Team Citrine
Ryan S. Cole, CFP®
Founder, Chairman
Ryan began investing at the age of 18 while earning his degree in business and management of technology at Clarkson University. Through his studies and over 20 years of investment experience, Ryan became a firm believer in tax-efficient investing and low-cost portfolio management. His financial know-how eventually led him to be a resource for friends and family, and he quickly discovered his passion for helping others with financial planning and investing.
Previously, Ryan worked as a financial planner at Ameritas Investment Corporation where he earned his series 65 license. In 2014, he left Ameritas to found Cole Wealth Advisors, which evolved into Citrine Capital when Jirayr joined in 2016.
Ryan is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with a specialty in equity compensation, taxation, and financial independence. He currently serves as the Managing Director of Citrine Capital.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Ryan has the pragmatism and objectivity of an East Coaster balanced by an easygoing, holistic attitude adopted from twelve years in the San Francisco Bay Area. Outside of work, he enjoys goofing around with his wife and four children, ice hockey, cycling, great food, craft beer, and lots of espresso.
Jirayr R. Kembikian, CFP®
Co-Founder, Managing Director
Jirayr Kembikian, CFP® is a wealth advisor, managing director, and co-founder of Citrine Capital. He specializes in navigating the complexities of equity compensation, private investments, and Bitcoin wealth strategies. With over a decade of experience guiding clients through liquidity events and complex financial decisions, Jirayr brings a grounded yet forward-thinking perspective to building and preserving wealth.
He began his career with one of the nation’s largest banks, where he witnessed firsthand the enduring impact of thoughtful financial planning. Before launching Citrine Capital, he was a financial planner at Ameritas Investment Corporation, where he helped hundreds of individuals, families, and small businesses design and implement plans to reach their goals.
Jirayr is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) and holds a degree in finance from San Francisco State University. Born and raised in Marin County, he remains active in his community through board service and local organizations. Outside of work, he is passionate about mountain biking, hiking, photography, international travel, and staying active in the outdoors.
Samantha Mockford, CFP®, AFC®
Associate Wealth Advisor (she/her)
Sam studied economics at the University of California, Davis, then spent 14 years mentoring college students, spending 8 of those years overseas. Since joining Citrine, Sam has achieved the ACCREDITED FINANCIAL COUNSELOR® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certifications.
She’s developed a reputation as a friendly nerd who will cheerfully help anyone make a budget based on their values. Sometimes reality can be scary, but she believes a good financial planner should allay anxieties and get people excited about the future.
Sam lives with her husband and two sons in Sacramento, where she skis, swims on the local masters team, and finagles space on their small kitchen table for tabletop games and copious homemade baked sweets. Her happy place is her backyard, where she gardens and swings around on their ninja course.
Kiersten Peshek, CFP® (they/them)
Lead Wealth Advisor
Kiersten started their journey towards a financial planning career in 2018 after learning about the basics of personal finance and how that knowledge can be used to help folks flourish personally and financially. Having always wanted a career helping others, this sparked a passion to become a fee-only financial planner to provide their clients with the guidance and advice needed to reach personal and financial goals.
Prior to joining Citrine Capital, as a career changer, Kiersten had varied job experience in mortgage servicing, real estate appraisals, and as a tech professional.
Today, Kiersten is a Lead Wealth Advisor with Citrine Capital, where they serve as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) and Investment Advisor Representative (IAR) specializing in company equity, LGBTQ+ planning, and FIRE planning.
As someone with a passion for helping others, Kiersten also volunteers as a Financial Coach with Habitat for Humanity Atlanta and is on the FPA of Georgia’s DEI Committee for 2024 whose goal is to bring more diverse people into the financial planning profession by doing outreach on college campuses around Georgia.
Kiersten holds a degree in English and Spanish from Illinois State University as well as a Financial Planning Certificate from DePaul University. Born and raised in Illinois, Kiersten now lives in Columbus, Georgia with their husband and cute, black cat named Pounce. Kiersten is passionate about reading, yoga, baking, travel, supporting the LGBTQ+ community, and all things Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE).
Favorite books: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Sister Outsider, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, Work Optional, the Heartstopper series, and Laziness Does Not Exist.
Melanie Askey, MBA
Client Service Team Lead
Melanie is passionate about business strategy and thrives on creating streamlined, automated, and consistent processes that drive organizational efficiency. With an analytical mindset and a people-first approach, she brings balanced insight to every professional interaction.
A former collegiate soccer player at the University of Lynchburg, she earned multiple academic and athletic honors and later completed her MBA at Loyola University Maryland, including an international study tour in Chile.
Before joining Citrine, Melanie spent a decade at BGE HOME, advancing to Marketing Manager and leading integrated marketing strategy. She was selected for Exelon’s Emerging Leaders Program and later founded Askey Consulting, specializing in business and marketing strategy.
Outside of work, Melanie enjoys hiking with her favorite podcast or Taylor Swift song, reading, snacking on guacamole and corn chips, playing with her dog, or cheering on her children in sports.
Nick Loeffelman, CFP®
Wealth Advisor
Nick began his financial planning journey through the University of Missouri’s CFP® Registered Financial Planning program. While in school, he participated in several financial planning events, including winning a comprehensive planning competition. Alongside his coursework, Nick co-owned and operated a small business in his community, which he successfully sold upon graduation before relocating to California.
He was drawn to financial planning for the way it combines the technical elements of finance with the opportunity to help families bring their goals to life. His expertise lies in guiding clients through the complexities of equity compensation and liquidity events and translating those into actionable strategies.
Before joining Citrine Capital, Nick began his professional career in mortgage banking, working closely with clients to identify the best solutions for their financial needs.
Growing up in a military family, Nick experienced life and culture around the world. He now lives in Huntington Beach, California, where he enjoys skiing, surfing, woodworking, and exploring nearby hiking trails.
