President & CEO

Darren Varano

Darren is well known throughout the Financial Services and Executive Search industries as one of the top consultants for Advisor Recruiting, Advisor Compensation, Competitive Analysis, Firm Infrastructure, and Firm Recruiting Strategies for the Independent, Career, Banking and Wirehouse channels.  Darren’s Advisor Recruiting systems are the benchmark for what most Financial Services organizations use today. 

Darren Varano started his career with Grayling Associates in 1992 as an Account Manager and has spent over 30 years developing his expertise. 

Director of Operations

Megan Schuck

Megan started with Grayling in 2002 as the Office Manager, supporting the firm and its owners in a variety of ways. In 2019, she was promoted to the role of Director of Operations.

Meg has created processes, brought in new technology and ideas to help the firm grow and run smoothly.   As the Director of Operations, it is her job to help clients navigate their accounts, support staff with day to day operations, and promote the company’s well- being in partnership with the management team.

Prior to Grayling, Megan worked for Key Tech, LLC, and most recently Touchstone Advisors, where she was the Office Manager.  She is a 1999 graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, MA with a B.S. in Human Services.

Megan is the proud mom of 3 amazing kids, which are always her top priority! When not spectating and helping out with one of the kids activities, you can find her working in her gardens, and enjoying time with family and friends.

Recruiting Director

Darius Goss

Darius originally was born and raised just West of Philadelphia, PA.  He received his degree from Elizabethtown College in Business Administration with a Minor in Accounting.  Darius has worked with Grayling over the last 15 years as a recruiter in both the main office located in Bloomfield, CT and also remotely based back in the Philadelphia area.  His areas of focus have been both Agent and Management recruiting as well as overseeing client accounts.  In his free time, he enjoys watching sports, hiking, kayaking and spending time with family.

Recruiting Director

Julia Helbling

Julia moved to Florida two years ago from her hometown in Cincinnati, Ohio to pursue her love of the ocean and warm weather. She recently graduated from The University of Cincinnati with a degree in Business Management and Technology, which has given her insight into Analytics, Information Technology, and Human Resources.

For the past eight years she has worked in Customer Service, as well as the recruiting industry. Her love for people has been her inspiration in her work life and she plans to continue that work with Grayling Associates. 

In her free time, she enjoys reading a good book out in nature, trying out new restaurants, and spending time with her family and friends. 

Recruiting Director

Sarah Broderick

Sarah has spent the last seven years working with individuals with developmental disabilities. Most recently, she has served as a Job Coach at Farmington Valley Transition Academy, teaching life skills to young adults in a vocational setting. Additionally, Sarah continues to work in the service industry where strong communication and interpersonal skills are at the forefront of her responsibilities. 

Sarah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Western New England University and a Master’s degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis from Bay Path University. She enjoys helping others identify their strengths and applying their skills to be successful. 

In her free time, Sarah finds joy in spending time outdoors with her dog, attending sporting events, and hosting her family and friends.

Recruiting Director

Kristin Karat

Kristin spent most of her career in the collegiate coaching space both as a basketball coach and strength and conditioning coach. Teamwork and relationships are extremely important to her! Recently Kristin made a career change to the talent acquisition space. Previously with AMN healthcare, she recruited and placed physicians in multiple hospital organizations throughout the country. Kristin is passionate about leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Kristin graduated from Becker College with a degree in Exercise Science. She holds her Certified Strength and Conditioning certification through the NSCA.

When she isn’t hard at work, you will find her at UConn women’s basketball games, rewatching Mad Men, or playing with her dogs; Cali and Jacob.

Recruiting Director

Justin Cohen

Justin decided to make the move to South Florida about 3 years ago from Philadelphia. Since making the move, Justin has worked in the service industry and also has a recruiting background as well. His background has provided a great foundation for a business that requires consistent and effective communication on a daily basis.

Justin holds a Bachelor’s degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania where he majored in Finance and minored in Business Law. He also spent a short amount of time playing collegiate Football.

In his spare time, Justin enjoys going to the gym, playing golf, spending time with friends, and enjoying the amazing weather that South Florida has to offer.

