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 grew up in Madison, Mississippi and came to North Carolina in 2010 for college, graduating from Duke University. In her time there, she met her now-husband Walter, a fellow Dukie, on a summer study abroad program in Italy.

Esha grew up with an innate curiosity about the financial world and, early-on, due to her family's circumstances, learned the importance of obtaining financial security.

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 was also fortunate to work with experienced mentors who guided her through her career. After obtaining various financial licenses (Series 7, 66, & insurance licenses), she went on to earn her CFP® designation, as part of her commitment to provide comprehensive and holistic financial advice to clients.

She believes in a world where financial stability is paramount, it’s important for individuals to have trusted partners in navigating the ever-changing landscape of wealth management and the complexities of their finances to reach their goals, whether that is making sure they are able to maintain their standard of living through retirement and aging, continuing to be able to make charitable contributions in a financially sustainable manner, or ensuring wealth is preserved as a legacy for future generations. She enjoys getting to know her clients on a personal level and finds that building trust is key to a successful relationship between clients and their financial planning/advising team.

Outside of work, Esha loves living in the Durham-Chapel Hill area. She enjoys spending time swimming, playing video games, hiking the area’s nature trails with her family and rescue dog Otis, & exploring the culinary scene of the Triangle. These days, she and Walter find themselves with less time on their hands as they welcomed their very lively and active son Max to the world in 2023.

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.