Our Team

Jim Marrocco, CFP®, CFA

(he / him)

Founder & Financial Planner

After studying accounting and finance in college, Jim spent 10 years working for an asset management firm (a long-short equity hedge fund) picking stocks to invest in and sell short. The business taught him a discipline about investing, how to understand companies, industries, and market psychology. Most of all, the years of working, learning, and studying helped him to develop an investment process and set of beliefs, which he strongly adheres to.

Despite not working in personal finance, friends and family came to him asking questions about taxes, investments, and “the market,” among other things. After a while, he realized that these conversations and relationships were very fulfilling. Jim also found how being given advice, a fresh perspective, or being heard could impact people’s lives. It motivated him to bring his skillset into a different environment to help a different community: everyday people.

Brandon Tacconelli, CFP®

(he / him)

Director of Client Care & Financial Planner

Brandon earned his B.S. in Energy and Environmental Policy from the University of Delaware, with a minor in Economics. He began the first part of his career in sustainability and renewable energy. During that time he developed a passion for helping people connect their financial health to their impact on the world.

As a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Brandon believes in taking a holistic approach in helping people achieve greater peace of mind around money, especially other LGBTQ+ people who often have unique backgrounds that affect how they relate to and manage money.

To deepen his ability to serve as a guide for clients, Brandon continues his education beyond the annual requirements of the CFP® certification, having completed the Financial Planning Association’s Residency Program and graduate courses in Golden Gate University’s Financial Life Planning Certificate Program. He completed his Certified Financial Planning coursework through Boston University.

Lys Sorresso

(they / them)

Editor & Communications Consultant

Alyssa “Lys” Sorresso is a nonbinary and trans freelance editor, writer, and communications consultant who has proudly worked with Thinking Big since 2017. They bring 15+ years of experience in non-profit arts management, education, and storytelling to their work as an editor. Since 2012, they have worked as an editor and consultant in the fields of personal finance, aviation, food, health and medicine, non-profits, and education. They specialize in developmental editing. Current and past clients include Callisto Media, Hillel International, Derrick Schmidt Aviation, and Kuno Creative.

Lys’s creative nonfiction writing has been published in Brevity, PANK, Calyx, Creative Nonfiction, 9 Lives: The Life in 10 Minutes Anthology, and elsewhere. Their essay, “Don’t Borrow Trouble” was listed as Notable in The Best American Essays 2015, and their essay “Bubble and Pop” was listed as Notable in Memoir Magazine’s 2019 #MeToo Essay Contest. Read more about their work at http://alyssasorresso.com.

Kieran Downes

(he/his)

Client Care Associate

Kieran earned his Ph.D. in Science & Technology Studies from MIT, where he used archival and ethnographic methods to study the high-end audio industry in the late 20th century. His professional background includes technology management at an advertising firm, teaching and program operations at MIT, and running a small business designing and building electric guitars.

Across these varied roles, Kieran has often worked at the intersection of people, processes, and technical systems. He brings experience facilitating communication between different groups, creating dependable workflows, building trust, and helping teams and individuals make well-informed decisions.

As he begins his work in financial planning, Kieran is excited to support the operational systems, team coordination, and day-to-day processes that help Thinking Big serve its clients.