Recruiting Director

Lori Miller

Lori Miller has been in some capacity of the recruiting industry for over 20 years. Born and Raised in Pittsburgh, PA , she started her career recruiting in the Education industry after completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from the University of Pittsburgh.  Lori was a Senior Director of Recruitment in the Education sector for years before transitioning her talents to the Wealth Management industry in 2019. She has spent the last 6 years coaching Financial Advisors on job market trends, hiring the right staff and helping with employee retention. Lori  is very passionate about connecting people with great career opportunities.  She is currently the Manager of Talent Solutions for Financial Independence Group in Cornelius, NC. 

She spends most of her time being a busy mom with her two active children in Mooresville, North Carolina. Lori enjoys living the lake life on Lake Norman with her friends and family. The most important things in her life are Faith, Family, Friends,  Fitness,  Fun and Finding Talent.

Recruiting Director

Kristin Leest

Kristin Leest brings over fifteen years of experience in the financial industry to her role as Recruiting Director at Grayling Associates. With a deep background in developing and mentoring Financial Advisors across a variety of platforms—including Registered Invest Advisor firms, Wire-houses, Broker-dealers, Private equity firms, and Life and Annuity Insurance Organizations—Kristin is a trusted partner in helping firms grow and retain top talent.

Kristin earned her bachelor’s degree in finance from Western Connecticut State University and pursued her Master of Science in Organizational Leadership at Quinnipiac University. Currently, she is continuing her executive education with coursework in Leadership and Business Development at Harvard University.

In addition to her corporate accomplishments, Kristin is a Certified Life and Wellness Coach, published author and passionate business developer. Her unique blend of strategic insight and people-first leadership helps her identify exceptional talent and deliver recruiting strategies that align with both company culture and long-term growth.

Kristin’s focus at Grayling is to partner with firms looking to scale through thoughtful advisor recruitment and positions that support the companies’ mission within the industry. Her passion lies in connecting the right people with the right opportunities to build thriving, resilient teams.

When she’s not working, Kristin enjoys fitness and wellness coaching, and spending quality time with her family and community.

Recruiting Director

Guy Evans

Guy was born and raised in Miami and loves the Miami culture with relatives originally from Colombia! In his professional career, he has 3.5 years of experience in account management and sales. This background lays the foundation for Guy’s great communication skills and inept way to create relationships. 

Guy holds a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida majoring in Integrated Business Administration. Also spending time in the south at University of Alabama at Birmingham – Montgomery playing collegiate soccer. 

If Guy isn’t in the office, you can either find him on the golf course with some friends or on the boat enjoying the sun and fishing with family.

Recruiting Director

Ryan Varano

Originally from Connecticut, Ryan Varano graduated from Avon Old Farms School before earning his degree in Architecture from the University of Hartford, where he also played Division III lacrosse. His early experience in the architecture and construction industries including roles at QA+M Architecture, MBH Architecture, Endicott College, and as an Assistant Project Manager at FIP Construction. These opportunities provided him with a strong foundation in project coordination, team dynamics, and detail-oriented execution.

Ryan brings that same mindset to his role as Recruiting Director at Grayling, where he leads national efforts to identify top talent and build high-performing teams. His approach is driven by a passion for connecting people with the right opportunities and a commitment to building lasting relationships grounded in trust and communication.

In his spare time, Ryan enjoys staying active through golf and lacrosse, and he takes great pride in coaching high school lacrosse. He values quality time outdoors with family and friends and remains committed to continuous growth as a leader, with a focus on mentoring others and making a positive impact both personally and professionally.

Office Manager

Holly Walsh

Holly joined Grayling in 2024 as the Office Manager to support the firm and its Recruiting Directors. Her professional skills help streamline operations and improve efficiency. Holly received a Bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.

Holly is also a part-time Realtor at Coldwell Banker in her hometown of West Hartford. Outside of work, Holly can be found at one of her 2 kids sporting games or spending time with family and friends.

Director of First Impressions

Cali

Cali is our Director of First Impressions. Cali is responsible for the emotional support of our office! She is a 3 year old black lab who specializes in tug of war, fetch, paw, and making everyone’s day a little brighter. Cali enjoys treats, spending time with her mom and brother Jacob, and cheering for UConn.