The Lighthouse Group at Morgan Stanley

Scott Schlett

Scott Schlett is an Executive Director, Senior Portfolio Management Director and Financial Advisor with the Lighthouse Group at Morgan Stanley based in Paramus, NJ. He has over 30 years of experience in the Financial Services sector, specifically in Wealth Management. Scott has been with Morgan Stanley since 2005. He also holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, Workplace Advisor – Equity Compensation, Lending Specialist, Certified Exit Planning Advisor, and Alternative Investment Director designations.

Scott specifically focuses on leading the Lighthouse Group’s investment strategy and portfolio construction. He performs risk analysis and investment due diligence on all of the teams portfolios.

Scott utilizes his experience and proficiency in financial planning to design appropriate asset allocations and long-term income solutions for all Lighthouse Group clients. He employs knowledge gained from being a student of the market with his passion in economics into all portfolios. As Mark Twain once said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”

Scott graduated from Dickinson College where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics with a concentration in Finance. During his time at Dickinson, Scott was a captain on the football team which went undefeated in his senior year. He was an Honorable Mention All American.

Scott lives with his wife and five children in NJ. Scott enjoys spending quality time with his family which he makes a top priority. He has coached his kids’ sports teams in his local community for over 30 years. Scott and his family are dedicated to Morgan Stanley’s Children’s Hospital, where they have been a donor and serve holiday meals for families.

Christopher (Chris) Amato

Chris Amato is an Executive Director and Financial Advisor on the Lighthouse Group at Morgan Stanley based in Paramus, NJ. He has over 20 years of experience in Financial Services and has been with Morgan Stanley/Smith Barney for over 16 years. He also holds the Alternative Investments Director, Family Wealth Director, Portfolio Management Director, Workplace Advisor - Equity Compensation, Financial Planning Specialist and Lending Specialist designations.

Chris specifically focuses on helping multi generation families and businesses meet their financial planning goals, affording them the ability to live and retire comfortably. He takes pride in guiding families through their life cycle, from planning for their children’s education, retirement, to succession to the next generation. He drives the Lighthouse Group’s efforts to develop PACT Profiles (See PACT Profile tab), which drives the Wealth Management strategy for each client.

Utilizing skills and knowledge derived from decades in the industry, Chris helps guide his clients through turbulent markets as well as providing solutions for their needs. He employs a comprehensive Wealth Management process to develop actionable plans tailored to individual situations. He is dedicated to thoroughly understanding each client’s financial position, long and short-term goals and appetite for risk. He uses this information along with the firm’s modern Wealth Management analytics and Risk Management tools to formulate customized strategies. Chris often collaborates with his clients’ attorneys and accountants while producing financial plans. He and his team check in regularly with their clients to monitor their success and help them stay the course to attain their unique objectives.

Chris graduated from Elon University where he double majored in Finance and Management. During his time at Elon, Chris was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity.

Chris lives in New Jersey with his wife and two young boys. He spends a lot of his free time together with his family. He has a passion for the environment and makes sure him and his wife provide a solid core of moral and ethical values in their kids so future generations can continue the family legacy. Chris enjoys skiing, surfing and most outdoor activities.

Mike Kowal is a Vice President, Financial Advisor and Portfolio Manager on The Lighthouse Group at Morgan Stanley. Mike also holds his QPFC (Qualified Plan Financial Consultant) designation. Mike has over 30 years of experience in the Wealth Management industry and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2013. Mike graduated from Bucknell University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a concentration in Finance.

Mike works with successful professionals and their families. Many of his clients are senior executives of both public and private companies. As a Financial Advisor, Mike provides comprehensive wealth solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs. Mike strives to develop long term relationships through a commitment to quality service that prioritizes transparency and accessibility. A strong service ethic is the foundation of his practice, demonstrated through an ongoing commitment to his clients’ financial well-being.

