Our Team

Christian’s passion for learning has served him well throughout his life. From a young age he thirsted for new experiences that would expand his mind and provide a rich experience. Coupled with an inability to sit still, he has spent his life in the pursuit of diverse interests which include everything from flying airplanes to playing the drums professionally, and just about everything in between.

Education has always been of paramount importance to Christian. Born and raised in Orangevale, he attended Bella Vista High school where he played soccer and golf, was involved in student government, and participated in the marching, pep, and jazz bands. To attend college was never a question, but he did change his major a few times before settling on business. While in his undergrad years, he took a two year sabbatical to serve as a missionary for his church, where he learned the Spanish language and developed an appreciation for the hardships many suffer in third world countries. Three weeks after returning from his missionary labors he married Rachel, the women of his dreams who had patiently waited over two years to be reunited. They eagerly began life together as Christian plunged into professional life and went back to school.

Christian began his career in the financial services working for Bank of America. During this time he developed an intense interest in the world of wealth management. After a few years at the bank, he accepted an opportunity to work at Prospero (formerly GFBB Benefits) where he would mentor under Dr. Dean Forman, Ph.D., CFP, CEBS. Christian is quick to acknowledge that his decade of mentorship from Dean provided him with a lifetime’s worth of experience and knowledge!

Not long after starting with Prospero, Christian graduated from CSUS earning a BS of Business Administration with minors in finance, economics, and risk management and insurance. At the same time he took the LSAT and began applying to law schools. After graduation he weighed his options, but decided to remain in Sacramento where he could continue to work full-time and attend University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law, taking classes at night. Law School was a busy time for Christian. At McGeorge he served as president of the McGeorge Estate Planning Society, competed on the mock trial team, earned certifications in both Taxation and Business Law, and it was during this period 2 of his 3 children were born. He graduated a member of the Dean’s list, and was awarded a special scholarship from the Sacramento Estate Planning Council for his academic achievements and dedication to the discipline of estate planning.

Christian has continued to develop his knowledge since taking over ownership of Prospero’s investment business. He’s highly knowledgeable in 401k, 403b, 457 plans, as well as defined benefit and executive compensation plans. He’s helped hundreds of people to create and execute a comprehensive retirement plan. In addition to his work with corporate retirement plans, Christian has extensive experience working with high net-worth individuals and those with complex tax or investment concerns. His legal education and experience serves his clients well through the creative solutions he offers.

In his free time you’ll likely find Christian working to lower his single digit handicap on the golf course, mountain biking with friends, exploring new destinations with his family in their small airplane, restoring a classic car, playing soccer, reading a good biography, or just spending quality time with his wife and three kids. Christian loves to be involved in the community and church. In 2012 he graduated from the Leadership Roseville program and has served on the board of several non-profit organizations. He was part of the original board that founded the Roseville Theater Arts Academy in 2010, and still jumps in the pit orchestra to play the drums from time to time. He’s also been involved the Roseville Chamber of Commerce, the Pacific Gold Aviation Association, the John Adams Academy, and actively fundraises for the Boy Scouts of America. Christian feels a deep tie to his community and the wonderful people that make life so fulfilling!

Kevin Thelen is a Financial Advisor who is passionate about providing independent, quality financial advice that serves our clients' best interests.

Kevin supports personal wealth management clients through financial goal planning, investment management, tax strategies, retirement income planning, and general support. Helping clients achieve their financial goals is his measure of success.

Additionally, Kevin loves to work with employers on their 401k (or similar plan) who wish to provide their employees with an opportunity to prosper beyond their working years. The service allows him to live his mission of expanding access to quality financial advice. Kevin believes a successful 401k plan meets the needs of the owners and encourages a culture of financial success with employees, all while limiting fiduciary exposure and administrative responsibility to the business.

Helping others live a more purposeful life with their money is Kevin's most important measure of his success. He feels most accomplished when he has created a positive impact on the life of another.

