Meet the Team

Carmen was born and raised in Western New York attended St. Theresa’s Grammar School, Orchard Park High School and the University of Buffalo. Carmen’s career spans 32 years as a Branch Manager with MetLife in Buffalo, NY and agency manager in Las Vegas NV, before co-founding Benefixx LLC. specializing in employee benefit planning affiliated with SunAmerica Securities in 2000.

In addition to his Certified Estate Planning designation, he is certified by the Supreme Court of Arizona as a Certified Legal Document Preparer (AZCLDP).

Carmen’s emphasis on Comprehensive Estate Planning, Wealth Transfer and Legacy Preservation compliments his securities registrations; Series 7 (General Securities), Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent), and Series 66 (Uniform Combined State Law).

Carmen lives in Scottsdale and has 4 children; Dara, Carly, Jake and Sam.

Aaron moved from Chicago to Arizona as a young child. He attended Shadow Mountain High School, then served in the U.S. Navy. Following his four years of service, he entered college at Arizona State University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. After graduating, Aaron accepted a position with New England Financial, where he honed his expertise for 16 years.

A passion for helping others improve and maintain financial achievement is what led Aaron Gordon to Watermark Wealth Strategies. As a Partner, he has the privilege of joining individuals and families on their road to financial independence by way of all-encompassing, tailored strategies. He’s not only a valuable asset to our firm, he’s also a respected leader in the areas of estate planning and money management. In addition to his Masters in Certified Estate Planning (MCEP®) and Certified Financial Planning (CFP®) designations, Aaron is certified by the Supreme Court of Arizona as a Certified Legal Document Preparer (AZCLDP).

When away from the office, Aaron and his wife, Sara, are busy raising four children, Hunter, Aubrie, Ava, and Sophia. His hobbies range from playing guitar and attending sporting events to working on projects around the house. Aaron also volunteers with St. Mary’s Food Bank and is the Past Board President for The Arc of Tempe.

As a partner at Watermark Wealth Strategies, Rich Liberante’s role is to facilitate the harmonization of our clients’ financial lives. Nothing excites him more than to see an uncoordinated mix of investments transform into holistic plan that accounts for all the complex issues of retirement. This involves taking the pieces of the puzzle and rearranging them to connect clients with their complete financial picture.

After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Arizona State University, Rich went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Professional Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin.

Formerly a financial wholesaler, Rich spent two decades consulting with advisors on planning product solutions. It was during this time he noticed many of the firms he visited lacked the ability to effectively aid clients in all the areas they needed – investments, taxes, and estates. He set out to remedy an underserved market through the creation of Watermark’s retirement practice.

Those who know Rich best can speak to his adventurous spirit. He is an avid hiker and cyclist who also enjoys water skiing and the occasional helicopter skiing trip to Canada.

Jake was born in Western New York, has lived in the Valley since 1999 and has been affiliated with Watermark since 2012 after attending the University of Arizona. He is an Accredited Asset Management Specialist, a Registered Representative with Kestra Investment Services, LLC and an Investment Advisor Representative with Kestra Advisory Services, LLC.

Jake resides in Scottsdale.

James has been a distinguished professional in the financial services industry since 1994. As a founding member and partner at Watermark Wealth Strategies, LLC, established in January 2009, James has been instrumental in shaping the firm's mission to deliver independent and custom financial advice tailored to address each client's unique needs and expectations.

Over his three-decade career, James has earned several prestigious designations, including Certified Fund Specialist, Certified Estate Planner, Certified Estate Planning and Trust Specialist, and Certified Legal Document Preparer. These qualifications underscore his expertise and commitment to providing top-tier financial guidance.

James is dedicated to helping clients pursue their most ambitious financial goals, whether that involves saving for a child’s education, purchasing a new boat or RV, planning for a magnificent retirement, passing their wealth on to the next generation, or a combination of all these aspirations. His approach is client-centric, focusing on establishing clear objectives and developing robust plans to pursue them.

