

The Gotham Group at Morgan Stanley

Our Mission Statement
Our Story and Services
The Gotham Group is a team of experienced Financial Advisors who serve entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, media professionals and families who are busy pursuing their careers, have complex finances and are planning for the next generation.
Christina Schatz is a Morgan Stanley-credentialed Senior Portfolio Manager and one of the very few Financial Advisors in the firm to be designated a Global Sports and Entertainment Director.
Jonathan Glantz is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with more than 30 years of experience creating strategies to address complex financial challenges.
Brett Spindler brings extensive analytical skills to the table in his search for third party investment managers who have what it takes to manage our clients' hard-earned capital.
Kaitlyn Mellini brings a diverse, international sales background and commitment to providing clients with clarity, confidence, and empowerment.
The founders of The Gotham Group offer more than 70 combined years of experience to the clients we advise. That advice includes investments, of course, but it also encompasses such diverse dimensions of your financial life as lending, philanthropy, insurance, and estate planning strategies.
Together, we offer the complementary skills necessary to help you succeed in your financial life, just as you have in your career.
Awards & Recognition
2025 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams
2024 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams
2024 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State- Christina Schatz
2024 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors- Christina Schatz
2024 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors- Brett Spindler
2023 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors- Christina Schatz
2023 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors- Brett Spindler
Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams
Source: Forbes.com (2025, 2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in March of year prior to the issuance of the award.
Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded Feb 2024) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC for the period 9/30/22 - 9/30/23.
Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2024, 2023). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.
- Professional Portfolio ManagementFootnote1
- Wealth ManagementFootnote2
- Wealth PlanningFootnote3
- Alternative InvestmentsFootnote4
- Estate Planning StrategiesFootnote5
- Asset Management
- Philanthropic Services
- Art AdvisoryFootnote6
- Trust ServicesFootnote7
- Sustainable InvestingFootnote8
- Foreign ExchangeFootnote9
- Lending Products
Location
Meet The Gotham Group
About Christina Schatz
Christina began her financial services career at Merrill Lynch in 1990 before joining a Morgan Stanley predecessor firm three years later. She built her practice advising not only athletes and entertainers, but entrepreneurs, professionals and other successful people with complex finances. As a Morgan Stanley credentialed Senior Portfolio Manager, she has managed both equity and fixed income on a discretionary basis for clients who would rather not make day-to-day investment decisions. Her focus, however, goes far beyond investing to encompass virtually every aspect of her clients’ financial lives.
Born in Greece, Christina came to the US as a young girl and grew up in Queens. She received a BA from The University of Maryland and spent several years working for lobbyist organizations in Washington, DC. She still believes that people have the right to complain only if they are willing to become part of the solution. As a result, she serves on the board of The Sea Cliff Civic Association and NEO Philanthropy, an organization committed to justice, equity and dignity around the world. Previously, she was a board member and a volunteer at several women’s shelters in the New York area. That was before whatever spare time she had was taken up by her five children, ages 11-23. Christina and her husband Jim reside with their family in Sea Cliff, NY.
NMLS#: 1279285
About Brett Spindler
A graduate of Arizona State University with a BS in Business Administration, Brett began his financial services career at Oppenheimer & Co. in 1995. Outside the office, he is active in his community, and enjoys skiing and tennis. Brett currently resides in Cresskill, NJ with his wife, Deborah, and their two children.
NMLS#: 1270055
About Jonathan R Glantz
During the several decades in which he’s advised clients. Jonathan has served as a branch sales manager, supervising trainees and coming up with ideas to initiate dialogue between Financial Advisors and their clients. He earned Morgan Stanley’s Senior Portfolio Manager designation that enabled him to offer discretionary investment management to his clients and relieve them of day-to-day investment decisions they preferred not to make on their own. His Certified Financial Planner designation from The College of Financial Planning provides him with the credentials to develop comprehensive plans that go beyond investments to encompass lending, estate planning and a wide variety of other key financial disciplines.
Jonathan is a graduate of Amherst College with a BA in American Literature. He and his wife reside in Manhattan where they look forward to spending as much time as possible with their new grandchild.
NMLS#: 1253302
About Kaitlyn Hogue Mellini
Originally from Oregon, Kaitlyn earned her BA and MA in Art History from the University of Denver. In 2011 she heard London calling and she and her husband quit their jobs in order to build a life in Kentish Town, North London. Her varied career experiences were united by the common thread of business development, providing exceptional service to clients and stakeholders, and helping solve complex problems for high-net-worth individuals.
She became interested in becoming a Financial Advisor and working with multi-generational families, sports and entertainment executives and talent, collectors, and small business owners – because she understands the stress that can come with feeling like there are not enough hours in the day to take on the job of managing your personal finances. She finds deep fulfilment in learning the stories of her clients and helping them feel confident and empowered to pursue their dreams.
Kaitlyn is an avid theatre-goer, reader, film-lover, knitter and traveler. Most weekends, you will find her wandering through Central Park with her husband and 4-year-old child.
About Elizabeth Berstler
Liz grew up on a small goat farm in rural New Jersey and channels her love of agriculture through gardening, knitting and exploring sheep and fiber festivals. Liz’s love of the outdoors influences her extracurricular activities and travel plans centered around hiking, cycling, swimming, and fishing.
About Hermine Abajian
As a Portfolio Associate with The Gotham Group, Hermine has many roles including operational support and trading. However, her focus continues to be the relationship with her clients and providing excellent customer service.
Hermine was born in Armenia and is a proud and active member of her local Armenian American community. Hermine resides in Roslyn, NY with her husband Nazareth, and twins Jack and Olivia. She loves living on Long Island with its many perks including the best bagels in the world, lovely beaches, and great wineries.

