People
Our team is here to meet each client's individual goals and dreams, and managing and protecting your wealth is only a small piece of our mission. We take a holistic approach to planning so you can find peace of mind and financial security throughout your lifetime and beyond.
Executives
Advisors
The Nautilus Group®
Eagle Strategies LLC Leadership
Advisors
Team
The Nautilus Group®
Exclusive Business and Estate Planning Resource
The Nautilus Group® is an exclusive membership-based resource accessible to an elite group of approximately 200 experienced insurance and financial industry leaders who are firmly committed to a team planning concept. Nautilus Members work with affluent, high net worth and business owner clients, professional athletes, professional entertainers, farmers and ranchers, physicians, corporate executives and retired executives.
Eagle Strategies LLC
Comprehensive Investment Advisory & Financial Planning
Eagle Strategies offers our Financial Advisors a robust platform of financial solutions including financial planning, investment advisory programs, charitable investing, and brokerage services. This wide range of high-quality financial products allows them to construct a tailored strategy designed to meet your specific financial goals.
El Paso Children's Hospital
Lizzie and Brian are proud ongoing sponsors of the El Paso Children's Hospital Oncology Playroom – one of the busiest in the hospital and home of the Therapeutic Art Program for patients. Read the release on the dedication here.
Paso Del Norte
Children's Development Center
Lizzie is an active board member of the Paso Del Norte Children's Development Center in
El Paso. The Development Center was designed to provide children with special needs and
their families therapeutic and educational
support services in El Paso.
YWCA
Lizzie and Crown Wealth Strategies are premier sponsors
of the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes march, hosted by the YWCA.
The United Way of El Paso
Lizzie is an active board member of the United Way of El Paso, a charitable
organization that has been
active in the El Paso community for nearly 100 years.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Lizzie is a proud sponsor of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude's mission is to provide state of the art treatment to children facing cancer and other catastrophic diseases, and in doing so, to advance cures and means of prevention.
World Vision
Lizzie is a supporter of World Vision, and organization that is committed to tackling the causes of poverty and injustice head on by providing opportunities and resources to those in need.
Children's Grief Center of El Paso
Lizzie proudly supports the Children's Grief Center here in El Paso. The CGC is a non-profit organization that provides an environment of healing, hope, and safety to grieving children, teens, and their families.
Make-a-Wish Foundation
Lizzie is a proud supporter of Make-a-Wish, an organization dedicated to providing special experiences to children battling critical illnesses.
Coronado High School
Lizzie loves supporting our local schools to help provide opportunities for students to further their education and enjoy the learning process.
University of Texas McCombs Business School
With one of her daughters attending the McCombs Business School at UT Austin, Lizzie truly enjoys supporting the school through various efforts.
Young President's Organization
Lizzie is an active board member with the Young President's Organization (YPO) in El Paso. Members of YPO are all top executives in their businesses or organizations that meet specific criteria, and leverage their membership to help make a difference in the El Paso community.
FINANCIAL PLANNING STRATEGIES¹ & SOLUTIONS
Rafaela Gittens, CFP®
Head of the Financial Planning Strategies and Solutions Team
Rafaela Diaz Gittens is a financial professional with 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She currently serves as Corporate Vice President, Head of Financial Planning Solutions with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life. As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Rafaela has a deep passion for helping families and individuals develop long-term financial strategies that align with their unique goals and aspirations.
Throughout her career as a financial planner, Rafaela has worked with firms such as UBS, TIAA-CREF, and JP Morgan Chase. Prior to joining New York Life, she was a Planning Excellence Consultant at Northwestern Mutual Insurance, where she provided subject- matter expertise to product managers. Rafaela holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 licenses and is recognized for her expertise in financial planning, always leading with a comprehensive, client-focused approach.
Rafaela holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Master of Education (M.Ed.) from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from Cornell University. She began her career in education, a field she continues to value, and is dedicated to lifelong learning.
Marzena Hrebenko, CRPC®
Financial Planning Consultant
Marzena D Hrebenko is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and Corporate Vice President with Eagle Strategies, a subset of New York Life. Marzena originally came from Poland in 2003 and started her financial services career at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, where she discovered her deep interest and passion for financial planning. She continued expanding her expertise at UBS for the past years, working not only as a planning specialist but also as a true advisor to all sorts of executives and leaders. Her dedication for building real and long-term relationships with clients as well as her desire for helping and advising people on different aspects in life, gives Marzena a chance to be not only the financial professional but also the trustworthy friend for life who tries to make the difference.
