Our Team

Charlie Benziger

Managing Principal

Charlie is an equity owner of the firm and responsible for the firm’s overall management; in particular, its investment and portfolio management strategies. Charlie brings his institutional portfolio and risk management experience to focus on the long-term, risk-adjusted, after-tax performance of client accounts.

Charlie began his predecessor firm, Parkside Capital Advisors, in 2013 and merged it with Grubman Wealth Management in 2018 to establish Parkside Advisors.  Prior to Parkside Advisors, Charlie spent ten years as a portfolio manager and research analyst in the institutional asset management industry and eight years as an investment banker.  He was most recently with Citadel LLC on a team that managed a $1.5 billion long/short equity portfolio.  His investment banking and corporate finance experience was with Deutsche Bank and its predecessor BT Alex. Brown, and Lehman Brothers.

Charlie received his MBA in Finance and Accounting from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and his BA in English from Georgetown University.

Audrey Grubman, CFP®

Managing Principal

Audrey is an equity owner of the firm and responsible for the firm’s overall management; in particular, its financial planning and tax consulting services. Audrey has over twenty years of experience in wealth management, advising clients on their investments, financial plans and tax strategies.

Audrey began her predecessor firm, Grubman Wealth Management in 1996 and merged it with Parkside Capital Advisors in 2018 to establish Parkside Advisors. Audrey’s previous professional experience includes product development and software management. In the early 1990s, she offered stock option planning to employees of PeopleSoft, an early leader in human resources, financial, and enterprise management software. Over the subsequent decades, her firm grew into a full-service firm offering clients an integrated service of financial planning, investment management and tax planning.

Audrey is a CFP® professional. She studied Physics at MIT, leaving in her senior year to pursue professional opportunities. She received her Certificate in Personal Financial Planning with Distinction from the University of California, Berkeley Extension School and is a member of the Financial Planning Association and the East Bay Estate Planning Council.

Alexis Claypool, CPA

Manager, Tax Planning

Alexis is a manager and leads the firm’s tax planning and tax advisory services for clients.

Alexis brings fourteen years of public accounting experience with a focus on high-net worth individuals, trusts, and estates.  Alexis spent her public accounting career with two Bay Area firms: Mowat, Mackie & Anderson LLP and Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP.

Alexis is a CPA certified by the State of California.  She holds a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting as well as a Master of Taxation degree from California State University – East Bay.

Mike Metra

Senior Associate, Investment Management

Mike is a Senior Associate at the firm and manages the firm’s trading operations.

He brings over ten years of experience in financial services. Prior to Parkside Advisors, Mike worked as a client service manager at a registered investment advisor in the East Bay and at LPL Financial in the cash control and margin departments in San Diego.

Mike received his BS in Management Science with a minor in Psychology from the University of California at San Diego.

Naomi Leung

Senior Associate, Financial Planning

Naomi is a Senior Associate at Parkside Advisors engaged in the development of financial plans and analyses for the firm’s clients.

Prior to Parkside Advisors, Naomi spent two years at State Street Corporation overseeing fund accounting in the alternative investments department.

Naomi received her BS in Finance with minors in Computer Information Systems and Global Studies from Bentley University.

Natalie Belyea

Associate, Financial Planning

Natalie is an Associate at Parkside Advisors working with the financial planning team delivering comprehensive analyses and financial plans for the firm’s clients.

Previously, Natalie spent three years at a family office and high net-worth wealth management firm in Orange County, starting as an intern and joining full time after graduation.

Natalie received her BS in Management cum laude from Tulane University on a merit scholarship, double majoring in Finance and Marketing.

William Lew

Associate, Client Operations

Will is a client service associate at Parkside Advisors, where he manages client administration, inquiries and needs. He joined Parkside Advisors in 2007.

Will spearheads setting up investment management accounts, distributing quarterly statements and invoices, handling clients’ money-movement requests, and maintaining client files and forms.

Jill Martin

COO & CCO

Jill has been with Parkside since 2011 and is the firm’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer.  In these roles, she is responsible for both the smooth functioning of all services Parkside provides to its clients and for implementation of the firm’s strong commitment to compliance with its client fiduciary responsibilities.

Previously, she managed an office of professionals and then spent some years staying home with her children.

Jill received her JD from Boalt Hall School of Law and her BA in Sociology from UC Berkeley.

Rael Rubin

Associate, Client Operations

Rael is an Associate at Parkside Advisors, where he is involved in all aspects of client service and operations.

Prior to Parkside Advisors, Rael worked for an investment firm working in portfolio analytics and client reporting.

Rael graduated from Washington State University and received his BS in Management, double majoring in Finance and Management Information Services.