The Table Rock Group at Morgan Stanley

Kathleen Grasmeder is a Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Management Director, and lead Financial Advisor of The Table Rock Group at Morgan Stanley. Kathy believes that wealth management strategies backed by strong investment and financial analysis are key in developing comprehensive plans that take into account retirement, estate, and education goals.

After graduating from Drexel University 1988 with a degree in Commerce and Engineering, and University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1993 with an MBA in New Venture Management, Kathy began her career as a Business Analyst for Competitive Technologies. It was here that she analyzed the commercial prospects of technology being developed at Lehigh University and learned first-hand how to build and manage a team. These skills proved useful when Kathy transitioned to financial advisory at Morgan Stanley in 1996, where she has since seen The Table Rock Group grow to where it is today.

Kathy’s experience in handling complex financial planning challenges and advocating for her clients in virtually all areas of their financial lives has led to recognition on a number of prestigious rankings for top Financial Advisors. In 2023, Kathy was named to the Forbes list of America's Top Women Wealth Advisors, and to the Forbes List of Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State from 2017 to 2025. Kathy was also a member of Morgan Stanley’s President’s Club from 2010 to 2018, and the prestigious Chairman’s Club for the last six years, which is composed of the firm’s top Financial Advisors. In 2021, Kathy was named to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management's Class of 2021 MAKERS- a project dedicated to identifying and celebrating women of accomplishment at Morgan Stanley. Additionally, Kathy was named to the 2022 and 2024 Barron's Top 100 Women Wealth Advisors rankings.

Kathy is also extremely active in the community as she serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of SUNY Adirondack, Past President for Glens Falls Rotary and President of the Board of Directors of the Lake George Club Historic Preservation Foundation. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, cross country skiing, and biking.

2017-2025 Forbes America's Top Women Wealth Advisors & Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In- State (formerly referred to as Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors, Forbes America's Top Women Wealth Advisors)
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2017-2025). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in Sept of year prior to the issuance of the award.

Barron's Top 100 Women Financial Advisors
Source: Barron's.com (Awarded June 2022) Data compiled by Barron's based on time period from Mar 2021 - Mar 2022.
Source: Barron's.com (Awarded July 2024) Data compiled by Barron's based on time period from April 2023 - Mar 2024.
Awards Disclosures

Daniel Grasmeder is a Senior Vice President, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and Financial Advisor at The Table Rock Group who works with members of the team to provide customized solutions to the special financial situations of their clients. Dan regards systematic and thorough planning, along with a commitment to “Total Quality," as the most important elements of achieving client goals, and he seeks to ensure that every action taken on behalf of the Group’s clients are done with these qualities in mind.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Dan started his career in civil engineering after receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from Drexel University in 1988 in the same discipline. Beginning at Lehigh Portland Cement, Dan eventually rose to Vice President of Sales where he was responsible for all sales and marketing in New England and New York. It was here that Dan recognized the importance of reliability, client responsibility, strategic thinking and attention to detail, which are all crucial in the development of a successful team that is able to service client needs with speed and accuracy. Dan then brought these tenets to Morgan Stanley in 2007 when he joined Kathy as a Financial Advisor and has been committed to maintaining them as The Table Rock Group has grown both in the size of its team, and the breadth of its clientele.

Over his time at Morgan Stanley, Dan’s responsibilities have only increased. In 2012, in order to better serve client needs, Dan completed the education, experience, and examination requirements to receive the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional designation. In addition, Dan was named Producing Branch Manager of the Glens Falls office in 2014, and recently transitioned into the Resident Branch Manager position at our Oneonta Branch. Dan was also named to the prestigious Century Club from 2023 through 2025, a recognition that acknowledges Dan's consistent excellence to servicing his clients.

In his free time, Dan enjoys spending time with his family, as well as ice fishing, watching ice hockey, and restoring classic cars. Dan’s latest restoration is the same year and model car he had in high school, a 1965 Barracuda.

A Morgan Stanley employee of over two decades, Amy Cesarano credits her wide-ranging experience working in all areas of Wealth Management for her ability to recognize what it is her clients are looking to achieve, and working side-by-side with them to help achieve it. As such, collaboration with clients and teammates alike, as well as a commitment to building relationships with those she serves, are pivotal focuses for Amy as she aides clients in mapping out where they would like to be financially, and putting together an actionable plan to help get there.

Amy began her career at IBM where she was responsible for ensuring that employees were properly trained in repairing the many business machines of the company. The client-interfacing portion of this role, along with the relationship building and organizational demands, would prove to be useful as she joined Morgan Stanley predecessor firm Smith Barney in 1996. First as a Branch Administrator, and then moving on to the Financial Advisor training program, Amy focused on planning, annuities, insurance, and marketing for her team. After a few years, Amy would again shift back to working in administration, eventually holding roles as Senior Complex Risk Officer, Senior Service Manager, and Associate Complex Manager. It is this diverse set of experiences working in both service and risk that Amy views as invaluable for her current role as a Financial Advisor. Because of this, she finds that she has a rare perspective on both the needs of her clients and what she as an Advisor is able to provide to help meet those needs.