Born and raised in Milan, a small farming community in Southeastern Indiana, James learned to appreciate the hard work of others and that focus and dedication to your craft is necessary to accomplish your goals; and James, in turn brings that ambition to his practice for his clients. James holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Indiana State University, with a focus on finance, economics, and risk management. His deep-rooted knowledge and experience are the bedrock of the exceptional service he provides to his clients.

When he's not at the office, James cherishes time with his wife of nearly 30 years, Molly, their daughter Ella (currently attending the University of Arizona), and their two vizsla dogs, Penelope and Beau. James and Molly are also proud parents of two grown sons, Tristan and Tanner, and grandparents to Boone and his soon to be born sister.

An avid outdoorsman, James enjoys a variety of activities such as hiking, trail running, fishing, kayaking, and mountain biking. The San Juan Mountains in Colorado hold a special place in his heart, where he and his family love to spend part of their summer exploring the scenic trails and waterways.

James's dedication to his clients and his passion for the outdoors define his approach to life and work, making him an experienced advisor and a valued partner at Watermark Wealth Strategies, LLC.

Tyler Brilinski has over 25 year’s experience in the financial services industry. He is a graduate of Grand Canyon University and has earned professional financial designations of a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP^®) professional.

Tyler enjoys helping people to plan their retirement by utilizing simple yet proven strategies of wealth accumulation and distribution. He tempers the emotions typically involved in retirement preparedness with customized, logic, and the experience of helping hundreds of similar people pursue the retirement they’ve always hoped for.

Before becoming a financial advisor, Tyler played professional baseball as a member of the Oakland Athletics. Originally from Seattle Washington, he has lived in Arizona for more than 30 years. He and his wife Lorrie enjoy cycling, backpacking, traveling, and spending time with their families.

Ron Davies is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professional with over 24 years of experience. Ron graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. 

Ron grew up in St. John, Indiana, a small town in Northwest Indiana. He enjoyed playing football and continued playing football in college. He was recently inducted into the United States Coast Guard Academy Athletic Hall of Fame for his accomplishments on the field. 

Ron is enthusiastic about bringing his unique estate tax reduction and wealth maximization strategies to bring significant measurable benefits to professionals, individuals, and business owners with extensive, sophisticated estate plans already in place. Ron also develops financial plans designed to help build and preserve wealth. He provides personal service on an ongoing basis in the areas of business planning, investment planning, estate planning, tax planning, risk management, retirement income planning and asset protection.

Ron is a Christian who loves Jesus, and serves in many ministries at Illuminate Community Church. He loves to spend time with his wife of 24 years, Michele, and their three sons, Zane (32), Gage (29), & Mason (22), and one daughter Makayla (18). Ron has 5 grandchildren. Outside of the office, Ron also enjoys playing golf, basketball, biking, hiking, and surfing. 

As a Financial Advisor with Watermark Wealth Strategies, Kevin works with individuals, families and business owners and specializes in wealth accumulation, asset protection, and retirement planning.

“I really enjoy taking something complex and making it simple,” says Kevin. “For example, planning for retirement income. I love walking clients through different distribution strategies, helping them understand their options, and best optimizing their finances.”

Before joining Watermark, Kevin served as a financial analyst with a commercial lending firm, where he worked with business owners on financial goals and forecasts.

“I grew up working for my family’s excavating business, doing everything from operating heavy equipment to managing the office,” says Kevin, “so I experienced the challenges and rewards of small business first hand. Working in the family business, and then getting to know so many business owners in my earlier positions, has helped me understand the needs and concerns of my business clients.”

When he’s not working, Kevin enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing and spending time with his wife and daughter (or “munchkin”, as he calls her). He also enjoys restoring antique tractors and classic cars.

“As a kid, I always spent time working with my dad in his shop,” says Kevin. “We restored old farm tractors and classic Mustangs. Then I got into it myself.”  Right now, his collection includes three ’50s Farmall tractors, two ’69 Mustangs and a ’53 Ford pickup.

