Shaping Wealth Expands Advisory Board to Advance Human-First AI in Wealth Management

Shaping Wealth, the leading provider of behavioral science-based learning and engagement solutions for the wealth management industry, has announced the expansion of its advisory board with the addition of prominent industry leaders Jason Pereira, MBA, CFA, CFP®, and Samantha Russell. They will join behavioral economist Dr. Hal Hershfield to guide the company's strategic evolution as it advances its proprietary AI platform, Lydia, and deepens its technology integrations. Brian Portnoy, CFA, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Shaping Wealth, emphasized that the future of the industry lies in thoughtfully combining technology and humanity to better serve clients rather than choosing between them.

Jason Pereira, host of the Fintech Impact Podcast and recognized thought leader in advisor technology, brings deep expertise in digital transformation to the advisory role. Pereira stated that artificial intelligence is accelerating the industry's evolution toward focusing more on the humans being served rather than products. He expressed excitement about contributing to Shaping Wealth's efforts to leverage behavioral finance implementation with AI to create a more human industry. Recently named to InvestmentNews' 40 Under 40, FMG's Chief Evangelist Samantha Russell will help inform Shaping Wealth's go-to-market strategies and client engagement initiatives, highlighting the company's commitment to making technology more human rather than less.

Dr. Hal Hershfield, Professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management, continues his advisory role with expanded responsibilities around Lydia's behavioral intelligence framework. Hershfield expressed confidence that this advisory team is exactly right to guide advisors through the thoughtful integration of technology and human-first guidance. The advisory board expansion coincides with Shaping Wealth's strategic pivot toward AI-powered solutions, anchored by Lydia, a behavioral intelligence engine designed to help advisors deliver more empathetic and personalized guidance. Unlike traditional AI tools focused solely on efficiency, Lydia enhances the emotional intelligence of financial conversations, representing what Portnoy described as a pivotal moment for the industry in reimagining how human insight and artificial intelligence can work together to help more people achieve funded contentment.