Our Authors

Melanie Colusci, CFP®, AEP®, has spent more than 20 years facilitating secure financial futures with sound strategies. Originally from Bozeman, Montana, Melanie moved to Pittsburgh in 2008 and founded Bridger Financial Group in 2016.

With her strategic holistic approach, she has a proven track record working collaboratively with CPAs and other key financial professionals to build a truly customized financial plan for each client. Inspired by the women business owners she works with, Melanie has devoted her time to sharing her experience with other inspiring female entrepreneurs. Melanie has discovered the driving factor for her success is derived from the development and execution of a long-term vision for her business as well as a structured plan to get there. Melanie does the same for her clients. She connects them with what is possible and helps to create a plan to make possibility a reality.

Melanie earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™* designation in 2003 and the Accredited Estate Planner™ designation in 2016. She is a published author and is currently a member of the Women’s Presidents Organization and Pittsburgh Women’s Mastermind. Melanie is also a multi-year Five Star Wealth Manager** award winner and has been featured in both the Wall Street Journal and Forbes Wealth Managers Black Book magazine.

While she is very passionate about her work, she savors every minute she has with her husband, three boys and three cats. They spend their free time camping, swimming and playing outdoors.

*Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

**The Five Star Wealth Manager Award, administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC (dba Five Star Professional), is based on 10 objective criteria:1) Credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR) or a registered investment adviser; 2) Actively employed as a credentialed professional in the financial services industry for a minimum of five years; 3) Favorable regulatory and complaint history review; 4) Fulfilled their firm review based on internal firm standards; 5) Accepting new clients; 6) One-year client retention rate; 7) Five-year client retention rate; 8) Non-institutionalized discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9) Number of client households served; 10) Educational and professional designations. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or awarded. Once awarded, wealth managers may opt to purchase additional profile ad space or related award promotional products. The award methodology does not evaluate the quality of services provided. The award is not indicative of the award winner’s future performance. 1726 Pittsburgh wealth managers were considered for the award; 453(approximately 27 percent of the award candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers. To qualify as having a favorable regulatory and complaint history for this award, the person cannot have (1) been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine, (2) had more than a total of three customer complaints filed against them (settled or pending) with any regulatory authority or Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process, (3) individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint filed with a regulatory authority, (4) filed for bankruptcy, or (5) been convicted of a felony.