Meet Our Team

Advanced Knowledge for Your Advanced Needs

We firmly believe there is a dire need to concentrate entirely on the complex and changing retirement income needs of individuals over age 50. That’s why we made a commitment to obtain the knowledge and credentials to best service your retirement planning needs in a holistic manner. Here’s how we can use our credentials to help address your financial needs now and for the long haul.

Professional Designations & Credentials

Chartered Advisor for Senior Living

Training focused on the complex retirement income needs of clients over age 50.

Accredited Investment Fiduciary

Standards‑based fiduciary training to help ensure advice is always in the client’s best interest.

Chartered Financial Consultant

Comprehensive financial planning expertise across retirement, investments, and long‑term strategy.

Chartered Life Underwriter

Advanced knowledge in wealth protection, insurance planning, and legacy transfer.

Retirement Income Certified Professional

Specialized guidance for navigating retirement income decisions and long‑term planning.

Peter J. Gallagher

, ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, AIF®, RICP®

Founder and Managing Director

I was raised in Ossining, New York, and my parents still live in the house I grew up in. My wife, Chris, a retired elementary school teacher, and I live in Briarcliff Manor. We have two children: Alison, who teaches art in a local public school, and Ryan, a former Division 1 athlete on Providence College’s track and cross-country team. Based in the Boston area, he works for NIKE and participates in many marathons and running events nationwide. My family is very important to me and comes first in everything that I do.

I’ve been involved in the music profession since I was young, beginning my studies on the string bass at the age of nine. I have always loved the discipline required to practice and perform music at a high level. I studied with some of the best bass teachers in the industry over the years and earned full-tuition music scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate school.

I learned a lot about setting goals and working hard to achieve them while practicing the string bass more than six hours a day in my early 20s. This determination paid off as I won ultra-competitive symphony orchestra auditions and began my career playing the string bass professionally. I was selected to perform with orchestras in Hartford, Connecticut and Orlando, Florida.

Although I loved performing music, the music business began to wear on me. After spending 20 years perfecting my craft, I decided it was time to change careers. I soon realized that in addition to my love for music, helping others was a core part of my life. I entered the financial services industry in 1994. I studied for and passed the exams to become a financial advisor, then went on to obtain five advanced planning designations: ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, AIF®, and RICP® designations.

I have held positions in several large financial services firms, including TIAA-CREF and Citigroup, as senior retirement consultant and first vice president-financial advisor. Realizing the need to specialize in helping individuals plan for retirement, invest their assets intelligently, and preserve their legacy for their loved ones, I founded Unified Retirement Planning Group in 2016.

Nearing our 10th anniversary in September 2026, I relaunched URPG as a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) in June 2026, enhancing our retirement planning capabilities and wealth management solutions, and continuing our long-standing commitment as a fiduciary asset manager.

I greatly enjoy engaging with journalists from national media outlets – The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Money among them – on a variety of topics. Please visit our In the News page to review recent coverage.

It is very gratifying that URPG has received awards and recognition for our commitment to client and community service. I believe in giving back and we also consistently participate in several charitable events and community service activities throughout the year.

I have recertified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in Briarcliff Manor. One of my proudest achievements occurred during my previous tenure of 15 years as an EMT, when I served as a first responder at Ground Zero.

Rebecca J. Burfeind

Office Manager

A Minnesota native, I began my career with more than 12 years in the Midwest as a station manager and district trainer with commuter airlines. An opportunity to work at the Westchester County Airport brought me to New York in 1995. As the building of a new terminal led to the restructuring of ground operations, I moved into the world of corporate travel in 1996, where I worked for a worldwide travel management company, in New York City and Westchester County.

I took a 16-year sabbatical from corporate life in 2000 to be a full-time mom. During this time, I was actively involved in my children’s school, volunteering many hours in the classroom and with the PTA and drama department. Additionally, I was employed as part-time interim church secretary for two years and taught fitness kickboxing for five years prior to joining Unified Retirement Planning Group in 2016.

I volunteer in various capacities within the community. I am actively involved within my church and our family has supported the Children’s Heart Foundation – New York Chapter for many years as our daughter has lived with congenital heart disease her entire life. Our family supports the Hudson food and clothing pantry, and I am currently serving on the Board of Education in my local school district.

I have been married for more than 29 years to my husband, Dave, who has been employed for 30+ years within the global financial services industry. We live with our rescue dog, Cocoa, and have two adult children. Josh lives in Nashville, TN with his wife, Maizie, and serves as Family Life Pastor in their local church, as well as Musical Director at a regional theater. Amanda also lives in Nashville, TN with her husband Curtis, and is an elementary school teacher. My hobbies include reading, live theater, and any activity that includes spending time with my family.

Catherine Maroney

Communications Liaison

I am a Somers, NY resident and bring nearly 35 years of communications experience to Unified Retirement Planning Group, including for four global employers in financial services: the New York Stock Exchange, Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan Chase, and BlackRock. These experiences brought opportunities to not only promote business excellence but also community commitment, the ways these organizations contributed to the well-being of areas where clients are served and employees reside. These two factors, business excellence and community commitment, also attracted me to URPG. I moved to Somers in 1996 with my family and have resided mostly in the metropolitan area for my whole life, after being raised in Rockland County, NY. I am a “first generation” college graduate, having earned a BA from Fordham University as an English major and a MS from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where I received the Newswomen’s Club of New York scholarship. My parents encouraged me to follow my dream of higher education. My father was a World War II U.S. Navy Veteran and truck driver for Getty Oil, and my mother, a homemaker and saleswoman for a children’s clothing store. It was my experience as a “first generation” college student that drew me to segue from my corporate career to teach writing and literature courses to students at a local community college. It was a privilege to be around students exhibiting diversity in age, skills set, and financial background, and see their motivation and commitment. I began my professional career as a reporter for United Press International, first in New York City and then in Miami. After four years in journalism, I launched my corporate communications career as spokeswoman, advisor, manager and writer. My all-time favorite experience, naturally, is being a mother to my daughter, Maureen, who has embarked on her own corporate communications career for a global financial services firm in New York City.

Sean Walsh

Client Services Associate

Raised in Connecticut with strong ties to New York, I eventually moved to Westchester County, NY, and earned a B.S. in Marketing with a minor in Graphic Design from the University of Bridgeport. I began my career at New Canaan Library (CT), where I developed marketing materials for public programs. I later joined the development team, expanding my role to support fundraising initiatives by creating promotional content and managing event marketing on a broader scale, while also gaining experience in database management. In 2022, I joined United Way of Westchester and Putnam. There, I enhanced the organization’s client database and built relationships with corporate and donor partners, resulting in increased engagement and funding to support community initiatives. I became part of the URPG team in 2025, where I support day-to-day operations, contribute to long-term strategic projects, and focus on delivering exceptional client service. Outside of work, I enjoy reading and appreciate both well-known titles and lesser-known literary gems from international and local authors. I like strategy games and also enjoy card games such as Pinochle. I’ve always had an interest in architectural design, a passion that started in childhood and eventually led me to take related courses in college.