Our Team

Jason Apolenis is the Founder and Managing Principal at Avenue Wealth. As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP^®) with more than two decades of highly-specialized experience, he provides comprehensive financial planning to executives, business owners & other individuals with substantial income or assets in order to help them preserve and enhance their hard-earned wealth.

Through an innovative coaching process, Jason helps his clients crystallize their goals and objectives and implement a plan to help accomplish them. Monitoring the plan and adjusting it over time as life evolves, Jason helps his clients to have financial peace and lead better, more rewarding lives.

His unique results-driven approach has made Jason one of the most sought-after financial advisors in the Washington metropolitan area. As a Maryland native who currently resides in Bethesda, Jason loves his community and serving the people in it. He’s an active member of the Greater Washington Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, serves on several boards, and is a benefactor for numerous local charities.

In his free time, Jason enjoys competing in a variety of physical activities, and spending time with his wife, Gina, and their two boys.

Brad Burton is a wealth management advisor specializing in business, estate and retirement planning for business owners and high-income professionals. For more than 15 years, he has been helping his clients maximize and protect their wealth by offering objective advice and providing cutting-edge strategies that are tailored to match each client’s personal, business, and financial goals.

Prior to starting his financial career, Brad attended Virginia Tech where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 2001. He went on to attend the American College of Financial Services in Bryn Mawr, PA where he obtained his Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF^®) designation in 2004.

When he’s not in the office, Brad enjoys spending time with his wife, Arika, and their two children. They reside in Northern Virginia.

Aaron has been a Financial Advisor since 2006 and utilizes a holistic, goal-oriented approach that puts his clients in control. He empowers them with the tools, resources, and information they need to make smart decisions about their money and have financial peace of mind. From the initial meetings when they examine their current accounts and goals, to the meetings when they realize their goals are attainable or reached, Aaron is always reviewing, educating, and discussing his clients’ plans to ensure they stay on track and understand exactly where they are.

His approach is highly-customized to each client because in this day and age, the world of finances has become so complex that there is no single solution that is right for everybody. The business owner looking to expand, the federal government employee nearing retirement, or the young family looking to save for their kids’ education all need specific advice based on their individual needs and goals.

Aaron has earned Lifetime Membership status in the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), an accomplishment only a small percentage of advisors achieve, and his clients benefit from the professional knowledge, personal ethics, and client service standards that are required for MDRT members.

Aaron believes in having a healthy work-life balance, and the majority of his free time is spent with his wife and three children. You can often find him attending school events, fundraising for the school through golf events, or just spending quality time with his family.

As a Associate Financial Adviser with Avenue Wealth, David has the opportunity to work with and build new relationships with business owners, high net worth Individuals, and families. He supports the practice of our Principals in various capacities and is a vital resource to the team and the clients we serve.

Prior to joining Avenue Wealth, David managed client relationships and supported a team of advisors at Charles Schwab. David holds his FINRA Series 6, 7, 63, Life & Health Insurance licenses.

Ingrid Garay serves as the Director of Operations for Avenue Wealth where she focuses on compliance, client and advisor support, and business operations for the firm. She has 17 years of experience in various positions within the finance industry.

Prior to starting her career in the financial industry, Ingrid attended San Francisco State University where she studied International Business. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and volunteering in the community with her teenage son, James Sebastian.

Mariella joined Avenue Wealth in 2006 as a Client Service Manager for advisor Brad Burton. She is the primary point of contact for Brad’s life insurance and annuity business. She prides herself on maintaining great client relationships and delivering quality service. Mariella’s years of experience have established her as a valued resource to the entire Avenue Wealth team. Being fluent in Spanish, Mariella also enjoys helping clients in the Hispanic community achieve their financial goals.

Before joining Avenue Wealth, Mariella attended NOVA where she studied business administration. She is a Licensed Service Assistant and holds her Virginia Life and Annuities Licenses.

Mariella is originally from Peru and moved to Northern Virginia when she was 14 years old. She and her son, Kenny, enjoy spending time with family and being outdoors. She enjoys bike riding, yoga and traveling, and from time to time, she is also a foster mom for rescue puppies.

