Meet our Team

Jean Keener, Principal | Owner

Jean started KFP in 2008 after a 10+-year career in business management.  As a career changer, Jean went back to school in 2006 and completed the CFP® educational program through the University of North Texas professional development institute.  After passing the CFP® exam in 2007, Jean joined the Garrett Planning Network in 2008 and began serving financial planning clients full-time.    Outside of work, Jean is married to Mark and co-parents 3 rambunctious rescue dogs.  She enjoys cooking, visiting Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurants, and spending time out-of-doors.  Jean shares more about why she became a financial planner and answers questions you should ask a financial planner on the Interview Jean page and in this video.

 

Rachel Songer, Financial Planner | Co-Owner

Rachel joined Keener Financial Planning in 2013.  She most enjoys brainstorming with clients to come up with tools and strategies that will empower them to meet both their near- and long-term goals.  Rachel is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) Professional and holds a degree in personal financial planning from Texas Tech University.  Outside of work Rachel and her husband are parents to their “old man” hound mix and 4 hens. Rachel enjoys exploring all of the outdoor pursuits that come with living in Idaho.  Most of her meetings are held via video conference, and she comes to Texas once a quarter for in-person client sessions. Rachel shares more about how she became a financial planner and answers questions you should ask a financial planner on the Interview Rachel page.

 

Patty Priddy, Financial Planner

Patty joined Keener Financial Planning in 2017.  As a career changer, Patty has been a financial planner since 2015 and previously has 20+ years financial and accounting experience including serving as a business consultant with Arthur Andersen.  In addition to an MBA from Texas Tech, Patty is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) Professional and holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC®) designation.  She has been named to the D Magazine Best Financial Planners in Dallas list from 2020 – 2023.  Outside of work, Patty enjoys spending time with her husband Paul and her extended family.  She enjoys walking, reading, and yoga.  Learn more about why Patty became a financial planner on the Interview Patty page.

 

Samuel Pond, Financial Planner | Co-Owner

Samuel joined Keener Financial Planning in 2020 after working at a wealth management firm in the DFW area. He enjoys helping clients gain greater understanding of their finances to assist in effective decision making. Samuel graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in personal financial planning and is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional. Outside of work Samuel and his wife are parents to two active daughters. They enjoy spending time together playing sports, going to the park, swimming, and reading. Samuel shares more about why he became a financial planner and answers questions you should ask a financial planner on the Interview Samuel page.

 

Trista Jacobs, Financial Planner

Trista joined Keener Financial Planning in 2021. She started her career in tax compliance and consulting at Deloitte, earning her CPA* license. She later worked part-time as a dental practice CFO while her family grew. Trista is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional. She is driven to help people map out a path toward achieving their financial goals with respect and clarity. Along with her husband, she has invested in raising their six children. When not cheering from their sidelines, she enjoys running herself! She recently trained for and competed in her first full marathon and looks forward to running more (half)-marathons.

 

Beth Shurtz, Financial Planner

Beth joined Keener Financial Planning in 2014, and was a member of the planning team until 2018. After taking several years off to attend to some family responsibilities, Beth rejoined the firm in 2022. Beth is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) Professional, and she received her undergraduate degree from Baylor University. Beth and her husband Todd have lived in the area for more than 20 years, and they have two grown sons. Outside of work, Beth loves spending time with friends as well as her extended family. Her other interests include hiking, reading, gardening, and especially pickleball.

 

Steven Myers, Financial Planner

Steven joined Keener Financial Planning in 2021 as the firm’s first intern. He did such an outstanding job that he was offered and accepted a permanent position with the firm. Steven has a Bachelor’s degree in personal financial planning from Edinboro University and is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) Professional. He has a passion for financial planning and serving to make a positive impact on other people’s lives. Outside of work, Steven loves spending time with his wife, Julia, spending time with his two dogs, and watching football with family and friends.

 

Megan Coyne, Financial Planner

Megan joined Keener Financial Planning in 2022, after working at financial planning firm in North Carolina where she currently resides. Megan is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) Professional and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance with a concentration in financial planning from Virginia Tech. She most enjoys helping clients realize and achieve their unique financial goals. Outside of work, Megan enjoys many activities such as reading, hiking, and kayaking with her husband, Kyle, and their dog. As a lifelong equestrian, she also spends much of her free time at the barn with her horse.

 

Sterling Gray, Financial Planner

Sterling joined Keener Financial Planning in May 2023 after working at a wealth management firm in the Houston area. He is dedicated to helping clients achieve an abundant life, while remaining committed to their deeply held values and goals. Sterling obtained a Master of Science in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University in 2017 and is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional. Sterling enjoys reading, playing and watching sports, and spending time with his wife and young son.

 

Geselle Avalos, Financial Planning Analyst

Geselle joined Keener Financial Planning in 2022 as the firm’s summer intern. Following her internship, Geselle accepted a part-time position with the firm as a Financial Planning Analyst. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree through the Accelerated BS/MS Personal Financial Planning (PFP) program at Texas Tech University. Geselle represents the PFP program as a student ambassador and as treasurer for the PFP Association student organization. She believes that financial planning is necessary to achieve financial stability and takes delight in helping clients pursue financial freedom. Beyond her school and work life, Geselle loves getting together with her family for their weekly carne asada cook-outs.

 

Morgan Green, Financial Planning Analyst

Morgan joined Keener Financial Planning in 2023 as the firm’s summer intern. Following her internship, Morgan accepted a part-time position with the firm as a Financial Planning Analyst. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Business Finance with a minor in Financial Planning at Brigham Young University – Idaho. Morgan is the president of the Wealth Management Society at her university which gives her the opportunity to mentor students interested in financial planning and raise awareness among students about the field. Outside of work and school, Morgan loves working out, reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling, and learning Spanish. Morgan hopes to be able to use Spanish in her professional career someday.

 

Kelli Hinton, Director of Operations | Co-Owner

Kelli joined Keener Financial Planning in 2019 and holds the Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional (FPQP™) designation. Prior to joining KFP, Kelli worked in the medical field in a free-standing Emergency Room. She attended the University of Oklahoma to pursue a degree in Health/Sports Science. Outside of work, Kelli enjoys spending time with her husband, James, and their daughter, who loves volleyball and gymnastics. Kelli has a passion for singing and performing with the 6-time International Champion Sweet Adeline Chorus, The Rich-Tone Chorus. She has served as the President and Financial Coordinator for the past 10 years for the Rich-Tone Chorus, which is what led her to make the decision to make a career change to the financial planning field.

 

Catherine Mueller, Administrative Assistant

Catherine joined Keener Financial Planning in 2020 after spending a few years as a stay-at-home mom. Catherine holds the Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional (FPQP™) designation.  Outside of work, Catherine is the parent to 3 kids and a few dogs and cats. She enjoys cheering on her kids at cross country, track meets, and show choir performances. Catherine enjoys traveling, working out, running, kayaking, and cooking a variety of cuisines.

 

 

Thomas Warkins, Operations Associate

Thomas joined Keener Financial Planning in 2022 as an operations associate. He has a Bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in financial planning from the University of North Texas and has passed the Certified Financial Planner(TM) exam. He is wanting to soak up as much information as possible about the financial planning industry so one day he can become a financial planner himself. When Thomas isn’t working, he enjoys playing recreational sports (especially basketball), cooking, and spending time with his three brothers.

 

 

 

Interested in joining our team?  Please check for openings on the Join Our Team page.

 

*Keener Financial Planning is not a CPA firm.