Meet the Scholar Advising Team

Stephan is the founder and CEO of Scholar Financial Advising, which he established in 2018 after observing an industry where advisor compensation was too often tied to commissions, AUM fees, and competing incentives rather than the quality of advice itself. Stephan works within our Signature Coaching Program, dedicating his practice to ongoing monthly support relationships that allow him to remain deeply and continuously engaged in every dimension of a client’s financial life.

His clients include corporate executives, business owners, and families navigating concentrated positions in public and private companies, complex real estate holdings, alternative investments, financial risk analysis, and tax efficient wealth management and generational wealth transfer.

While the numbers are important, Stephan would argue that the most rewarding part of a strong advisory relationship is helping his clients with the emotional and psychological aspects of money and investments. By focusing on these relationships, Stephan is able to provide the depth of continuity and proactive guidance that the complexity of these situations truly demands.

Stephan holds a Ph.D. in Finance with a support area in econometrics from Florida State University. He is also a CFA Charterholder and a CFP® Professional. His experience and research related to investor behavior, executive compensation, and investor protection has led him to be a regular media contributor and work with regulators on new laws related to investment advisor fee disclosures. In addition to his experience as an advisor, he has taught university finance courses at Wake Forest University, University of New Hampshire, and Florida State University.

Get to Know Stephan.

As our Chief Operating Officer, Robin has over 15 years of experience in client relationship management, document retention and compliance, C-Suite executive support, and back-office business operations.

Building and maintaining strong relationships is the foundation of everything we do and Robin leads a dedicated team of administrative and business development professionals committed to delivering excellence in client experiences and engagement.

Before joining Scholar Advising, Robin developed her skills at large financial institutions, technology-based startups, and INC 5000 industry leading companies. In addition to client support, she enjoys improving efficiency and innovation through strategic planning and project management. Robin ensures that each client receives personalized attention and exceptional support year after year and with every interaction. Outside of work, Robin enjoys being outdoors with a good cup of coffee and anything on the water.

Deon earned his Ph.D. in Finance from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and an A.B. in Economics from Harvard University. He has previously served as an economist for the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) where he worked on regulation surrounding the fair disclosure of information related to publicly traded companies.

In addition, Deon has taught finance courses at Wake Forest University since 2008 at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and has published numerous academic articles in leading academic and practitioner journals. His work on investor trading in volatile markets has been cited more than 300 times including in leading periodicals like the Wall Street Journal.

Media Mentions

Deon’s analysis and commentary have appeared in:

• Yahoo Finance — What a Frugal Millionaire’s Monthly Budget Looks Like in Retirement
• Kiplinger — I Want To Pay Off Our Grandson’s $45K Student Loan Debt, but My Husband Says We Can’t Afford It. Who’s Right?
• Yahoo Finance — 4 Retirement Insights Advisors Can’t Ignore for University Faculty
• Financial Planning — How Advisors Help Clients Plan for Pricey Wedding Tabs
• The Independent — The Three Costly Purchases That Retirees Say They Regret
• MarketWatch — How Much Tech Stock Is Too Much in Your Portfolio Right Now? 7 Financial Experts Weigh In
• Yahoo Finance — Disney Rewards Investors in 2026: Should You Buy Disney Stock Now?

Noah Lewis is a Financial Advisor at Scholar Financial Advising, where he works with clients on complex planning decisions and has developed particular expertise in trust structures and their role within broader financial and estate planning strategies.

Noah graduated summa cum laude from UNC Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and holds his Series 65 license. Before joining Scholar, he began his career in financial advising, gaining hands-on experience in investment planning, retirement strategies, and client relationship management.

Known for his analytical approach, Noah focuses on helping clients understand how the different pieces of their financial lives fit together. He works closely with clients to evaluate planning strategies, understand tradeoffs, and translate complex financial concepts into clear, practical recommendations.

Outside of work, Noah is an avid watch collector and enjoys spending time with his wife. He also volunteers on his church’s finance committee.

Media Mentions

Noah’s analysis and commentary have appeared in:

• Forbes Advisor — Looking To Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rate? Scammers May Be Targeting You
• CBS News — 3 Smart Ways To Use Your Tax Refund This Year, According to Experts
• Parade — Trump Has a Proposal To Help Retirees: Here’s How Real Financial Pros Actually Feel About It
• MoneyWise — The Average 2026 Tax Refund Is a Whopping $3,739 Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, But People Aren’t Making the Most of It. Here’s How You Can.

