Experience

As a Financial Advisor and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM practitioner with UBS, John provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management. He believes that the most successful plans are created with elements of both art & science. The science of planning is crafting a recommendation that is well grounded in fact. It requires technical knowledge and skilled data analysis. The art of planning is creatively preparing a plan that meets your own unique needs. The Meadowbrook Wealth Management process begins with listening to you. The result is a customized plan - one that we will help you implement, monitor, and adjust over time.

John has a special interest in helping his clients plan for retirement income that will last a lifetime. Excellent plans for sustainable retirement income should not only answer the question, "Can I retire?" they should also answer the question, "How do I retire?"  He works with his clients to create a road map for retirement income. As part of this road map, he focuses on creating sustainable, tax-efficient income, special strategies to maximize Social Security and pension income, and planning for family legacy needs. As a final step, financial and retirement income plans are coordinated with a client's investment portfolio to ensure plan success.

John is a 2000 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has Bachelor's degrees in economics and political science. Away from the office, John and his family love the outdoors. It is quite possible you will find them getting their hands dirty in their backyard vegetable garden, camping, or throwing a frisbee. They are dedicated members of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, where John serves on the Deacon Leadership Council and chairs the Administrative Deacons.

John and his wife, Pattie, and their daughters, Allie (2007), Brooke (2009), Josie (2011), & Payton (2015) live in Chapel Hill.

Esha Solanki serves on the advisory/planning side of the Meadowbrook Wealth Management Team, where she works closely with high-net-worth families, providing comprehensive financial planning, investment insight, and steady relationship-driven guidance across complex and evolving financial needs.  

In addition to advising clients directly, Esha provides strategic oversight to the team's client experience, overseeing key workflows, ensuring quality and consistency, and collaborating with internal & external partners to drive execution on complex requests.  Her ability to anticipate issues, create structure, understand the integration of advice and service, as well as maintain continuity, has made her a trusted resource for both clients and the team.  

Though she was unaware of career paths at the time, Esha's interest in financial planning began early in life, and she developed a deep appreciation for financial stability and the role it plays in creating opportunity & security, an insight shaped by her upbringing and life experiences.  

She joined the Meadowbrook Wealth Management Team in 2017, where she was able to develop a strong foundation in financial principles, hone her skills, and grow her role on the team.  She added analytical strength, client-focused judgement, and ability to bring clarity to complex situations. After earning her Series 7, 66, & insurance licenses, she obtained the CFP® designation, as part of her commitment to deliver comprehensive and holistic financial advice to clients.  Over the years, her role expanded to integrate strategic advisory work with leadership influence across the practice, allowing her to support clients' futures while also strengthening the team's internal infrastructure and contributing to the team's long-term direction and consistency. 

Esha is passionate about helping clients make confident decisions, whether navigating retirement income needs, sustaining long-term philanthropic goals, or preserving wealth for future generations.  She believes that meaningful planning combines technical expertise with deep listening, thoughtful guidance, and a genuine understanding of each family's priorities.  She has a special interest in working with physicians and first generation wealth builders.  

Esha grew up in Madison, Mississippi and moved to North Carolina in 2010 to attend Duke University, where she later met her husband on a study-abroad program in Italy.  Outside of work, when time allows, she enjoys spending time swimming, painting, playing video games, trying to play the piano, hiking the area’s with rescue dog Otis, & exploring the culinary scene of the Triangle, with her husband and son Max.  

Karen grew up in Washingtons Crossing, Pennsylvania as the youngest of three girls.  In 1999, she graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Restaurant Resort Management.  Following college, she found herself in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she began working in the back office of a small independent broker dealer, where her interest in finance began.  She worked as a registered client service associate until 2005 when she took time away to raise her growing family. 

In 2018, Karen returned to the industry and began working for UBS.  A few years later, she joined John and Esha on the Meadowbrook Wealth Management Team as the operational leader of the team – whether that’s opening accounts and onboarding clients, processing client requests to make contributions or distributions to accounts, or coordinating calendars for financial reviews.  She is the first voice clients hear when they call in and prides herself on providing excellent customer service.

Karen lives in Pittsboro with her three kids, Mallory (2005), Jack (2007), and Claire (2014) and spends her free time at the soccer field, enjoying activities with her kids, working outdoors, and caring for an assortment of animals on her mini farm. 

Carlie was born and raised on a small farm in Chapel Hill. She has always been a problem-solver and has a deep passion for helping others. She did not go too far from home to obtain further education and completed a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Elon University 2025.  

During her time at Elon, Carlie immersed herself in roles that deepened her commitment to supporting others in meaningful ways. She served in assistant roles for both the Office of the Dean of Students and Student Conduct. Additionally, she was a Tour Guide and Diversity Ambassador. Through these experiences, she discovered the value of empathy, clear communication, and reliability during pivotal moments in one’s life. Furthermore, they cemented her desire to carry these lessons with her into the professional world.  

Carlie was drawn to wealth management because it blends her analytical background with her desire to make a difference in people’s lives. Financial planning and advising is so much more than managing assets. It is about guiding individuals and families through financial decisions that allow them to build the lives they envision through trust and reliability.  She believes that financial well-being is one of the most empowering forms of stability that everyone deserves. 

In her free time, Carlie can be found helping out on the family farm, reading a good book on the porch, or getting lost in the woods with her dog. She loves to go camping and explore the beautiful state of North Carolina. More recently, she has been discovering a new passion for rock climbing and embroidery.