Our Team

Joleen Yelton

Financial Advisor, Principal

Joleen joined Sparks Financial Services in 2013 and grew from licensed planning assistant, to associate advisor, to principal advisor. Her focus is investment portfolio management, financial planning for retirement, and specialized case design, driven by a passion for helping families reach their financial goals. In 2024, Joleen completed Commonwealth’s Power in Practice business leadership program. Joleen holds a degree in Psychology from Portland State University. Joleen is an enthusiast of the Pacific Northwest, and she and Taylor enjoy spending time outdoors with their two young daughters.

Designations and Registrations

FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations
Investment Advisor Representative through Commonwealth Financial Network®
Life, health, disability, and long-term care insurance licenses

Memberships

Financial Planning Association (FPA) member
President and member of Snohomish County Estate Planning Council (2024-2025 Board year)
Inaugural Commonwealth Financial Network® Women's Council member (2020-2024)

Founder’s Club

Joleen Yelton is proud to have been recognized as a Founder’s Club advisor for 2024—a distinction based on annual production that places her among the top 32 percent of advisors affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network.

Each year, Commonwealth, the broker/dealer–RIA that helps us process investment transactions on your behalf, recognizes Founder’s Club advisors by inviting them to an exclusive gathering of their peers, leading industry experts, and Commonwealth home office staff. Founder’s Club advisors benefit from an intensive learning and networking experience designed to help them hone their expertise, share best practices, and provide ever-higher levels of service, education, and leadership.

Taylor Yelton

Chief Operations Officer

taylor@sparksfinancialservices.com

Taylor joined Sparks Financial Services in 2015 as client service manager, and transitioned to chief operations officer when he and Joleen took over the practice in 2019. Taylor spends his days managing business operations, coordinating and maintaining client accounts, responding to client inquiries, and getting to know each and every client personally. Before finding his career passion in finance and customer service, Taylor worked in the logistics industry for 14 years.

Taylor graduated from Portland State University with a double major in marketing and advertising and minor in speech communication. When he's not in the office or working on the yard, you might spot Taylor with "his girls": Joleen and their two young daughters, at a local record store, at the beach, or out on a walk.

Nathan Sparks

Financial Planning Support Specialist

nathan@sparksfinancialservices.com

Nathan joined Sparks Financial Services in 2025. As our newest advisory team member, he assists with the development and preparation of financial plans. With a background in research and academics, including a master’s degree in classics from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, his passion for learning, analysis, and attention to detail supports our clients in receiving thorough and robust financial planning.

Nathan draws upon his decade of service as an ordained minister and his years working as a middle and high school classroom teacher to support clients through the various situations and stages of life. Having recently completed the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® board’s education component at the Boston Institute of Finance, Nathan pivoted his career toward helping others realize their goals through financial planning.

As an experienced outdoorsman, he enjoys fly fishing, camping, backpacking, and riding bike with his wife and his rescue pup, Scribble. When indoors, he loves to pass his free time woodworking, painting, and reading classical authors like Marcus Aurelius, Caesar, and Plato in Latin and ancient Greek.

Rosa Hughes

Client Service Manager

rosa@sparksfinancialservices.com

As client service manager, Rosa is driven to provide excellent service to clients, prospective clients, and professional associates, with a focus on quality and a passion for helping others. She has been with Sparks Financial Services since 2021, with previous career experience in program management, budget coordination, and web development.

Rosa is an alum of Seattle University and Northern Arizona University. She and her husband love to travel, garden, hike, and camp with their large extended family.