Sam Brownell, CVA, CFA, MBA has been a financial professional since 2006 and formed Stratus Capital Management in July 2013 to provide goals-based financial planning and investment management to individuals, families, and independent business owners. As the firm grew, an increasing number of independent business owners sought Sam’s advice on their short and long-term planning needs, including valuation, tax strategy, business continuity planning, and succession planning. In 2019, Sam obtained the CVA certification from the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA) in order to better serve the valuation and succession planning needs of his independent business owner clients.
Sam earned his BA in Economics from Loyola University in Maryland and his MBA from the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. Prior to forming Stratus, Sam worked in trading, valuation, and research at two investment banks, where he became a CFA Charterholder, and was an economic consultant analyzing structured financial products and other fixed income securities.
In his free time, Sam gives back to his community as treasurer of a local, DC-area non-profit focused on teaching children to swim, and he is also an avid fly fisherman. Sam and his wife, Sara, reside in Kensington, MD, with their sons Felix and Finn.
Amanda Monschein joined Stratus Wealth Advisors in January 2022 as a Financial Advisor after working in the Financial Services industry for over a decade. She specializes in working with small business owners to analyze operations and provide advice on ways to streamline processes and procedures to prepare for growth and increase profitability. In addition, she has extensive experience in project management across multiple industries, including financial services, television production, healthcare, and non-profit organizations, education as well as many years of direct client service experience focused on financial planning, education, and security.
Before joining Stratus, Amanda worked for as a Daily Money Management Firm, helping seniors, busy professionals, small business owners, and adults with disabilities manage finances, plan for the future, and reach their financial goals. In addition to financial planning and organization, she helped with estate planning and execution, consolidation of assets, and identifying financial fraud. Before that, Amanda worked as a Senior Financial Analyst for a publicly traded healthcare company, providing data analysis and projections to stockholders while also working with independent auditors to ensure SEC compliance. She graduated from Wake Forest University.
Outside of the office, Amanda enjoys watching her children play sports, and spending time on the beach with her husband, children, and dogs. She is a native of Montgomery County, MD, where she currently resides.