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create an intentional financial plan that
aligns your money with your values

our Values

Be Honest

Xena Financial Planning is a fiduciary, which basically means we put your best interests first. Xena FP is a fee-only advisory firm and we never sell products or receive commissions. We always operate with the utmost integrity and work hard to earn your trust.

Be curious

We are lifelong learners and always striving to become better at our craft. Danika is currently pursuing a Masters in Advanced Financial Planning while Mariana works towards the CFP® designation. This curiosity extends to our client relationships. In the words of Walt Whitman, our goal is to “Be curious, not judgmental.”

Be Kind

We treat our clients with dignity and respect and, in turn, expect the same from you. We practice deep listening and seek to honor your life experiences. We’re committed to having long-lasting, healthy relationships with all of our clients.

Be You

Above all, we encourage clients to be true to themselves. If your inner dream is to quit your job and travel the world (Danika has done just that), Iet’s find a way to make it happen! We want to have real conversations about what you want in life and would never recommend doing something that makes you miserable just for the money.

Be Inclusive

We welcome clients of all backgrounds, and aim to make financial planning more accessible to groups of people who have typically been excluded by the financial planning profession, particularly Black and Brown Americans. We are also strong advocates of the LGBTQ community and work with clients of any gender identity or sexual orientation. Within the industry, we are always seeking ways to amplify the voices of women and people of color, who continue to be systemically excluded in financial services.

The firm is based in Seattle but the practice is 100% virtual.

We work with clients all over the United States to provide fee-only advice.

about Danika

Danika (she/her) is our Founder and Lead Planner.

From early on, I would sit down with my dad and a stack of bills once per month. I would write out all the checks (he signed them) and then balance his checkbook. I loved being involved in the process and seeing where our family’s money went. Even more, I appreciated my dad’s willingness to “pull back the curtain” and give me a front row seat into how our budget worked. I am a firm believer in removing the stigma we have around money conversations, even with our closest family and friends.

I went on to get a BA in Mathematics but had no idea how I planned to use it. I spent roughly 15 years after college in various accounting roles, slowly working my way up to be a Controller. I loved the order and problem solving, but there was virtually no human interaction and I was increasingly bored with helping the company bottom line. Finally, in 2012, after much research and consideration, I decided to pursue the CFP® designation and change careers. At long last, in my late 30s, I found my passion; putting together the problem-solving and technical side with client relationships and interpersonal dynamics. I find the work deeply satisfying.

In 2020, I founded Xena Financial Planning. While I enjoyed the role at my prior firm, I felt called to be bold and create something from the ground up. Starting my own practice allows me to be more nimble and innovative, while specializing in a particular niche. Women are so often left out of the conversation when it comes to their finances and investing. I have many years of experience with equity compensation: going back to my husband’s years of working at Amazon.com in the early 2000s, when I first learned about RSUs and had to figure out what the heck to do with them. Since becoming a CFP®, I’ve worked with clients at many of the big tech companies and know my way around ISOs, NQSOs and ESPP.

While originally from Western New York, I’ve lived in Seattle for 20 years. Along with my husband, our chaotic household includes our two daughters plus two cats and a puppy. We’re huge travelers and are happiest when we’re planning our next overseas adventure. In 2022 we have trips to Antigua, Guatemala and Scotland on the calendar. When we’re not traveling, we also love being in the mountains (skiing, running) and throwing a frisbee.

ABOUT MARIANA

Mariana (she/her) is our Associate Planner.

I first began my journey of becoming a financial planner at eight years old after moving to the United States, where I was simultaneously required to learn English and acclimate to a foreign culture. To be clear, I did not yet realize what I wanted to do for my career, but notably it was those earliest experiences in America that steered me in the direction of financial advocacy for independent women and minorities. Going from living in a poor Mexican border town to an upper class county along the Main Line in PA was certainly overwhelming.

While obtaining my degree in International Business at West Chester University, I started working for an independent financial advisory firm servicing high net worth clients. It was here that I first learned about financial planning and the impact of building generational wealth. 

Although I enjoyed the work of helping individuals and their families, I struggled to reconcile that the focus in the industry was primarily on particular audiences of considerable wealth, and at the expense of people early in their careers and from diverse backgrounds. As a result, I’ve made accessibility and inclusivity in the financial services industry my mission — after all, money is an essential tool in our society. At Xena Financial Planning, I am excited to realize my dream of working with young professionals seeking more than stock tips, but financial advice that is tailored to their specific income and lifestyle.

I recently made the big move from Philadelphia to New York City (cue Frank Sinatra) with my partner. While we do miss our favorite breweries and hiking spots, we are having the time of our lives exploring a new place. If you have any recommendations, or happen to be visiting the city, let me know! Meanwhile, you might find me gawking at dogs in Prospect Park, or eating tacos and sipping horchata.

About you

Tech employees are busy. Believe us, we get it. The last thing anyone has time to do is research how their equity compensation works or evaluate investment options. We’re here to help you sift through the details, develop actions items and then hold you accountable to them. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, so we focus on one item at a time.

In addition to helping you manage any ongoing challenges, our goal is to make all this financial stuff more accessible. No idea what whole life insurance is vs. term life insurance? Wondering what the heck an index fund is? We will break it down in “plain English”. We don’t think there are ANY stupid questions.

We currently serve clients who work at the following companies:

  • Adobe
  • Airbnb
  • Amazon
  • AT&T
  • CashApp
  • Cedar.AI
  • DataStax
  • Dropbox
  • Duolingo
  • Etsy
  • F5
  • Figma
  • Gitlab
  • Google
  • Impinj
  • Lyft
  • Meta
  • Microsoft
  • Nordstrom
  • Qualia
  • Qualtrics
  • Razorfish
  • Salesforce
  • Seattle Genetics
  • Slalom Consulting
  • Stripe
  • University of Washington
  • VMware

Affiliations

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