Meet the founding team.
Avise was founded by people passionate about providing others with new opportunities previously inaccessible by many. This is baked into the soul of our company.
Leighann Miko, CFP®
Co-Founder | LinkedIn
Leighann grew up in a household that faced constant financial volatility, which led to her forming her first plan: she was going to go to college and create for herself a more secure life. During her time at California State University, Northridge, Leighann was exposed to the world of personal financial planning while working for a local independent RIA. It was a job that led to a calling.
With a desire to help others create the financially secure life she never thought she’d have, Leighann recognizes the value of financial stability. Knowing what it’s like to be underestimated herself, her mission became clear: to balance the financial playing field for all.
Financially, everyone’s needs are singular. We’re all dealing with a different past and facing our own uncertain futures. There is no one-size-fits-all way to success however you measure it, be it with money, independence, or happiness. So, in an ever-changing world, Leighann offers this much certainty: everyone can have independence. Everyone can be treated fairly. And no one has to do it alone. Together, we can change the landscape.
Katrina Soelter, CFP®
Co-Founder | LinkedIn
Katrina grew up with a mother who worked and a father who stayed home. When deciding her life path, she knew she wanted to follow in her mom’s footsteps – finding work she loved that made a difference in the world, building a family, and creating the balance to enjoy both.
A graduate of UC Berkeley, she first discovered the power of financial planning during an elective course her senior year. Paired with the flexibility and control inherent in running a business, it felt like the answer to her vision for her life. However, she soon saw that balance often wasn’t possible while working inside traditional business models.
This personal experience sparked her drive to start Avise. As an advisor and mother, she is passionate about creating opportunities for financial fulfillment for advisors and individuals. She believes every family deserves access to the power of planning. When advisors have intentional ownership over their practice and their lives, their work with clients deepens and flourishes. Avise was born to make that possible.