Lauren Celeste Morgan, BFA™, CDFA®, CMFA®, APMA®

I attribute my success to my 12-year career journey, my commitment to continuous growth, and my passion for helping clients achieve their financial goals. I began my career as an intern at UBS while in college and progressively advanced through various roles before joining a franchise practice at Ameriprise, where I have worked with my current team for eight years. This year, I had the opportunity to become a Partner and Vice President, taking on expanded leadership responsibilities that include client meetings, reviewing profit and loss, making hiring decisions, and supporting practice acquisitions. I value the variety of my role and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact each day. My education has also played an important role in my success. Although I initially pursued psychology at Wright State University with the goal of becoming a children's therapist, shadowing professionals in the field led me to pursue a different career path. I have found that my psychology background remains highly relevant to financial advising, particularly in behavioral finance and financial counseling, allowing me to better understand clients' perspectives and help them make informed financial decisions.

The best career advice I’ve received is to surround myself with excellent mentors and remain open to learning from their experience. One of the most influential mentors in my career has been Shannon Yeary, Beyond Wealth's current COO, whose more than 20 years of experience with the organization have provided invaluable guidance in navigating operations, leadership, and team dynamics. Her mentorship has helped me grow both professionally and personally and reinforced the importance of building strong relationships throughout my career. I also believe in giving back to the community, which is why I am proud to serve on the Dayton Children’s Women’s Board, participate in local parish finance committees, and volunteer with the Dayton Food Bank and the KIND Campaign, which supports anti-bullying initiatives for school-aged girls.

My advice to young women entering the financial industry is to always keep learning, remain confident in your abilities, and never be afraid to pursue success in a traditionally male-dominated field. Embrace opportunities to grow, seek out mentors who will support and challenge you, and do not allow stereotypes or obstacles to limit your ambitions. Your knowledge, perspective, and determination are valuable, so trust yourself, continue developing your skills, and have the courage to pursue leadership opportunities.

One of the biggest opportunities in my field is continuing to grow as a leader while balancing the demands of a rewarding career and family life. Being recognized by AdvisorHub on its Top Advisors Under $1 Billion in Production list and its Top Next-Gen Advisors list has been a meaningful achievement and has motivated me to continue raising the bar for myself and my team. At the same time, becoming a new mother last June and preparing to welcome my second child, a baby boy due October 1, has given me a new perspective on leadership, priorities, and balance. I see these experiences as opportunities to continue growing both personally and professionally while demonstrating that women can achieve meaningful success in financial services while building fulfilling lives outside of work.

The values that are most important to me in both my professional and personal life are hard work, perseverance, integrity, and authenticity. I believe my journey is a testament to the fact that dedication and consistent effort truly pay off. One of my most meaningful accomplishments has been being recognized on Forbes’ Top Advisor lists, including the Best-in-State Next-Gen Advisors list and the Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State list for 2026. These recognitions have been incredibly rewarding and reinforce my commitment to serving my clients and continuing to grow as a leader. I am proud of how far I have come and remain excited about the opportunities and achievements that lie ahead in my career.