Member-elected board keeps FAAA “close to the advisers”

Members of the Financial Advice Association Australia have elected Natallia Smith and Pedro Marin Ramirez CFP® as directors, and returned existing board member Deborah Kent CFP® for a further term. All three bring hands-on advice experience into the association’s boardroom.

Each director serves a three-year term, with the appointments taking effect at the FAAA annual general meeting on 23 November 2026. Sheila Gutierrez-Cabacungan CFP® steps down at the conclusion of her own three-year term at the same meeting.

The FAAA formed in 2023 through the merger of the Financial Planning Association of Australia and the Association of Financial Advisers, bringing two long-standing adviser bodies under one roof. Its board elections give members a direct say in who steers the association on their behalf.

For advisers, that vote carries weight. A board drawn mostly from elected members brings the everyday experience of running a practice and serving clients into the decisions the association makes for the profession.

Member-led

David Sharpe CFP®, who chairs the FAAA through to the November meeting, congratulates Smith, Marin Ramirez and Kent, and points to the board’s structure as one of the association’s strengths.

“As a member-led organisation, having a majority member-elected board helps us remain close to the advisers we are here to represent and the issues that are important to them.”

He thanks everyone who took the time to vote and contribute to the process, and singles out the strength of the field.

“The calibre of the candidates was extremely high and it was fantastic to see so many members keen to get involved in their association and play a role in its future,” he says.

“Natallia, Pedro and Deborah offer a diverse range of experience, skills and perspectives from across the financial advice community and will be strong representatives of our association and our profession,” Sharpe adds.

Practice credentials

The three directors bring a broad spread of client specialisations to the board, from women in transition to separating couples and aged care.

Smith is director and principal financial adviser of TruWealth Advice, a firm specialising in helping women approaching retirement or working through life changes. She began her career as a financial adviser in 2003 and founded TruWealth, formerly Assetplan Advisory, in 2010.

She holds a master of business in banking and finance from Monash University, an advanced diploma in financial services covering financial planning, and a bachelor degree in psychology. That combination of finance and psychology suits advice work where major life events so often shape the client conversation.

Marin Ramirez founded Marin Wealth, a self-licensed Brisbane practice he established in 2023 and where he also acts as responsible manager. The firm advises on retirement and superannuation strategy, investment and portfolio construction, personal insurance, cash flow and debt, and estate planning. It also runs a dedicated practice advising clients through separation and divorce.

He has co-chaired the FAAA Brisbane Metro Community since 2023 and serves on ASIC’s Queensland Regional Liaison Committee, contributing a practitioner perspective on regulatory and policy matters.

Marin Wealth has brought three Professional Year candidates into the profession in three years, a welcome boost to the pipeline the profession relies on.

A CFP® professional since 2018, Marin Ramirez holds a Bachelor of International Business majoring in finance from Griffith University, and a Graduate Diploma in Business covering professional accounting from QUT.

Kent brings more than three decades as founder, director and principal of Integra Financial Services to the board. She provides holistic, personal financial advice through retirement planning, superannuation, wealth management and aged care.

A founding member of the Financial Planning Association, Kent received the FPA Distinguished Service Award in 2004. In 2016 she was named Woman of the Year for her services to the profession.

Grassroots legacy

Sharpe also thanks Gutierrez-Cabacungan for her contribution as a director across her three-year term, singling out her work with the association’s communities for particular praise.

“Sheila has contributed enormously to the FAAA both as a board member and a volunteer. In particular, her hands-on involvement with our communities across the country has embodied the FAAA’s commitment to grassroots engagement. It has been a pleasure working alongside her,” he says.

Smith, Marin Ramirez and Kent join continuing board members Michelle Veitch CFP®, Glenn Calder CFP®, Diana D’Ambra AM, Jade Khao CFP®, Ben Marshan CFP® and Shaun McDonagh.

Veitch takes the chair from 23 November 2026, a succession the association announced in July. She has served as deputy chair since April 2023, and she inherits a board where member-elected directors hold the majority.