LOCAL. PERSONAL. TRUSTED.

At Karsten Financial, our dedicated team members are personally invested in each of their clients' lives, and we pledge to serve you with the highest quality of professional and personal service.

  • TOM KARSTEN, CFP®, EA
  • President; CIO Karsten Advisors
  • Tom Karsten is a 1992 graduate of the University of Houston with a degree in Kinesiology. Tom has been an advisor since 1992 when he joined Pearson Financial (founded in 1977), which was later renamed Karsten Tax & Financial when he acquired ownership.

    In 1995, Tom earned his MBA from Texas Christian University and received his CFP® designation. In addition, Tom is an Enrolled Agent (EA), which is a federal license to practice taxation issued by the US Treasury Department.

    Tom and his wife, Kim, reside in Fort Worth with their three children: Mattie, Ketrick and Aidan.
  • JEFF PALADINI, CFP®, EA
  • Managing Partner of Karsten Advisors
  • Jeff Paladini earned his degree in finance from Texas State University. Prior to joining Karsten Financial in 2005, Jeff was a member of H.D.Vest's Investments Platinum Financial Planning Support group. Jeff's credentials include the CFP® and EA designations.

    He specializes in financial planning, insurance and individual and business consulting which includes investment and tax advice. Jeff is also responsible for the operations of the firm.

    Jeff resides in Arlington with his wife, Holly, and their two sons: Kaden and Karsten.
  • JANET BOCK
  • Tax and Accounting Manager
  • Janet is a graduate of Redlands University with a Bachelor’s in Business. Janet later enrolled at San Jose State University, where she further enhanced her education with coursework in the school’s Masters of Taxation program. She has 13 years in public accounting with a cumulative total of 20 years of accounting experience. Janet is licensed as a CPA in Texas and California. Janet joined the Karsten Advisors in August 2011.

    Janet and her husband reside in North Richland Hills
  • MARCUS WALKER, CFP&®, CLU, ChFC
  • Relationship Manager
  • Marcus joined Karsten Advisors in December 2011, he brings 6 years of industry experience from H.D. Vest Investments where he worked in Wealth Management Support and the Advisory Specialist group. In these roles Marcus had the opportunity to work with Karsten Advisors while they were affiliated with H.D. Vest until 2010.
    Marcus graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington in 2001 with a Finance degree. His credentials are CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC). He is currently pursuing the Enrolled Agent designation, which is a federal license to prepare taxes and issued by the US Treasury Department.

    Marcus lives in Arlington with his wife, Tara. They’ve been married 3 ½ years and have a son named, Mushu, a toy Poodle. In his spare time Marcus enjoys working out and traveling.
  • AMY HUNTER, CFS
  • Senior Client Services Manager & Human Resources Director
  • Amy Hunter is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in speech communications and a minor in business. A member of Karsten Advisors since 1996, Amy was awarded her Certified Fund Specialist designation in 2001 and is also a registered representative. Serving as Senior Client Relations Manager, her main objective is to maintain relationships with clients to ensure their every need is being met.

    Amy and her husband, Michael, live in Burleson with their two children: Jackson and Kinley.
  • KRISTINA HOLCOMB
  • Relationship Manager
  • Kristina graduated from Wofford College in South Carolina where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Finance. She is originally from Pickens, South Carolina. She joined Karsten Advisors in August 2010 as a Client Services Manager. Kristina’s main objective is to remain in constant contact with the clients and ensure their every need is being met.

    Kristina and her husband, Jonathan, lived in Taiwan for a year where they taught English before moving to Texas.
  • SHELIA GRAY, CFS
  • Client Services Manager
  • Shelia graduated from Mineral Area College in Missouri with a degree in Business Administration. She joined Karsten Advisors in November 2008. Shelia obtained her Certified Fund Specialist designation in 2011. Serving as Client Services Manager, her main objective is to maintain continual contact with clients to ensure their needs are being met.

    Shelia and her husband, Bobby, live in Arlington with their daughter: Lexis.
  • LESA NEWELL, EA
  • Client Services Professional & Bookkeeper
  • Lesa is a Client Services Professional with Karsten Advisors and has been with the firm for eleven years. Lesa earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Office Administration from Western Washington University, her Associates Degree in Accounting from Tarrant County College and she became an Enrolled Agent in 2002.

    Lesa’s home town is Burleson and she resides there with her husband Mike.
  • ALICIA BROWN
  • Senior Tax Specialist
  • Alicia Brown graduated from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. She earned her MBA from Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska in 2008. Alicia became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in 2009. Prior to joining Karsten Advisors in 2011, Alicia was a Senior Tax Accountant for a large operating company in Fort Worth. She specializes in business and individual income taxes and supervises bookkeeping and payroll processing at Karsten Advisors.

    Alicia and her husband, Jon, live in Mansfield with their son, Jaeden.
  • ALICIA CANTU
  • Assistant Client Services Manager
  • Alicia is a Client Services Manager with Karsten Advisors since 2010 and has been in the financial industry for five years. She is a valued member of Karsten Advisors and more valuable in her family where she was a stay-at-home mom for the last two years.

    Alicia’s home town is Fort Worth and still resides here with her husband, Andy, and two children, Tre and Cade.
  • LEEANNA TERPENING
  • Assistant Client Service Manager
  • LeeAnna joined the Karsten Advisors in November 2010 and is currently seeking her degree in Business Administration. After serving as the Office Manager/Receptionist for a year, she was promoted to the investment team where she helps manage daily operations and client requests.

    LeeAnna grew up in Austin, Texas and now resides in Fort Worth with her husband Gordon, and their dog, Toby.
  • ALICIA CEARLEY
  • Office Manager
  • Alicia graduated from Texas Christian University where she earned a Bachelor of Social Work. She is originally from Fresno, California and is newly married. As a new addition to Karsten Advisors, she is responsible for planning, organizing, and controlling the clerical aspect of the firm.
  • MEGAN WIDMAYER, EA
  • Tax specialist and bookkeeper
  • Megan Widmayer earned her degree in Business Management from TCU in 2003 and completed her Accounting courses at Texas Wesleyan University in 2011. Megan became an Enrolled Agent in 2009 and is currently working towards obtaining her CPA license. Prior to joining Karsten Advisors in December 2011, Megan spent 10 years working at CPA firms and tax departments, where she specialized in individual and trust taxation.

    Megan resides in Aledo with her husband, Fred, and their daughter: Madison.
  • NORMA ROMERO
  • Bookkeeper
  • Norma is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington where she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration/Accounting Degree. She has been in the financial industry for 9 years and joined Karsten Advisors in August 2010.

    Norma and her husband Claudio live in Arlington with their two sons Bailey and Alex.