Marzena graduated from the Zicklin School of Business in New York with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting in 2011. In 2012 she obtained Master’s degree in Financial Statement Analysis and Securities Valuation, associated with the Certified Financial Analysis partnership.
Jacqueline Wilson, CFP®
Financial Planning Specialist
Jacqueline is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Financial Planning Specialist with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life. She is responsible for supporting Eagle Advisors through all aspects of the financial planning process. This includes helping advisors to leverage eMoney, assisting in data review, case design, and plan creation. She is also responsible for coaching advisors and providing them with best practices to enhance their financial planning practice. Jacqueline is passionate about taking a holistic approach to planning and determining strategies to optimize clients’ wealth.
Alexis Quaglieri, CFP®
Financial Planning Specialist
Alexis is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Financial Planning Specialist with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life. She is responsible for supporting Eagle’s advisors with the financial planning process. This includes but is not limited to case development, coaching, best practices, and leveraging financial planning tools. Alexis has been working in the financial services industry since 2014 and has held positions on the Wealth Management Team at UBS in addition to serving as Director of Planning at Lincoln Financial Group. Alexis graduated from Stockton University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and a concentration in Financial Planning. In addition to being a CFP® practitioner, she is also FINRA Series 7 and 66 licensed.
Nathaniel DeJesus, CLU®, CHFC®
Financial Planning Specialist
Nate is a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), and Financial Planning Specialist with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life. In his current role, Nate provides vital support to Eagle Strategies' financial advisors, assisting in all aspects of the financial planning process. His responsibilities include case development, coaching, implementing best practices, and utilizing advanced financial planning tools to enhance client outcomes.
Nate joined New York Life in 2024, bringing over six years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies, he worked as a client-facing Financial Planner with MassMutual Financial Group, where he developed a strong foundation in comprehensive financial planning. His expertise extends beyond client-facing roles, drawing on a background in financial consulting.
Howard Pickering, CFP®, AAMS®
Financial Planning Consultant
Howard is a Certified Financial Planner and Corporate Vice President with Eagle Strategies, a subset of New York Life. He is responsible for supporting Eagle’s advisors with holistic comprehensive financial planning, coaching, and sharing best practices. Howard has nearly a decade of experience in the financial services industry and has a passion for helping people achieve financial success. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies, Howard worked for Charles Schwab and a boutique RIA where he specialized in working with high-net-worth households. He holds a BS in Mathematics and minor in Business from the University of Oregon. Howard is FINRA 7 and 66 licensed.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SALES & SOLUTIONS
Timothy Farrell
Portfolio Specialist
Tim is a Corporate Vice President and Portfolio Specialist with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life, and is responsible for analyzing financial statements and offering guidance in positioning asset managers in client portfolios. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies in 2015, Tim was a Senior Director at Oppenheimer Asset Management where he partnered with financial advisors to present investment solutions to prospective clients and client portfolio reviews to their high-net-worth and institutional clients. Tim has over 25 years of investment experience and earned a BBA in Business Management from Hofstra University. Tim is FINRA Series 7 and 65 licensed.
John Furey
Internal Consultant
John Furey is a Senior Associate and Internal Consultant with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life, and is responsible for providing customized wealth management solutions to advisors and affluent clients. John has 7 years of experience in the financial services industry, working as a Financial Professional with Prudential assisting clients in a wide variety of financial planning, as well as working as an Internal Wholesaler at AIG Funds and Global X ETFs assisting advisors by leveraging financial products to fit client portfolio needs. John is a graduate of Wagner College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance. He is FINRA Series 7 and 63 licensed.
Joseph Guglielmo
Internal Consultant
Joseph Guglielmo is a Senior Associate of Eagle Strategies. Joseph joins us with over eight years of experience working with Financial Advisors and their clients. He specializes in wealth management strategies and investment portfolio construction and analysis. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies, Joseph held Wealth Management positions at Oceanstate Financial Services, AMG Funds, and Oppenheimer & Co. Joseph earned his FINRA Series 7, 63 and 65 licenses and has a B.S. in Business Administration and Finance from the University of Rhode Island.
