Tailored Legacy Group at Morgan Stanley

John is a Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management Director and Family Wealth Director with the Tailored Legacy Group at Morgan Stanley. He holds over 19 years of industry experience with the firm. John leads the team's portfolio management and research duties, along with a lead total wealth planning role for ultra high net worth families. John's emphasis has been on holistic estate planning, pre/post-liquidity diversification planning, as well as family governance and wealth education.

John graduated from the Pennsylvania State University & completed level 1 coursework at the Universita per Stranieri di Perugia. Outside of the office, he has served on several non profit boards over the years, and currently enjoys coaching AAU youth basketball. Other hobbies include mountain biking, backpacking, art and travel. John resides in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife Kate and their son Kai.


The individuals mentioned as the Portfolio Management Team are Financial Advisors with Morgan Stanley participating in the Morgan Stanley Portfolio Management program. The Portfolio Management program is an investment advisory program in which the client’s Financial Advisor invests the client’s assets on a discretionary basis in a range of securities. The Portfolio Management program is described in the applicable Morgan Stanley ADV Part 2, available at www.morganstanley.com/ADV or from your Financial Advisor.

Omar Chatha is a Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management Director, and Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley since 2002. Mr. Chatha focuses his practice on serving high-net worth clients, specifically physicians, engineers, scientists, and highly skilled professionals in solving a complex set of financial problems including retirement plan design, estate and legacy planning, family governance, asset allocation including alternative investments, investment management, portfolio construction and idiosyncratic concerns.

Mr. Chatha earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst™ (CIMA^®) designation in 2009. The designation required him to complete a curriculum that consisted of a Level I exam, a rigorous course at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, with a competitive final examination. Mr. Chatha also completed a course on Value Investing at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business in 2010.

Mr. Chatha currently serves on Morgan Stanley National Financial Advisory Council where he works with Senior Management on strategic initiatives for the firm and our clients. He has also been awarded the prestigious Senior Investment Management Consultant designation which is awarded to select
Financial Advisors who have demonstrated an ability to effectively select investment managers and solve complex financial planning issues.

He is currently a member of the Morgan Stanley Multi-Cultural Diversity committee.

Graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002, Mr. Chatha earned a B.S. in Economics. During his undergraduate studies, he completed a two-year internship at UBS.

Mr. Chatha resides with his wife, Nora, and three children in Shadyside. He is an active member of the University of Pittsburgh Panther Club. Mr. Chatha is an avid supporter of several charities including the Prion Alliance and Partners for Quality. In his free time, he enjoys tennis, basketball, reading, and spending time with his family and friends.

Darren Morningstar is a Senior Vice President, Certified Financial Planner^® and Financial Advisor with The Tailored Legacy Group at Morgan Stanley. Darren joined the firm in 2002 and holds over 20 years of experience in the Financial Services Industry. Darren focuses his practice on serving the unique financial needs of ultra-high net worth investors and their families, specifically individuals seeking highly consultative guidance in investment and retirement planning, as well as portfolio construction. Some of his clients include business owners, professionals, and retired athletes.

Upon graduating High School in 1987, Darren chose the United States Naval Academy to further his education and basketball career. He then went on to play basketball in the Big East and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1991 with a B.S. in Economics.

Darren's unique background includes his professional basketball career in the NBA. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1992 by none other than Red Auerbach which kickstarted his career with the Dallas Mavericks. Darren also had a brief stint with the Utah Jazz. Some of the Celtics Hall of Famers Darren was lucky enough to call teammates included: Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. He also played alongside John Stockton and Karl Malone while with the Utah Jazz. His basketball career allowed him the transformative opportunity to compete internationally. Darren's experience and skills acquired as a professional athlete translates into his versatility, perseverance, skill and discipline as a Financial Advisor and his client relationships.

Prior to Morgan Stanley, Darren maintained a close affection for the markets, routinely trading his own account, and providing guidance to countless coaches, players, and friends regarding investment strategies.

Darren is originally from the beautiful Columbia River Gorge area of Washington State. He holds fond memories of camping, fishing and outdoor adventures with his parents, Gary and Lyn, and younger brother Troy.

Darren and his wife, Kim, currently reside in the Wexford/Franklin Park area of Pittsburgh and have three daughters. Kim has over 30 years of experience working with British Airways, Northwest Airlines & Delta Airlines. Their eldest daughter, Meg, named the Gatorade Player of the Year in PA during high school, went on to start for the University of Notre Dame in Volleyball and is currently employed by Goldman Sachs. Piper, also a student athlete, is currently playing basketball at Washington & Jefferson College and pursuing a Business degree. Their youngest daughter, Paige, also earned the Gatorade Player of the Year title. Her other achievements include being the USA Today POY in PA and being named National Female Athlete of the year by Max Preps. Paige currently plays volleyball at The University of Louisville.