Amy has served on the firm’s Regional Diversity Council and is now serving on the Firm’s Technology Council and is also participating with the Firm’s Financial Advisor Mentoring Program (FAME). These roles show her and the Table Rock Group’s commitment to providing equal opportunities to all as well as having access to early insights on innovative technologies, policies and best practices that help our clients as well as our team members.

In 2025 Amy was named to the Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best in State and as a member of Morgan Stanley’s Century Club.

Amy holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Management and Economics Summa Cum Laude through SUNY’s Empire State University.

In her free time, Amy enjoys spending time with her family and friends outside in the Adirondacks. Amy has been married to her husband Tom for 34 years and they have 2 grown sons.

Forbes America's Top Women Wealth Advisors & Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In- State
Source: Forbes.com (Awarded Feb 2025) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC for the period 9/30/23 - 9/30/24.

As a Financial Advisor with the Table Rock Group at Morgan Stanley, Christopher is committed to providing a personalized touch when helping clients understand their unique financial position and achieve their goals with confidence. Fundamental to that confidence, Chris starts with educating our clients on financial planning and investment strategy, focusing on why and how those plans and strategies integrate with helping achieve their specific needs.

After graduating from SUNY Oneonta in 2014 with a B.S. in Professional Accounting, Chris began his career in public accounting, providing audit and tax services to the broader upstate New York region. After completing the necessary work and education requirements, Chris achieved his license to practice as a Certified Public Accountant (not-practicing at Morgan Stanley) adding value and insight to the clients he served. His eight years of experience in the public accounting field proved to be invaluable as it instilled the importance of understanding the complete financial “story”.

Helping accurately assembling the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, so that clients can see the flow of their income and expenses translate to their assets and liabilities, is a satisfying process. The challenge and satisfaction of that process is what brought Chris to the Financial Advisor role. In November of 2021, Chris joined the Table Rock Group at Morgan Stanley, aligning his skills and passion to help solve and plan for people’s financial needs. Chris has recently been named to the Pacesetter Club for 2024 & 2025.

As a native of Delhi, NY, Chris calls the Catskill Mountains “home” and is actively involved in the community, serving in supportive and governance roles for several area non-profit organizations and councils. In his free time, Chris enjoys taking long bike rides, playing guitar, and spending time with friends and family.

As a Financial Advisor with the Table Rock Group at Morgan Stanley, Kim's main goal is to provide quality advice in a clear, concise, and financially prudent way to help clients accumulate, grow and preserve their wealth so they can live their best possible life both before and after retirement.

Feeling that becoming a Financial Advisor was an aspiration she needed to achieve, Kim thoroughly enjoys working with clients and guiding them towards attaining their financial goals and aspirations. Seeing our financial lives as a "big puzzle," Kim is able to look at the entire balance sheet and provide tailored advice and guidance to create a customized plan and strategy.

As a graduate of the Junior College of Albany, Kim brings many years of industry experience, having worked a portion of her career in the client services field and the other part as a Private Banker for Morgan Stanley's High Net Worth Clients. Recently, Kim was named to the prestigious Pacesetter Club for 2024 and 2025.

Outside of the office, Kim devotes much of her spare time to the school’s wrestling team as the unofficial photographer. She serves as the Secretary for the Booster Club, which provides year round support to student athletes. She also enjoys spending time in the outdoors with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. As a family, they love to kayak, garden, and enjoy quiet time in the Adirondacks.

John Malicki began his career at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter in 1994 and his remained with the firm ever since. As a graduate of Le Moyne College with a B.S. in accounting, John initially worked as a CPA for the first 10 years of his career. Now a Family Wealth Director, he is part of a highly selective group of advisors at Morgan Stanley who have completed rigorous studies to provide complex wealth advice to successful families. John, along with the Table Rock Group, offer a wide range of comprehensive wealth services, including family governance, wealth education, philanthropy management, business succession, wealth transfer, strategic estate and financial planning, and investment strategy.

Beyond his work, John is an avid outdoorsman, athlete, and a dedicated husband and father. He enjoys family time on the ski slopes, tennis courts, golf courses, and hiking in national parks both in the US and abroad. John, his wife, Margaret, and three adult children treasure spending time together.

John has served on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of Albany, New York, and the Board of Governors for Schuyler Meadows Club. John and Margaret raised their family and continue to reside in Loudonville, New York.

