Josh O'Brien carries diversified experience in the financial services industry which includes holding positions in wealth management, investment banking, and equity research.  Using this diverse skill set, Josh aims to provide targeted portfolio strategies in concert with a detailed investment plan. Josh has been recognized as a 2025 Platinum Council Advisor. The Platinum Council distinction is held by a select group of Financial Advisors within Wells Fargo Advisors as measured by business production from the previous year and professionalism. 

Prior to joining the Seaside Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors (previously La Jolla Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors), Josh worked as an investment banking associate in the Global Energy Group at UBS in both Houston and New York City, assisting with both M&A and corporate finance needs for energy companies around the globe. Later, Josh joined Jefferies as a Senior Equity Research Associate in New York City, assisting with coverage of 30+ companies spanning across US Natural Gas, energy Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs), and US Independent Refiners. 

Josh completed an MBA in Finance from the New York University Stern Graduate School of Business, where he was president of the Langone Stern Investment Club.  He completed his undergraduate degree in Business Management from San Diego State University, where he was a member of the Varsity football team throughout his entire collegiate career and graduated following the Aztecs 2010 Poinsettia Bowl victory (SDSU's first bowl victory since 1969).  Josh is FINRA series 7 and 66 securities registered and has earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certificate and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor™ designation. Josh also holds his life insurance and variable annuity license in California.

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Robert Palatella is a Managing Director–Investments and Senior PIM Portfolio Manager in the Wells Fargo Advisors La Jolla office. With 40 years of experience in the securities industry, he delivers comprehensive portfolio management to a diverse group of investors. He has also been recognized as a Private Wealth Financial Advisor, a distinction awarded to a select group of Financial Advisors within Wells Fargo Advisors.

Robert’s mission is to provide every client with targeted, comprehensive financial advice and portfolio management—delivered with the highest level of personal service and professional integrity. He believes that strong, one-to-one relationships form the cornerstone of successful wealth management. His extensive industry experience has shown that sophisticated investors benefit from personalized attention and direct access to their Portfolio Manager.

Bob is a longtime La Jolla resident, where he and his wife, Terry, enjoy an active life. Outside the office, he spends his time traveling, hiking local trails, and sharpening his golf game alongside his two sons, Matthew and Joseph.
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With more than 25 years of experience, Melanie believes trust is the foundation of every relationship and works closely with clients to develop personalized strategies designed to align their investments with their goals, values, and long-term financial objectives. By leveraging the resources of Wells Fargo Advisors and its affiliates, Melanie helps clients access investment management, banking, liability management, estate planning strategies, business succession planning, and other customized wealth management solutions.

Melanie joined Wells Fargo Advisors in 2017 after building her career with leading wealth management firms, including UBS and Merrill Lynch. She holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 registrations and has earned the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor™ (AWMA®) and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™) designations.

A longtime La Jolla resident, Melanie serves as Financial Advisor to the Bird Rock Elementary School Foundation and is passionate about supporting financial education. She lives with her husband and two children, Milo and Maci, and enjoys playing USTA tennis, traveling, and cheering on her children's rowing and surfing activities.

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Marisa Clayton is a Private Wealth Senior Registered Client Associate and brings more than 20 years of experience to the Seaside Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors (previously La Jolla Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors).

Marisa began her career in 1998 as a trading assistant at a small regional firm in San Diego. In 2000, she joined the UBS Financial Services/PaineWebber office in La Jolla, where she obtained her FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 securities registrations. Marisa became a Senior Registered Client Associate and joined Financial Advisor Michael O'Brien's practice at UBS in 2003.

Providing clients with exceptional service is Marisa's primary objective. She takes a thoughtful approach to each client's individual needs and works diligently to help meet them.

Outside the office, Marisa enjoys hiking, yoga, reading, and travel. She lives in La Jolla with her two daughters, Lola and Elsie.

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Emily Hughey is a Private Wealth Senior Registered Client Associate and Assistant Vice President in Wells Fargo Advisors' La Jolla Office. With over 20 years in the securities industry, she has the experience, resources, and capabilities to provide clients with a full spectrum of administrative and operational services.

Prior to joining the Seaside Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors (previously La Jolla Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors) Emily worked with senior financial advisors at UBS and other distinguished financial institutions. We believe her passion and dedication carries forth in her exceptional client services and she is excited to be a part of the Seaside Private Wealth Group.

Away from the office, Emily is actively involved in her community soccer leagues and enjoys spending quality time with her husband and two children. She is a native of San Diego and comes from a large and loving family.

Emily holds the FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations. 

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Debbie MacNeil is a Private Wealth Senior Client Associate with the Seaside Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors (previously La Jolla Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors). With over 43 years of experience in financial services, Debbie provides exceptional administrative and client support, helping to ensure smooth day-to-day operations for the team.

She holds FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 securities registrations, reflecting her commitment to professionalism and client care.

Before joining Wells Fargo Advisors, Debbie spent 22 years in Colorado, where she played a key role in developing the Investment Program at Bank of Colorado.

Debbie resides in Alpine with her husband, Mark, and enjoys a vibrant family life with five children—Courtney, Wyatt, Shawna, Nichole, and Michelle—and 13 grandchildren. Passionate about animal rescue, they share their home with two cats and two dogs. Outside the office, Debbie loves cooking, reading, spending time outdoors, and is an avid Pilates student.