Kevin graduated from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with a B.S. in Finance. He is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, holds FINRA Series 7 (General Securities) and 66 (Uniformed Combined State Law) licenses and is also a licensed agent for life and health insurance.

Visit https://calendly.com/kevinhostert to Schedule a call.

Colin was born in Long Beach, California but has lived in Scottsdale, Arizona since 1993. He graduated from Arizona State University in 2011 and worked for Axon Enterprises in a technology sales consultant role for 6.5 years. Colin joined Watermark Wealth Strategies in 2021 and has enjoyed seeing how clients can benefit from an actionable financial plan and a relationship built on trust and integrity. He holds FINRA Series 7 (General Securities) and 66 (Uniformed Combined State Law) licenses and is also a licensed agent for life and health insurance.

Colin is married and has a 1 year old daughter, Isabella. He enjoys spending time with his family, trying new restaurants and keeping up with soccer, football and basketball leagues.

Mariah Hess recently graduated from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. She earned academic honors, graduating Summa Cum Laude, and was the recipient of the prestigious Moeur Award, which is granted to students who maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout all consecutive semesters. Hess comes from a long line of financial professionals, including her father, cousins, and extended family members, whose careers in financial advising and planning have deeply influenced her passion for the field. Inspired by this legacy, she is committed to building a career focused on developing meaningful client relationships and delivering personalized, goal-driven financial advice grounded in integrity and long-term planning.

Allison, born and raised in California, has lived in the Valley since 2009 and has been affiliated with Watermark since April of 2011. She attended Scottsdale Community College and has a background in hospitality and tourism management. As Marketing Coordinator, Allison’s emphasis is client communications. Allison coordinates and arranges client seminars, educational meetings, and client events.

Allison lives in Scottsdale with her son, Sam.

Kimberly joined Watermark in 2014 with 31 years of experience in practice management and customer service. Also, Kimberly also owned and operated an independent business for 9 years. Besides holding FINRA Series 6 (Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative) and 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law) registrations, Kimberly has her AZ Life, Health, and Variable Annuities licenses. She was also licensed and certified by the State of AZ as a Private Fiduciary for 7 years and assisted CPAs and EAs with tax preparation for 8 years. Before her experience in the financial services industry, Kimberly spent 17 years managing a dental practice and was also a small business owner for 9 years. She prides herself in establishing and maintaining relationships with clients and being a liaison in servicing their needs.

Away from work, Kimberly loves spending time with her family at different sporting events and volunteering for various charitable organizations.

Catherine has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Arizona. She joined Watermark in 2020 after previously working in the Financial Service industry for over 10 years. 

During this time at Watermark she has implemented several systems and procedures that have helped increase efficiency and client satisfaction. She is currently pursuing her Series 7 license in order to elevate her client and advisor services to a new level.

As a Practice Manager Catherine works to implement the the client service model by maintaining strong relationships, day to day operations, routine client account maintenance and addressing client questions or concerns at the highest level.

Catherine has lived in Arizona for over 25 years. She enjoys spending time with her family, friends and attending sporting events. 

Chris has worked as an investment and retirement consultant for over 28 years. Prior to starting his own practice in 1999, Chris worked for Deloitte & Touche, Watson Wyatt Worldwide / State Street Global Advisors and Ernst & Young.

Chris specializes in advising companies and individuals on the full spectrum of group and individual benefits: retirement plans and investments; asset-based income streams; medical, dental, and vision coverage; life insurance; and disability insurance.

Chris attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota where he graduated in 1988 with a degree in Mathematics and Economics.

Morgan Ayers joined Watermark in 2024, bringing over 40 years of experience as a Financial Advisor. Based in Surprise, Arizona his robust skillset includes strategic finance, investments, and retirement planning. Morgan’s consultative approach ensures clients’ needs, goals, and risk tolerance are considered within each facet of their plan.
Morgan has a family first mentality with his support staff consisting of his daughter, Brittany Derrick and his son, Morgan Wickman Ayers. Both are following in his footsteps not only for current clients, but for the next generation.