Kristen graduated from Binghamton University School of Management with a B.S. in Business Management focusing on Finance. She later earned her MBA from Clarkson University Graduate School where she was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. With over 20 years of experience in the financial industry, Kristen is passionate about helping clients achieve their life goals alongside their financial aspirations.

As a financial advisor, Kristen is committed to guiding clients through defining and meeting their goals by delivering a vast array of resources tailored to their specific needs. She focuses on enhancing financial literacy and providing confidence in managing finances. Clients working with Kristen benefit from her experience as an investment professional, a premier execution platform and a wide range of investment options.

Outside of work, Kristen enjoys traveling, hiking, and engaging in a good trivia game. She resides in Saratoga Springs with her husband, Mark, their son Archie, and their golden retriever puppy, Hermes. Known for her excellent listening skills, quick learning ability and client focus strategies, Kristen is highly regarded by both clients and colleagues.

Danielle Yeager is passionate about building strong client relationships and driving operational excellence through innovative solutions. With over 20 years of experience in property and casualty insurance claims operations and leadership, Danielle has honed her skills in cross functional problem-solving, organizational transformation, change management, and employee engagement. She takes great pride in delivering exceptional customer experiences and looks forward to bringing her expertise to the Table Rock Group.

Her leadership style emphasizes collaboration, communication, and fostering a high-performing team environment. As a data-driven leader with strong analytical skills, Danielle excels at identifying trends and implementing process improvements.

Danielle holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing/Management from Siena College located in Loudonville, New York. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Steve, their two children, Liam and Lyla, and their pup, Oliver. She loves hosting family and friends for gatherings and enjoys the beauty of the Adirondacks year-round.

Lori Cudney is an Assistant Vice President, Wealth Management Associate in our Oneonta office. Lori joined the firm in 1998 and holds Series 7, 63 and 9, a New York State Insurance license for Life, Health, Variable Annuities and Variable Life, as well as a Notary License. Lori is lifelong learner and continues to complete securities and insurance education to expand her knowledge.

She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from SUNY Oneonta. As a previous Director for the Glimmerglass Triathlon, Lori organized over 14 triathlon events hosting athletes from across the East Coast.

Outside of The Table Rock Group Lori is an active member for Dollars for Scholars, an organization that works tirelessly to provide scholarships to students.

Regardless of the season Lori is an outdoor enthusiast. She enjoys hiking and biking, but also relaxing on their family’s sailboat on the Long Island Sound with her husband Ed. Lori and Ed are proud grandparents to Grace, Jayce, AJ and Aydin. Lori and her family enjoy traveling and cooking together.

Danielle Valente is a Wealth Management Associate in our Glens Falls office. In December of 2017 Danielle graduated with Summa Cum Laude Honors and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from The State University of New York at Oswego. She also maintained a position on the Dean’s List for the duration of her time at Oswego. Danielle joined the team full time in January of 2018 after interning with the firm. Danielle is Series 7, 66, New York State Life and Health licensed, as well as Morgan Stanley's Financial Planning Specialist Designation.

Danielle is also a horse enthusiast as she started riding in second grade. She has competed in many reining competitions all over the United States and was the IHSA National Champion for Reining in 2015. Danielle is also the President of the Conkling Center in Glens Falls and the Director of Public Relations for the Glens Falls Rotary Club.

As a Registered Associate in our Oneonta office, Lara Leonard helps ensure that all client concerns are handled as quickly and carefully as possible, while taking pride in maintaining the excellent client service that they have come to know in their interactions with The Table Rock Group.

Lara returned to Oneonta and joined the group in January of 2020 after spending the previous nine years in Austin, Texas. It was there that she worked for a local restaurant and eventually rose to Corporate Trainer, where she was responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring the training program for all workers. In this role, customer satisfaction was the end goal of every task performed by employees, and this focus perfectly translates to the care and attention that she pays to every Table Rock Group client each and every day.

Lara is a graduate of Austin Community College and holds her SIE, Series 7, and Series 66 securities licenses. She also continues to complete her securities industry continuing education.

When not in the office, Lara spends much of her time giving back to her community. While in Austin, she enjoyed fostering for Austin Pets Alive and is looking forward to fostering in the Oneonta area. She is a legacy member of Beta Sigma Phi- an organization dedicated to helping the community. She is an Ambassador for the Otsego Chamber of Commerce, as well as a participant of the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program Class of 2023, an interactive program designed to broaden knowledge of community organizations and sharpen leadership skills. Lara also participates in the Ladies Golf League at Colonial Ridge, along with Jade Pendolf, Client Service Associate for the Table Rock Group.

