OUR TEAM
We all have unique goals. Let us help you reach yours. Growing and preserving your wealth demands a team approach. Together with our partners, we offer a range of specialized services to meet your goals.
David M. Popowich, CIM®, CPCA, PFP
Portfolio Manager
Senior Wealth Advisor
Senior Investment Advisor
Growing up with a parent in the financial industry, Dave was exposed to investing at a young age. After earning a degree in commerce from the University of Alberta, he saw a unique opportunity to make a difference for people in the most financially vulnerable time of their lives: retirement.
Dave co-hosts More Than Money, a weekly radio program that covers a variety of financial and lifestyle topics. He is also a business and market expert for CHQR Calgary and CTV, where he appears regularly to share his insights on retirement as well as financial and economic issues.
When he’s not working or shuttling his two teenage daughters to their activities, Dave loves to golf and travel with his wife Maddy.
Dave is a dedicated supporter of the Calgary Children’s Foundation, an organization that works to give local kids in need opportunities they may not otherwise have access to.
Faisal Karmali, FCSI, CFP®, CIM®
Portfolio Manager
Senior Wealth Advisor
Senior Investment Advisor
Born and raised in Calgary, Faisal got his first taste of the wealth management business during an internship he held as a teenager. After studying economics in Ottawa, he dedicated his career to helping people improve their financial security as they prepare for retirement.
Faisal co-hosts More Than Money, a weekly radio show where he discusses everything from financial topics to lifestyle considerations. He is also a business and market expert for CHQR Calgary and CTV where he shares his financial expertise to empower Calgarians to make smart retirement choices.
When he’s not in the office, Faisal enjoys playing ball hockey and golf. He is also a supporter of Junior Achievement, dedicating his time and expertise to promote entrepreneurship and financial literacy among young people.
Faisal would like to be remembered as someone who added value to the lives of others—as a good father, a good husband to his wife Sophie, and an advisor who has helped hundreds of clients reach their goals.
Robert Gerrie, B.Comm.
Wealth Advisor
Investment Advisor
With a degree in accounting, Rob loves numbers. But he believes investment strategy is about more than just the numbers. It’s about looking at the bigger picture of a family’s situation, understanding their goals, and figuring out how to make the retirement lifestyle they’re dreaming of a reality.
With over 10 years of experience in the investment industry, Rob enjoys the camaraderie he has found with the PKAG team. He believes that the knowledge, experience, and unique perspective that each member brings is key to finding the right solutions for the families we work with.
Outside of the office, Rob loves wearing his ‘dad hat’ and spending time outside hiking, skiing, and camping with his wife and two young children.
Leanna C. Wachniak, B.Comm., JD
Wealth Advisor
Investment Advisor
Originally from Saskatoon, Leanna moved to Calgary over 10 years ago to join PKAG and has been an integral part of the team ever since.
With degrees in both marketing and law, Leanna brings a specialized perspective and skill set to the team. Her experience drafting wills, powers of attorney, and personal care directives makes her uniquely qualified to guide clients through the estate planning process.
One of her favourite parts of the job is educating clients about how to implement the right investment strategies to reach their goals, and seeing the positive impact that education has on their lives.
In 10 years, Leanna sees herself still sitting at her desk behind an ever-growing pile of files, helping clients build and protect their wealth so they can achieve what’s really important to them.
Vincent van der Poel, CFA
Financial Associate
With a background in economics, Vincent is a CFA charterholder and maintains membership with the CFA Institute and Calgary CFA Society. Vincent assists the PKAG advisors with researching and analyzing securities, as well as with trading across portfolios. His knowledge and experience with trading and client service make him uniquely qualified to offer superior service and insight to our clients.
When he’s not in the office, Vincent and his wife can be found on a lake in the summer or skiing in the winter.
Courtney Stewart
Financial Associate
Courtney heads client service for PKAG and is your first point of contact with the team. With over 20 years of customer service experience, she understands how important it is to maintain consistency and quality in all client interactions. She works closely with the rest of the team to provide superior client support and handles everything from meeting schedules and account maintenance to processing trades, fund transfers, contributions, and withdrawals.
In her spare time, Courtney enjoys spending time with her husband and their dog Tigger.
Allie O'Neill
Financial Associate
Allie provides knowledgeable, efficient, and friendly service to new families joining the Popowich Karmali Advisory Group. As our onboarding specialist, she assists with new account openings, documentation, transfers, and familiarizing clients with our team. With a Certificate in Financial Services Advice and over 10 years in the financial industry, Allie is able to schedule meetings, maintain accounts, trade, and process transactions in order to deliver the smoothest possible experience to all PKAG clients.
Allie’s most important role is mom to a very active 6 year old who keeps her on her toes!
Heather McDonald
Financial Associate
With over 30 years of experience in the financial industry, Heather is well versed in understanding clients’ needs, providing solutions, and guiding their families through all aspects of their financial journey. Her extensive knowledge and experience help her provide exceptional advice as well as trading and administrative support to our clients. Heather’s favourite part of the job is connecting with clients on a personal level and building long-term, trusting relationships.
One of Heather’s proudest accomplishments is raising a blended family of 5 children with her husband.
Suzanne Magner
Financial Planning Specialist
Suzanne works with the PKAG team to design comprehensive retirement plans and find the right solutions for our clients’ unique situations. As a Certified Financial Planner with over 20 years of experience, she is able to help families see the big picture of their finances and build a plan that allows them to retire with confidence.
Suzanne is a year-round biking enthusiast, mountain biking in the summer and fat biking in the winter.
Jing Liu
Administrative Assistant
Jing joined the Popowich Karmali Group with over 10 years of experience with CIBC. Her primary responsibility is providing administrative support to new clients transitioning to PKAG, which includes opening accounts, facilitating transfers, and handling other daily requests.