Evan works with clients on complex financial decisions involving investments, taxes, liquidity, and long-term wealth planning. His areas of focus include concentrated investment positions, planning for business owners, multigenerational wealth strategies, and retirement income planning.

He takes an analytical approach to helping clients evaluate their options, understand the tradeoffs involved, and make confident decisions about their financial future. His work often involves coordinating investment, tax, estate, and retirement strategies so that each part of a client’s financial plan works together. Whether helping a family navigate a concentrated stock position, a business owner plan around a liquidity event, or a client prepare for the transition into retirement, Evan emphasizes thoughtful planning and clear decision-making.

Evan believes strong client relationships are built through clear communication, thoughtful advice, and consistent follow-through, an approach that closely aligns with Scholar Advising’s fee-only, fiduciary model.

Evan holds an MBA from High Point University and is currently pursuing the CFA designation.

Outside of the office, Evan is an avid golfer and runner and enjoys staying active throughout North Carolina.

Media Mentions

Evan’s analysis and commentary have appeared in:

• Fortune — A 1% Mistake Costs $10 Billion: Inside the Impossible Math of Managing Elon Musk’s Trillionaire SpaceX Wealth
• MarketWatch — They All Seem to ‘Want to Control Our Assets.’ I Want a Financial Adviser Who Works Hourly. Why Is This So Hard?
• Realtor.com — Boomers Hold $93 Trillion in Assets—but Their Heirs May Get Less Than Half
• Yahoo Finance — The 401(k) Trap: How Retirees With High Savings Are Getting Hit With a Surprise Tax
• Yahoo Finance — A Retiree Has $1 Million and a $100K Pension — Here’s Why Waiting Until 70 for Social Security Could Be the Smart Play

As a Financial Advising Analyst, Mauricio brings a background in data analysis to the technical work behind each client’s plan. He earned his MBA from High Point University with a concentration in business and data analytics, and came to Scholar from a career as a reliability analyst, where the work centered on finding the weak points in a system before they caused problems. That habit carries directly into financial planning.

His interests span investment strategy, tax-efficient planning, risk management, and estate planning, with a particular pull toward situations that have a lot of moving parts. He has passed the Securities Industry Essentials exam and is currently pursuing his Series 65 license.
Mauricio is drawn to the parts of this work that happen in conversation. He believes the value of a plan shows up in whether a family understands it well enough to act on it, and that fiduciary responsibility is where a client relationship starts.

As Director of Communications, Erin helps shape how the firm’s story is told—developing digital strategies and brand experiences that reflect Scholar’s mission to educate, empower, and encourage. She leads the production of the Scholar Wealth Podcast and manages digital campaigns, content creation, and brand development to ensure every message resonates with clients and reflects the firm’s values.

With a background in graphic design and a passion for meaningful communication, Erin brings an eye for detail and a knack for making ideas both visually striking and strategically effective. She thrives on collaboration and enjoys building relationships that turn strong ideas into standout results.

Krista Smith is the Office Coordinator at Scholar Advising, where she helps keep the firm organized, connected, and running smoothly. She brings more than a decade of experience supporting executives and leadership teams across higher education and the private sector, with a background spanning executive support, business operations, communications, and project and event coordination. Known for anticipating needs and bringing order to complex priorities, Krista believes exceptional support often happens before anyone has to ask for it.

She values kindness, good judgment, attention to detail, and creating an experience where both colleagues and clients feel genuinely cared for. Outside of work, Krista enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and baking, tackling home projects, and making things a little more beautiful than she found them.

Andrew Pasierb is entering his senior year at Wake Forest University, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Finance. As an intern at Scholar Financial Advising, he is gaining hands-on experience in investment research, financial planning, and portfolio analysis.

Andrew enjoys combining analytical thinking with a client-focused approach to financial planning. He is committed to supporting personalized strategies that help clients make informed decisions and build confidence in their financial future.

Emma earned a JD from Wake Forest School of Law, an MBA from Wake Forest School of Business, and a DBA from University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Emma has been practicing law for over 18 years in the consumer-packaged goods, retail, and service industries. Emma specializes in contract law, employment issues, intellectual property, and mergers and acquisitions. She brings expertise in risk assessment, regulatory requirements, and growth strategy.

In addition, Emma has taught business law, negotiations, purpose and ethics, and entrepreneurship to undergraduate and graduate students for over 13 years. She has been teaching at Wake Forest University since 2020.