Kevin has been an educated, active, and accomplished member of the industry since 2005. Kevin holds a BA in Economics from Seattle University (2006). He earned the industry's top designations, including the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM designation in 2009 and the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation in 2013. The Financial Times recognized Kevin as a top financial advisor in 2015 and 2016. Kevin is a past board member of the Sacramento chapter of the Western Pension & Benefits Council and the Capitol Forum on Pensions. Additionally, he has been an industry speaker, covering topics about behavioral finance, investment theory, and ERISA compliance.

Living a life of balance between his wife, two daughters, career, and cycling is how Kevin expresses his financial freedom. He hopes to encourage others to live their balance.

The Financial Times Top Financial Advisors is an independent listing produced annually by the Financial Times. The recognition is based on data gathered from advisors, broker-dealer home offices, regulatory disclosures, and the FT’s research. The listing reflects each advisor’s status in six primary areas: assets under management (AUM), asset growth, compliance record, experience, credentials and online accessibility. This award does not evaluate the quality of services provided to clients and is not indicative of this advisor’s future performance. Neither the brokerages nor the advisors pay a fee to the Financial Times in exchange for this recognition. Third-party rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client nor are they representative of any one client’s evaluation. 

Patrick Connellan, MBA, is the newest member of the Prospero Wealth Advisors Team who brings tremendous experience as an organizational leader and investor. He has over 20 years of experience as a personal investor and has always been passionate about helping others achieve their goals through deliberate planning and execution. He comes to Prospero via the Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge program which is designed to facilitate a smooth and successful transition from active military service to a civilian career.

As a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, Patrick was most recently the Deputy Commander of the 713^th Combat Operations Squadron, Beale AFB, CA, where he led a diverse team of 160 personnel across three geographic locations. The squadron provides steady-state, contingency, and wartime augmentation to Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, delivering operational level Command and Control across the entire spectrum of military operations. He is a Command Pilot and has held a variety of flying assignments to include the U-2, F-16, E-11, RQ-170, MQ-9, T-38, and T-34 with over 2,900 flying hours, including 1,000 combat and 300 combat support hours. Patrick achieved significant recognition during his distinguished military career with 27 major awards and decorations.

Patrick holds a Master of Business Administration from the Kelley School of Business (Indiana University Bloomington), a Master of Science in Global Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Portland, and is currently working toward his Certified Financial Consultant (ChFC®) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designations at the American College of Financial Services. 

Outside of the office, Patrick is a devoted husband and father of three young children spending much of his time volunteering at school and assisting with a variety of kids’ sports and activities.  He is an avid tennis player, and loves all fast-paced activities where he can get involved in the action. Patrick enjoys the fine arts, travel, racing, and aviation and is also a part-time pilot with a major US airline.

We are excited to have Patrick on the Prospero Team!

Rachel has been a tremendous asset to the firm serving in numerous capacities over the years.  She earned her BA in Music and Vocal performance from BYUI and minored in business administration. She is highly organized, efficient, and able to balance the pressures of work and family life well. Together with Christian, Rachel has three children, three cats, and about three minutes of free time each day!  She has a passion for music, arts, travel, and reading, but her favorite role is that of mother and wife.

Rachel's primary role at Prospero Wealth Advisors is to assist with community outreach and charitable giving.  She has always had an eye toward service and compassion for those in need.  From time to time she may also assist with office adminstration, scheduling, or general office work as needed.  We are grateful to have her in our corner and find her an indespensible part of Prospero's team.

(note:Rachel Baldree is not affiliated with Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. Does not have access to client files.)

Shannon is excited to bring her passion to Prospero Wealth Advisors! 

Shannon began a career in insurance after relocating to Sacramento from the Bay Area in 2016.   She is experienced with VA benefits, Medicare, Medicare supplements, and retiree health and welfare benefits. She currently holds a CA life/health license and is working towards becoming a licensed financial advisor.  Shannon is excited to continue her passion for serving the senior community at Prospero!

At Prospero Wealth Advisors, Shannon is responsible for much of the day-to-day operations and front office support for our Wealth Management team.  She’s responsible for advisor scheduling, processing transactions, as well as assisting with marketing and customer service. 

Shannon lives in Folsom, California with her two children. When the violin, piano, or soccer are not keeping them busy, Shannon enjoys serving at her church or providing community service. Shannon is not registered with Woodbury Financial Services, Inc.