The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is thrilled to announce that Joshua O’Gara, CLU, ChFC, CFP, has been named the 2026 Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year. This award celebrates outstanding leadership, dedication, and impact within the financial advisory industry, recognizing individuals who exemplify the highest standards of excellence.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Josh O’Gara on the NAIFA Board of Trustees and have seen firsthand the dedication and passion he brings to our association,” said NAIFA President Christopher Gandy, LACP. “His commitment to NAIFA’s mission shows in his exceptional efforts to grow membership, promote NAIFA’s federal and state advocacy, and support our political action committees. I’m happy to congratulate Josh on this well-deserved honor.”  

A NAIFA member since 2011 and a graduate of NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI), O’Gara is currently a member of the association’s national Board of Trustees. He has served as Vice Chair and Regional Vice Chair on NAIFA’s Grassroots Committee. He is the Immediate Past President of NAIFA-Massachusetts and continues as a member of the chapter’s Board. He also has been the state Grassroots Chair, Membership Chair, and PAC Chair. He has provided testimony on behalf of NAIFA and the community of financial professionals at hearings before the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the National Council of Insurance Legislators.

"To be named YAT Leader of the Year is a genuine honor and a humbling one,” O’Gara said. “I've been blessed to stand on the shoulders of extraordinary leaders in this profession, and this award is as much theirs as it is mine. It's a privilege to serve alongside the NAIFA community, and I'm committed to paying forward the mentorship and generosity that got me here."

O’Gara is a Partner at Prism Benefits, PBC, where he helps employers design smarter, more impactful employee benefits strategies that reduce financial stress, support workforce well-being, and improve ROI. His work focuses on simplifying the complexity of benefits while enhancing the employee experience through education, technology, and personalized service. He began his career at Northwestern Mutual and moved through leadership roles in brokerage and voluntary benefits. He has worked on thousands of individual insurance cases, built out a regional brokerage team, and launched his own agency, all of which he says gave him a deep appreciation for how benefits impact real people.

O’Gara will receive the 2026 YAT Leader of the Year Award at NAIFA’s Belong Awards Celebration on November 9 at the Venetian in Las Vegas.