Gauri Jadhav

A mechanical engineer, Gauri Jadhav says she didn’t know what a bond even was when she started her first job as a quantitative analyst on a fixed-income trading desk. “I thought I would work for a medical device company after college, but no companies were hiring and I was offered a job in finance because of my analytical skills.”

To help master “the huge learning curve,” she studied for her chartered financial analyst designation and worked on an MBA at night. In 2017, she joined Stonebridge, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based RIA firm, as an associate portfolio manager and began working directly with clients to construct customized portfolios. Jadhav developed the firm’s proprietary portfolio management system, and now manages the team that oversees its use while serving on the research committee and as a leader on the equity, fixed-income and nonprofit teams.

When one of her best friends, a coach for the local chapter of Girls on the Run, died in an accident, Jhadav, 36, organized a fundraising race in her honor and was asked to serve on its board to help with finances. “I love helping people and organizations meet financial goals so they can focus on what they want to do in life and further their mission,” she said.

— Evan Cooper