Talk to us Meet Gretchen
What's the biggest challenge?
One of the daily challenges is cutting through the noise of the news cycle and the “shoulds” in financial messaging to help clients create strategies that meet them where they are and serve them in getting where they truly want to be.
What do you love most about being part of Aspiriant?
I love that Aspiriant is a client-centric organization whose business decisions are led by only employee partner-owners. I’m proud to be part of this team of talented people who come together to focus on one purpose: serving clients.
What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
In my late 20s, I created an hour-long seminar on retirement planning and presented it to audiences across the country, often hundreds of people at a time. I was proud to grow as a public speaker and help others feel more confident as they planned for retirement.
What quality of yours makes you best suited to what you do?
As the daughter of an engineer and a teacher, I’ve inherited skills in both analytics and collaboration, both essential in my role as an advisor. I enjoy supporting clients in ways that honor who they are and how they make decisions, and I am energized by scenario analysis that leads to thoughtful choices and meaningful outcomes.
How should people think about their wealth?
Wealth has different meanings for different people and it tends to change as they grow. But beyond providing security, I think it’s important for people to ensure their wealth supports what’s personally meaningful to them.
What do you love to do outside of work?
When I have the time, I love to travel and explore new places and cultures. At home, I enjoy the outdoor beauty of the Bay Area with family and friends, playing with our dog, keeping score at Giants baseball games and learning new teen lingo so I can use it to embarrass my teen kids (“slay!”).
What would you be doing if you weren't working for Aspiriant?
If I weren’t a wealth advisor, I would start or join a nonprofit organization focused on expanding financial literacy and investing in our school systems. Everyone deserves access to these important life skills from an early age.
What personal accomplishments are you most proud of?
Partnering with my husband to raise two great kids. It’s been an adventure from the start and a constant growth opportunity – just when we think we’re getting the hang of it, they change and need something different from us!
Bio
Gretchen joined Aspiriant in 2025 as a Director in Wealth Management. She brings more than 25 years of experience helping high net-worth individuals, multi-generational families, and non-profit organizations with wealth advising, financial planning and investment management services.
Over the years, Gretchen has developed a passion for partnering with clients in their pursuit of financial confidence, independence and purpose. She believes that wealth should reflect what matters most to people, and she strives to help each client align their resources with the life they want to live.
Before joining Aspiriant, Gretchen built a career spanning more than 25 years in the wealth management industry, serving in senior advisory and numerous leadership positions.
She served as president and chair of the Financial Planning Association of San Francisco, and currently serves on the investment committee for a nonprofit foundation. Gretchen gives back in her community by providing pro bono presentations on financial and investment topics at education events. Her insights have been featured in Barron’s, San Francisco Business Times, The Wall Street Journal, AARP and more.
She earned dual B.A. degrees in Business Economics and Psychology, graduating magna cum laude from the University of California, Santa Barabara. She completed the Certificate in Personal Financial Planning at the University of California, Berkeley, and holds the Certified Financial Planner™ designation.
Gretchen has been named to Forbes and SHOOK Research’s “America’s Top Wealth Advisors—Best in State” list for five consecutive years, from 2021 through 2025.
When she has the time, Gretchen enjoys traveling and experiencing the beautiful outdoors in her own backyard, the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s a fan of the San Francisco Giants and Golden State Valkyries, and she and family volunteer with and support Compass Family Services, a nonprofit that helps families experiencing homelessness to rehabilitate and rehouse.
No fees were paid for inclusion on the Forbes Best in State Wealth Advisors list. Date of award for 2025 was April 8, 2025 with time period April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025. For full methodology, see this link.
