OUR PEOPLE
We've assembled a team of highly skilled, credentialed, experienced professionals who are prepared to serve you and your family for generations to come. Each of us is committed to ongoing professional development to grow our skills and knowledge. We're passionate about building a strong team that works closely together to support your goals. Our collaborative approach is one of the many traits that sets us apart.
Darren was born in Everett, Washington and spent most of his life growing up in the Mill Creek area. Darren left and attended Azusa Pacific University in Southern California to study business (and originally to play football). While there, he earned his degree and met his wife Laurel. After graduation, it was clear that Southern California wasn't going to be home long-term, so Darren and Laurel headed back to their roots in the Pacific Northwest.
In 2007 they moved back to the Seattle area, where Darren immediately started his career at Northwestern Mutual. A career in the financial planning industry promised Darren every opportunity he had wanted: delivering impactful plans that would change the trajectory of clients' lives while working in a competitive environment. It quickly became clear that this would be a fulfilling career that challenged him to grow and adapt while at the same time giving him the personal flexibility to spend time with family.
When not at the office, Darren prioritizes family time. He and Laurel were blessed with a son, Asher, in 2016 and a daughter, Gabriella, in 2020. They love to travel as much as possible and always enjoy seeing other parts of the world. Their family has always upheld the belief that seeing the world through the eyes of another culture helps change the lens through which you see your own environment. When not traveling, they are involved in their church in Kirkland and love spending time with the community. Additionally, sports have always been a cornerstone of the Trautmann family. Whether it be basketball, golf, or (watching) football, there is always some sort of competition going on!
Brendan was born and raised in Seattle and began his career with Northwestern Mutual as a college intern in 2014 while attending Central Washington University. Brendan graduated top in his class while earning a degree in Managerial Economics and Marketing Management. Finding tremendous success early in his career, Brendan has perpetually been a top-ranked national advisor.
Since joining the industry in 2014, Brendan has quickly built a financial planning business that has gained him recognition across the industry as well as a top-ranked practice nationwide. Brendan is passionate about servicing his clients through a comprehensive lens and enjoys the challenge of producing complex solutions to complex problems.
Brendan prides himself on putting clients’ needs first and is focused on building long-term relationships based on integrity, knowledge, and commitment.
Outside of the office, you’re likely to find Brendan coaching little league baseball, cheering on Seattle sports teams (in particular the Mariners!), and spending time on the water.
Carson Hill
Associate Wealth Management Advisor
Carson was born in Mill Creek, Washington and still resides in the area with his family. He attended Western Washington University as a student athlete on the basketball team. He joined Northwestern Mutual in 2013 as a financial representative, and joined Eric Shutt’s team in 2018. Carson is passionate about providing comprehensive financial planning, while creating an impactful, lasting course in his client’s financial lives.
Outside of the office Carson spends most of his time with his wife, Meegan and their two kids Lucas and Elliott. In his spare time, he can be found perfecting his swing on the golf course.
Sienna joined our team in early 2016 after graduating from the University of Washington with a BA in both Law, Societies, and Justice and Sociology. She is passionate about helping our clients in accomplishing their financial goals and protecting their futures. As the team's Director of Operations, she also brings exceptional enthusiasm and energy towards building team dynamics and perfecting our workflow processes.
She is from Northern California and after moving up to Seattle in 2012, became an enthusiast of the food and wine industries that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Outside of the office, you can find her driving all over for the best wineries, restaurants, or oyster farms, reading a good book, or exploring some great hiking trails with her boyfriend, Jake and her dog, Birdie. She also co-chairs the office's Women's council and enjoys working on making our office a more inclusive space that reflects the community around us.
Evan was born in Monroe, Washington where he grew up alongside his twin sister. Although he didn’t live on a farm, he spent most of his time there as he raised and showed dairy cows at the local fairs. He has won numerous awards both at the county at state level and can still be found helping out at the fair year after year.
After high school, Evan attended and graduated from Western Washington University in 2014 where he received his bachelor’s degree in Finance and began working at Northwestern Mutual shortly thereafter. Throughout the years Evan has made it his goal to expand his knowledge eventually earning his CFP® designation. He is passionate about providing the best possible experience for clients as he guides them through the complicated world of finance. When not working, Evan’s usually messing around with one of his numerous hobbies including working on and detailing his car, maintaining the lawn or just simply watching tv.
Blake was born in Mount Vernon, Washington and has lived his entire life in the Pacific Northwest. He studied finance and graduated with honors from the University of Washington’s Michael G. Foster School of Business in 2015. While at UW, Blake joined Northwestern Mutual’s nationally-renowned internship program as a College Financial Representative, and he immediately fell in love with the opportunity to change the lives of his clients.
He happily accepted a full-time position as a Financial Advisor upon graduation. Shortly thereafter, Blake decided to join the team as an Associate Wealth Management Advisor to help clients design their ideal lifestyle through comprehensive financial planning and wealth management. He is passionate about creating a perpetual impact by teaching clients the financial fundamentals that they in turn can relay to their children and peers. Outside of the office, you’re likely to find Blake either playing pickup basketball or entrenched in a conversation about ethics, psychology, and/or neuroscience.
Daniel joined our firm after living in Scottsdale, Arizona for the last 12 years. While in Scottsdale he graduated Arizona State University with a degree in Psychology, and from there went to work for Vanguard as an Operations Associate before transitioning into high-net-worth Investment Consultant space. In 2020 he moved back to his hometown of Seattle, Washington to start the next chapter.
Outside of the financial planning, Daniel spends the majority of his time trying new restaurants, cooking for friends and family, reading endless amounts of books, and always looking for a winding road to take the motorcycle out on.