Cristi Setchell, CFP®

Cristi is a Senior Associate in the West Des Moines, Iowa office. She has built her career around developing meaningful, long-term relationships with clients — serving as a trusted and steady presence throughout their financial journey.

Prior to joining Cerity Partners, Cristi served as a Senior Relationship Manager at Gilbert & Cook, playing an integral role in delivering a thoughtful, high-touch client experience, helping ensure that each client felt supported, understood, and cared for over time.

With years of experience in the financial services industry, Cristi brings both technical knowledge and a deeply personal approach to her work. She works closely with advisors and the broader team to help coordinate each client’s financial life, providing clarity, responsiveness, and consistency at every stage. Her background in the life insurance industry also allows her to serve as a valuable resource to both clients and colleagues when navigating risk management and protection strategies.

Cristi is especially passionate about building relationships that extend beyond transactions — relationships rooted in trust, communication, and genuine care. She believes that when clients feel truly known and supported, they are better positioned to make confident financial decisions.

In 2016, Cristi earned her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation, further strengthening her ability to support clients with thoughtful, comprehensive guidance.

A West Des Moines native, Cristi has always had a love for music and was actively involved in choir and show choir throughout her time at Valley High School and Iowa State University.

Outside of work, she enjoys cheering on the Cyclones, spending time with friends (often at trivia nights), and staying closely connected with her four nieces and a nephew. Cristi is also an avid reader with an ever-growing book collection — and is always ready with a new recommendation.

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