FPA Recognizes Outstanding Advocates For Diversity In Financial Planning With FPA Diversity Scholarship

FPA awards Diversity Scholarships to attend FPA Annual Conference 2025 in Las Vegas, NV.

DENVER (September 3, 2025) - The Financial Planning Association^® (FPA^®) announced the recipients of the FPA Diversity Scholarship, recognizing those who are working to encourage diversity in the financial planning profession and the population served. The merit-based scholarship recipients earn one-year FPA membership and complimentary registration and travel expenses to FPA Annual Conference 2025, to be held Nov. 3-5, 2025, in Las Vegas, NV.

"FPA is a thriving community of professionals of all backgrounds, and we take immense pride in the unique and special qualities found in the diversity among our members and those they serve," said Dennis J. Moore, MBA, CFP^®, FPA interim chief executive officer. "These remarkable individuals are working to make financial planning more accessible and improve our profession. We look forward to honoring their achievements at FPA Annual Conference 2025 in Las Vegas."

The FPA Diversity Scholarship recipients are:

• Uziel Gomez, CFP^®, AFC^® - Gomez, a financial planner and the founder of Primeros Financial, a Los Angeles-based firm dedicated to empowering first-generation wealth builders to take control of their finances and design a life rooted in stability, purpose, and joy. Raised in a low-income household and the first in his family to attend college, Gomez knows firsthand the challenges that come with navigating wealth-building without a clear roadmap. Recognized as one of Financial Advisor magazine's "10 Young Advisors to Watch in 2024," he currently serves as the President-elect and Director of DEI and NexGen for the Financial Planning Association of Los Angeles and is an active mentor through initiatives like the BLX Internship Program, which supports aspiring financial planners from underrepresented backgrounds.
• Lonniece McDonald, CFP^® - McDonald, a Wealth Planner at Corient in New York, holds a Master of Science in Finance from Baruch College and earned her undergraduate degree in Finance and Spanish from SUNY New Paltz. With over three years of experience in the financial services industry, McDonald is passionate about increasing representation in the financial planning profession and inspiring other women of color to pursue meaningful careers in the profession. She is equally dedicated to promoting financial literacy, helping people live their preferred lives, and making a lasting impact in her community.
• Linette Mejia - Mejia, a career changer and aspiring CFP^® professional, has pivoted into the financial services industry with a deep commitment to making financial planning more accessible and inclusive, especially for historically underserved communities. She is currently enrolled in Northwestern University's CFP^® Certification Education Program and is a member of the Financial Planning Association of Illinois and the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE). She volunteers as a financial coach with Women's Money Matters and Samaritan House, supporting women and families in building long-term stability and generational wealth. With a background in human services and years of experience supporting individuals navigating public benefits and financial challenges, she brings empathy, cultural humility, and practical insight to her work.

The FPA Diversity Scholarship is awarded to financial services students and professionals who demonstrate and act upon an intense desire to foster diversity in the financial planning profession. Criteria for applicants include:

• Raising awareness of the profession in diverse communities;
• Serving diverse communities with financial planning; and
• Increasing professional opportunities for diverse communities within the financial planning profession.

The FPA Diversity Committee sponsors the Diversity Scholarship Program. The Committee's vision is that diversity is an integral part of our culture and identity. Inclusion is the way we treat and perceive all individuals and differences. We strive to create an inclusive culture where diversity is seen as a value for the association to elevate the profession that transforms lives through the power of financial planning.

Journalists who want to attend FPA Annual Conference 2025 can request a complimentary press credential by contacting Ben Lewis at [email protected].

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About the Financial Planning Association
For 25 years, the Financial Planning Association^® (FPA^®) has been the leading membership organization and trade association for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professionals and those engaged in the financial planning process. FPA is the CFP^® professional's partner in planning by helping them realize their vision of professional fulfillment through practice support, learning, advocacy, and networking. Learn more about FPA at financialplanningassociation.org.