Sydney Woodward, CFP® holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Virginia Tech’s CFP® Certification Education Track. During her time at school, she was involved in the Financial Planning Association Student Chapter, where she was fortunate enough to attend conferences that allowed her to build relationships with others in the profession. She also worked with Virginia Tech’s Collegiate Women in Business where she organized networking opportunities for young women in her program
After graduating from Virginia Tech in 2020, Sydney moved to Illinois where she worked as a Financial Planning Associate at Ehlert Financial Group. The fee-based firm, which specializes in planning for families with special needs, gave her a new perspective on the profession, and solidified her passion for financial planning. While at the firm, she got to work with a diverse group of families and help them redefine the dreams and goals they had for their disabled loved ones.
Sydney joined the Yeske Buie team as an Associate Financial Planner in July 2021. She passed her CFP® Exam in March 2022, earned the CFP® certification in August 2022, and was promoted to Financial Planner in September 2023. She is also a graduate of the FPA Residency Program.
Beyond her client work, Sydney is deeply involved in her professional community. She currently serves as the Director of Pro Bono for the Financial Planning Association of San Francisco, where she leads efforts to provide free financial planning services to underserved communities. Previously, she held the role of Director of Technology. She has also been appointed as President-Elect of the chapter for 2025. and will serve as President of the San Francisco Chapter in 2026.
Outside of the office, Sydney loves expressing herself through art. She enjoys painting, drawing, and ceramics. On weekends, you can always find her out in nature hiking with her dog, Avery.
Client focus: Sydney approaches her work with Clients by viewing herself as a guide through the complexities of their financial lives. She believes in building a strong, trusting relationship by truly understanding each Client’s unique circumstances and goals. Sydney’s role is to help Clients articulate their financial dreams, and together, craft a clear path to achieving them.
Current Update: The beginning of the year for Sydney consists of New Year’s resolutions, reconnecting with her schedule a busy holiday season, Safe-Spending Analysis spreadsheets for our Client’s, and helping support our Client’s and their accountants with tax season approaching! Additionally, Sydney officially started her term as President-Elect of the San Francisco chapter of the Financial Planning Association. As part of her role, she attended the FPA Chapter Leaders Conference in Denver, CO in January where she was able to meet and connect with other financial planning professionals who are leading other FPA chapters. She had a few great takeaways that she is excited to implement now that she is back in San Francisco.
In her personal life, Sydney is continuing her journey with pottery and started taking the next level in wheel-throwing classes. It has been fun to push her comfort zone when it comes to this art form! Sydney is also preparing for a cross-country road trip in April! She’ll be driving with her dad (and dog!) from California to Virginia to spend some time with the East Coast team and her family/friends in Virginia. She’s working on finalizing a route that peaks both her and her dad’s interests