^{WHO WE ARE}About Us

Steven has spent decades helping individuals and families navigate markets, retirement, major life transitions, and the responsibilities that come with accumulated wealth. His approach starts not with the portfolio, but with the person — what they are building toward, what they want to protect, and what matters most to their family.

Joe brings a deep background in investment strategy and a particular focus on helping clients navigate life's major financial inflection points. He believes that the best financial plans aren't built around market returns — they're built around the moments in a person's life that actually matter: retirement, legacy, security, and freedom.

Otto Behrle is an investment professional with over a decade of experience spanning institutional financial services, private equity, and public REIT asset management. As Director of Asset Management at AvalonBay Communities (NYSE: AVB), Otto oversees a $10 billion multifamily portfolio. He leads strategic planning with hold/sell recommendations, asset valuations and financial analysis, and capital program execution.

Prior to joining AvalonBay, Otto served as Portfolio Manager at Preserve Partners, where he oversaw an $800 million AUM portfolio. He was responsible for business plan execution, investor and lender reporting, and asset-level performance.

Otto began his career with PwC in the Alternative Investments practice, serving institutional clients such as Oaktree Capital and Kayne Anderson on fund accounting, financial reporting, and tax filings. 

Otto earned a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Southern California. He holds an active CPA license and held a Series 7 license.

The professionals referenced on this page are not employees, agents, representatives, or supervised persons of Behrle & Bergin or Prospera Financial Services. They maintain separate and independent professional practices and provide services on their own behalf, not on behalf of or under the supervision of the advisor or the firm.
Otto Behrle and Avery Kastenbaum are not registered representatives or investment adviser representatives, and they do not provide investment advisory services through our firm. Any tax, legal, or accounting services offered by them are provided solely through their independent practices.
The CPA and attorney listed on this website are the children of Steve Behrle. Because of this family relationship, the advisor may have a financial or personal incentive to recommend or refer clients to their services. Clients should be aware that this presents a conflict of interest, and you are under no obligation to engage these individuals. You may choose any tax, legal, or accounting professional you prefer.

Avery Kastenbaum is a multidisciplinary professional whose career bridges law, real estate, and strategy. With a Juris Doctor from the University of Richmond School of Law and professional licenses in both South Carolina and California, Avery brings a sharp analytical mindset and a solutions-oriented approach to complex regulatory, operational, and investment challenges.

Her background includes years of experience in civil litigation—representing corporate clients such as Uber and large-scale property entities—where she developed expertise in risk assessment, negotiation, and data-driven decision-making. Transitioning into real estate, Avery leveraged her legal acumen to advise clients on asset valuation, market trends, and transactional structures across residential and commercial portfolios in the Charleston area.

At the intersection of law, investment, and market strategy, Avery is known for her ability to synthesize diverse data points into actionable insights. She approaches each engagement with the rigor of an attorney and the foresight of client enrichment. 

Education

• University of Richmond School of Law – Juris Doctor, Certificate of Concentration in Intellectual Property
• University of Southern California – B.A.
• Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV)

Professional Experience

• Meyers, McConnelle, Reisz, Siderman Law Firm
• Girardi Keese Law Firm
• Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles
• Charleston County Probate Court, SC

Licenses

• State Bar of South Carolina
• State Bar of California

The professionals referenced on this page are not employees, agents, representatives, or supervised persons of Behrle & Bergin or Prospera Financial Services. They maintain separate and independent professional practices and provide services on their own behalf, not on behalf of or under the supervision of the advisor or the firm.
Otto Behrle and Avery Kastenbaum are not registered representatives or investment adviser representatives, and they do not provide investment advisory services through our firm. Any tax, legal, or accounting services offered by them are provided solely through their independent practices.
The CPA and attorney listed on this website are the children of Steve Behrle. Because of this family relationship, the advisor may have a financial or personal incentive to recommend or refer clients to their services. Clients should be aware that this presents a conflict of interest, and you are under no obligation to engage these individuals. You may choose any tax, legal, or accounting professional you prefer.

With nearly 10 years at the firm, Katie leads Prospera’s corporate branding, client communications, events, and advisor marketing initiatives. Katie particularly enjoys helping advisors develop their branding and create marketing strategies for their practices to reflect their unique identities. Her extensive experience and strategic approach have helped to elevate both the firm’s and its advisors’ visibility in the market.