Bruce Honicky
Portfolio Specialist
Bruce is a Corporate Vice President of Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life, in the role of Wealth Management Portfolio Specialist. In this role, he supports our Financial Advisors to help them build their advisory business and meet their clients’ needs. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies, Bruce spent 14 years with Wells Fargo Capital Management. Bruce has worked for several NYC firms including Bear Stearns, Gruntal & Co., and Oppenheimer & Co and has over 28 years of experience in the brokerage industry. Bruce has an extensive sales and marketingbackground while working with financial advisors and high net worth clients. During his career, he has had success leading teams and managing client relationships with a consultative approach. Bruce earned his FINRA Series 7 and 65 licenses and has a B.A. in public administration from Miami University
Robert Stein
Portfolio Specialist
Robert is a Corporate Vice President and Portfolio Specialist with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life, and is responsible for analyzing financial statements and offering guidance in positioning asset managers in client portfolios. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies in 2020, Robert worked as a National Accounts Manager for Invesco responsible for new business development and client relationship management with institutional platforms offering wealth management and retirement solutions. He has over 20 years of experience within Financial Services holding sales and investment product management positions at BNY Mellon, Merrill Lynch and Prudential. He earned an MBA degree in Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a BS degree in Accounting from Rutgers University. Robert is FINRA Series 7 and 66 licensed.
Jeffrey Tenorio
Internal Consultant
Jeff is a Corporate Vice President and Portfolio Specialist with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life, and is responsible for analyzing financial statements and offering guidance in positioning asset managers in client portfolios. Jeff joined Eagle Strategies from our parent company New York Life’s NYLIFE Securities Operations team and New York Life’s subsidiary, New York Life Investment Management LLC where he held a sales role. Prior to joining New York Life, Jeff worked as a Regional Advisor Consultant at Oppenheimer Funds where he helped drive sales in the Northern Virginia region, making it the number one region in 2015. Jeff also worked at Citigroup in a sales support role. Jeff earned a BA in Communications from SUNY Albany, is FINRA Series 7 and 63 licensed, and is fluent in Spanish.
Jon-Paul Weiss
Internal Consultant
Jon-Paul is a Senior Associate and Internal Consultant with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life, and is responsible for providing customized wealth management solutions to advisors and affluent clients. Jon-Paul has 12 years of experience in the financial services industry, including serving on the sales side and supporting clients at Advisor Group and IndexIQ. Jon-Paul earned a BA from Wagner College and is FINRA Series 7 and 63 licensed.
Reynaldo Ortiz, CFP®
Internal Consultant
Rey Ortiz is a Senior Associate and Internal Consultant with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life, where he is responsible for delivering customized wealth management solutions to financial advisors and their affluent clients. With more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, Rey has dedicated his career to supporting advisors in helping clients achieve their long-term financial goals. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies, he held positions with several leading firms, including M Financial Group, Northwestern Mutual, and Merrill. Rey holds his FINRA Series 6, 7, 63, and 66 licenses, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professional, and earned his B.S in Business Finance from Southern New Hampshire University.
¹Financial planning services are offered by financial advisors with Eagle Strategies LLC approved to conduct financial planning.
Lizzie Dipp Metzger
Founder and Financial Advisor, CFP®
Lizzie's firsthand experience on how disruptive business succession and estate planning can be, she saw the need for financial advisors to act as quarterbacks, truly overseeing the big picture of a client's needs, not just the parts that they're directly involved in. She founded Crown Wealth Strategies to be that kind of firm, and she credits her comprehensive, client-centric approach with the fact that her business has grown into one of the most sought-after advisory practices in the nation.
Education
- Bachelor of Arts, International Relations, Pomona College
- Masters of Science, Financial Services, The American College
Designations
Recognition
- 2023 Forbes Top 100 Financial Security Professionals
- 2022 Forbes Top 100 Financial Security Professionals
- 2021 Forbes Top 250 Financial Security Professionals^
- NAIFA "Four Under Forty" Award
- New York Life 2018 Council President, Awarded once in a Lifetime to the Top Producer at New York Life
- MDRT since 2009, Top of Top of the Table since 2016
- NAIFA Quality Award Financial Advising since 2013
- NYL Long Term Care Award
Philanthropy
- Dipp Metzger Children's Oncology Playroom, El Paso Children's Hospital
- Board Member, Paso Del Norte Children's Development Center
- Board Member, YPO (Young President's Organization)
- Dipp Metzger Board Member, The United Way of El Paso
- Board Member, Borderplex Alliance
Brian Metzger, LUTCF
President of Business Development, Financial Advisor
Brian T. Metzger is the President of Business Development at Crown Wealth Strategies and works to scale our unique business model providing world-class wealth strategies and estate planning to our clients on a highly customized basis. An award-winning financial services executive and former Partner at New York Life's El Paso General Office, Brian brings to Crown Wealth Strategies a singular combination of credentialed financial expertise and proven management experience.
