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.

Nora Cantwell brings her background in investment operations to Stella Oak. Prior to our firm, she worked for an online broker dealer and handled all facets of investment operations. She brings 17 years experience in the financial industry with her, and holds Series 7, 63, and 24. When she’s not busy with her two sons, ages 15 and 18; she enjoys travel and the art of Temari Balls.

Quinn Bernal joined Stella Oak Financial after many years of helping her family manage real estate and other investments. Quinn’s exceptional real estate experience is an asset to our clients as they look to expand their planning.

Quinn also has an incredible sense of urgency and her attention to detail will bring an incredible experience to our clients. Quinn attended the University of Nevada, Reno where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with majors in Finance and Economics. She enjoys traveling, snowboarding, and playing tennis.

Helena joined the Stella Oak Financial team as a intern in 2019. She is currently fourth year business economics major and accounting minor at UCLA. Her past internships include Deloitte Audit and Heffernan Insurance Brokers. Helena is eager to learn about our client engagements and bring new energy to the team. In her spare time she enjoys road trips with friends, eating her way through Los Angeles, and listening to crime podcasts.

Devin is a senior at the University of Southern California and currently lives in Los Angeles. He will graduate in May with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Media and Journalism and minors in Economics and Art History. He joined our team as an intern and helps with increasing team efficiency and meeting prep. In his free time, Devin loves to watch sports, play golf, and eat.

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 to 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 their 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.