Planning Team

Amanda joined the Stella Oak Financial & Insurance Services team in 2017 after experiencing our personalized planning and seeing the impact we have in the community. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and her Master's Degree in Forensic Science from the University of New Haven. She previously ran a research laboratory at Yale University School of Medicine for five years before moving to the West Coast. Today, Amanda is responsible for researching financial solutions for our clients. In her free time, she likes to cook, hike, watch all sports and take road trips.

Alison joined Stella Oak Financial as a client in 2014. After leaving a successful career an executive at DIRECTV, Inc., she joined our team to enhance the experience for our discerning clients. Passionate about giving back to the community, Alison appreciated Stella Oak’s values and shared philanthropic mindset. She earned a Bachelor's of Science in Education and Human Development from the University of Alabama and holds a Master's degree in Social Entrepreneurship and Change from Pepperdine University. No surprise that she loves college football, but she is also an avid reader and loves to travel. She lives in Manhattan Beach with her son, Alexander.

Julius joined the Stella Oak Financial & Insurance Services team in 2014. Prior to that he was in Orange County where he managed a team of ten people responsible for client retention.  He earned his Bachelor's in Literature from Cal Poly Pomona. Julius is in charge of investment operations ranging from proposal generation to account maintenance. Having had several roles in the team over the past four years, Julius brings a valuable and experienced perspective when it comes to client interaction and servicing for the team's investment department. In his free time, Julius is a freelance photographer and niche entertainment writer and has been published on a number of online and print publications.

Chau has been with Stella Oak Financial & Insurance Services since 2007. Chau manages the overall operation of the region, including the investment platform strategy and insurance product line programs. She received her BA in Economics from UCLA and her MBA from Pepperdine. Chau resides in Encino, CA with her husband Thanh Hoang and her daughter Nicole. She enjoys international travel.

Vicki Bauer, CFP^®, RICP^®, joined Northwestern Mutual in 2013. With over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, she assists with the creation of investment proposals and investment analysis of new and existing client accounts on a regular basis.

Vicki graduated from Cal Poly Pomona and holds Series 7 and 63 licenses as well as a California State Life and Health License.

In her free time, Vicki enjoys hiking and reading.

Liz Murcia joined Northwestern Mutual in 1991. During her 24 years here, she was worked in various positions in Client Servicing and Underwriting. She joined the Stella Oak team in 2015 as a Client Service Manager to handle the Underwriting process.

She is the proud Mom of two sons, age 27 and 24. Her hobbies include gardening and cooking.

Angela Reyes is our Operations Associate. She has been with Stella Oak Financial & Insurance Services since 2016. With a background in communications, Angela focuses her efforts on outreach and marketing.

Suneel began his career as an accountant after earning a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Southern California. After a few years at Ernst & Young LLP, he earned his MBA from the University of Virginia (Darden School). Suneel made the transition into financial planning after running a privately held firm as the CFO/COO for several years. In addition his knowledge of accounting and tax codes, Suneel also maintains the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU^®) designation, which helps him approach clients from a dynamic planning analysis perspective.

Suneel lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Sharmila, along with their children, Kamran and Alia, and Old English sheepdog, Madison. He gives back to his alma maters by mentoring with the Career Advantage Program at USC and acting as President of the Los Angeles Alumni Chapter for the Darden School of Business (UVA). He is both a Trojan football and Dodger baseball fan and enjoys playing softball, riding his bike and playing golf in his free time.

Brandon Matloff has been representing Northwestern Mutual since 2007. He attended the University of Colorado, where he majored in Finance and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business. Continuing his professional development, Brandon obtained his Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC) designation in 2011. He became a Wealth Management Advisor in 2013 and operates out of the company's West Los Angeles office.

Brandon is a second generation financial representative with Northwestern Mutual; his father has been in the business for over 30 years. He and his wife, Sarah, reside in Manhattan Beach with their two daughters, Stella and Sadie, and enjoy volunteering in the local community.