Joseph Palatella is a Private Wealth Senior Client Associate with the Seaside Private Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors. 

Joseph joined the team (previously La Jolla Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors) in August 2024.  In his role, Joseph collaborates closely with advisors to support all aspects of the client relationship, including account administration, service requests, and ongoing operational needs. He plays a key role in coordinating across internal teams to help ensure a seamless and high‑touch client experience, particularly in complex situations involving multi‑account households and trust accounts.

Joseph is a graduate of the University of Alabama, where he earned a degree in Communications and Business in 2019. Outside of the office, he enjoys golfing, traveling, attending concerts and sporting events, and spending time with friends and family.

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Anthony joined the Seaside Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors (previously La Jolla Private Wealth Group of Wells Fargo Advisors) in July 2025, bringing valuable experience from his time spent with Wells Fargo's Wealth & Investment Management division in Charlotte, North Carolina. Over his two years in Charlotte, Anthony worked closely with senior leaders, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the bank’s retirement plan products and more importantly, discovered his passion for helping individuals, families, and businesses. achieve financial success.

A proud graduate of the University of Miami (FL), Anthony earned degrees in both Finance and Business Management. Anthony also successfully passed the FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registration exams and is fully registered to provide investment advice and recommendations.

Anthony partners with our clients to design and implement long-term investment strategies. His commitment to excellence, and personalized guidance helps ensure that individuals and families feel confident about their financial journey.

Anthony grew up in Carmel Valley and is now living full-time in La Jolla, California.
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Wealth & Investment Management (WIM) offers financial products and services through bank and brokerage affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company.

Shirley Cantu is a private wealth banker with Wells Fargo Bank’s Wealth & Investment Management located in San Diego, California, bringing more than 28 years of experience in financial services. Shirley delivers tailored lending, cash management, and deposit solutions, along with access to highly structured credit facilities. As an integral part of the relationship team, she begins by understanding each client’s unique needs and overall financial goals, then leverages Wells Fargo Bank’s extensive resources to offer comprehensive, full-balance-sheet solutions that help achieve those goals. With a strong focus on driving an elevated and exceptional client experience, Shirley also maintains a strong commitment to help mitigate risk for clients and the firm.

Prior to joining Wells Fargo Bank Wealth & Investment Management, Shirley spent 13 years in the Wells Fargo Consumer Bank division, where she served as a branch and operations manager. She began her banking career as a teller with Security Pacific Bank, prior to its merger with Bank of America.

Shirley has a passion for helping women navigate the complicated financial decisions they face during life changing events, such as marriage, divorce, death, and caring for aging parents. Shirley is an active volunteer in her community, devoting time to the San Diego Symphony Notables, Feeding San Diego, and Meals-On-Wheels.

Todd Schneider is a private wealth strategist with Wells Fargo's Wealth & Investment Management. Todd lives in San Diego, California and covers the San Diego and Valley (northern Los Angeles) markets. Todd works with high and ultra-high net worth clients, helping them align their financial goals, values, and objectives by providing education and personalized advice on various wealth transfer and tax minimization strategies.

Prior to joining Wells Fargo Bank, Todd was a partner at several large law firms, where he advised his clients in the areas of complex estate planning, business succession planning, charitable giving, trust and estate administration, entity formation and asset preservation.

Todd earned his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and his Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School. He is a member of the California and Illinois State Bar Associations (not currently practicing law).

Todd is an active Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), an organization of trust and estate practitioners, and previously served as the President of the Chicago Estate Planning Council and as a member of its Board of Directors. In addition, Todd is a volunteer member of the Scripps Health Gift Planning Advisory Council, the Rady Children’s Hospital Estates and Trusts Council, and the Planned Giving Advisory Committee of the La Jolla Institute of Immunology.

In his free time, Todd enjoys scuba diving, reading historical fiction, and visiting National Parks with his wife, their three children, and the family dogs.

Clay Stamson is a senior custom credit banker with Wells Fargo Bank’s Wealth & Investment Management located in Irvine, California. Clay brings more than 22 years of experience in financial services and works as part of a team to help meet the comprehensive wealth management goals of high-net-worth individuals. He specializes in providing deep custom credit knowledge, partnering closely with clients and their advisory teams to structure sophisticated lending strategies that help support complex balance sheets, liquidity needs, and long-term wealth objectives, aligning credit solutions with broader investment and planning strategies. Areas of experience include financing for liquid secured facilities, unsecured credit, commercial real estate, aircraft, life insurance premium finance (LIPF), restricted or private stock, employee stock option purchase (ESOP) monetization, private equity (PE).

Clay’s career experience spans retail, commercial, credit, and wealth management. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Bank, he spent 15 years with Comerica, most recently serving as head of their private banking entertainment and regional director of private banking for the Los Angeles team. During his tenure, Clay also held leadership roles as director of commercial underwriting and business banking group manager. Prior to joining Comerica, he spent seven years in commercial and business banking with financial institutions in Texas, building a strong foundation in relationship management and credit.

Clay earned a Master of Business Administration in Management and Strategy from Southern Methodist University, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Mississippi State University.

Clay resides in Huntington Beach, and in his spare time he enjoys traveling with his husband, spending time with family and friends, personal fitness, and relaxing at the beach.