Team

Jim Regitz is the Founder and an Advisor at Newport Advisory. He started his career in 1984, with Cigna Financial Advisors (now Sagemark Consulting) where he ultimately advanced to the position of Regional Vice President while maintaining his successful role as a financial advisor. In 1995, Jim left the corporate world to become a truly independent financial advisor offering comprehensive management to his clients. For his entire career, Jim’s mission has been to help clients utilize their resources in order to pursue their passion and live a life of meaning. Newport Advisory embodies that mission. Jim oversees the strategic direction of the firm, while continuing to work with his long-time clients. Jim graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in business administration. He earned his Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation from The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. A resident of Eastside Costa Mesa, Jim’s main focus is on his children, Trey and Emily, and keeping up with their school, sports and social activities. He aims to instill in them the same mid-western values with which he was raised (his family moved from Chicago to California when he was in elementary school). In his free time, Jim coaches football and enjoys indoor and outdoor cycling, photography and traveling to tropical getaways. He’s an avid sports fan and can often be found cheering for local football teams, the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Angels. Jim and his family belong to the Balboa Bay Club and are active members of their church.

David Meltzer served as a financial advisor for more than 35 years and retired in October 2021. He started his career with Cigna Financial Services where he was inspired by the “serve first” philosophy of Stuart Smith. David is committed to helping people understand capital and how it can be used to improve the quality of life and to create legacies. In 2001, he founded David Meltzer & Associates (now part of Newport Advisory). The mission of the company was to provide objective financial advice without conflicts of interest imposed by insurance companies, banks or brokerage firms to sell products. Throughout his career, David assisted clients in establishing financial security and helped ensure a smooth transition of their capital to family members, businesses or charities. The basis of his advice was to promote an understanding of company and personal cash flow. David has a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from the University of Bridgeport. He loves jazz and played saxophone, clarinet and flute professionally until he was 26, touring with professional groups which included the Glenn Miller Orchestra. David is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Certified Life Underwriter (CLU). His commitment to philanthropy is implemented through his donor advised fund, which provides grants to many charitable organizations committed to healing the sick and feeding the hungry. Married, with a wonderful son, David enjoys spending time with family and pursuing his passion for cycling, yoga, and antique toys.

Jay is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary®. He graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, MA with honors earning a Bachelor of Science degree with a dual concentration in Finance and Management. Since 1990, he has gained experience as an Analyst, Sales Director, and Financial Advisor. He helps clients, as well as other Advisors, understand the investment & insurance industries. As both an Advisor and Newport Advisory’s Director of Financial Planning, his vision is to bring clarity to our clients’ financial lives. Whether someone is just starting their career, in retirement, reworking their financial plan, or somewhere in between; he brings a wealth of experience to help clients create a long-term financial plan designed to achieve their life goals and dreams. With the heart of a teacher, Jay strives to be sure his clients understand their financial lives in transparent and easy to understand language. He feels blessed to be able to help people in such a critical area. His caring personal approach, trustworthiness, as well as other qualities, enabled Jay to qualify to become a SmartVestor Pro for the Dave Ramsey organization for many years. Jay enjoys running and was pleased to realize a childhood dream by completing a marathon, as well as a variety of half marathons. He also enjoys biking and golf. He and his wife, Kathleen, have three grown children, and are blessed to be grandparents. They are active members of Cottonwood Church.

Chris Richards started his career in financial services in 2011 and joined David Meltzer & Associates, Inc. (acquired by Newport Advisory, LLC) in 2014 as a portfolio analyst. He has continued to advance in his career and serves our clients as a member of our Advisor team since 2018. He continues to expand his knowledge and is currently pursuing his Certified Financial Planner CFP® certification. Chris earned a BA in history from Stony Brook University in New York, which he attended on a football scholarship. After college, he spent a year with the Seattle Seahawks as a practice team player. In life and in business, he is guided by the principles he was raised with – honesty, humility, and hard work. His goal is to ensure that everyone he encounters – clients and colleagues – has a stellar experience. When not working, Chris is actively involved with Plays & Grades, Inc., a non-profit organization connecting athletics and education, started originally by his parents. He also enjoys spending time with his twin sons in athletic pursuits.

Anju has been with Newport Advisory since 2013. She joined our firm as a Client Service Specialist and Executive Assistant to Jim Regitz. She continues to expand her knowledge and is currently a valued member of our Advisor team working closely with Jim Regitz and Jay Yanelli. Anju started her career in the legal field after receiving a BA in Political Science in 1980. She worked for several years in a K-Street Washington DC law firm before moving to Columbus Ohio with her family and newly born son. There she matched up with an estate planning/title insurance attorney where she had a lengthy career leading up to her status as a Paralegal. After Anju moved to Southern California in 2002, she worked in a financial planning firm before joining Newport. She attained her Series 7 and Series 66 in 2008. She is a Notary Public. She has obtained the Registered Paraplanner (RP®) designation, as well as the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® designation. When she is not planning or finance-analyzing for Newport Advisory clients, Anju enjoys spending time with her family. She has a passion for knitting, and she enjoys Bollywood movies with friends. Outdoors, she is a budding golfer, thanks to her golfing husband and son. She also loves to read and listen to music.

