OUR TEAM

Registered Investment Advisor Representative

        Dana Beards grew up in Eureka, CA. After high school, he enlisted in the U. S. Air Force. Following four years of honorable service, Dana attended Eastern Nazarene College in Boston, MA and graduated with a degree in Communication Arts.
       He returned to California and began a 15-year career as a TV-News Anchor and Reporter. It was at this time that Dana began following the markets and became interested in investing. As a reporter in the Silicon Valley, Dana covered the IPO launches of dozens of emerging tech companies including Yahoo and Google and witnessed huge swings in the markets during the internet boom and bust that occurred at the turn of the millennium.
       After finishing his TV career as a Reporter and Weekend News Anchor at Fox 40 in Sacramento, Dana accepted a position at VSP where he ran a program providing entrepreneurial support for young eye doctors looking to become business owners. Dana became a Registered Investment Advisor in 2014 and joined the team at Desert Capital Management. He lives in Fair Oaks, has three children and has been married to his wife Maeve since 1992.

Vice President

Stephanie Mearse has worked with Desert Capital Management Group as the Vice President since 2014. Stephanie has a BA in Business Management and an MBA in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She has been a professional in Marketing for over 15 years and is a published author and motivational speaker featured on Radio Shows and Podcasts. From 2014 to 2019, she received the company's Top Performer Award for her commitment to excellence and outstanding performance.

Her book "Women of Perfection; Perfectly Imperfect," addresses the overwhelming expectations of women in today's society to be perfect. As a Speaker, she focuses on overcoming fear and self-imposed boundaries to achieve goals. Stephanie has a talk show on Sacramento's Money 105.5 FM, as well as a podcast Empower Hour. Stephanie is the President of The Butterfly Element, and a co-founder of Empower Hour, a women's networking group; both of which are non-profit organizations designed to help impoverished women and children.

In her personal life, Stephanie is dedicated to her family, friends, and church. She's actively involved in Rotary Club, The Women's Thursday Club, and her local Chamber of Commerce. Stephanie is passionate about impacting the lives of others and helping those she meets to achieve both their professional and personal goals.

Registered Investment Advisor Representative

Austin Collins is a Registered Investment Advisor Representative. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance and International Business from Sacramento State University, along with certificates in Financial Trading and Investment, Bloomberg Market Concepts, and Technical Trading. He has experience in derivatives trading and he holds a Real Estate License while specializing in luxury condo sales. Austin has been featured on national and international podcasts.

In his private life he enjoys riding his motorcycle, playing golf, and reading financial literature. He gives back to his community through a personal finance class he co-teaches to high school-aged students. Austin recognizes the need for financial literacy and considers it his raison d'etre. Additionally, he volunteers on Tuesdays at a local church serving hot meals to families in need. Since he began investing at the age of 18, he understands the value of timing and the importance of taking control of your own financial future. Plan today and live the way you want tomorrow.