English is the official language of the 2026 MDRT Top of the Table Annual Meeting.
Tripp Crosby is a comedic host, inspirational speaker, filmmaker and founder of Very, Very Video, an agency that provides fresh ideas for companies like Zoom, Snowflake, Monday.com, Coca-Cola and Ford to engage their target audiences, increase their brand awareness and generate new leads via shareable, oftentimes hilarious video ads and social content. Connecting people to important ideas using humor and authenticity is what Crosby does best. Through telling his own story, teaching basic improv techniques, and sharing key principles for effective brainstorming and collaboration, he continues to help teams and individuals realize their own creative potential.
Emcee for Wednesday Main Platform
Gregory B. Gagne, ChFC, was MDRT President in 2024 and has served in multiple roles on the MDRT Executive Committee since 2021. He previously served as Top of the Table Global Council Member and Advisory Board Chair in 2020 and as Program Development Division Global Council Member in 2019. He also has served on the Board of Trustees of the MDRT Foundation, for which he is an Excalibur Knight and a member of its Inner Circle Society. Gagne is the founder of Affinity Investment Group LLC, which provides wealth management and distribution-planning services.
Gagne shares practical and easy to implement strategies and tactics for effective leadership.
Maryam Rasouli-Habibi is co-founder and partner of Perennial Legacy LLC. With more than 17 years of experience in the financial services profession, she specializes in life insurance, retirement planning and advisor development, helping professionals build scalable, purpose-driven practices rooted in authenticity and human connection. Before co-founding her firm, Rasouli-Habibi held leadership and training roles that shaped her passion for mentoring others. She frequently speaks on business structure, mindset, and integrating AI to enhance client relationships and growth.
How can you integrate AI into your practice to deliver exceptional client experiences without losing the human touch that drives loyalty and referrals? Leledakis and Rasouli-Habibi show you how to create and deploy AI chatbots, voice agents and AI avatars to streamline your practice.
Panos Leledakis, LUTCF, has been in the financial services profession for 25 years and is considered a pioneer in the insurance industry. He is an insurance futurist and an expert in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, internet marketing strategies, automation, CRM, virtual and augmented reality, and cutting-edge technologies in the insurance sector. As the inventor of two innovative software solutions for insurance needs analysis and financial planning, Leledakis has earned 11 global innovation awards, holds a certification in “AI for Business” from the University of Pennsylvania and is furthering his expertise in artificial intelligence through ongoing studies at MIT.
Alison Canavan is a globally recognized keynote speaker, wellness expert and mindfulness facilitator whose journey from international supermodel to transformational guide sets her apart in the world of personal development and leadership. Canavan lived at the height of external success, but it’s her healing journey beyond the spotlight — through addiction, mental health struggles and burnout — that empowers audiences to take control of their lives by spending, saving and investing their energy wisely. She’s on a mission to redefine success through self-awareness, mindfulness and conscious leadership — offering powerful, science-backed tools to manage stress, build resilience and reconnect with your purpose.
Small, intentional shifts anchored into existing routines, Canavan says, can create profound change over time. She explains how to move from stress and reactivity into presence and clarity, teaching you how creating consistent, supportive habits helps free up energy, build trust with yourself, and establish a foundation for sustainable performance and well-being.
Amanda Cassar, MFP, AFP, is a business owner, financial advisor and passionate philanthropist who has observed hearts and minds being opened and watched people be empowered to step into their own leadership journeys. An author, speaker, blogger and adventurer, Cassar has been in the financial services profession for more than 30 years, with special accreditations in aged care, estate planning and self-managed superannuation funds.
Cassar draws on her experiences with The Hunger Project’s transformative “Vision, Commitment and Action” model to show how to apply these principles to financial advisory practices. She explores how a mindset shift can create lasting impact for clients and advisors alike, challenging limiting beliefs, setting meaningful goals and becoming agents of change — both in your own life and in the lives of those you serve.
Paresh B. Shah, CFP, is the managing principal for PareShah Partners and CEO of Merkkuri Wealth Advisors. As a wealth strategist for the past 30 years, Shah helps individuals and businesses create innovative financial strategies that protect today and build for tomorrow. He specializes in pension and profit-sharing, asset protection, estate planning and business succession planning, and co-hosted the talk show “Money & Prosperity.” His professionalism and active service in the community, including his support of many charitable organizations, make him a trusted advisor within the financial services profession.
How can you continue growing production, impact and client experience without a linear increase in time, staff or complexity? Technology, when used strategically, is no longer optional — it is the primary lever for sustainable scalability at the Top of the Table level, says Shah, who explains how to use technology to convert excellence into repeatable, scalable systems. Make sure to bring a laptop or iPad with you to work hands on with Shah during this interactive workshop.
Joshua Ketchie, CPA, CFP, leads a fully virtual financial planning practice. Over the past 14 years, he has developed systems to deliver consistent client experiences while working with a remote team and partner structure. He is known for his direct, practical style, focusing on what actually works in the real world.
Most advisors use virtual meeting platforms; few build their entire business around it.?Ketchie breaks down what it really takes to operate a fully virtual practice at a high level, from creating a professional client experience and training clients to engage effectively to managing remote staff, structuring a business partnership and maintaining culture without a physical office.
Chad Willardson, AWMA, CRPC, is the president and founder of Pacific Capital and author of four bestselling books. He believes that providing clients with the right resources helps them organize their financial life, clarify their goals and make decisions that lead them to successful and fulfilling lives. Willardson co-hosts “The Smart Money Parenting Show” podcast and has been featured in various publications, such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and U.S. News & World Report.
How can advisors enter and thrive with this in-demand clientele? A group of MDRT members shares best practices for working with UHNW clients, including the role of AI, the relevance of philanthropy and family values, and how to prospect and protect legacy, feelings and fortunes into the future.
Elli Schochet, CFP, is the managing partner of Al G. Brown & Associates, a firm that has been helping clients preserve an estate and create a legacy for more than 80 years. Schochet specializes in structuring tax-effective insurance and estate planning strategies for high-net-worth families.
