A Unique Approach to Employee Benefits

Kat McDonough, Relationship Manager

Katherine McDonough was born in South Florida and has lived in the Central Florida area for the past 23 years. She has 15+ years of customer service experience and started her career in the insurance field in 2018. She is excited to build relationships and bring her knowledge to the GFG Benefits team. 

Outside of work, Kat enjoys spending time with her husband Robert, and two boys Robby and Zachary. If they are not rushing between soccer and football games, you will find them soaking up the sun in New Smyrna Beach. Her hobbies include reading, running, and trying new recipes.

Jade Perez, Payroll Coordinator

Jade was born in New York as the youngest of 3 girls to her mother whom showed her at an early age that you must hustle and work hard for what you want, be the best at what you do and to always be a leader that stands out and never a follower that blends in.

At the age of 18, Jade began college (majoring in Early Elementary Childhood Education Intervention) while simultaneously taking on 2 jobs and holding onto her 4.0 GPA. It was during this time that Jade had applied for an internship at Disney and was honored to be 1 of 5 students in the school to be chosen. Although Jade wasn’t able to accept the internship nor complete college, it was an honor & life changing experience to instead become her terminally ill grandmother’s main and oftentimes, sole caregiver.

During her 20’s, Jade spent most of her time heavily involved in not only assisting her older sisters in raising their children but in the childcare field in every aspect, becoming a pre-school teacher in two different states, a live in nanny, a child/family photographer and even a child’s party hostess.

In Jade’s early 30’s, she had dedicated herself to the legal field, finding herself working for a private investigations firm while simultaneously working as a Paralegal for a top 100 Trial Law Firm and even beginning her own cleaning business. Jade then moved to her “dream” state, Florida in her late 30’s where she became an Attorney Timekeeper for her first 2 1/2 years.

These days you can find Jade not only learning and tackling every obstacle in Payroll that she comes across as she gets more and more familiar with the financial field but also as a part time caregiver to an elderly couple whom brightens her day regularly.

Jade lives in Kissimmee with her partner of 3.5 years, along with their 3 cats and German Shepherd that she is absolutely enamored with (Jade ALWAYS will make time to show off her fur babies). Jade loves music and art of all kinds, long walks, beaches and all animals. Jade’s favorite quotes are “ Fall 7 times, get up 8” because she strongly believes in never staying down nor giving up and also “ Be the change you wish you see in the world” because she believes we can’t just complain about what we see and not take action to better situations in life.

Daniel Breitbarg, Benefits & Payroll Account Manager

Daniel was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil and graduated from Paulista University (UNIP) with a B.S. in Marketing before moving to the US in 1998. Along the way, Daniel became a dynamic and creative expertise in customer service utilizing leadership and teamwork to design and execute solutions that create customer value with exceptional organizational and interpersonal cross-cultural communication skills.

Daniel has a passion for travel, outdoor activities and as a good Brazilian, he loves soccer. When Daniel isn’t in the office or watching soccer games, you can find him spending time with his friends and family, at music festivals or by the beach or the pool. He is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

James Oswald, Paraplanner

James graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a major in Management. After graduating, he served just over 5 years on active duty as US Army Engineer Officer where he served at Fort Stewart, Afghanistan, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District in Emergency Management. James’ financial career began in 2020 where he started as an insurance professional and eventually transitioned into financial planning profession as an investment advisor representative in Wichita, KS. He holds a Life and Health Insurance License and the series 65 and is in the process of attaining his CFP.

In 2022 James’ and his family moved to Orlando, FL and he soon started as a paraplanner with Gambin Financial Group. He is passionate about helping clients in the financial planning space and educating himself and clients to help them make wise financial decisions especially as entrepreneurs. In his free time, James spends time with his wife, Janet and their son, Daniel “DQ” Quentin. He enjoys playing sports and board games with friends and family.

Nadine Orellana, Executive Assistant

Nadine was born in Canada as the youngest of four girls to a Canadian Naval officer. As a result, she lived in many countries while growing up.

One of the most exciting posts her father had was in London, England while Nadine was a teenager. It was while living in London that she developed a love for all things British, including afternoon tea, murder mysteries and watching Royal weddings and coronations.

Nadine has been an executive assistant in multiple industries, including logistics, finance, property management and even professional sports while working for the Orlando Magic for eight years. She loves serving in her community and was awarded volunteer of the year in 2016-2017 while working at the Magic.

Nadine loves graphic design and is known for her creative digital scrapbooking. She is a spreadsheet master, and if given the chance would be able to solve all the world’s problems with one giant, well organized, color-coded spreadsheet.

A loyal and hardworking assistant, Nadine always has her executive’s best interest at heart. She measures her level of success by how much she positively impacts her executive’s success.

As a verified cool mother of three children, Nadine is also a completely well-trained dog mom to Zoey and Lucy. She and her husband Will reside in Sanford.