Brian Metzger's credentials span financial services and management responsibilities. He holds securities FINRA Series 6, 63, 7, 66, and 24 Licenses as well as his Life and Health licenses. Brian Metzger built his reputation as a leading expert in El Paso as a Partner at New York Life's El Paso General Office where he has been recognized as "Partner of the Year" for the last five consecutive years within the El Paso New York Life General Office.
Brian has been married to Lizzie Dipp Metzger for 18 years and has three children. He is an avid athlete that loves to compete in biking and running events. Brian is originally from Brighton, IL, but has called El Paso his home for the last 17 years.
Javier Zubiate, FSCP
Financial Advisor
Javier is a Financial Advisor focused on serving small-business owners, professionals, and families to ensure they can meet all their financial goals. He started his career as a teenager in the accounting department of his family's local HVAC company, and he was inspired to join the financial services industry so he could help other entrepreneurs with their financial health. As the head of our Employee Benefits department, he strives to be a go-to resource for small-business owners. To him, helping these people in his community thrive is one of the most rewarding aspects of his career.
Education is a top priority for Javier, and he earned an MBA with a specialization in finance as well as bachelors' degrees in both accounting and finance. He is a Financial Services Certified Professional® and is currently pursuing additional financial designations. He holds his FINRA Series 7, 66, and 63 Licenses, as well as his Life and Health Licenses. As a constant learner, he loves reading, and some of his favorite financial books are The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley, Principles by Ray Dalio, and The Intelligent Investor by Ben Graham. He's also a fan of Edgar Allan Poe.
Javier and his family have a weekly dinner together, and one of his favorite hobbies is grilling out or cooking for them. He loves staying active, and he is currently on recreational teams for volleyball, football, and soccer, which he has played since he was four.
Patrick Williams
Financial Professional
Patrick Williams is a Financial Professional focused on serving small business owners, professionals, and families to achieve their financial goals and put protection strategies in place. Born and raised in El Paso Tx he graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and business administration.
He spent 14 years in an advertising sales and management career with KFOX14, CBS4 and KUSA in Denver CO. He started his career in Financial Services in 2021 and now holds his Life and Health License, SIE, Series 6, and Series 63.
He prides himself on being involved with multiple community events and organizations and is proud to go home to his beautiful wife and son each day. He loves to grill/cook, golf and spend all the time with his family he can.
Pablo Magdaleno Carlos, CLU®, ChFC®
President of Operations and Client Experience
Pablo A. Magdaleno Carlos, President of Operations and Client Experience for Crown Wealth Strategies, started his career in the financial services in 2006 working with several prominent financial institutions. He has developed expertise in financial planning, client relations, strategic development systems, and growth development coaching.
Pablo graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor's in business administration degree in Operations & Supply Chain Management from the University of Texas at El Paso. Additionally, he currently holds his General Lines License, SIE, Series 6, Series 7, Series 63, Series 66, and Series 26. Additionally, Pablo holds the professional designations of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) from the American College of Financial Services.
Pablo prides himself in supporting his community partnering with multiple non-profit organizations to strategically support programs and projects within our community. He currently serves as Chairman of the board of directors for the El Paso Children's Hospital Foundation & the University Medical Center Foundation, as well as serving as President Emeritus of the board of directors of the Children's Grief Center of El Paso.
Paulette Acosta-Hayen
Director of Client Relations
Paulette Acosta-Hayen joined Crown Wealth Strategies in 2011. Paulette manages Client Services and is the primary point of contact for Crown Wealth Strategies clients for all administrative and operational needs, including account openings.
Prior to joining Crown Wealth Strategies, Paulette worked in Special Projects Accounting and Accounts Payable. Paulette has over five years of experience in the financial services industry. Being a Licensed Service Assistant, Paulette has passed her Group 1 and obtained her Texas Insurance License.