Mike’s early experience in Wealth Management includes a variety of roles in Operations, Compliance, Risk Management and Administration. He has worked at several global firms including Lehman Brothers, Solomon Smith Barney and Credit Suisse. It is through this broad experience that Mike has developed a thorough and distinctive perspective of the industry. It also led him to embark on a career as a Financial Advisor as he enjoys the problem solving aspect of the planning and investment process, as well as the collaborative nature of working with clients’ on their particular challenges.

Mike’s advisory process is centered on Goals-Based Financial Planning supported by Morgan Stanley’s modern wealth planning tools and advanced technology. The process starts with a thorough understanding of each client’s unique situation – their goals, income needs, risk tolerance, time horizons as well as their philanthropic and legacy planning priorities. Mike draws upon his experience, exceptional insight and the scale and resources at Morgan Stanley. Mike believes that Financial Planning is the foundation for some of the strongest relationships and the context for smart investment decisions.

Mike has been a resident of Bergen County, New Jersey for over 40 years. He currently resides in Wyckoff with his wife of 25 years and their two children. Mike has served his community by coaching a variety of youth sports programs in his home town. Mike has a passion for sports, history and fishing. In his free time, Mike enjoys visiting new places, cooking with and for friends and family and experimenting with new recipes.


“Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort and excellent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny.”
- Aristotle

Robert Moreira is a Financial Advisor who started his career at Morgan Stanley a decade ago in 2013. Robert seeks to forge strong relationships with his clients by acknowledging their long-term financial goals. He has a widespread view of the markets and uses all resources of Morgan Stanley to ensure the best experience for all his clients. Robert's title of Financial Planning Specialist, allows him to help develop effective plans which considers the entirety of a client's financial health and standing. Robert takes pride in providing first-rate service and building a long term relationship with his clients.
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Robert grew up working in a family restaurant, which provided valuable interpersonal skills and an appreciation for hard work. After attending Don Bosco Prep High School, Robert continued his higher education at Providence College where he earned a degree in Business Economics. He worked for the Providence College Friars Hockey Team while at PC and continues a strong alumni network connection, by coaching hockey at Don Bosco.
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Robert lives in New Jersey with his wife Jaclyn and their dog Lola. Outside of work, Robert enjoys spending time with his family and following his college sports teams. He has a passion for Hockey and is an avid New Jersey Devils fan. He enjoys traveling and summers at the jersey shore.

Dan is a Financial Advisor for The Lighthouse Group. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^®, Dan focuses on sophisticated financial planning with an emphasis towards tax planning and estate planning. Dan's goal is to empower each one of his clients to make informed decisions for them and their heirs about their financial futures.

Dan graduated from the University of Rochester with a major in Financial Economics where he was captain of the football team and played receiver. Originally from Bergen County, New Jersey, he currently resides in Wyckoff. Outside of the office, Dan enjoys golf, football, and spending time with family and friends.

Alexis joined Morgan Stanley in March of 2014 and has over 20 years of experience in the industry. She has worked for Raymond James Financial Services and a large team at Merrill Lynch Private Banking & Investments in New York.

In her role as a Registered Client Service Associate, Alexis works closely with the team’s Financial Advisors. She is passionate about providing clients with exceptional administrative, operational and trading support.

Alexis earned her B.A. from Muhlenberg College where she double majored in Art History and French Literature and earned an M.A. in Art History from the State University of New York, Binghamton. She holds the Series 7 and Series 63 licenses.
Alexis is involved with philanthropy, enjoys yoga, art history, photography and travel.

With over 30 years of financial services experience, Valerie Sanchez joins The Lighthouse Group as a Wealth Management Associate. Her strong background in client relationship management and commitment to excellent client service make her a great addition to the team. Valerie assists our team and its clients with many projects and complex situations as well as day-to-day client operational needs.

Before joining Morgan Stanley, Valerie spent almost ten years with Divine Asset Management where she was a founding partner and handled client facing wealth management, operations, as well as financial coaching and education geared toward women. Before that she spent a majority of her career as a sales trader at what was once Schwab Capital Markets, a division of Charles Schwab. Through various acquisitions, the company eventually became UBS Securities where she was a Director in Broker Dealer Sales.




Valerie holds her SIE, 7, 57, 63, 66, Life, Health & Accident licenses.