Laura Jones, Executive Operations

Laura, a Florida transplant born in Manhattan and raised in Chicago, has built a life focused on love, family, creativity, and growth. As a devoted mother to her daughters Lainey and Zoey, and spouse to her high school sweetheart Zack, Laura also cares for her Mini-Golden Doodle, Fletcher. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UCF and NSU, her passions lie in design, crafting, cooking, and making a positive impact on others.

Transitioning from an 8-year-long career in Digital Marketing to Operations in the Finance industry, Laura’s motivation stems from her drive to contribute to firm goals and deliver creative integration at a high level. She finds joy in leisurely activities like watching shows, spending quality time with loved ones, and exploring favorite vacation spots. Laura draws inspiration from her parents and daughters, fueling her commitment to making a positive impact through her career in Psychology.

A true foodie at heart, sushi is her go-to meal, and she relishes experiences such as spa days, beach outings, and dining at fantastic restaurants. Laura lives life passionately and embraces each moment with enthusiasm.

Jill Richardson, Business Development & Consultant

Jill is a Florida native, born and raised in Winter Park. She grew up with her best friend & sister, Jenna, as both played tennis their entire childhood. Jill went on to get a scholarship to play for Florida Southern College and graduated with a double major in Interpersonal Communication and Psychology in 2015.

She started her career in the Insurance field becoming the top agent in the Southeast and growing her business for 5 years. She worked closely with GFG and she loved their fresh holistic client approach, so she was thrilled to start with their team in July of 2022.

Jill married the love of her life, Ben, in January 2023 and they love their fur children, Daisy & Pancake. Family is her number one priority and loves being active outside on any given day. She loves the beach, any iced coffee in sight and all animals.

Lindsay Cameron, Administrative Coordinator

I am originally from central Pennsylvania and although I miss experiencing four seasons, I consider myself a Florida girl at heart. After receiving my bachelor’s degree in elementary education from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, I headed to Orlando where I taught kindergarten for seven years.

During that time, my beautiful daughter, Avery Madeline was born. In 2015 I made a career change transitioning into the healthcare industry and was excited for the challenge of learning a new field. I thrived in this team environment, as I was able to help people and improve their quality of life.

In my free time I enjoy reading, all teams Philly and spending time in the sun, sand, and sea. I am very close with my parents, sister and nephew, Gavin.

Joy Jiang, Insurance Operations Specialist

Joy is originally from South China and has been living in Orlando FL since 2005. She graduated from Seminole State College with a B.S. in Business information management. Joy has 5 years of client support experience in an IT company and 5 years of experience as a compliance specialist and a background in contract management. She believes that the most vital trait in business is listening. Being an active listener helps her understand the client’s needs and provide valuable support.

In 2022, Joy made a career transition and joined GFG. She earned her 215-Health/Life license and will continue growing.

Outside of business, Joy enjoys traveling, reading, listening to classical music, cooking, and trying new food from various restaurants all over Orlando.

Ruben Z. Diaz, Investments Operations Specialist

Ruben Z. is a USF graduate class of ’17. He studied Healthcare business management. After an eclectic start to his career from medical cannabis to fine dining, Ruben found his niche in finance when he became an advisor with New York Life. Ruben joined us to be a part of the investment team at GFG, helping clients realize gains and providing excellent customer experience.

Ruben has been a missionary 3 times (Peru, Panama, Ecuador) helping create positive global impact. Ruben has presented internationally and has an academic publication in partnership with UCF. Ruben has traveled to 21 different countries with a passion for wanderlust. Exploring new cultures and places is one of his favorite things to do. Travel is so important to him, Ruben even proposed to his fiancé in Portugal. Ruben, like the founders of GFG, has an entrepreneurial spirit and has his own Men’s Ties and fashion accessories brand @RVRDMen. Ruben is a gym rat and loves to be active, he loves walking his dogs with his lady most days after work. Ruben plays on an intramural Flag football team with co-workers and friends. His favorite quote is “The wound is the place where the light enters you”-Rumi

Enrique Loscher, Investment Operations Specialist

Enrique was raised in Miami, Florida, and graduated from Florida International University as a Finance and Economics major. He worked in Miami at two finance firms as a retirement analyst and paraplanner before making the move to Orlando, and Gambin Financial Group. Currently Enrique is in the process of attaining his Series 7 and 66 licenses.

Enrique has a passion for all outdoor activities, especially golf, wakeboarding, snowboarding, and mountain biking. Outside of work, when he’s not outside, you can find Enrique cooking something unique and learning a new language. He is fluent in English and Spanish and is currently studying German.

Charles Lytle, Insurance Operations Specialist

Charlie began his insurance career in 1997 where he mostly served in commercial lines property & casualty underwriting roles for almost 10 years. In 2007 he started working in personal lines insurance for Liberty Mutual. After 10 years in personal insurance starting in sales, and later in project management and IT, he left Liberty and began working for a large insurance brokerage as a business analyst. Charlie loves the client centric focus of the operations and that the employees represent the clients’ interests ahead of their own.

In 2007 he earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Central Florida and holds several insurance designations that include being a Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and an Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI).

In his free time, you can find Charlie filling his weekends with a race or any kind and hanging out with his chocolate lab, Winston.

