Our Team

Mario Bernardi brings 40 years of financial leadership and a client-first philosophy to individuals, companies, nonprofits, retirement plans, and foundations. He provides tailored investment management to a diverse and inclusive clientele, focusing on growing and protecting wealth through customized solutions.

Areas of expertise include retirement planning and distribution strategies; 401k plans; college saving and education planning; asset and income protection; holistic financial planning.

Mario and his wife Beth split their time between Northbrook, IL and Door County, WI.  They have three adult children, Peter, Analisa, and Sophia. Mario enjoys traveling, cycling, and pickleball.

Mike Ochoa serves individuals, companies, and banking and insurance institutions. His areas of expertise include asset and income protection, cash flow and market risk management, and specialized fixed-income investing.

He is an expert in fixed income securities and has been trading bonds for over 40 years. Mike focuses on existing clients and is our team’s fixed income specialist.

Mike and his wife Theresa live in Clarendon Hills, IL.  They have three adult children, Danny, Mike, and Dylan. Mike is an avid golfer and enjoys sailing and woodworking.

Walter has spent his career helping investors manage portfolio risk. His clients range from individuals to foundations, retirement plans, and nonprofits. Walter benefits clients by building investment strategies, carefully monitoring risk, and delivering the highest quality of personalized service.

Walter hosts the Weekly Investment Podcast. The W.I.P. cracks into the week’s must know investment news and the financial impact to you. New episodes are available every Friday. Listen here: The W.I.P.

Walter lives in Champaign, Illinois with his wife, Nicole, and their two children, Massimo and Mariella. Walter enjoys giving back to his community, staying fit, and travel.

Chris Fallon joined KCT Wealth Advisors in 2025. After spending almost 15 years with a large asset manager, he decided to use that experience to help serve individual investors, businesses, and retirement plans.

With his colleagues, Chris focuses on helping investors develop a plan to meet their unique long-term goals. This includes portfolio construction/risk management, retirement planning and education planning.

Chris and his wife, Amanda, reside in La Grange Park with their daughter, Mollie, and their Italian Mastiff, Junie. Chris is a die-hard Bears fan, an avid golfer and enjoys staying fit.

Sophia joined KCT in 2026. She is a licensed financial advisor and fiduciary. She has prior experience across multiple large corporations in behavioral science and data analysis where she advised business partners and consulted leadership teams on strategic decisions. 

Sophia emphasizes a client-first philosophy with a custom approach for each client’s unique goals. She strives to ensure her clients are understood, prioritized, and most importantly, achieve their financial goals. Alongside Mike, Mario, Walter, and Chris, Sophia supports across all functions of KCT for both individuals and institutions. 

Sophia lives in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago and enjoys running, trying new restaurants, reading, and traveling. 

Sheryl has considerable experience in operations and works with our clients to help elevate and enhance their experience. She lives in Griffith, IN with her husband Mike. Sheryl enjoys vintage treasure hunting and spending time at her family’s lake house.

Melissa has an extensive background in fixed income securities trading. She is also well versed in retirement accounts and client service. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Clarence, and has two adult sons. Melissa likes to garden and spend time with family and friends.