As a Client Service Associate at Morgan Stanley, Meghan Moore is looking to embrace the challenges and opportunities to excel in her career. Her background includes healthcare and over six years in Property & Casualty Insurance in which she obtained her Agent’s License. From a strong foundation in customer facing roles, Meghan prides herself in providing the highest possible quality of service in every interaction. Meghan loves to challenge herself to learn new things and aspires to reach her professional milestones at Morgan Stanley.

Meghan is originally from the Finger Lakes but has made the Oneonta area her home since 2007. She cherishes time with her family the most. She and her husband Cory have three daughters Macy, Charli, and Caitlyn who keep them very busy, and a family dog named Allis, a black lab. They are always travelling to sporting events, visiting with extended family, spending free time with friends, at the lake, or taking fun day trips.

Jade Pendolf is currently a Client Service Associate in our Oneonta office. She has lived in the area for over 20 years and graduated from Utica School of Commerce in 2007 with her Associates Degree in Business Administration. Jade has a long employment history in non-profit and healthcare which fulfilled her love of learning and making a difference in people’s lives.

When she’s not working, you can find Jade cheering on her two athletic teenage daughters, renovating her new home with her significant other, or playing with her adorable rescue Pitbull named Jude.

Chris Huskie is a Client Service Associate for the Table Rock Group at Morgan Stanley. He began his career in finance as a teller for the Adirondack Trust Company before a promotion to Supervisor. It was here that Chris learned important skills for assisting clients and the importance of excellent customer service. Quickly progressing, Chris joined the company's wealth management team as the Operation Supervisor, where he enjoyed his time working with senior team members on client requests and general day-to-day assistance. Chris then became the team's Financial Planning and Investment Assistant. In this role, responsibilities included market & economic research and portfolio construction, where Chris spent seven years before joining Morgan Stanley in 2023.

Chris and his wife reside in the village of Ballston Spa along with their two kids, Addison and Dax. Outside of the office, he enjoys spending time with his family on short weekend get always and hikes, as well as finding some time to fly fish and golf.

As a Client Service Associate, Steve brings a passion for financial markets and is a perceptive listener dedicated to providing exceptional customer support. His attention to detail and persistence complements his willingness to learn new skills and evolve his finance background.

Steve has a decade of experience in the customer service field as a residential Property Management Specialist. Steve took on various roles in his position with Sunsoval Inc. as customer needs dictated such as IT consultant, customer liaison and subcontractor relations.

Steve is a graduate of SUNY Empire State College with a Bachelor of Science degree. His interdisciplinary studies included a year abroad in Patagonia and term abroad in New Zealand.

Steve’s hobbies included cycling, rock climbing and camping. Steve is an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America, has been trained as a Wilderness First Responder and is a Certified Leave No Trace Master Educator.

Katie Bates is a Registered Associate for the Table Rock Group at Morgan Stanley. Working with clients directly, her favorite part of the industry is meeting new people and getting to know clients on both a professional and personal level to develop lasting relationships. Coming from a family that did not discuss finances, Katie was motivated to enter a career focused on helping others to be fiscally responsible and think about their future.

Starting her career in financial services at a small community bank over a decade ago, Katie learned the value of working with clients and helping them to achieve their financial goals. She thoroughly enjoys being part of the education process for clients, doing whatever she can to help them grow financially and make informed decisions. Describing herself as “personable, honest, and easy to talk to” – Katie values getting to know clients and makes listening to their financial dreams, hopes, and concerns her top priority.

Katie resides in South Glens Falls with her partner, three kids, and their dog. Outside of the office, she is the leader of her daughters' girl scout troop, an active blood donor for the American Red Cross, and participates in numerous walks and 5K’s throughout the year. Katie also enjoys spending time with her family reading, camping, hiking, and cheering on her kids at their various sporting events.

Marybeth Hogan loves being part of a team that assists people in achieving their financial goals. She is a graduate of St. Bonaventure College with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing/Management. A few years out of college, she began her career as a sales assistant at Shearson Lehman. Showing strong potential, she was encouraged to obtain her licenses and worked for several years for Shearson Lehman before moving to New York City. There she worked for Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette and Julius Baer for more than 7 years. She held various roles gaining a well-rounded perspective of the financial brokerage industry.

After moving north and starting a family, Mary Beth took a break to be a stay-at-home mom for her three children. She returned to the financial field in 2020 when she joined Ayco is a client analyst, retaking her licenses. Her approach to client service is rooted in active listening and clear communication, which she believes are key to building strong client relationships. Mary Beth is passionate about the financial markets and enjoys helping clients navigate the many products and services available to enrich and protect their finances.

Outside of work, Mary Beth enjoys spending time with her fiancé and children, watching their sports games, skiing, and cooking. She volunteers for the Double H Ranch - an incredible program that provides free support to children and families dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Currently residing in Saratoga, her family often retreats to their camp in Chestertown and winter weekend skiing at Gore Mountain.