Mike is a seasoned financial advisor who has been empowering professionals since 2013. With a focus on family-oriented executives, time-challenged business owners, and multitasking medical professionals, he specializes in helping clients avoid neglecting their finances, accidental investing, and scattered wealth.

What sets Mike apart is his innovative coaching process, where he takes the time to understand your unique goals, aspirations, and challenges. By building a deep connection with his clients, he creates a personalized roadmap and helps implement to accomplish financial success. This customized approach ensures that your plan is aligned with your priorities, setting you on a paved road towards long-term prosperity.

But Mike's commitment doesn't end there. Life is full of unexpected changes, and he understands the importance of adapting your financial plan accordingly. With ongoing monitoring and adjusting, he ensures that your plan remains optimized as your circumstances evolve. Mike's warm and empathetic nature makes clients have a sense of financial clarity and confidence throughout the journey, knowing they have a dedicated partner by their side.

Originally from Baltimore, Mike graduated from the University of Maryland in 2013. While at UMD, he played four years on the men’s lacrosse team where he won an ACC championship and made it to two national championships.

Mike lives with his wife, Maggie, an elementary school teacher with her master’s degree in early education and their children, Patrick, and Rosie. Mike is a passionate fan of Maryland sports, Bruce Springsteen and the Baltimore Ravens. He spends his personal time with his family, traveling and being reminded how much less personal time he now has because of his kids and loves every minute.

Sam provides holistic and comprehensive financial advisory services for businesses and highly successful professionals. Since 2011, Sam has dedicated his professional life to helping his clients succeed in achieving their financial goals through the design and implementation of leading-edge financial planning and wealth management strategies. He offers expertise in portfolio design & management, executive benefits, business succession & exit planning, insurance design and estate planning.

Sam graduated from East Carolina University with a BSBA in Finance. As a Virginia native who currently resides in McLean, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, live music, and giving back to the community by promoting financial literacy in local grade schools. Sam also volunteers for the Sarcoma Foundation of America, as a cancer survivor himself since 2013.

Matt joined the Avenue Wealth team in September of 2012 to provide strategic support and service to our advisors and clients.  Matt’s ability to integrate information technologies into the financial planning process has enhanced the overall experience we are able to provide.  Through the utilization of multiple platforms such as eMoney, Morningstar Advisor Workstation & Envestnet, Matt and the other advisors of Avenue Wealth offer multi-layered financial planning analysis.  As a result of this approach, our advisors can provide solutions that are truly unique to each client’s personal situation.

Matt is a fully-licensed Financial Adviser, and he holds both his FINRA Series 7 and 66 licenses.  He was honored to become a member of the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table in 2016, an industry-wide organization recognizing elite producers worldwide.

Matt lives in Leesburg, VA with his wife, Melissa, and five children, Landon, Oliver, Trent, Rose and Brooks. Next time you come by, you’ll see that his office is filled with pictures of his adorably photogenic family. When he is not working, Matt stays busy with all of his kids’ activities, from soccer to ballet and everything in between. He’s currently working hard to turn his kids into die-hard Phillies, Eagles and Flyers fans.

Everyone works for the opportunity to one day retire, working long hours and saving what they can to afford the chance to settle down. Drew understands that this is a fundamental goal that drives most everyone. He has long had an eye towards finance because he believes it is the best way to garner this for himself and his clients. An empathetic extrovert, Drew seeks to provide a good foundation for his young clients and comfort for his mature clients.

Whether it’s a dream home, next year’s vacation or eliminating debt, Drew believes that everyone deserves a tailored financial strategy. He has committed his career to understanding markets and investments to help a range of clients realize profits.

In his free time, he loves to be outside in a kayak or a fishing boat, savoring the relaxing moments he can in between workdays so one day he can have that same, peaceful feeling for the rest of his life.

Mark knew early in life that he wanted to help people achieve financial freedom. He graduated in 2004 from Salisbury University where he received a dual major in Corporate & Personal Finance. By leveraging the latest technology to enhance his client’s experience without giving up the human connection, Mark is able to help clients crystalize their personal and financial goals to create a plan that preserves and achieves what is most important to the client and their family.

