Our Team
Kelly S. Olson Pedersen, CFP® | CDFA
CEO/Founder
Kelly@CaissaWealth.com
612-426-7352
Kelly is the founder of CAISSA Wealth Strategies, a Minneapolis-based RIA firm she established in 2009 to align clients’ wealth with their personal values. With 25 years of experience, she specializes in investment planning, tax strategies, and estate planning, guiding clients through complex transitions such as business succession, retirement, divorce, and inheritance. As CEO, Kelly personally leads CAISSA’s investment planning, tax strategy, and estate planning efforts to ensure every client receives tailored solutions.
Prior to founding CAISSA, Kelly worked at two national accounting firms, where she honed her expertise in investment management and tax strategy. Her innovative approach to wealth management includes creating strategies like Torpedo Proofing Retirement Visions, R.U.L.E.S.-based investing, and Tranches of Income, providing clarity and confidence to clients’ financial plans.
Kelly has earned numerous accolades, including recognition as a Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Women in Business honoree and a Women In Finance. Her insights have been featured in Investment News, and the Wall Street Journal.
Originally from Northwest Iowa, Kelly enjoys golf, jogging, and traveling across Europe. She cherishes time spent with her husband, Bob, their sons, Dillon and Tommy, and their French Bulldog, Bernie, at Lake Minnetonka and Lake Okoboji.
Aimee Bauman, CFP® | ChFC® | CLU® | TPCP™
Partner
Aimee@CaissaWealth.com
612-426-7361
Aimee Bauman is the Director of Wealth Planning at CAISSA Wealth Strategies, bringing over 20 years of experience in wealth management. She specializes in estate planning, tax strategies, business transitions, and retirement income planning, helping clients align their financial goals with their personal priorities. Aimee is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), Tax Planning Certified Professional (TPCP™).
Since joining CAISSA in 2019, Aimee has been recognized as one of the Best Financial Planners by FPA and Money in 2024, and again in 2025 for Money’s Best Women Planners. This distinction was awarded for her expertise, trustworthiness, and exceptional service. Aimee also earned recognition as a Notable Woman in Banking and Finance by Twin Cities Business in 2024. Previously, she served as a Senior Wealth Planner and Vice President at Wells Fargo, where she provided wealth planning services to high-net-worth families.
Aimee is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College with a degree in Financial Economics and a minor in Music.
Outside of work, Aimee enjoys spending time with her husband, Brian, and their two sons, Benjamin and Alexander. She loves attending her sons’ activities, hosting gatherings, and exploring new restaurants. Aimee is a Vikings and Twins fan and counts Maui among her favorite travel destinations.
Andrew Campbell, CFP®
Wealth Manager
Andrew@CaissaWealth.com
612-426-7369
Andrew is a Senior Wealth Advisor specializing in the high net worth client experience, including cash flow, estate, insurance, and wealth transfer planning. Andrew is CFP® certified and has been in financial services since 2006. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Prior to joining CAISSA in 2021, Andrew worked in wealth management at one of the nation’s largest national banks. He focused on providing wealth planning services to high net-worth and ultra-high net worth clients and their families.
Andrew spends much of his free time at the family cabin in northern Minnesota. He also loves to travel, including skiing in the mountains of Colorado and relaxing in the warm desert sun of Palm Springs, California. One of Andrew’s favorite hobbies is anything food related – he loves trying new recipes and venturing to new eating destinations.
Merissa Perkins, CFP® | ChFC®
Wealth Manager
Merissa@CaissaWealth.com
612-426-7835
Merissa is a Senior Wealth Advisor at CAISSA Wealth Strategies, where she is dedicated to delivering an exceptional client experience centered on each client’s specific goals, values, and priorities. Looking at more than just the numbers to provide clarity and confidence helping clients align their financial decisions with the life they want to live. With nearly three decades in the insurance and financial services industries, she brings both technical expertise and thoughtful guidance to every relationship.
Merissa began her career with CAISSA in 2016 and specializes in comprehensive wealth strategies, including cash flow planning, income tax strategy, retirement planning, estate planning, insurance analysis, and wealth transfer solutions. She holds a degree in Finance with a concentration in Financial Planning and has obtained her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and Chartered Financial Consultant® certifications. She also holds a Minnesota Accident and Health, Life insurance license.
