Stephan Shipe, Ph.D ., CFA, CFP®
CEO, Financial Advisor
Stephan is the founder and CEO at Scholar Financial Advising. He started the company in 2018 and specializes in working with clients on customized solutions to complex financial situations. He has a wide range of experience working with corporate executives, business owners, and ultra-high net worth families. These strategies typically involve financial risk analysis, traditional and alternative investments, concentrated positions in public or private companies, and tax efficient wealth management and transfer.
While the numbers are important, Stephan would argue that the most rewarding part of a strong advisory relationship is helping his clients with the emotional and psychological aspects of money, investments, and generational wealth transfer.
Stephan holds a Ph.D. in Finance with a support area in econometrics from Florida State University. He is also a CFA Charterholder and a CFP® Professional. His experience and research related to investor behavior, executive compensation, and investor protection has led him to be a regular media contributor and work with regulators on new laws related to investment advisor fee disclosures. In addition to his experience as an advisor, he has taught university finance courses at Wake Forest University, University of New Hampshire, and Florida State University.
Mark Johnson, Ph.D.
Lead Financial Advisor
Mark specializes in personalized financial planning and advising with an emphasis on early career professionals, real estate investors, and high net worth clients. He brings over fifteen years of combined experience as a real estate investor, researcher, and educator to the firm. Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, he holds both a MS and Ph.D. in Financial Economics from the University of New Orleans. As an advisor, Mark blends academic excellence with practical expertise. He owns and manages commercial real estate in the southeast US and regularly advises clients on not only traditional assets, but also real estate (residential and commercial) and alternative assets.
He has been recognized for his ability to simplify complex financial concepts with over a dozen awards from institutions such as Wake Forest University, Loyola University Maryland, and Florida State University. He is a recipient of the Best 40 Under 40 as an educator and has published nationally recognized research on personal finance. In addition to his advisor role, Mark is a respected media contributor, frequently providing expert commentary on financial matters for major media outlets where he shares insights on market trends, investment strategies, and personal finance.
Robin Winningham
Director of Client Services
As our Director of Client Services, Robin has over 15 years of experience in client relationship management, document retention and compliance, C-Suite executive support, and back-office business operations.
Building and maintaining strong relationships is the foundation of everything we do and Robin leads a dedicated team of administrative and business development professionals committed to delivering excellence in client experiences and engagement.
Before joining Scholar Advising, Robin developed her skills at large financial institutions, technology-based startups, and INC 5000 industry leading companies. In addition to client support, she enjoys improving efficiency and innovation through strategic planning and project management. Robin ensures that each client receives personalized attention and exceptional support year after year and with every interaction. Outside of work, Robin enjoys being outdoors with a good cup of coffee and anything on the water.
Kyre Lahtinen, Ph.D.
Financial Advisor, Director of Business Development
Kyre earned his Ph.D. in finance from Florida State University with a support area in econometrics. He has taught university finance courses for over 10 years and specializes in topics related to investments, security analysis, portfolio management, and financial statement analysis. His ability to break down complex financial topics and make them easy to understand, as evidenced by his multiple teaching awards, make him a great asset to Scholar Financial Advising and our clients.
With his extensive knowledge of finance and his technology skillset, Kyre has published original research articles related to empirical asset pricing, high frequency trading, behavioral finance, and market volatility.
Deon Strickland, Ph.D.
Financial Advisor
Deon earned his Ph.D. in Finance from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and an A.B. in Economics from Harvard University. He has previously served as an economist for the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) where he worked on regulation surrounding the fair disclosure of information related to publicly traded companies.
In addition, Deon has taught finance courses at Wake Forest University since 2008 at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and has published numerous academic articles in leading academic and practitioner journals. His work on investor trading in volatile markets has been cited more than 300 times including in leading periodicals like the Wall Street Journal.
Chris Lawrey, Ph.D.
Financial Advisor
Chris earned his Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Mississippi and has over twenty-five years of teaching and practitioner experience.
He has published original research articles related to working capital management, dividend policy, corporate default, and market volatility. In 2020, he was awarded an “Excellence in Teaching” award then in 2021 he was awarded “Professor of the Year” for his exceptional performance in and outside of the classroom.
Derek Cheshire, CFP®, EA
Paraplanner
Derek brings ten years of experience as a financial advisor and planner. In his prior roles, he has extensive experience working with individuals with varying backgrounds and needs to help them achieve their financial goals. Additionally, Derek earned his MBA with a specialization in financial analysis from the University of Colorado at Denver. He attained his Certified Financial Planner designation in 2016 and has been an enrolled agent with the IRS since 2020. As an enrolled agent, Derek prepared taxes for small businesses and their owners, giving him extensive knowledge of taxation and the needs of small business owners. Derek takes great pride in his work on behalf of the individuals, families, and the Scholar Advising team he supports.
Phil Ferrara, CFP®, CRPC®
Paraplanner
Phil works closely with the advisory team to prepare financial plans to match each client’s individual needs. Phil brings over 20 years of experience in portfolio management, brokerage operations, and financial planning to the team. He is passionate about helping people find answers to their financial questions and empowering them to manage their financial matters. He believes in ongoing education and has earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC®) designations. Beyond the professional realm, he is an avid runner and enjoys a good true crime or sports documentary.
Catie Owen
Administrative Assistant
As an administrative assistant, Catie offers back office and client support to the firm. Coming from a background in production management and also recruitment of C-Suite Executives, Catie is detail oriented and process driven. Leveraging her degree in psychology, Catie has a passion for helping others and striving for excellence.
What’s Next?
Use the link below to schedule a Welcome Meeting. This initial meeting is free and has no commitment. We can speak on the phone or over coffee to see whether our working together is a good fit.