The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation announced its 2026 board of directors and introduced a new Leadership Council as part of a redesigned governance model that it said took effect in February.
The new Leadership Council is a non-governing, advisory body whose mission is to provide strategic insight, industry expertise and guidance to the board. It includes leaders from RIAs, broker-dealers, custodians, asset managers and related sectors, according to the foundation.
“This is an exciting new chapter,” R. Barkley Payne, CEO and President of Invest in Others, said in a news release. “As the organization celebrates its 20th anniversary, this governance evolution deepens engagement with the advisor community, strengthens alignment with key industry partners, and advances the mission through a governance model grounded in relevance, representation, and results. The Board and Leadership Council bring extraordinary experience, perspective, and commitment to charitable impact.”
He added, “Each of these leaders represent the diversity of thought, sector representation, and strategic insight necessary to help guide Invest in Others into its next decade of impact. Their engagement strengthens our ability to serve financial advisors and the nonprofit organizations they champion.”
The 2026 Leadership Council comprises: Jennifer Connelly, Founder and CEO of JConnelly; Joe Mallee, Head of MassMutual Financial Advisors at MassMutual; Jim Perhacs, Chief Operating Officer of Private Advisor Group; Kirsten Pickens, Managing Director and Co-Head U.S. Distribution at Future Standard; Clara Sierra, an industry executive; Desiree Sii, Vice President and Head of Strategic Accounts at AssetMark; Kate Thompson, Senior Vice President and Head of ETF Distribution at Allianz; Michael Valenti, Director of National Accounts at BlackRock; Tom Walrond, President of Raymond James & Associates, Private Client Group at Raymond James; Barrett Wragg, Head of ETF Sales at T. Rowe Price; and Dan Zitting, CEO of Nitrogen.
Newly appointed board members are: Sarah Bauer, Head of Asset Management Engagement at Envestnet; John DiMonda, Co-Head of Independent Channel at Osaic; Tom Gannon, Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer at LPL Financial; Todd Mackay, President of Cetera Wealth Management; Karl Roessner, CEO of Vestmark; and Jimmy Ren Zhao, CFA and Partner at McKinsey. They join Invest in Others’ re-elected board members.
The board also elected these officers: Chair, Meghan Peachey, SVP, Financial Institutions Group at Natixis Investment Managers - US Distribution; Vice Chair, Cathy Saunders, Head of Global Corporate Communications at Franklin Templeton; Treasurer, Mark Connolly, Head of Global Strategic Relations at Nuveen; and Clerk, Brian Hamburger, CEO and President of MarketCounsel Consulting and Founder and Chief Counsel of the Hamburger Law Firm.
Over the past 20 years, Invest in Others said it has awarded grants totaling over $8 million and recognized more than 1,000 financial advisors.
Jeff Berman, Contributing Editor and Reporter at Wealth Solutions Report, can be reached at jeff.berman@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
