Martin P. Mesecke CFP, CLTC

Martin Philip Mesecke, CFP® is the founder and President of Self-Worth Financial Planning LLC, a Fee-Only financial planning and wealth management practice.

Martin takes his extensive knowledge of financial products and services and combines it with the "client-first" philosophy embraced by all Fee-Only planners.

Martin is a member of the both The Garrett Planning Network, Inc. (GPN), and the National Association Of Personal Financial Advisors, (NAPFA) a nationwide network of professional, Fee-Only financial advisors members that are dedicated to providing competent, unbiased Fee-Only financial advice.

Martin has been sought out by local and national media on numerous occasions and his insights regarding financial matters have appeared in The Dallas Morning News, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, and Inside Collin County Business among others. He was an instrumental contributor to "Just Give Me the Answer$: Expert Advisors Address Your Most Pressing Financial Questions", published by Dearborn Trade Publication. Martin is a regular contributor to Bankrate.com "Expert Comments" regarding interest rates and also has served as a technical advisor for money makeover articles for both Money Magazine and Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine.

Martin Mesecke CFP® is a frequent speaker and educator on financial planning topics and a past instructor in the Southern Methodist University Certificate Program in Financial Planning in Dallas.

Martin is active in leadership positions in the local FPA chapter and also with several organizations that are increasing financial literacy standards among students and adults. He is past president of leadership Allen class of XVII and serves as an Ambassador in both the Allen and Plano Chamber of Commerce's. Martin is a Certified Financial Planner practitioner, and also certified in Long-Term Care. Martin received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Texas.

Martin lives in Allen, Texas with his wife, Barbara, and their two daughters

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Dr. Steven C. Kurtin

Dr. Kurtin is the founder of The Kurtin Eye Care Center in Plano, Texas.

In 1974, Steven C. Kurtin worked his way at becoming an optician filling prescriptions, making eyeglasses and fabricating gas permeable contact lenses. After graduating with a B.S. in Applied Biology, with honors, and Psychology as a second major from Ferris State University in Michigan, he attended the University Eye Institue at the University of Houston in Texas, where he graduated an received his Doctor of Optometry ( O.D.) in 1985.

Dr. Kurtin is certified by the International Board of Examiners in Optometry for the Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease (Therapeutic Optometry). He is credentialed as an Optometric Glaucoma Specialist for the diagnosis, treatment and management of Glaucoma. He also holds certification for contact lens treatment from The National Eye Research Foundation (1986). Other certifications include Corneal Refractive Therapy (FDA Approved 2002) and the newest Synergeyes® and WaveLenses for treating disorders resulting from LASIK, RK, Keratoconus, Kerato plasty, among other issues. Dr. Kurtin also provides Managed Vision Surgery with some of Dallas's finest eye surgeons.

In 1990's, he developed the MultiFokus® GP Contact Lens for people needing bifocals, which is available nationally. He continues to be one of the leading authorities providing care to those with Presbyopia, a condition which usually occurs from natural changes, as we age, making close vision blur.

For more than 20 years, he has helped children overcome visually related learning problems---a probable factor relating to attention deficit disorders. Did you know if a child 'sees 20/20', they may still have trouble processing visual information that facilitates learning, resulting in poor academic performance? When, if fact, these children are very bright!

In 1999 , Dr. Kurtin gained recognition for a lifetime of achievement as a health care professional by being invited and accepted into the prestigious National Registry of Who's Who in America's Healthcare. He has been awarded several Reader's Choice Awards for 'Best Optometrist' in Collin County. And, for many years, most recently in 2007, was picked as one of America's Top Optometrists by The Consumer's Research Council of America in Washington D.C.

Dr. Kurtin loves to spend time with his family, is an accomplished singer, song-writer for the piano. When on vacation, he prefers hiking in the mountains.

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Dr. Chad McDuffie, MD

A native Texan, Dr. Chad McDuffie studied medicine at the University of Texas in Houston and received Honors recognition. His training includes a General Surgery internship and four years in the Otorhinolaryngology program at the Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. During that time, Dr. McDuffie has presented research projects in the field of head and neck surgery at two national otolaryngologic meetings and is a published author in The Laryngoscope and in the Archives of Otolaryngology.

Dr. McDuffie has special interest in pediatric ear, nose, and throat sinonasal surgery, otologic surgery, sleep apnea surgery, allergy, and endocrine surgery disorders. Dr. McDuffie also has hands-on experience in numerous facial plastic surgery cases, specifically facial rejuvenation and aesthetic procedures.

A proud father of two kids, he and his wife (also a DFW Area Moms member) call Frisco home.

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Terrah Rominger

Terrah Rominger works for a local Travel Agency that has been going strong since 1989 and has established great relationships with a lot of the VIPs in the travel industry.br>

• Maui Destination Specialist
• Oahu Destination Specialist
• AM Resorts (Secrets, Dreams, and Sunscape Resort and Spas)
• Wynn Las Vegas Ambassador
• Club Med Sales Specialist
• Celebrity Cruise Specialist
• Palace Resorts Specialist
• Silversea Cruises Specialist
• Graduate - College of Disney Knowledge
• Hawaii Destination Specialist
• Princess Cruise Academy

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Laurie Gaines M. Ed.

