Our Team
At Together Planning, our mission is to help as many people as possible worry less and enjoy their lives more, through complete financial planning and thoughtful investment management strategies. We believe that everyone can benefit from a comprehensive financial plan to help guide their decisions, get the most from their resources, and achieve their goals.
Before launching Together Planning with his family, Jud spent nine years as a financial advisor with a large national firm. He became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in 2009. During this time, his needs for serving clients changed. New technologies became available, which could greatly enhance the client experience and allow Jud to provide better advice and service. It also became much easier to serve clients in a fee-only manner, so he could be a fiduciary 100% of the time. Through research and with the guidance of many industry innovators, Jud came up with the idea for Together Planning.
In 2015, Together Planning was launched as a family business. Jud was passionate about starting this business as a family with his father, Tom Mallini, and his sisters, Lia Bertelson and Ginny Knoll. The company’s mission is to help as many people as possible worry less and enjoy their lives more.
Since 2015, Together Planning has grown significantly, both in the number of clients served and assets under management. One reason for the strong growth is Together Planning’s ability to tailor advice to the unique needs of clients. This freedom makes serving clients very enjoyable for the team.
Jud is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA).
While most of Jud’s clients are professionals and business owners between the ages of 30 and 70, Jud seeks to serve anyone with a genuine desire to improve their financial situation so that they can get more out of life.
In his free time, Jud loves any activity involving his wife and three daughters, which often includes dancing, listening to KIDZ BOP Kids Radio, doing art projects, and hitting the beach.
Lia is passionate about helping women and families make financial decisions that will help them get the most benefit from their hard work.
After graduating from UNC with a degree in Business Administration in 1999, Lia moved to Atlanta for a job in corporate banking. There, she developed skills in analyzing financial statements and evaluating credit worthiness of a wide variety of companies. She loved seeing how things are made on factory tours, but she finds her current work with individuals and families to be more meaningful and personally rewarding.
Lia became an investment advisor with Together Planning in 2016 and earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation in 2018. She is a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors.
Lia lives in Roswell, Georgia with her husband Mike and their two sons. Her work in the community centers around volunteering in their public school and at their church. On the weekends, you can find her walking their dog, watching the boys play baseball or golf, or traveling to meet their goal of visiting all fifty states together.
John is passionate about helping current and aspiring DIY investors build wealth and achieve their financial goals on their journey to becoming Everyday Millionaires.
After graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in History, John joined the Together Planning team in 2019 as a financial planning assistant. He earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation and obtained his Master’s degree in Personal Financial Planning through Kansas State University in 2024.
John left Together Planning in 2021 to follow his wife to UNC-Chapel Hill. He worked at Vanguard and a small, fee-only financial planning firm in Durham before moving back to Gainesville and rejoining the Together Planning team in 2024 as the Director of Financial Planning. John works with clients on an hourly, as-needed basis.
John enjoys spending time with his friends and family, cheering on his Florida Gators, and hiking with his wife in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Tom moved to Gainesville with his family in 1985 to lead M&S Bank. When the bank sold in 2015, he was pleased to start Together Planning with his children and two valued employees from M&S.
Tom is passionate about two things: family and finances. You can find him often on adventures with his children and grandchildren on a boat, a campground, or a dove field. He never fails to have the makings for s’mores and a campfire when the grandchildren come around. By day, however, you will find him at his computer with a legal pad and a calculator, keeping abreast of economic news, researching investment opportunities, and striving to build portfolios that match our client’s objectives and risk tolerance.
He finds great reward in helping others prepare for a more secure future. Tom also serves as Treasurer of his local Rotary Club.
Helping other families gain confidence that they are on track to being financially secure is important to Melissa.
Melissa came to Gainesville to attend UF. While pursuing her Food & Resource Economics degree, she began working at M & S Bank. After graduation she extended her career with M & S for fifteen years, advancing to Commercial Loan Administrative Officer and Loan Training Administrator.
Melissa joined Together Planning in January 2016. As our Director of Operations, her commitment to accuracy and detail ensures a seamless client experience. You will have the pleasure of working with her throughout your relationship with Together Planning.
Melissa lives in Gainesville with her husband Jimmy and their two children. She stays active with her children’s school activities and her passion for running, highlighted by completing the Boston Marathon in 2019. Melissa is also an advocate for children with reading challenges. She believes all children should have the opportunity to excel and helps educate other parents connect with resources available to achieve their goals.
GG came to Together Planning as an Operations Administrator in 2020 after working as a mom for 12 years. During those years, she also taught preschool, served as the president of the elementary school PTA, and was the producer of the school play—a huge production with several hundred cast members and almost as many volunteer staff. Everywhere she goes, GG keeps everything organized and running smoothly.
GG graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Management Information Systems. After graduation, she worked for a multinational technology and manufacturing conglomerate. She completed a leadership program and then worked in Human Resources Information Technology and finally in Compensation. She later worked for an industrial distributor in a Compensation role.
GG lives in Roswell, Georgia with her husband and six children. She is active at all of their schools and in her church. Her interests include reading, running, walking her 110-pound Pitbull, Spud, or visiting her family’s lake house.