Maura Yang
Client Associate
With over 5 years of experience with CIBC, Maura’s primary role is handling client account administration. Always one step ahead of the ask, she is able to handle any inquiries or requests you may have with regards to documentation and transactions.
David M. Popowich, CIM®, CPCA, PFP
Growing up with a parent in the financial industry, Dave was exposed to investing at a young age. After earning a degree in commerce from the University of Alberta, he saw a unique opportunity to make a difference for people in the most financially vulnerable time of their lives: retirement.
Dave co-hosts More Than Money, a weekly radio program that covers a variety of financial and lifestyle topics. He is also a business and market expert for CHQR Calgary and CTV, where he appears regularly to share his insights on retirement as well as financial and economic issues.
When he’s not working or shuttling his two teenage daughters to their activities, Dave loves to golf and travel with his wife Maddy.
Dave is a dedicated supporter of the Calgary Children’s Foundation, an organization that works to give local kids in need opportunities they may not otherwise have access to.
Faisal Karmali, FCSI, CFP®, CIM®
Born and raised in Calgary, Faisal got his first taste of the wealth management business during an internship he held as a teenager. After studying economics in Ottawa, he dedicated his career to helping people improve their financial security as they prepare for retirement.
Faisal co-hosts More Than Money, a weekly radio show where he discusses everything from financial topics to lifestyle considerations. He is also a business and market expert for CHQR Calgary and CTV where he shares his financial expertise to empower Calgarians to make smart retirement choices.
When he’s not in the office, Faisal enjoys playing ball hockey and golf. He is also a supporter of Junior Achievement, dedicating his time and expertise to promote entrepreneurship and financial literacy among young people.
Faisal would like to be remembered as someone who added value to the lives of others—as a good father, a good husband to his wife Sophie, and an advisor who has helped hundreds of clients reach their goals.
Robert Gerrie, B.Comm.
With a degree in accounting, Rob loves numbers. But he believes investment strategy is about more than just the numbers. It’s about looking at the bigger picture of a family’s situation, understanding their goals, and figuring out how to make the retirement lifestyle they’re dreaming of a reality.
With over 10 years of experience in the investment industry, Rob enjoys the camaraderie he has found with the PKAG team. He believes that the knowledge, experience, and unique perspective that each member brings is key to finding the right solutions for the families we work with.
Outside of the office, Rob loves wearing his ‘dad hat’ and spending time outside hiking, skiing, and camping with his wife and two young children.
Leanna C. Wachniak, B.Comm., JD
Originally from Saskatoon, Leanna moved to Calgary over 10 years ago to join PKAG and has been an integral part of the team ever since.
With degrees in both marketing and law, Leanna brings a specialized perspective and skill set to the team. Her experience drafting wills, powers of attorney, and personal care directives makes her uniquely qualified to guide clients through the estate planning process.
One of her favourite parts of the job is educating clients about how to implement the right investment strategies to reach their goals, and seeing the positive impact that education has on their lives.
In 10 years, Leanna sees herself still sitting at her desk behind an ever-growing pile of files, helping clients build and protect their wealth so they can achieve what’s really important to them.
Vincent van der Poel, CFA
With a background in economics, Vincent is a CFA charterholder and maintains membership with the CFA Institute and Calgary CFA Society. Vincent assists the PKAG advisors with researching and analyzing securities, as well as with trading across portfolios. His knowledge and experience with trading and client service make him uniquely qualified to offer superior service and insight to our clients.
When he’s not in the office, Vincent and his wife can be found on a lake in the summer or skiing in the winter.
Courtney Stewart
Courtney heads client service for PKAG and is your first point of contact with the team. With over 20 years of customer service experience, she understands how important it is to maintain consistency and quality in all client interactions. She works closely with the rest of the team to provide superior client support and handles everything from meeting schedules and account maintenance to processing trades, fund transfers, contributions, and withdrawals.
In her spare time, Courtney enjoys spending time with her husband and their dog Tigger.
Allie O'Neill
Allie provides knowledgeable, efficient, and friendly service to new families joining the Popowich Karmali Advisory Group. As our onboarding specialist, she assists with new account openings, documentation, transfers, and familiarizing clients with our team. With a Certificate in Financial Services Advice and over 10 years in the financial industry, Allie is able to schedule meetings, maintain accounts, trade, and process transactions in order to deliver the smoothest possible experience to all PKAG clients.
Allie’s most important role is mom to a very active 6 year old who keeps her on her toes!
Heather McDonald
With over 30 years of experience in the financial industry, Heather is well versed in understanding clients’ needs, providing solutions, and guiding their families through all aspects of their financial journey. Her extensive knowledge and experience help her provide exceptional advice as well as trading and administrative support to our clients. Heather’s favourite part of the job is connecting with clients on a personal level and building long-term, trusting relationships.
One of Heather’s proudest accomplishments is raising a blended family of 5 children with her husband.
Suzanne Magner
Suzanne works with the PKAG team to design comprehensive retirement plans and find the right solutions for our clients’ unique situations. As a Certified Financial Planner with over 20 years of experience, she is able to help families see the big picture of their finances and build a plan that allows them to retire with confidence.
Suzanne is a year-round biking enthusiast, mountain biking in the summer and fat biking in the winter.
Jing Liu
Jing joined the Popowich Karmali Group with over 10 years of experience with CIBC. Her primary responsibility is providing administrative support to new clients transitioning to PKAG, which includes opening accounts, facilitating transfers, and handling other daily requests.
Maura Yang
With over 5 years of experience with CIBC, Maura’s primary role is handling client account administration. Always one step ahead of the ask, she is able to handle any inquiries or requests you may have with regards to documentation and transactions.