Charlene Kruk

Xiaolan “Charlene” Kruk came to National Financial Network with over 13 years of corporate experience. During her time at global companies such as Samsung and SK, she worked with entrepreneurs across stages to help them build, grow, and scale, and was involved in projects ranging from early-stage diligence to a multibillion-dollar public market listing through a merger. Her experience provides a unique blend of strategic insight and firsthand understanding of compensation and equity dynamics in both corporate and entrepreneurial contexts. A long-time student of finance, she passed the CFA Level II exam early in her career. After years of witnessing how financial wellness often gets deprioritized amid the demands of daily life and recognizing that a balanced financial life should include both protection and growth, she turned to comprehensive financial planning to help others bring structure, clarity, and intention to their financial lives.

Today, Xiaolan helps both corporate professionals and entrepreneurs with young families obtain peace of mind in all aspects of their financial life, from making the most of compensation, navigating shifting job market, managing equity positions, protecting what they love, to building lasting wealth and legacy, so they can focus on their career, business and family. She is also passionate about empowering women business owners with integrated guidance that blends business strategy and personal planning.

Her collaborative, life-centered approach begins with deep understanding of each client’s goals and values. She brings clarity through education to uncover potential blind spots, offers proactive planning to address life’s milestones and transitions, and provides ongoing coaching to ensure accountability and lasting progress. She strives to help clients make confident, values-driven financial decisions.

Born and raised in Shanghai and having lived and worked in South Korea before settling in the U.S., Xiaolan brings a global lens to her work. She speaks English, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean fluently, and understands the unique financial challenges faced by foreign nationals and immigrant families. Her cross-cultural experience allows her to connect with diverse clients meaningfully and offer culturally informed strategies.

Now based in New Jersey after half a decade in the San Francisco Bay Area, Xiaolan lives with her entrepreneur husband and their young daughter. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, watercolor painting, and traveling.

Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). OSJ: 900 STEWART AVENUE, SUITE 500, GARDEN CITY NY, 11530, 516-7455600. Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. NATIONAL FINANCIAL NETWORK is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. CA Insurance License Number - 4452551.