlington, Va., Kirchenbauer previously served on the board of directors of the FPA of the National Capital Area and in leadership roles with several other organizations focused on women business leaders. She is currently completing her third year on the Board and was selected to serve a fourth year at the recommendation of the Nominating Committee.
• Celeste H. Revelli, CFP®, BFA™, CFEI, CSPO, CSM — Director of digital planning at Fidelity Investments in Boston, Mass., Revelli has been an active member of the FPA of the Philadelphia/Tri-State Area, where she served as Pro Bono Committee Chair. In that role, Revelli was instrumental in coordinating financial education workshops with the Campaign for Working Families/ VITA program and activated volunteers for local entities, including the Philadelphia ReEntry Court System. In recognition of her work, she received FPA’s 2022 Heart of Financial Planning Award.
• Timothy M. Todd, Ph.D., JD, MS, CPA, PFS, ChFC, AAMS — Professor of law and associate dean for faculty development and scholarship at Liberty University School of Law in Lynchburg, Va., Todd is a member of the FPA of Central Virginia. With a commitment to volunteer leadership, Todd has spent time supporting several national organizations. He wants to use his academic background to advance FPA’s work to educate and train the financial planning community.

“Lisa, Celeste, and Timothy are all outstanding professionals who will bring diverse backgrounds and experiences to their work on the FPA Board of Directors. I look forward to seeing their efforts and how they shape the Association in the coming years,” added Lee.

The FPA Board of Directors sets the vision and strategic direction for the association. The 2024 Board will comprise 12 members, including the newly elected members and Patrick D. Mahoney, FPA’s chief executive officer.