Taylor Perez, Marketing Director

Taylor is a seventh generation Florida native, born in Gainesville, Florida. She was raised in the Tampa area and graduated from University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and business administration. While in college, she was a member of the American Marketing Association, Alpha Kappa Psi, and secured a highly sought-after internship that opened the doors to her first post-college opportunity in Orlando. She moved to the Orlando area in 2007 and started her career with a start-up pharmaceutical company.

Taylor realized her passion for people and creative storytelling early on and applied this passion in marketing efforts across various industries, including apparel, sports nutrition, and finance. Her marketing style is built upon two guiding words: get personal. Anyone can sell something, but there’s only one YOU. The personification of a brand is Taylor’s favorite undertaking.

Taylor has been proudly married to her husband, Derek since 2013 and they live in Winter Park with their two daughters, Louie Rose and Lennox Monroe.

Outside of work you can find Taylor relaxing with her family, planning her next getaway, or finding another race to sign up for. B.K. (Before Kids), she was an ironman, a half-marathoner, an avid reader, and painter, and she is slowly finding her way back to all these favorite things.

Dani Cirilo, Director of Operations

Dani was born in Orlando and grew up in Eustis, FL. known for its small-town southern charm. Upon graduating from University of Central Florida with a degree in Business Marketing & Administration, she jumped right into the corporate world with a local marketing company that specialized in streaming operations with brand integrated services. Applying her skills in creative work and client engagement she pivoted into the financial industry joining the renowned, Gambin Financial Group.

Dani splits her time across all areas of GFG. Specifically, working directly with our CEO while maintaining the office operations, technology, and C&L needs.

Away from the office, Dani enjoys spending time with her friends and family, competing in all outdoor activities, and traveling. You can often find her being a local at the beach with a brew or taking flight to her next travel destination. Dani is known for her devoted love for college football, Go Noles!

Maria Burgos, Director of Insurance Operations

Maria was born and raised in Miami, Fl., first generation to immigrant parents from Cuba. She lived in Arizona and California growing up but is glad to be back in Florida. She and her husband love to travel and go to concerts- she knows most of the words to any 80’s song. A highlight of her life was when she was lucky enough to go on a missions trip to Africa to help start an orphanage. She’s a huge animal lover and always said if she won the lottery one of the things she would do is to open a huge animal rescue sanctuary.

Maria has been in the insurance industry for over 8 years and prior to that she was a prelegal for 13 years. She is excited to bring her experience to GFG and looks forward to getting to know and work with our clients.

Bradley Carrier, Financial Advisor

Bradley is a true Florida native, born and raised in Orlando, Florida. After high school he joined the Marine Corps and held the position of Public Affairs/Combat Correspondent until 2016 where he exited as a Corporal. Bradley went on to graduate from Stetson University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Bradley has been in the insurance and finance space since 2019 in various capacities and enjoys seeing the positive impact that good life insurance, solid estate planning, and sound financial advice can have on his clients.

Bradley currently lives in Winter Springs with his daughters Harper and Eleanor. When Bradley isn’t in the office, he loves spending time with his children, visiting the beach, enjoying a wonderful Florida boat day, and if there’s time, you can find him on various central Florida golf courses.

Evan Gruchot, Director of Investments

Evan joins GFG from South Florida, where he worked as a Portfolio Manager/Director of Investments & Financial Planning at a firm in Broward County. Prior to that, Evan ran south Florida operations for an RIA based out of the Midwest and worked as an advisor. His passion lies in portfolio construction and educating clients on the What, How, and Why behind their investments.

Evan is originally from the Chicagoland area, growing up in the same area as the Home Alone house. He holds a degree from University of Miami with a concentration in Finance and a minor in business law. Evan holds a designation in Retirement Income Planning and is focused on continuing his education as he completes the Certified Financial Planner designation.

When not at work, Evan spends time writing music and playing guitar, playing sports, or traveling.

Michelle Taylor, Financial Advisor

Michelle Taylor is a third-generation Floridian, born and raised in West Palm Beach. She attended Florida Atlantic University, where she received a B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing. With dreams of one day owning her own designer clothing boutique, Michelle moved to Italy after college. She resided in Florence for over a year, creating a business plan to open her dream boutique, only for the economic climate to shift her focus back to the States. Upon her return to Florida, Michelle continued to pursue a career in her dream field, working for designer label Prada for 7 years.

After nearly a decade in the fashion industry, Michelle had a longing for more meaningful work and a career that would truly help people, leading her to the financial planning industry. Michelle quickly shifted focus, becoming a top producing Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual in 2015 and building her own book of business and exceptional client relationships from the ground up.

Michelle has been married to her husband, Jason, since 2013 and they live in Orlando with their two beautiful children, Beckett and Sloane, and their two dogs. Her love of fashion has remained a constant and she can often be found shopping, usually for her next pair of fabulous shoes. The Taylors love to travel as a family and can be found enjoying the outdoors and the beautiful Florida beaches whenever possible.