Meet the Team Behind Your Plan
Trusted guides. Thoughtful strategists. Real people who put your goals first.
With 40 years of combined experience, Dale Clarke and Ryan O’Shea have helped hundreds of families and business owners create personalized financial plans that are built to last.
They are both top-performing advisors, ranked among the top 10 nationally with multiple carriers. They specialize in helping clients protect their income, grow wealth predictably, and plan confidently for the future.
Their areas of expertise include personal and business life insurance, strategically funded whole life and term insurance, disability and long-term care, and annuities for lifetime income.
More than anything, they’re here to simplify the process, answer your questions, and walk with you every step of the way.
Dale Clarke
Partner
Ryan O'Shea
Partner
Jeremy Dopp
Wealth Strategist
Court Pitcher
Wealth Strategist
Mason Randall
Financial Strategist & Cash Flow Coach
Trisha Barr
Retirement & Transitions Strategist
Casey Carlson
Senior Estate & Family Planning Consultant
Rocky Wall
Wealth Advisor
Alex Rodriguez
Junior Specialist
Karen Lewis
Administrative Assistant
Laurie Johnson
Administrative Assistant
Dale Clarke
Partner
A co-owner of Garda, Dale has nearly 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. He specializes in personal and business life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance and income planning via annuities He has helped over 4,000 clients in his career protect their financial well-being and plan for the future.
Dale has been recognized as a 4-time Chairman’s Club qualifier and 5-time Top of Council qualifier with a major life insurance company for finishing as a top 10 associate in the nation.
Dale holds all of his meetings virtually, allowing him to maintain a high volume of client meetings with individuals from all over the nation. He provides his clients with personalized service, tailored solutions, and ongoing support to help them achieve their financial goals.
Dale’s interests and passions extend beyond his successful career. He is an avid traveler, having explored destinations across North and South America, Asia, Europe, and the islands of the sea. He loves immersing himself in new cultures, trying new cuisines, and learning about the world’s diverse history and traditions.
Dale has been married for 30 years and has four children and four grandchildren. He enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife playing pickleball, hiking in the Rocky Mountains and running races . He also is a semi-professional violinist and regularly performs with local music groups. . He has played the violin since the age of three.
Ryan O'Shea
Partner
With a wealth of experience spanning two decades, Ryan has become a trusted partner for individuals, couples, and small business owners seeking comprehensive and tailored life insurance solutions.
Ryan’s career began an an Investment Advisor with a prominent brokerage firm. Today, as an independent planner, Ryan seamlessly blends his extensive industry experience with his dedication to serving his clients’ best interests. The autonomy of his practice empowers him to craft innovative life insurance strategies that align perfectly with his clients’ unique needs and aspirations.
Education lies at the heart of Ryan’s philosophy. Beyond being a financial advisor, he sees himself as a financial educator, empowering his clients with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their life insurance choices. In this collaborative approach, clients remain at the forefront of the decision-making process, with Ryan offering guidance and expertise every step of the way.
Ryan’s ongoing pursuit of knowledge is a hallmark of his professionalism. He actively participates in industry training events, constantly staying abreast of the evolving landscape of life insurance. This dedication ensures that his clients receive the most up- to-date and effective strategies available, tailored specifically to their needs..
Outside the realm of finance, Ryan loves to spend time with his three children. He is also an outdoor and sports enthusiast.
Jeremy Dopp
Wealth Strategist
Jeremy Dopp, partner of Garda Insurance, treats every client like family, offering only the strategies he’d recommend to his own loved ones. Specializing in retirement planning, he helps clients navigate concerns like outliving their savings, maximizing Social Security, and aligning financial decisions with long-term goals.
Beyond retirement, Jeremy is passionate about helping young families prepare for the unexpected, from proper insurance coverage to wills and guardianship planning. A resident of Queen Creek, Arizona, he shares his life with his wife, Jenny, four daughters, and two sons-in-law. Deeply committed to faith, family, and community, Jeremy is also a sports enthusiast and world traveler who loves creating meaningful experiences at home and abroad.
Court Pitcher
Wealth Strategist
With nearly 20 years of experience, Court prides himself on “Beginning with the End in mind.” He has found it to be much more effective to begin every client’s planning with the end in mind, and work backwards from there.
In 2005, Court had two friends pass away unexpectedly. Both friends passed away leaving behind their spouse and young children. With a young family of his own, the experience created a sense of urgency for Court to get his own affairs in order. He wanted to make sure that he could provide well for his family whether he was here or not.
He reached out to a friend who specialized in holistic planning. In working on his own plan, Court found a passion and love for legacy planning. As he developed and grew his own planning firm, he found that many people were being under-served in so many areas of their planning.
He and his partners put a lot of time and resources into the creation of what they refer to as the Legacy Planning Process, which ensures that every client is properly educated and directed in all areas of an ideal plan. He and his team are on a mission to help as many families as possible. In his mind, it brings great purpose and gratification to help people gain peace of mind and greater confidence by establishing their ideal plan for their family.
In his free time, Court loves to be with his wife and children. They love to travel, especially to warm destinations. He enjoys playing, watching, and coaching all types of sports. He has a love for football and is an avid fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Mason Randall
Financial Strategist & Cash Flow Coach
Mason helps young professionals create clarity and freedom with their money—without spreadsheets, stress, or starting over.
After five years working in the trades, Mason saw firsthand how many people feel stuck even while working hard. His own instinct to plan and save—setting aside funds from his very first paycheck at 15—shaped a quiet conviction: financial confidence isn’t about income. It’s about clarity, control, and knowing your next step.