Laurie Gaines is an Educational Diagnostician. She has worked as a Diagnostician for the past 7 years in Plano ISD, Frisco ISD, and Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD. She has also had a private practice in Plano, Diagnostic Learning Services, where she has worked with families from across the metroplex. Prior to becoming a Diagnostician, she was a special education teacher in Arkansas and then in Plano. She also worked for two years at the Fairhill School in Dallas. She knew from an early age that she wanted to work with kids with learning differences and was always intrigued with why some kids learned differently than others. She received her Bachelors in Special Education from the University of Arkansas and her Masters degree from Texas Women's University. She has a strong understand of special education law and the rights of families with children with disabilities. She enjoys assisting families in navigating the sometimes confusing path that is special education. She is the mom of two boys, ages 3 and 5, and lives in Plano. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and is currently training for her 4th half marathon.

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Traci Brusenhan, Realtor

As team leader of Brusenhan & Associates, Traci is responsible for staff management and client relations. Working in the #1 producing Real Estate office in Dallas/Fort Worth, her team consistently ranks near the top of the charts. In fact, Brusenhan & Associates was recently honored by D-Magazine as Top Realtors in Dallas.

Through the years, Traci & Brad have garnered a network of associates and vendors who are available to help with all aspects of your transaction. In addition to Traci and Brad, the Brusenhan & Associates team includes an office manager, buyer’s agent, mortgage broker and closing specialist. With a group like this behind you, you’re not forced to rely on the experience or time constraints of a single individual.

Helping families upsize, downsize and relocate across the DFW metroplex has always been the core of Traci’s business. However, meeting people who had experienced a financial hardship and were no longer able to meet mortgage obligations was happening more and more often. As a result, Traci and Brad decided to get involved and do what they could to help. After extensive training with the top Pre-Foreclosure experts in Texas, they’ve dedicated themselves to helping people in this difficult situation. If you or a loved one have fallen behind on mortgage payments and are looking for answers, they may be able to provide you with information that the banks are not so quick to share.

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Marni Matyus, Sling Expert

Marni has been teaching babywearing for 2 years and currently owns The Sling Station and Peppermint.com. She is versed in many different styles and brands of baby carriers. If you need help choosing the baby carrier that is best for you and your baby's needs or using a sling that you already have, she can help!

To further promote the benefits and beauty of babywearing, Marni leads the DFW Babywearing group which meets the third Saturday of each month. During the meetings, Marni and her co-group leader can be found demonstrating different kinds of baby carriers, assisting parents in trying them on and teaching moms how to nurse in a sling. She also holds classes and demonstrations to various groups around the Dallas/Ft Worth area.

Recently, Marni has also taught the staff in the Child Life center at the Baylor Medical Center and Parkland Hospital how to wear newborns in the Kangaroo Care position, which is especially beneficial for preemies. The Kangaroo Care consists of wearing baby in an upright position, providing confidence for the parents and comfort to the baby.

Married since 1999, Marni has two sons ages 4 and 2. One of her favorite memories of wearing her own children was walking through the airport with the 2 year old on her back while rolling 6 (yes SIX) bags (she rolled a case in each hand with 2 extra bags on each of the rollies). She felt like super-woman with over 200 pounds of luggage & 30 pounds of baby!

Marni's dedication for babywearing pays off every time she sees the "ah-ha" moment on mom's faces when they realize that they can keep their baby happy while getting on with their lives. She also maintains a Baby Sling Blog that contains a variety of information about new and upcoming baby carriers, choosing and using a baby sling and baby sling comfort. More up to date information on baby carriers, slings and wraps can be found on The Sling Station's monthly Baby Sling Newsletter.

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Dr. John Van Wagoner, MD, Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Specialist

John Van Wagoner, MD is Board Certified in Pediatric & Adult Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. He received his medical degree and fellowship training in allergy from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas Texas.

He has been named one of the Best Allergists in Dallas according to "D Magazine". He was awarded Pediatric Intern of the Year and Senior Resident of the Year during his training.

He is a specialist in the following areas: allergy, asthma, food allergy, drug allergy, eczema, skin allergy, insect allergy, chemical allergy, sinusitis, recurrent infection, and anaphylaxis. Procedures offered include: allergy testing without needles, blood allergy testing, lung function exams, In House CT scanner, drug challenges, food challenges, nasal endoscopy, patch testing, allergy shots, and Rush or rapid desensitization/immunotherapy.

He is now accepting new patients and accepts most major insurance plans. Call his office at 972-398-3500 to schedule an appointment.

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Bree Penninger, Cloth Diaper Expert

Bree is the owner of Bree's Bums, an online store focused on cloth diapering and natural parenting, and she is also the leader of the DFW Real Diaper Circle, an advocacy, education, and support group for cloth diapering parents. A former teacher, Bree feels it is important to educate parents on the alternatives to our disposable lifestyle and to empower parents with the information necessary to be successful.

Bree's favorite part of educating parents on cloth diapering is the realization that every family who converts to cloth can save a whopping one TON of waste from our landfills, and every family will save thousands of dollars by re-using instead of throwing away.

Outside of cloth diapering, Bree is a classically trained musician, with a Bachelor of Music degree in Viola Performance. She currently performs with the Allen Philharmonic Orchestra, and enjoys doing freelance performance work on a regular basis. Bree has begun her Master of Business Administration program, and plans to finish the program within the next six months.

Bree and Jason have been married since 2001 and have one daughter, Olivia, born in May of 2006. The Penningers reside in Garland.

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Cori Lively, LM, CPM - Midwife

Cori Lively, LM, CPM, is a Certified Professional Midwife through the North American Registry of Midwives and is a Texas Licensed Midwife. She is President of the North Texas Midwives Association. In addition, she serves as the DFW regional representative on the Association of Texas Midwives state board. She has a private homebirth practice, Barefoot Midwifery, LLC, serving the Dallas area.

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