About Us

We are a financial services firm that provides independent financial advice in the Calgary area.

Aaron West

President, Wealth Strategist

Although Aaron’s early days in the financial services industry predates smart phones and flat screen TVs, his passion for helping clients gain clarity of their financial goals and helping them navigate their wealth journey has never wavered. In fact, in a world where complexity seems to compile year after year, Aaron is more passionate than ever to advocate for clients, helping them make sense of where they are and where they are trying to get to.

With his experience and background of the CFP (financial planning) and CLU (estate planning) designations, Aaron and his team collaborate to help you build a plan for now and for the future.

When not helping clients, Aaron’s passions include spending time in the back country camping and fishing, chasing his daughters around North America as they start to spread their wings, playing with his pooch, and enjoying good food and drink with his wife and friends.

Sara Lawrence

Partner, Wealth Strategist

Sara is passionate about people and relationships. She doesn’t believe good advice is just about the numbers — it’s about listening, communicating clearly, and making the process easier. Trust is the foundation of our practice, and once a client chooses to work with us, she is deeply committed to continually earning that trust through exceptional service and thoughtful guidance. Together with our team, Sara provides financial advice designed to ensure every client benefits from an objective perspective.

When Sara is not working, she is usually eating, traveling, snowboarding, or chasing after her two young girls, which gives a real-life perspective on the financial decisions families face every day.

With years of experience in financial and advisory services, her goal is to help clients build and protect their wealth thoughtfully, practically, and with a personal touch.

Rodney Zawalykut

Wealth Strategist

Rodney is deeply committed to establishing and nurturing strong, collaborative working relationships with his clients, guiding them through the intricacies of wealth planning. Taking a stewardship approach, he works closely with clients to develop personalized plans that offer clarity and a defined path toward achieving what is most important to them.

With over 16 years of experience, Rodney has built a successful independent practice serving families, professionals, and entrepreneurs. He is dedicated to fostering genuine connections, treating every client as if they were family.

Outside of his professional life, Rodney values time spent with his family, staying active, enjoying time at the lake, and traveling internationally. He has a particular passion for triathlons, having competed in numerous triathlons and Half Ironman 70.3 races. A recent highlight was of qualifying for and attending The Half Ironman 70.3 World Championships in New Zealand in 2024.

Mark Tomlinson

Paraplanner

Mark is the paraplanner on the team; he crunches the numbers to make sure that the financial plans meet client objectives while also being actionable and realistic. Mark enjoys collaborating with clients, working hard to ensure accuracy, while also making sure that the plan meets the client’s vision and answers their important financial questions. He is in place to support The Financial Advocates belief that a good plan is one that evolves over time, continually acting as a touchstone for financial decision making no matter the stage of life or situation.

After two and a half decades of commercial work in the oil and gas industry, Mark is now happily pursuing his encore career in personal finance. A Calgary native, he enjoys back country camping, hiking, cross-country skiing, and time in the woodshop. He is currently working on courses leading to the Certified Financial Planner designation.

Lisa Vowels

Client Service Administrator

Lisa is the Client Administrator for The Financial Advocates team. She supports the team in delivering exceptional service and facilitates client requests and inquiries, serving as a liaison between our carriers and internal team members to ensure a seamless client experience.

Lisa is currently starting her career in financial services and completing her Bachelor of Commerce in Finance, with plans to pursue her Certified Financial Planner designation. She looks forward to making a meaningful impact in the industry. In her spare time, Lisa enjoys camping, skiing, and hosting a great dinner party.