Now, as a financial strategist with Garda, Mason guides individuals and couples through a practical system for rerouting cash flow, reducing debt friction, and building real financial traction—one clear move at a time.
Clients appreciate his calm presence, plain-English explanations, and the way he helps them feel “not behind anymore.” His goal isn’t to tell you what to do—it’s to show you what’s possible and help you make the best decisions for yourself.
Mason and his wife were married in the chaos of a COVID wedding in 2021. They now live in anticipation of welcoming their second child in early 2026, with one little one already watching over them.
When he’s not coaching clients, Mason is happiest traveling with his wife, tracking down the next great trip, or out on the golf course with a few clubs and no agenda. A fluent Spanish speaker, he uses it almost daily to connect with friends, clients, and community.
What Mason wants you to know: “This is your ship. I’m here to help you steer it—with more knowledge, less noise, and decisions that reflect what matters most to you."
Trisha Barr
Retirement & Transitions Strategist
For Trisha, guiding clients through retirement and aging decisions isn’t just a service—it’s a calling rooted in compassion, lived experience, and a deep respect for the people behind the paperwork.
After 13 years in healthcare and a life-changing event of her own, Trisha found herself searching for a career that could offer both flexibility and meaning. She found both in this work—helping individuals and families navigate life’s later chapters with clarity, confidence, and care.
With over three years of experience and a background in health systems, Trisha brings a unique ability to translate complexity into calm next steps. Whether she’s reviewing Medicare options, planning for long-term care, or introducing trusted connections to meet unique needs, her clients consistently describe her as someone who “gets it”—and who genuinely wants to help. Trisha has extensive expertise in Medicare and can help clients with health insurance plans at any age.
She’s also a devoted mother of three and proudly says they are her why. “Every decision, every hour, every conversation I have—it’s anchored in them,” she says. “They’re my purpose and my joy.”
When she’s not with clients or cheering at her kids’ events, you’ll find Trisha in her happy place: hands in the dirt working on yard projects or gathered around a table full of laughter and board games. And if you’re ever curious about muzzleloader shooting—ask her. She’s not only passionate about it, she’s an award-winning competitor.
What Trisha wants you to know: “This isn’t just a job. It’s personal. I’m here to listen, to learn your story, and to help you find solutions that bring real peace of mind.”
Casey Carlson
Senior Estate & Family Planning Consultant
For more than 14 years, Casey Carlson has helped families navigate some of life’s most difficult chapters with clarity and compassion. Referred into the funeral and estate planning field by a trusted mentor, Casey quickly discovered that service—especially in moments of loss—could be a calling, not just a career.
What sets Casey apart isn’t just his professionalism. It’s the personal experience that fuels it. Having walked through several painful family losses himself, he’s built his career around one guiding principle: make the hardest days a little easier. Whether he’s helping a couple plan ahead or walking with a family through the fog of loss, Casey brings both expertise and empathy to every conversation.
Casey and his wife married in 2019 and share a love of travel, action sports, and language (they’re both fluent in Spanish). They’re also professional Flowriders—a unique sport that’s taken them across the world to compete and connect.
When he’s not working, you’ll likely find Casey surfing Flowrider, teeing off on a golf course, or spotting birds through a camera lens with his wife. Ask him about the rarest bird he’s captured on film—it’s probably not what you’d expect.
Alex Rodriguez
Junior Specialist
Alex has worked in the Life Insurance field since 2020. Being mentored by Ryan and Dale has helped him gain the knowledge as a Junior Specialist. Alex believes in educating the community about Life Insurance and showing clients how to find a policy that will work for them. He plans on continuing his education in the field and immersing himself further in the businesses.
Alex loves spending time with his beautiful wife. Together they have two little dogs, whom they call ”The Bears” and are hoping to add more. They enjoy traveling, hiking, and various other outdoor activities.
Karen Lewis
Administrative Assistant
Karen Lewis has worked in the Insurance Industry for 31 years. She started out working in processing applications. She has since moved into customer service, licensing contracts for the agents in every state, and commission reporting. She takes great pride in troubleshooting and helping clients with their customer service issues.
She was introduced to the insurance industry by a neighbor acquaintance and has worked for a few different agencies over the years. She has worked with Dale and Ryan as agents in other insurance agencies for many years, but has worked exclusively for them with the Garda Agency since 2016.
Karen thoroughly enjoys working in the insurance field and all the great agents she has known throughout the years. Her off time is spent enjoying time with her 7 children, 27 grandchildren and 12 greats.
Laurie Johnson
Administrative Assistant
Laurie began working in the insurance industry in 2005. After working for several agents, she joined Dale and Ryan at Garda Insurance in 2015. Laurie enjoys interacting with clients as they begin the underwriting process. Over the years, she has expanded her knowledge to include many aspects of the insurance industry.
Outside of the office, Laurie and her husband enjoy spending time with their 4 children, their spouses and 2 mischievous grandsons. Laurie has also recently discovered pickleball and can be found on the court several times a week. She enjoys being outdoors, reading and serving in her local church.
*Disclaimer: Financial Advisors do not provide specific tax/legal advice and this information should not be considered as such. You should always consult your tax/legal advisor regarding your own specific tax/legal situation. Separate from the financial plan and our role as a financial planner, we may recommend the purchase of specific investment or insurance products or account. These product recommendations are not part of the financial plan and you are under no obligation to follow them. Life insurance products contain fees, such as mortality and expense charges (which may increase over time), and may contain restrictions, such as surrender periods.