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About Us
Apella’s Reston office is a team of fee-only, financial planners providing comprehensive financial planning and investment management services.
We offer services uniquely designed for professionals and executives in the federal service and private sector.
Whether you are leading a federal agency, a government contracting firm, or a small business, we have the expertise to tailor financial advice to your unique circumstances.
In addition to an annual meeting, quarterly reports, and additional updates, we are 100% available by phone or email to address any concern, answer any question, or analyze any situation – then support and coach a client through implementing a mutually chosen path of action.
We work to maximize our clients’ dollars, honor their emotions, and minimize their stress – with a long-term oriented approach for savers – so clients can enjoy their lives.
- Save and accumulate assets
- Achieve your financial goals
- Prepare for retirement
- Transition into retirement
- Utilize assets wisely in retirement
Our Services
- Financial Planning
- Retirement Advice
- Investment Management
- Tax Planning
- Estate Planning
- Asset Consolidation
- Risk Management
Our clients come from various backgrounds, careers, and stages in life and, therefore, have different questions and concerns.
- Federal and Military professionals and executives. We have extensive experience with the intricacies of Military and federal employee benefits, including TSP, FERS, and CSRS, and we use this experience to help create a financial plan and a distribution plan unique to your individual situation. We also know your career is at stake when you submit your financial disclosures, because failing to report information can result in disciplinary action and referral for criminal prosecution. This is why if you are required to submit an annual financial disclosure form, we help prepare the form for you giving you peace of mind that your financial disclosure requirements are handled properly. When you are retiring, we guide you through the OPM forms and processes to ensure you select the best options for your circumstances, because being handed a stack of forms and making irrevocable decisions with no guidance is nerve racking. We are here to guide you every step of the way.
- Corporate and non-profit executives and professionals. Your compensation package can be very complex with a lot of moving parts. You may receive your bonus in the form of restricted stock or you may have the option to participate in a deferred compensation plan. We help you understand the costs and benefits of these and how they fit into your overall financial plan. We also understand you may have ethics rules requiring you to hold company stock, and you may be subject to rules to prevent insider trading. We have the experience to ensure your investments are managed to comply with your company’s rules.
- Retirees. For clients in their early retirement years, we help optimize their life savings and provide detailed financial planning for assurance they are doing everything they can to enjoy a happy and long retirement. We also prepare multi-year tax and cash flow projections to map out the road ahead.
- Those who lost their life partner. We know this an unsettling time and you may be unsure how to handle the finances. Many clients have trusted us to help sort out what to do next and create a customized distribution strategy.
Meet The Team
Mark Atherton, CFP®
Mark is a CFP® practitioner and began his practice in 2004 after a prior career in financial Services with Allstate Insurance Company in 1984. Washingtonian Magazine has named Mark as one of the top financial advisers in the region from 2014 to 2019. He has also been named multiple times including 2023 as a “Expert Financial Advisor” by Northern Virginia Magazine.
Areas of Interest:
- Retirement planning
- Tax planning
- Special Needs Planning
- Insurance Planning
Education:
- B.S. degree in Finance, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
- Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning, Georgetown University
Personal Information:
- Mark currently lives in Vienna, VA with his wife Dorothy and they have three adult children. He enjoys golf, cycling, fly fishing and family travel. He also participates in various charitable and community activities.
Publications:
- Quoted in: The Wall Street Journal, MONEY Magazine, NARFE Magazine, Dow Jones Newswires, Northern Virginia Magazine, and NAPFA Advisor.
Shawn Steel, J.D., CFP®
Shawn became a CFP® practitioner after several years of practicing law in private practice and a federal agency setting, and he enjoys serving as a trusted partner to help clients with the financial ups and downs of life. Shawn advises clients on retirement planning, tax planning, investments, and federal employee financial disclosure requirements. He also supervises preparation of financial disclosure forms for federal employees and advises clients retiring from federal service on the retirement process. Shawn has served as a Subject Matter Expert for the Certified Financial Planner Board of Professional Standards and has been quoted in NARFE magazine.
Areas of Interest:
- Retirement planning
- Tax planning
- Federal employee benefits
- Executive compensation and financial disclosures
- Transition planning
Education:
- Executive Certificate in Financial Planning – Georgetown University, Washington, DC
- Juris Doctorate – University of Maryland School of Law, Baltimore, MD
- Bachelor of Arts (Magna Cum Laude) – Elon College, Elon, NC
Personal Information:
- Shawn lives with his wife and two sons in Fairfax, VA and enjoys gardening and coaching youth soccer in his free time.
