Mr. Birken received his bachelor's degree from the University of California at Berkeley and a master's degree from the University of Colorado. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), an organization of fee-only financial planners. He is also a member of the Durham Orange Estate Planning Council. Prior to joining Woodward Financial Advisors in 2007, he worked for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mr. Birken has been a contributor to financial articles in such publications as The Wall Street Journal and the Raleigh News and Observer. He has also appeared on radio programs on WUNC-FM, the NPR affiliate for the North Carolina Triangle area.

Client Focus: Working with clients to identify and achieve their financial goals; helping new families make intelligent decisions; assisting clients in building cost-effective and data-based investment portfolios.

Life Focus: Enjoying everything about being the father of a young child, playing basketball, and cheering on his alma mater from across the country.