Paulette was born and raised in El Paso where she is actively involved in the community. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso with a B.B.A. in Accounting.
Christine Walter
Director of Operations
Christine joined Crown Wealth Strategies in 2021 as a valued employee, working directly works directly with clients to help answer questions and provide account information. As a Licensed Service Assistant, she has passed her Group 1 exam for Life, Accident, and Health Insurance and holds her Texas Insurance License. Prior to joining Crown Wealth Strategies, Christine worked in both the insurance and financial management fields.
Christine was born and raised just outside of Seattle, Washington, and she graduated from Seattle University with a Bachelor of Science in applied mathematics and a minor in creative writing. She lived in Virginia before moving to Texas in 2021.
Jacqueleen Lopez
Marketing Coordinator
Jacqueleen joined Crown Wealth Strategies as the Marketing Coordinator, where she manages communications and supports the firm’s outreach efforts. As a Licensed Service Assistant, she has passed her Group 1 exam for Life, Accident, and Health Insurance and holds her Texas Insurance License. In addition to her role at Crown Wealth Strategies, Jacqueleen continues to support her community by managing social media for various nonprofit organizations.
Born and raised in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, Jacqueleen later lived in Maryland, where she graduated from McDaniel College in 2023 with a degree in Marketing, before moving to El Paso in 2024.
Cynthia Carcano
Operations Coordinator
I was born in Germany but grew up in El Paso, TX. I went to UTEP for 2 years, but did not finish. So I guess you can put I attended UTEP. I went to culinary school and graduated from the California Culinary Academy of San Francisco.
Kristina Lopez
Retirement and Estate Planning Coordinator
Kristina was born in Louisiana but raised in El Paso,TX. She graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration (BBA) with a concentration in Economics. She started her career in the finance industry in 2015 at Charles Schwab and joined the staff of Crown Wealth Strategies in 2025. She currently holds her Life & Health insurance license along with Finra Series 7, 63, and 9/10 licenses. On her free time, Kristina likes to spend time with her 16-year-old son. She is also an advocate for rescuing animals and has 6 rescue dogs. She loves sports, staying active and is always eager to expand her knowledge in the finance industry.
Carolina Escobar
Operations Coordinator
Born and raised in El Paso, TX, Carolina Escobar holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with a concentration in Finance and a minor in Marketing from the University of Texas at El Paso. She currently works as a Operations Coordinator and is taking additional coursework and training to enhance her expertise in the finance industry.
El Paso Children's Hospital
Lizzie and Brian are proud ongoing sponsors of the El Paso Children's Hospital Oncology Playroom – one of the busiest in the hospital and home of the Therapeutic Art Program for patients. Read the release on the dedication here.
Paso Del Norte
Children's Development Center
Lizzie is an active board member of the Paso Del Norte Children's Development Center in
El Paso. The Development Center was designed to provide children with special needs and
their families therapeutic and educational
support services in El Paso.
YWCA
Lizzie and Crown Wealth Strategies are premier sponsors
of the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes march, hosted by the YWCA.
The United Way of El Paso
Lizzie is an active board member of the United Way of El Paso, a charitable
organization that has been
active in the El Paso community for nearly 100 years.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Lizzie is a proud sponsor of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude's mission is to provide state of the art treatment to children facing cancer and other catastrophic diseases, and in doing so, to advance cures and means of prevention.
World Vision
Lizzie is a supporter of World Vision, and organization that is committed to tackling the causes of poverty and injustice head on by providing opportunities and resources to those in need.
Children's Grief Center of El Paso
Lizzie proudly supports the Children's Grief Center here in El Paso. The CGC is a non-profit organization that provides an environment of healing, hope, and safety to grieving children, teens, and their families.
Make-a-Wish Foundation
Lizzie is a proud supporter of Make-a-Wish, an organization dedicated to providing special experiences to children battling critical illnesses.
Coronado High School
Lizzie loves supporting our local schools to help provide opportunities for students to further their education and enjoy the learning process.
University of Texas McCombs Business School
With one of her daughters attending the McCombs Business School at UT Austin, Lizzie truly enjoys supporting the school through various efforts.
Young President's Organization
Lizzie is an active board member with the Young President's Organization (YPO) in El Paso. Members of YPO are all top executives in their businesses or organizations that meet specific criteria, and leverage their membership to help make a difference in the El Paso community.
