Christina O'Connell, CPA/PFS, CFP®, AIF®, CRPS®
Principal
Planning, process, results.
Christina helps her private clients with all aspects of their financial planning, asset, income and risk management, succession and strategic legacy planning. A consistent process, ongoing communication and utilizing professionally managed investment portfolios all aim to contribute to successful and realistic outcomes for her clients.
She helps her institutional clients like small business owners and qualified plan sponsors as they seek to maximize financial opportunities in the midst of an everchanging economic, legislative, and regulatory landscape.
Christina has over 35 years combined financial industry experience, having started in corporate finance after receiving her BBA in Finance from The George Washington University. She earned her Masters in International Transactions from the International Institute at George Mason University. She worked as a CPA with PriceWaterhouse in DC and as the International Internal Audit Manager for a multi-billion dollar diversified services public company. She worked with some of Wall Street’s most prestigious firms for twenty years - Smith Barney and UBS Financial Services - before joining Polaris Financial Strategies Group in 2018.
Industry Designations and Certifications:
- CPA/Personal Financial Specialist
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
- Accredited Investment Fiduciary®
- Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist ℠
Professional Societies:
- Member, Loudoun County Estate Planning Council
- Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants since 1991
Education
- Annually maintains continuing education requirements for all designations, certifications and licenses
- Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from The George Washington University
- Master of Arts in International Transactions from George Mason University
Licenses
- State of Virginia, Life, Health and Long Term Care Insurance Licensed
- Series 31, Managed Futures Representative
- Series 63, Uniform Securities State Agent
- Series 65, Investment Advisor Representative
- Series 7, General Securities Representative
Personal & Community
- Town of Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival 2021-2022 Sponsor
- Independence Day Celebration, Taste of Leesburg, and Leesburg Airshow 2021 Sponsor
- Community Foundation of NOVA Business Women’s Giving Circle, 2018-2021
- “For Love not Money,” Freeman’s Estate and Trust Bulletin, Contributor, June 2018
- Virginia Business Women’s Conference Exhibitor, 2016, 2017, 2018
- Salvation Army Fairfax Women’s Auxiliary “Treasures Revealed” 2018, Fashion Show 20+ years
- GWU Global MBA Program, Alumni MBA Roundtable Host, 2015, 2016, 2017
- Georgetown University’s Kaplan Schweser’s “The Future of Financial Planning” Panelist, Summer 2015
- GWU Global MBA Program, MBA Case Competition Judge, 2013, 2014
Registered States: CA, DC,FL, ID, IL, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OH, VA, WV
Christina is a Principal with Polaris Financial Strategies Group located at 2 Cardinal Park Drive, Unit 101B, Leesburg VA and can be reached at