Contact Christina Schatz

Contact Brett Spindler

Contact Jonathan R Glantz
The Power of Partnerships
About Tim Golier
Private Bankers partner with Financial Advisors to develop a specialized approach for managing clients’ cash flow, liquidity and financing needs, leveraging our comprehensive suite of cash management and lending solutions.
Tim began his career in financial services in 2018 when he joined Morgan Stanley as an Associate Private Banker.
Tim is a graduate of Boston College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. He lives in Mendham, NJ with his family. Outside of the office, Tim enjoys playing sports, watching movies, reading, writing, and spending time with his family.
Portfolio Insights
Wealth Management for Athletes and Entertainers
- Investment Management
- Wealth Transfer & Philanthropy
- Private Banking Solutions
- Family Governance & Wealth Education
- Lifestyle Advisory
Investing
- Asset Management
- Wealth Planning
- Traditional Investments
- Alternative Investments
- Impact Investing
Business Planning
- Succession Planning
- Business Planning
- Qualified Retirement Plans
Family
- Estate Planning Strategies
- 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Special Needs Planning
- Trust Services
Retirement
- 401(k) Rollovers
- IRA Plans
- Retirement income strategies
- Retirement plan participants
- Annuities
Philanthropy
- Endowments
- Foundations
- Donor Advised Funds
- Impact Investing
2Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is the trade name of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, a registered broker-dealer in the United States.
3Morgan Stanley offers a wide array of brokerage and advisory services to its clients, each of which may create a different type of relationship with different obligations to you. Please consult with your Financial Advisor to understand these differences or review our Understanding Your Brokerage and Investment Advisory Relationships brochure available at www.morganstanley.com/wealth-relationshipwithms/pdfs/understandingyourrelationship.pdf.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.
4Alternative Investments are speculative and include a high degree of risk. An investor could lose all or a substantial amount of his/her investment. Alternative investments are appropriate only for qualified, long-term investors who are willing to forgo liquidity and put capital at risk for an indefinite period of time.
5Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.
6Products and services are provided by third party service providers, not Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). Morgan Stanley may not receive a referral fee or have any input concerning such products or services. There may be additional service providers for comparative purposes. Please perform a thorough due diligence and make your own independent decision.
Morgan Stanley does not assist with buying or selling art in any way and merely provides information to clients interested learning more about the different types of art markets at a high level. Any client interested in buying or selling art should consult with their own independent art advisor.
7Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC does not accept appointments nor will it act as a trustee but it will provide access to trust services through an appropriate third-party corporate trustee.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.
8The returns on a portfolio consisting primarily of Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) aware investments may be lower or higher than a portfolio that is more diversified or where decisions are based solely on investment considerations. Because ESG criteria exclude some investments, investors may not be able to take advantage of the same opportunities or market trends as investors that do not use such criteria. Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss in a declining financial market.
9GlobalCurrency is available to clients of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC with an eligible brokerage account. Before undertaking foreign exchange transactions, clients should understand the associated risks.
Engaging in foreign currency transactions entails more varied risks than normally associated with transactions in the domestic securities markets. Attention should be paid to market, credit, sovereign, and liquidity risks. The foreign exchange transactions and deposits discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all clients. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy depends upon a client’s particular circumstances and objectives. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice.
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The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.
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Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
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Awards Disclosures