Meet Lauren
Lauren is a Wealth Advisor based in West Des Moines, Iowa. She joined Mercer Advisors in 2024 through the acquisition of River Glen Wealth Counselors, a small boutique planning firm where she was Financial Planner. Lauren is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional. She earned a B.F.A. degree in acting from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Lauren’s specialties
At Mercer Advisors, all of our wealth advisors provide a highly personalized approach, backed by a team of specialists that ensure every part of your financial list is addressed. Additionally, Lauren has focused experience in these areas:
- Planning for retirement, from high-earning years to long-term income strategies
- Multi-generational planning that aligns with your values and minimizes tax impact
- Helping new families shift financial priorities while building a strong foundation for the future
- Guiding clients through living in retirement with steady income and smart planning
- For women breadwinners, financial strategies to support their families and long-term goals
Her working style
Lauren brings an empathetic, holistic approach to financial planning. She tailors her clients’ plans around their individual needs to build financial confidence and help enable them to fully enjoy their financial future.
Lauren in real life
Why do you like working at Mercer Advisors?
I have the opportunity to serve my clients while having an amazing support team! It’s like getting to drive the car you’ve always loved with a supped-up engine. It makes the work that we do for clients more powerful, while having the ability to stay personal and flexible.
What keeps you busy outside of work?
I enjoy performing onstage which is a hobby I share with my husband, as we are both members of a local improv comedy group. I love to travel, explore new recipes, and spend time with my family.
Favorite thing about where you live?
Living in Iowa for nearly my entire life, I love the people and the hard-working, kind nature of Midwesterners. I also enjoy surprising people from out of state with how much Iowa has to offer, including restaurants, entertainment, and beauty!
Meet Lauren’s Teammates
Matt Busick
Sr. Wealth Advisor
What Lauren Says
Matt and I partner together for planning for several clients. We enjoy using each of our strengths to help best serve clients. We also have the privilege of working with multiple generations of families to help craft a thoughtful legacy and education for each generation. He is a fantastic mentor and I enjoy working with him each day!
Lindsey Starostka
Client Service Specialist
What Lauren Says
Lindsey is an organizational wiz and her attention to detail and thoughtfulness allows our local team’s operations to move like clockwork. She takes all of the follow-ups from my meetings with clients and ensures they are completed in a timely manner. Her passion for serving clients and her energy makes her such a fantastic addition to our team!
Kara Dorothy
Sr. Financial Planner
What Lauren Says
Kara’s detailed and inquisitive nature help to bring our clients’ financial plans to life. She partners with me to take the many different financial puzzle pieces of our clients lives and craft them into a picture that expresses their unique goals. Her experience and willing to dig into any research project makes her an invaluable member of the team!
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