Stephen is passionate about helping people reach their financial goals and live a life of financial freedom. Having grown up with limited means, he understands how a disciplined, comprehensive, and personalized planning approach can assist clients in living a more fulfilled life without financial worry. Stephen studied finance and economic modeling. He received his degree in Economics from Lafayette College in eastern Pennsylvania. Stephen has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry helping clients with their investment, retirement, and insurance planning. He joined Newport Advisory in 2020 and is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary ®. Stephen, his wife Christine, their son and two daughters live in South Orange County. With three active children, they are frequent volunteers for sports and activities. An avid swimmer, Stephen can be found competing at master’s swim meets throughout Southern California. He also enjoys a nice glass of wine during his leisure time.

Michael Lathrop has been with Newport Advisory since 2012, assisting in the research, analysis, and investment management processes. As a sophomore in high school, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps immediately after high school and served six years as a Field Radio Operator out of Camp Pendleton, California. He graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Michael credits his background with teaching him the discipline required to excel under pressure and developing strong leadership skills. Early in his studies, he discovered his passion for financial markets and dedicated himself to learning about the markets. Michael spent significant amounts of his time outside the classroom teaching himself econometrics, statistics, financial analysis, and portfolio management. He remains an avid reader and tries to finish a book every two weeks. When he is not pursuing knowledge, Michael enjoys outdoor activities and likes to spend time skiing, hiking, dirt biking, or playing hockey. After playing hockey in high school, and briefly for Chapman University, he retains a passion for the sport, and is a big Anaheim Ducks fan.

Nathan joined Newport Advisory, LLC in 2020 as Portfolio Administrator. Prior to that he lived in Arizona where he began his career in Financial Services in 2013 with a large financial firm. He holds the Series 7 and 63 Certifications. Nathan works closely with our Advisors and is an integral part of our investment management team. He is primarily responsible for the administration and maintenance of our portfolio management activities and software. Nathan has a BS in Business and an MA in Secondary Education. He taught high school in Arizona, where he enjoyed seeing growth, understanding, and confidence develop in the students he taught. Similarly, in his new role, he enjoys helping Advisors increase their depth of understanding to better enable them to communicate with clients. He believes an educated investor is confident and calm during the ebbs and flows of the financial markets. Outside of the office, Nathan and his wife, Julie, enjoy hiking and exploring the California coastline with its beaches and tidepools, as well as spotting passing dolphins. They also enjoy finding new local restaurants to frequent and support.

Allison Riley began her financial services career in 1986, at Cigna Financial Services. While there, she completed the requirements for the Paraplanner certification. It was at Cigna that Allison met David Meltzer and joined him when he started his own firm in 2001, David Meltzer & Associates (now part of Newport Advisory). As Director of Operations, she has handled a variety of duties and responsibilities over the years, including human resources, office management, bookkeeper and financial planning production. Allison is passionate about natural health and healing, and earned a BS in Natural Health from Clayton College in 2003. An avid reader, she also enjoys yoga, pursuing her interest in spirituality and healing, and spending time with her family, including two grown sons and three grandchildren.

Katie Gorman joined Newport Advisory in 2014. She began her career as a receptionist. Her dedication, willingness to learn, desire to advance her knowledge, and consistent pursuit of excellence, helped her attain her current position as Client Service Manager. Katie manages and oversees our Client Services team which is responsible for the generation and processing of all account paperwork, as well as the administrative servicing of accounts. This team also serves as the liaison between Newport Advisory, LLC, and our custodians for client administrative and service needs. Katie has a gift for organization and process. She is pleased to use her skills to assure that our Client Services team is providing clients with a seamless and enjoyable experience. When Katie is not working, she enjoys checking out local coffee shops with her husband, teaching/practicing yoga, and making baked goods.

Kate Devranos began her financial services career in 2016 at Cambridge Trust Company in Boston, Massachusetts. She joined Newport Advisory in 2018 after moving back home to Southern California. Born and raised in Southern California, Kate attended Cal Poly Pomona where she received a BA in English Literature. Her love for people is what drives her passion in her current Client Service Associate position. When not working you can usually find Kate either at the beach or relaxing on a patio with friends. She enjoys yoga, nature, cooking, historical and true crime podcasts, and being cozy at home with her cat.

Susan attained her position as Executive Assistant to James W. Regitz, Jr. in 2022. She supports our company CEO with her stellar administrative and organizational abilities. Susan has a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Texas Christian University. Her career started as a small business owner of a sportswear company. She ran a retail store, managed employees, and enjoyed traveling all over the country for the company. When her daughter entered elementary school, she accepted a position in Student Health. She supervised the clinic, administered medication, and cared closely for the students with diabetes, severe allergies, and asthma. When she is not working, she likes reading, playing tennis, traveling, and anything beach-related! She most enjoys spending time with her family.