Away from work, Darren enjoys playing an integral role in his daughters’ lives, connecting through sports. His other hobbies include hiking, biking & swimming. Darren is proud to have completed his 1st Rachel Carson challenge last year which encompassed hiking over 36 miles in 1 day!

Steven Sheffler is a Financial Advisor and Insurance Planning Director with The Tailored Legacy Group at Morgan Stanley.

Steve grew up in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh and attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned a degree in Biochemistry, with a minor in Mathematics. His first career was in the pharmaceutical industry, for over 25 years.

Over 15 years ago, Steve made the transition to wealth management, starting at UBS. In 2012, he was recruited to join Morgan Stanley where he focuses on a financial planning, education planning and insurance role for the Tailored Legacy Group at Morgan Stanley.

Steve and his wife Judy have two children and a grand-dog. In their free time, they enjoy theater, travel, concerts and dining. Steve is also an avid golf fan, as well as the Pirates, Pitt Panthers and Steelers.

Katherine Baum is a Chartered Financial Consultant^® and Financial Advisor with The Tailored Legacy Group at Morgan Stanley. Katherine works collaboratively with her diversely skilled team to create and implement highly customized, sophisticated wealth planning strategies on behalf of families, entrepreneurs and executives who require comprehensive investment management solutions.

With over 20 years of experience in the Financial Services Industry, Katherine joined Morgan Stanley in 2017 to pursue her long-term focus and passion in assisting high net worth individuals and families with their tailored wealth planning solutions. In 2013, Katherine earned her Chartered Financial Consultant designation (ChFC^®) to further her commitment to guiding clients as they navigate the complex and ever-changing environment that comes with significant wealth. Empowerment and education serve as the foundation for all of her client relationships. Through active listening and her highly analytical and accessible nature, Katherine is able to customize her services provided to bridge the gap between wealth planning, family dynamics and incorporating the next generation.

Katherine is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University and resides in Wexford, PA. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her three children, family, and friends. You can also find her cycling, kayaking and playing pickleball. As Katherine is passionate in helping others strengthen their financial foundation, she volunteers as a financial mentor to guide women in transitionary periods such as divorce and widowhood. Katherine serves as a guest speaker of several women’s groups on money management, budgeting and investing.

Securities Agent: SD, WV, WA, NY, OH, SC, TX, VA, NV, NM, NC, MS, MN, PA, MI, MD, IN, IL, ID, GA, FL, DE, DC, CT, AR, MA, NJ, AZ, CO, CA; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 1954252
CA Insurance License #: 4116843

As a Portfolio/Financial Planning Associate, Deborah’s primary responsibility is to foresee the administrative duties for the team and clients. Deborah has continuously provided world class customer service to clients for over 21 years in the Financial Services Industry. She strives to meet clients’ administrative needs as seamlessly as possible and to provide a positive experience by untangling the responsibilities of maintaining a securities account.

Deborah is a graduate of California University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography. She grew up in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania and currently resides in Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania with her husband, Vernon and their son, Brayden. She enjoys spending time with her pets, outdoor warm weather activities such as boating, fishing and swimming, and spending time with her family and friends.

As a Wealth Management Associate, Wendy’s primary responsibility is to help organize the team and streamline its operations. She helps to steer the team’s vision so that it can deliver world-class service to our high-net-worth clients and their families. Her depth of knowledge includes not just operations, but also portfolio and investment management due diligence as well as financial planning. She has a keen sense for problem-solving which proves to be invaluable when it comes to helping our clients meet their needs and achieve their goals. Wendy’s extensive skill set has been developed over 26 years spent in the financial services industry. She excels at solving our client’s most complex needs.

Wendy is a graduate of West Virginia University's College of Arts and Sciences with a degree in Finance. She is a native of Charleston, West Virginia, and currently resides in Allison Park, Pennsylvania with her husband, Paul and two children, Benjamin and Catherine. She enjoys traveling, reading, watching television and spending time with friends and family.

As a Registered Client Associate, Miranda’s primary responsibility is to respond to client and team requests in a timely, efficient, and service-oriented manner. The various positions she has held within the financial industry have afforded her the opportunity to work with a diverse client base and have also led to a strong drive to deliver a great client experience.

Miranda is originally from Fort Worth, TX but currently resides in Whitehall, PA with her two cats Charlie and Cleocatra. She is a graduate of the University of North Texas where she received her Bachelor of Science in Sociology. In her spare time, Miranda enjoys spoiling her cats, stationary biking, taking walks in the park, trying new recipes and watching her favorite shows.