A proud graduate of Texas A&M University, Katie spends her free time in Austin with her husband, son, and dog. She enjoys being outdoors, playing tennis and pickleball, and exploring the local restaurant scene.

Carolyn helps advisors grow and optimize their practices. In her role as a business consultant, she provides advisors with customized solutions to meet the needs of their unique practices. In addition, she facilitates ongoing educational opportunities and idea exchanges to help keep advisors at the forefront of the industry.

As a CFP® professional, Carolyn has been in the industry for over 25 years. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity University and holds Series 4, 7, 24, 53, 63, and 65 licenses. Outside of her passion for helping advisors create a process-driven practice, Carolyn enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and two children.

Marco Galvan, Director of Technology, has been a powerhouse for Prospera’s technology infrastructure for over 10 years. With his extensive experience in program and project management, he has developed an invaluable toolbox of methods to enhance the user experience of both staff and advisors. Fueled by a passion for service, he is always on the hunt for ways our advisors can maximize client relationships. Marco’s consultative approach for the unique needs of our advisors adds to the many ways Prospera is able to be nimble, yet mighty.

Chris Bravender began his career as an intern with Dorsey & Company in 1999 and was subsequently promoted to the Fixed Income trading desk where he analyzed municipal and corporate credits. In 2021, Chris joined Prospera Financial Services, managing the desk’s market-making activities and developing trading and investment ideas for Prospera Financial Services' advisors and clients. Chris also specializes in college savings plans, retirement plans, rollovers, and strategic asset allocation using managed portfolios.

Along with his trading responsibilities, he is a General Securities Representative and has successfully completed SEC/FINRA/NASAA examinations to attain the following registrations:

Series 7 General Securities Representative
Series 53 Municipal Securities Principal Examination
Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination
Series 65 Uniform Investment Advisor Law Examination

Hilary Pluemer, Chief Administrative Officer, serves as Prospera advisors’ advocate and consultant in running and growing their firms. In her role, Hilary oversees Prospera’s operations, technology, data, and practice management departments. With over three decades of experience under her belt, including 15 years of consulting for small businesses, Hilary’s passion for process-driven action helps make her a unique and valuable resource to Prospera.

For over 20 years, Garrick has helped individuals and families develop sound financial and investment strategies by zeroing in on each client's particular needs. Garrick works with every client to help draft their own written investment plan incorporating their goal, appetite for risk and investment preferences. With a plan in place, clients are then empowered to see exactly how they can reach their financial goals, through good times and bad.

Garrick began his career as a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley in Irvine, CA. In 2008, Garrick deepened his expertise in an array of financial areas (retirement, estate, insurance, tax and investment planning) by obtaining the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. In 2011, Garrick left Morgan Stanley to accept an opportunity with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network (WFAFN) as a Senior Financial Advisor, where he could own and control his own practice. In 2019, 2020, 2021 and again in 2022, Garrick was honored by WFAFN in being named the Platinum Council*. More recently, Garrick joined Prospera Financial Services as an independent RIA, where he currently serves as President and owner of Up The Graph Financial Group™, Inc.

Garrick's passion for professional growth doesn't end there. Having traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia during his youth, Garrick learned the value of understanding different cultures, languages and viewpoints. While earning his bachelor's degree in Economics at Wake Forest University, he studied abroad in Russia. After college, he worked in St. Petersburg and Moscow for a number of years before later settling in Orange County, CA in 2002. Outside of the office, Garrick is an avid mountain biker, but also enjoys traveling with his family and working on projects around the house. He has been married to Elina for 17 years and they share a daugther, Dasha.

*The Platinum Council (previously known as Premier Advisor) distinction is held by a select group of Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network as measured by completion of educational components, business production based on the past year, and professionalism. Additional criteria, best practices and team structure, may also be used to determine recipients.

Garrick Updegraph is a Registered Representative of Prospera Financial Services and operates independently. Any reference to other representatives or branch locations is provided for informational purposes only and does not imply a partnership, joint business relationship, or shared client accounts. Each financial professional is solely responsible for the services they provide and the clients they serve.