Harper College

Building Your Financial Future Speakers

Elizabeth A. Grady, CFP®, ChFC®
Financial Advisor, Equitable Advisors, LLC
Elizabeth came to Equitable Financial immediately following college graduation. She was chosen from a pool of over a dozen candidates for her educational achievement, service to others, ethics, professionalism, and drive. Elizabeth attained a passion for investments and planning as a result of the example set by her grandfather. Elizabeth is particularly interested in having members of her generation embrace a financial plan, which will give them confidence for the various challenges that they will encounter both personally and professionally. She firmly believes that if one has a well-thought-out strategy, a person will be able to more strongly navigate the peaks and valleys of life with the added benefit of being able to help others. Elizabeth’s confidence in the importance of sound planning was instilled from an early age by her grandfather whose life example bore fruit in his long retirement through age 99.
Elizabeth was inspired to study finance in college and graduated from DePauw University with a B.A. in Economics. She has attained her FINRA Series 7 & 66 licenses and Life, Accident and Health Insurance license. She is a CERTIFIED FINANACIAL PLANNER™ and Chartered Financial Consultant®. She is currently pursuing her CLU designation. While at DePauw, Elizabeth was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority where she served as Vice President of Finance.
Elizabeth has spoken in front of many audiences including InvestmentNews, Financial Service Professionals (FSP), Equitable Advisors, DePauw University, and corporate engagements, including West Monroe Partners.
Elizabeth was born and grew up in the city of Chicago where she attended Sacred Heart on Sheridan Road and St. Ignatius College Prep where teachers stress service to others. This remains a core part of who Elizabeth is today. She serves on DePauw’s Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Sacred Heart Sheridan Road Alumni Board, where she served as President. Elizabeth previously served on the Board of Directors of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Evening Associates.
Away from the office, you can find Elizabeth exploring new Chicago restaurants, sipping cappuccinos at the Art Institute of Chicago, listening to country music while line dancing, and visiting the best art museums around the world.

Kate B. Leipprandt, CFP®, ChFC, CLU, AEP (Distinguished)
Owner and Managing Director, Equitable Financial Advisors, LLC
Kate is the Owner and Managing Director of Equitable Financial Advisors, LLC., a proud women-owned financial planning firm located in NW Chicagoland. Kate built her firm with the goal building an ethical, competent practice helping clients build their strongest financial lives possible. Kate’s firm offers unique and comprehensive high-tech financial planning processes to guide clients towards reaching their loftiest goals.

  • Education:
    • BA Economics: DePauw University 1984. Minors: French, Semester Abroad at the University of Strasbourg, France-School of Economics.
    • CFP®-CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional since November 1988, ChFC- Chartered Financial Consultant -since 1996, CLU- Chartered Life Underwriter -since 2001
    • Securities/Investment licenses (FINRA): Series 6-Investment Company Products/Variable Contracts, 63- Uniform Securities Agent State Law, 22-Direct Participation Programs Representative, 65-Uniform Investment Advisor Law, 7-General Securities Representative, SIE-Securities Industry Essentials
  • Author / Speaker:
    • National Graduate Trust School (NGTS) Textbooks Author: The Financial Planning Workbook, 2013- 2016, Wealth Advisory & Personal Trust Required for trust professionals to obtain their Certified Trust and Financial Advisors (CTFA) designation.
    • Faculty & Course Instructor/Author –NGTS, American Bankers Association (ABA)- insurance and investments courses 1997-2016
    • Contributing Author- About Your Future…Financial Planning Will Make the Loren Dunton, author. Published by the National Center for Financial Education.
    • Speaker-Investment News- “Developing the Next Generation of Female Advisors” 2017 (YouTube), FSP- Greater Chicago: ‘What Women Want’, ‘Practice Management & Wealth Planning Tools’, Commonwealth Edison, 911-Chicago, Underwriters Labs (retirement series), Northern Trust Bank,

Women’s Workshops across Chicagoland

  • Spokesperson for major financial services firm on national TV
  • Quoted/ Content: Business Week, US News, Investment News, Chicago Tribune
  • Honors:
    • 2021- Diversity and Inclusion Industry “Darwin Davis” Award- Extraordinary dedication to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
    • 2019-AEP(Distinguished)-Designation awarded by the National Association of Estate Planners for lifetime contributions to the practice of estate planning.
    • Darnall Fellowship Grant 2019, DePauw University, Robert C McDermond Center Speaker 2017 & 2019 Awarded to distinguished business leaders making significant contributions in both professional and personal lives
  • Associations / Organizations & Giving Back
    • The CFP Board Women’s Initiative (WIN)-mentoring women into financial planning careers

o   FPA Pro-bono financial advisor / member

  • Chamber of Commerce Member-Arlington Heights, IL

o   Investment Committee Chairperson- Arlington Heights, IL church

  • Sarcoma Foundation of America- Fundraiser and Fundraiser- Leiomyosarcoma Direct Research Foundation
  • Society of Financial Service Professionals (FSP)- Prior acting Board Member
  • Parent Teacher Association Past-President / Life Member & prior Youth Soccer Coach
  • Mission work in US/Appalachia and South Africa

 

Last Updated: 9/5/24