Verga Pollard Group at Morgan Stanley

Marc Verga is a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley where he focuses on providing wealth management solutions to high-net-worth clients and their families. He also holds the titles of Financial Advisor, Senior Portfolio Management Director and Alternative Investments Director. Marc started his career in 1993 with Smith Barney, a predecessor firm to Morgan Stanley.  As a student of the industry, Marc has held various positions, including Financial Advisor, National Training Officer, and Branch Manager and he brings a unique perspective to the wealth management process when working with affluent clients. In an industry that is dynamic and constantly changing, he has built a comprehensive and holistic practice and has trained many other financial advisors in the same style.

Marc was named to Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors in 2023 and 2024. He also earned Morgan Stanley's President's Club Status as well as the title of Alternative Investment Director.

Marc earned a B.S in Finance from Northeastern University in Boston, graduating cum laude.  Growing up in the fishing town of Gloucester, MA, he has a great affinity for the ocean and a deep appreciation for hard work. While not in the office, Marc is philanthropically involved with the Italian Home for Children, where he serves as a member of the board.  In his free time, he enjoys golfing and travel and is a member of the Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, RI.  He currently resides in Providence, RI.

2023-2024 Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-by-State (formerly referred to as Barron's Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State)

Source: Barron's.com (Awarded Mar 2023 and Mar 2024) Data compiled by Barron's based on time period from Sept 2021 - Sept 2022 and Sept 2022 - Sept 2023.

Marisa Fezza Pollard began her career in the financial services industry in New York City over 20 years ago. She has worked in many facets of the business including Institutional Soft Dollar sales for the Bank of New York and Institutional Fixed Income for Loomis Sayles in Boston. Since 2003 she has worked in the Private Client Wealth Management business for Smith Barney, Oppenheimer & Co and since 2017, Morgan Stanley. She takes pride in her work and often describes her interactions with clients as “financial therapy”. Marisa holds the Certified Financial Planner™ designation by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. She has also achieved her Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA^®) designation and firmly believes that planning is at the core of what she does.

Marisa was named to Forbes Best In State Wealth Advisors and also Forbes Best In State Women Wealth Advisors in 2022. She has also earned the title of Alternative Investments Director at Morgan Stanley.

A New Jersey native, Marisa moved to Rhode Island to attend college. She will always be a New Jerseyan but has grown to love Rhode Island. She dedicates her time volunteering with Rhodeway Financial, an organization committed to offering comprehensive financial planning services to underserved communities. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the state and discovering the beauty and culture it has to offer. She also enjoys traveling, playing tennis, exercising and experiencing the great outdoors. She lives in East Greenwich with her husband Jim, their three young children, and her mom.

She holds her General Securities License (Series 7), the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Exam (Series 63), and the Uniform Investment Advisor Law Exam (Series 65). She is licensed as an agent for Life, Health, and Variable Annuities.

2022-2025 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 2022, 2023, 2024, & 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.

Jennifer Thorpe is a Wealth Management Associate with the Verga Pollard Group at Morgan Stanley. She joined Morgan Stanley in 2021 and previously worked at Merrill Lynch for over 20 years. She held various positions in operations during the first 10 years of her career and spent the last 11 years supporting a Wealth Management team.

Jennifer is passionate about helping people and being a resource clients know they can rely on during difficult or uncertain times. She is focused on helping clients succeed and can resolve any issues or concerns they might have. Jennifer is described as being incredibly empathetic, trustworthy, reliable, and she will never shy away from a challenging client situation. She treats her clients like they are family by understanding their needs and making sure they are being well taken care of.

Jennifer holds her Series 7 and Series 66 financial securities licenses and received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from The College of New Jersey. She relocated to Rhode Island from Pennsylvania to be closer to her extended family members. During her spare time, she enjoys having adventures with her family, traveling, and skiing.

Sofia Salhi joined the Verga Pollard Group as a Client Service Associate in October 2022 shortly after graduating from the University of Colorado Boulder with a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and a double minor in Mathematics and English. A native of Laguna Beach, California, she moved to Newport, Rhode Island, after receiving her degree and is thrilled to have relocated to the East Coast.



Sofia is currently studying for her financial licensing exams and intends to take the SIE, Series 7, and Series 66 soon. While not in the office, she enjoys the great outdoors, spending time with her loved ones in California, and visiting new places. Sofia is also bilingual, being fluent in both English and Farsi.

Kimberly Demara is a Registered Client Service Associate who joined the Verga Pollard Group at Morgan Stanley in May of 2023. Prior to joining the Firm, she spent 8 years working in a similar role at Merrill Lynch and 6 years as an operations specialist at Bank of America. Throughout her many years in the industry, she has obtained her Series 7 and 66 licenses.



A native of North Stonington, Connecticut, Kimberly currently resides in Preston, Connecticut, and has three children: William, Lilliana, and Weston. While not in the office, Kim enjoys spending time with her loved ones at the beach and going on vacation. She also has a passion for soccer, having played competitively until 2022.