Ryan M Walterhoefer

Alex joined Ryan Walterhoefer’s team in 2017 as an associate financial representative. She has played a vital role as the practice grew into Blue Sky Financial, and currently serves as the practice’s Director of Operations. Alex came to the team with a career background in financial services and finds the work with clients to be the most fulfilling part of her role. The relationships formed over years of partnership and the ability to watch our clients move through different phases of life keeps things challenging and interesting. Alex lives in Howard County and is a mother to three amazing children. 

Roman joined Northwestern Mutual in 2014 and currently serves as the Director of Financial Planning  for the Maryland region. Roman partners with the Blue Sky Financial team to help design financial plans for our clients which address risk management and investment solutions. Roman earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from University of Washington and an MBA from Saint Marin’s University. He currently holds the Maryland Life and Health insurance license and the Series 7 & 66 securities registrations.

Marlena serves as the Director of New Business for Blue Sky Financial and acts as an excellent resource to Ryan’s team, as well as being the first welcoming face that our clients see when they come to visit our Ellicott City office. Marlena joined Northwestern Mutual after years in the hospitality and childcare industries where she gained valuable skills that she brings to her work for our office and our clients. Outside of the office, Marlena has a passion for service that dates back to her time in AmeriCorps, and she gives back to her community through her volunteer work for the local Voices for Children nonprofit. She is also a devoted cat mom and loves reading, traveling, and baking in her spare time.

Zach joined the Blue Sky Financial team as a client service specialist in 2024. With a background in marketing and athletics, Zach has risen to the unique opportunity to learn the ins and outs of managing a financial practice and get to know our clientele. After some time away, Zach now resides in his hometown of Frederick, Maryland with his wife Courtney. In addition to spending time with their dog Kobe, Zach coaches baseball and enjoys visiting local breweries, cooking, and golfing.

Rachel joined our team as the Director of Recruitment and Development in 2022. Her favorite part of her role is connecting with talented people to share Northwestern Mutual’s incredible career opportunities with them. Rachel has a background in education, including a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, and loves talking to people, hearing their goals, and working one-on-one with them to discover a career path that is a good fit. Rachel resides in Fulton, Maryland with her husband, Michael, and they recently welcomed their son into the world at the end of 2024.

Danny serves as the Ellicott City office’s Director of Career Development, a role which he has held since joining the team in 2022. Danny has a background in finance, having worked in the industry for over a decade before discovering that his true passion was in coaching and developing others. Danny works with our up-and-coming financial representatives to help them build their businesses, and his favorite part of his role is seeing the impact that he makes on others who are just beginning their careers. Danny resides in New Market with his wife, Carrie and their two sons. Outside of the office he can be found golfing, traveling, spending time outdoors with his family, and cheering on all of the Baltimore sports teams.

Jenny joined Ryan’s team as the Talent Acquisition Specialist in 2024. She joined the Northwestern Mutual team with career experience in recruiting and a degree in marketing management and business administration. Jenny’s favorite part of her role is the opportunity to impact people’s lives by introducing them to a rewarding career in financial services. She enjoys building meaningful relationships and having the opportunity to contribute to the success and growth of our advisors and our Ellicott City office.