Each March, we have the opportunity to pause and reflect on the impact of women in our workforce through International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. At 6 Meridian, we are intentional all year long to acknowledge and act on creating a practice that is inclusive and supportive of women to ultimately lead to better client and employee experiences.
In honor of the International Women’s Day 2025 theme of “Accelerate Action,” we are sharing a few recent examples of how we are working to accelerate action and empower women.
Our practice was founded by seven partners, three of whom are women, and today, we have five women partners.
Our workforce is 58% female, and as we continue to grow, we actively seek diversely skilled applicants to contribute to the strength of our team.
We hired three women team members in 2024: Jessica Atherton, Director of Marketing; Zenia Acosta, Client Service Associate; and Ashley Townley, Client Service Associate. We expanded our team with a new Paraplanner Division in 2025, and our first team member for the division was Olivia Pauly, Paraplanner.
6 Meridian was recognized with a 2024 Wichita Business Journal Diversity & Inclusion Award, reflecting on our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for our employees and our clients.
We’ve worked hard to create a mentorship program that helps ensure continuity of service for our clients. The foundation of our program is having a strong team that is aligned in our commitment to providing clients with an elevated experience.
We also recognize that our mentorship program must go beyond training and include building a distinct culture, strategic hiring to bring in future leaders, and walking alongside mentees to collaborate and provide feedback in support of their growth.
In 2024, after several years working closely with founding partners and senior team members, Rachel Bruce was promoted to Wealth Advisor to take on a larger role serving clients.
Tracy Cochran moved from Office Administrator to Operations & Marketing Associate in 2024, and in this role, she works closely with Jessica Atherton to expand her skills and provide increased support to the team.
Our team participates in local and national training programs specific to mentorship. This March, Margaret Dechant, Founding Partner & CEO, and Amanda Maier, Director of Wealth Advisory Services, attended the Hightower Women & Well-th Forum, where Margaret served as a panelist.
This session coached women in wealth management on enhancing leadership skills, growing their business, and focusing on passing down wisdom. The event was specifically for financial advisors who work with female clients to lead, grow, and impact the next generation.
Sarah Hampton, Founding Partner & Wealth Advisor, served as a mentor for the 12th Annual Wichita Business Journal Mentoring Monday event. Several members of our team joined the event to gain insights as mentees.
At the direction of our clients, we welcome the opportunity to include the entire family in account reviews providing one-on-one education for spouses and the next generation.
We also offer our clients resources on the major life transitions they may face, such as the loss of a loved one, divorce, caregiving, and the sale of a business.
We intentionally create and curate content specific to the financial needs of our women clients. Visit the Women & Wealth section of our Resources page to review the information.
Our team members volunteer their time to many local organizations. Including those that support and empower girls and women, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Wichita Family Crisis Center, United Way of the Plains, and Create Campaign.
We also routinely partner with women’s leadership groups including Wichita Business Journal Mentoring Monday, Emerging Leaders, and Career Women to provide education, resources, and mentoring.
Each year, we host client events that address the many challenges women face with investing, estate planning, and retirement. At our Ladies’ Luncheon in 2024, we provided a market update along with an overview of the power of creating a financial plan.
Our women team members are frequently recognized for their contributions to our industry and the community.
- Sarah Hampton was recognized as a 2024 Wichita Business Journal Women in Business honoree.
- Jenni Heartfield, Investment Operations Associate, was recognized as a 2025 Wichita Business Journal Young Professional, was accepted into the 2024-2025 Wichita Business Journal Emerging Leader program, and received the KWCH Exceptional Volunteer Award in 2024.
- Tracy Cochran was recognized with a 2025 Wichita Business Journal Women Who Lead in Professional Services Award.
Through inclusion and creating a culture of trust for all, we continue our commitment to provide a positive work environment for our employees and to work together to improve the financial lives of our clients.
