Investing 101

Moderator

Donna Lowry is an award-winning journalist who combines a passion for storytelling and a desire to empower others with communication and critical thinking skills surrounding political, educational, and financial  issues.

Through her firm, Donna Lowry Communications, she provides consulting, writing, and producing services for educational, media, professional, and business outlets.

Donna serves as host for several programs, including Lawmakers on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Donna is an eight-time Emmy award winner, a three-time national Gabriel Award recipient, and has garnered honors from countless organizations, including the National Association of Black Journalists, Atlanta Association of Black Journalists, Georgia Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists, Georgia Association of Educators (GAE), and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE).

Her media peers inducted Donna into the prestigious NATAS Southeast Silver Circle to recognize her lasting contributions to the broadcast industry.

Donna has a master's in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Bachelor's in Mass Communications and Administration and Management from Chatham University.

Her professional affiliations include the Atlanta Press Club, the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the Southeastern Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS SE). 

In her 15th year as a Girl Scout Leader, Donna has led girls ranging in age from kindergarten through 12th grade. Her community service affiliations also include Magnolia (GA) Chapter of Links, Inc., and Nu Lambda Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.  

Donna and her husband, Army Major (Ret) Bennet W. Reid, Jr., are the parents of three daughters. 

Co-founder and Senior Wealth Advisor at Collective Wealth Partners

Shardéa Ages, a Co-founder and Senior Wealth Advisor at Collective Wealth Partners, boasts an impressive 15-year tenure in the financial services industry, with extensive expertise in banking, investment management, tax and estate planning and insurance. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner with FINRA registrations and insurance licenses, Shardéa adeptly caters to her clients’ ever changing financial needs.

With a Business Administration degree from Florida A&M University, Shardéa's career spans JPMorgan Chase, PNC Bank, and Merrill Lynch. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Shardéa is also a highly sought-after speaker and panelist, revered for her insights into financial literacy, transforming financial behaviors and mindsets, and advocating diversity within her industry. Her expertise has led her to collaborate with esteemed entities like the Georgia Secretary of State's and the North American Securities Administrators Association's Investor Educator committee, where she contributed to various projects.

Beyond her career, Shardéa leads pro-bono financial literacy workshops, founded Bridging Financial Gaps for financial literacy, and chaired NAMI Dekalb's finance committee. Based in Atlanta with her husband, she remains dedicated to strengthening client relationships and serving diverse communities.

Co-founder and Senior Wealth Advisor at Collective Wealth Partners

Kamila Elliott, MBA, CFP®, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ who resides in Atlanta, GA. She is a Co-founder and Senior Wealth Advisor at Collective Wealth Partners. She has over two decades of financial planning and investment experience assisting individuals, endowments & foundations and business owners with comprehensive wealth solutions and holistic planning. She also is a sought-after financial expert and speaker on topics such as the racial wealth gap, diversity & inclusion in financial services, and working with first generation wealth investors. She also serves on the CNBC Financial Advisor Council, listed as Barron’s Top 10 People to Watch in Wealth Management in 2023, and Financial Planning Magazine’s People to Watch in 2022. You can also find her on CBS Morning News and CNBC sharing helpful tips for savers and investors. 

Kamila spent most of her professional career at Vanguard working with ultra-high net worth individuals and endowments & foundations, inclusive of major universities, hospitals, and other charitable organizations throughout the southeast U.S. Her client relationships ranged from $20M to $450M and represented $3B in total assets prior to leaving the role.

Kamila was the 2022 Chair of the CFP Board, the first African American in their 40+ year history and one of the youngest ever to serve in the role. The CFP Board of Directors is the policymaking and oversight body of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. for over 100,000 financial professionals in the U.S. She also works on behalf of retirement savers and is often on Capitol Hill advocating for legislation to reduce fees and improve American’s access to competent and ethical financial planning. She serves on the Investment Committee for Women Against Abuse Inc. located in Philadelphia, PA and has been an active volunteer with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Kamila obtained her B.A. and MBA from The Pennsylvania State University. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and holds licenses for Life, Health and Long-Term Care Insurance.