Mark is a Wealth Management Certified Professional, WMCP^® as well as fully licensed Financial Advisor holding his FINRA series 6, 7, 63 and 66 licenses. Mark has also qualified for the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) consecutively since 2013, the industry-worldwide organization recognizing the top producers in the world. Mark is involved in the Anne Arundel Estate Planning Council as well at the Eastern Shore Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

Mark lives with his wife, Karen and their two girls on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and services clients from Annapolis to the Maryland and Delaware Beaches. When he is not working you can find him spending time at the beach, playing golf, volunteering through the local Lions Club, or being a dance dad for his girls.

*The Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), The Premier Association of Financial Professionals, is recognized globally as the standard of excellence for life insurance sales performance in the insurance and financial services industry.

Penny Kulawiak began her employment with the company in 2005. Her roles within the company extend over a wide range of duties and include scheduling appointments, answering client questions, completing service work, preparing for appointments, processing applications, and more. Penny serves as an office facilitator, a customer service representative, advisor assistant, and a general overseer of all areas within the company. Penny is passionate about her work because of the relationships she is able to build with the company’s clients. As the Director of Client Relations, Penny is able to demonstrate the importance of experience and dedication to the firm as we help provide financial protection and financial stability to our clients with the same level of commitment as if they were members of our own family.

In 2003, Penny married her childhood friend, Chad Kulawiak. Together they have two children, Ethan and Kylee and love to spend time with them. As a family they enjoy camping, boating, and riding their motorcycle. Both children are very active and love playing hockey, along with other sports. Penny loves to stay involved as the team manager of the hockey team, as well as being involved in the community through the local Ravens Roost fundraiser, as a school volunteer, and as a member of the community association.

Hannah was hired by the firm in August of 2017. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2015. After graduation, she worked in the insurance industry for two years before being introduced to Mark Apolenis. She provides the support necessary for Mark and the team to ensure detailed assessment of client situations and assisting with appropriate solutions and opportunities. This includes document and financial statement review. Hannah also coordinates with the internal and external advisors to help accomplish client goals and objectives. As an Associate Financial Adviser, she holds her Series 7, 66 and Life & Health Licenses.

Hannah was born & raised in Tennessee. She married her college sweetheart, Robert, in September 2017. When they’re not at work they enjoy spending time with their dog, Toby, boating and traveling.

Rose Gentile, CLTC^®, has been a top producing agent with New York Life Insurance Company for over 34 years. As a financial adviser with Eagle Strategies, a subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company, she is committed to helping her clients achieve the best possible outcome by providing personalized attention for her client's insurance, investments and retirement planning needs.

Rose is known for her warm personality and her attention to detail, as well as her desire to provide her clients with the best possible service.

After years of running a successful business in Alexandria, Virginia, Rose is thrilled to become a new member of Avenue Wealth.

She has known both Principals Bradley Burton and Jason Apolenis since the beginning of their careers.

Working with Avenue Wealth will bring the added benefit of a full-service financial strategies firm to Rose’s clients.

Rose is a Life member of the Million Dollar Round table and a Life Member of the Councils of New York Life.

Rose was recently featured in a series produced by Life Happens.

Rose dedicates her spare time to her family and enjoys splitting her time between Virginia and Florida.

Michelle joined Avenue Wealth in November of 2020 through her association with Rose Gentile, advisor. Michelle works with Deborah Williams and Deirdre Stamper on Rose’s dedicated team. As a service assistant, her goal is to provide excellent service to the advisors and clients of AW. Michelle was born in Southern California. On a visit to Virginia in 2016, she fell in love with the area and moved here permanently. In her spare time she enjoys volunteering at her local American Legion, spending time with friends and family and traveling.

Conner Vogt is a Service Assistant working directly with Jason and Brad. He works to help make sure clients have a seamless and professional experience with their Financial Planning Experience. He holds his Life, Annuities & Health licenses.

Prior to his arrival at Avenue Wealth, Conner graduated in 2021 from West Virginia University.

When he’s not at work Conner enjoys playing Lacrosse and Basketball. He also loves to fish and spend time outdoors.