Outside of her professional life, Merissa enjoys working out, playing games, and spending quality time with friends and family — especially her two adult children, Katelyn and Anthony. She loves to travel, explore new restaurants, embrace new adventures, and finds her greatest peace anywhere near the water.
Brad Heideman, CFA® | CAIA
Investments
Brad@CaissaWealth.com
612-426-7368
Brad Heideman is CAISSA Wealth Strategies’ Senior Investment Advisor, joining the firm at the end of 2025. With nearly 20 years of experience working for various Registered Investment Advisors, Brad has done it all, from investment operations to portfolio management. He holds a double major in Economics and Biology from the University of Minnesota and has earned both the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation and the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation.
Brad is an avid traveler, having visited six of the seven continents, with Australia topping his list of favorites. When not working, he enjoys playing broomball and basketball, eFoiling, and cheering on the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Each summer, he spends time at the family cabin in northern Wisconsin with his dog, Chloe.
Halina Alexejun
Operations
Halina@CaissaWealth.com
612-426-7362
Joining CAISSA Wealth Strategies in December 2024, Halina Alexejun serves as the Director of Operations, bringing a proactive approach to streamlining and supporting the firm’s practices. With a passion for staying informed, she starts each day by diving into market updates, fintech trends, and industry news through podcasts, blogs, and professional networks, ensuring CAISSA remains at the forefront of industry innovation.
What sets CAISSA apart, she believes, is its client-centric culture. From her first interaction, she was inspired by the team’s dedication to truly understanding clients’ goals and delivering personalized, high-quality service.
Outside of work, she loves spending time outdoors with her husband and two boys, whether exploring parks or enjoying backyard play. An avid skier, she embraces Minnesota winters and finds relaxation in reading books. She also values quiet evenings unwinding at the gym or catching up on reality TV after a bustling day.
Julie Schindel, B.B.A.
Operations
JulieS@CaissaWealth.com
612-426-3382
Julie S. joined CAISSA Wealth Strategies in 2022 as a Sr. Operations Associate, leveraging her extensive operations background to ensure smooth and efficient client experiences. She specializes in using systems like Schwab, Tamarac, and Salesforce to support CAISSA’s back-office processes, focusing on accurate and compliant client transactions.
Julie began her career in aviation, progressing from Dispatcher at Sun Country Airlines to Director of Operations at a Northwest Airlines subsidiary. She later expanded her expertise with leadership roles at Regis Corporation and Global Aviation. After a career break to support her daughters, Julie brought her skills to CAISSA. She holds an MBA Essentials Certificate from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Dakota.
A lifelong Minnesotan, Julie grew up boating on Lake Minnetonka, where her father sparked her interest in financial markets. Today, she enjoys summers on the lake, skiing trips to Big Sky, Montana, and cheering on the MN Wild. Julie and her husband Jon, who have been married for over 25 years, have two daughters and share a love for family, travel, and golf.
Liv Knodel
Operations
Liv@CaissaWealth.com
612-426-7110
Liv Knodel joined CAISSA Wealth Strategies in June 2024 as a Client Service Specialist. She is a key member of the operations team, leveraging tools like Schwab, Tamarac, and Salesforce to optimize workflows and boost efficiency for clients, wealth planners, and the investment team. Liv also plays a crucial role in ensuring financial transactions comply with SEC standards, supporting CAISSA’s seamless operations.
Prior to joining CAISSA in 2021, Liv worked in higher education, where she focused on admissions, orientation, and academic advising. She guided students through the recruitment process, supported their transition to university life, and offered ongoing academic advice. Liv graduated from Otterbein University with a B.A. in Public Relations and Grand Valley State University with a Master of Education, where she was honored with the Excellence in a Discipline Award in 2022.
Liv is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, but has made her home in Minnesota. She enjoys all things that the Twin Cities has to offer, including the farmers markets, theatre, and basketball – in summer, you find her cheering on the Minnesota Lynx, and in the winter, you find her cheering on the Timberwolves. She enjoys staying active by attending Orangetheory classes and walking around the Minnesota Lakes.
Julie Betchwars
CAISSA Alum
Julie was our previous Director of Financial Planning. Julie has been in the financial services industry since 1987 and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus. She was with CAISSA from 2014 to 2023. She is now retired with her family at their cabin in Crosslake, MN. They enjoy boating, fishing, biking and kayaking and currently, Julie and her husband Mike are working on their goal of kayaking the entire 115 miles of the Whitefish Chain of Lakes’ shoreline.