Stephanie Murphy, CPA, CFP®
Stephanie is a CFP® practitioner and comes to Apella with over five years of financial planning experience and 20+ years as a Chief Financial Officer for nonprofits and associations. Stephanie advises clients on retirement planning, tax planning, investments, and insurance. Stephanie has a passion for working with individuals, especially women, in transition whether it is a significant career change, divorce or loss of a partner.
Areas of Interest:
- Retirement planning
- Tax planning
- Executive compensation
- Women in Transition
Education:
- B.S. degree in Accounting, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
- Master of Public Administration with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management, George Mason University
- Awarded CFP® certification in financial planning in 2019
Personal Information:
- Stephanie grew up in Springfield, VA, and currently lives with her husband and daughter in Annandale, Virginia. Her son earned his PhD from Virginia Tech and is currently working in engineering in Newport News, VA. She participates in various charitable and community activities. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling and working on jigsaw puzzles.
Julie Hurd, MBA, CFP®
Julie became a CFP® practitioner in 2022 after 20+ years at Freddie Mac in Compliance and Regulatory Reporting. Julie advises clients on retirement planning, tax planning, investments, and insurance. Julie particularly enjoys advising clients in transition and providing investment education to young adults.
Areas of Interest:
- Retirement planning
- Tax planning
- Executive compensation and restricted stock
- Women in Transition
Education:
- B.S. degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV.
- Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Awarded CFP® certification in financial planning in 2024
Personal Information:
- Julie grew up in southern West Virginia and lives in Vienna, VA with her wife, son and three daughters. She volunteers with Cornerstones Food Pantry and is engaged in her community. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, skiing, and traveling.
Andrew Chaffee, CFP®
Andrew joined in 2022 after transitioning from the defense contracting industry, where he spent nine years in various general management roles, including sales, business development and operations. Prior to that he spent seven years in the US Navy as an active-duty naval officer in the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) community.
Areas of Interest:
- Retirement planning
- Portfolio construction
- Transitioning military
- Employer benefits
- Tax planning
Education:
- Master of Business Administration - Georgetown University, Washington, DC
- Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science) – University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Personal Information:
- Andrew lives in Leesburg with his wife and two daughters. He’s an avid woodworker in his downtime and loves triathlon and Crossfit. He coaches youth sports and volunteers at his girls’ youth swim meets.
Helen Burnett
Helen has earned the Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional™ designation, and has over twenty years of experience in Client Service management. She particularly enjoys engaging with clients and getting to know them on a personal level and acting as a trusted and supportive member of the financial planning team. Prior to joining the financial planning industry, she spent many years working in the field of corporate treasury management.
Areas of Interest:
- Helping Clients to Manage Life Transitions
Education:
- B.S.B.A., with a concentration in Finance, Boston University, Boston, MA
Personal Information:
- Originally from Scotland, Helen grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Fairfax, VA with her two adult children and her dog “Teddy”. She enjoys travelling, spending time with friends and volunteering in her community.
Belinda Ramberg
Belinda brings tremendous skills and experience in all aspects of our business: building financial plans, portfolio management, and trading operations. She oversees our portfolio models, trading strategies, monitoring for rebalancing and daily portfolio tasks, such as executing trades and money transfers.
Areas of Interest:
- Design and Implementation of Portfolio Trading Strategies
- Investments
- Women in Transition
Education:
- B.S. in Family Financial Management – Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
Personal Information:
- Belinda is a Virginia native and currently lives with her husband and two children in Ashburn, VA. She enjoys volunteering and planning neighborhood events. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family and traveling.
Sue-Ellen Taylor
Sue-Ellen comes to Apella with 25 years of experience in business management. She supports our financial operations and handles administrative tasks, such as quarterly statements, client billing and maintaining the client databases.
Education:
- A.A.S. in Business Management and Accounting – NoVa Community College, Annandale, VA
Personal Information:
- Sue-Ellen is a Virginia native and currently lives with her two children in Warrenton, VA. She enjoys spending time with her family on the lake in the summer and in the mountains in the winter.
