MEET OUR TEAM
Your success is our passion.
Christy Charise
Founding Partner
After earning her B.S. at Cornell University, Christy started her career at Goldman Sachs in their Fixed Income Division, and spent time covering both rates and credit sales and trading. Leaving to pursue an MBA, she was selected as one of Cornell Business School’s 26 Park Leadership Fellows, in recognition of professional and academic excellence, dedication to community service and demonstrated leadership.
After completing her MBA, she joined Bain & Co. as a strategy consultant in their New York office, covering clients in both the general practice and their private equity group. She later joined a CT-based, boutique consultancy, Casey Quirk, to focus exclusively on strategy work for public and private asset managers and hedge funds.
Christy joined her husband to build Saugatuck Financial in 2009 and led the marketing, operations, practice management and growth initiatives of the practice for over a decade as COO. The practice boasts consistent Forum, Eastern Region Top 10 and NM Top 20 awards as well as being named among Worth Magazine's Leading Advisors. In 2018, Justin's practice was also named among the inaugural Top 10 5-Star Pathfinder practices in the country and is among the few balanced practices with over $1m in each insurance premium and GDC.
Outside Saugatuck Financial, Christy's consulting and coaching work has spanned from helping advisors in their first 5 years multiply their production, to improving and redesigning well-established top practices and their teams for continued, thoughtful growth. She has also provided strategic consulting, facilitation, training, redesign, and transition support to both MD's and MP's alike.
Christy has completed the life coach training program through Robbins-Madanes Training, having studied under Tony Robbins and Chloe Madanes, as well as the curriculum required for certification as a Board Certified Coach through the Center for Credentialing and Education.
In her work with over 1500 financial advisors, she is most proud of the consistent 5-Star ratings and review from clients, and both the tangible and intangible results that work consistently drives.
Christy holds a BS from Cornell University and an MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell. She loves living in Westport, CT with her husband, two children, Austin and Ashley, two rescue bunnies and two mini-golden-doodle pups! Aside from spending time with family and friends, Christy loves traveling, cooking, and a good cup of coffee.
Natalie Kroft
Head of Social Marketing & Client Success
After graduating from Kansas State University, Natalie started her career building lead generation campaigns for private four-year colleges and universities where she earned the annual Client Service Award. Later, Natalie went on to manage promotional on and off-premise campaigns for Pernod Ricard brands including spirits, wines, and champagnes.
Moving abroad to Geneva, Switzerland, Natalie was selected to be the VP of Marketing for the Lake Geneva chapter of the Organisation of Women in International Trade which was nominated for Chapter of the Year that year.
When Natalie and her husband moved back to Connecticut, she became the editor for a local magazine in Westport, CT where she helped grow the publication by 1,300 new readers. During this time, she also worked as a Director for a national direct sales jewelry company, building a team of 200+ independent business owners.
Natalie joined Strategic Advisor in January 2021 as the lead for social marketing and client success teams. She currently lives in Glencoe, IL with her husband, 2 kids, and a mini Australian Labradoodle puppy. Natalie enjoys playing tennis, scrolling social media, reading biographies, Mario Kart tournaments, and traveling to new places.
Florabelle B. Vicentino
Client Success Associate
Belle holds the degree of Bachelor of Secondary Education, with academic units in Master's in Public Administration and has a Certificate of Competency in Information Technology.
She has worked as a junior high school teacher, online tutor, administrative staff and community affairs officer with primary responsibilities
on research and documentation on culture and people, community development planning and workshops with a specific group and teaching fundamental concepts and practices of Information Technology to junior high school students. Much of her work includes graphic design, image/video editing and writing article for information and education campaign using the social media platform.
She is a doting mother of two - Rebekah and Timothy and lives in Davao City, Philippines. She enjoys watching movies, going to the beach, island hopping, trekking and loves to chill out with a good book and coffee. Belle has a big dream of traveling abroad in the future.