I launched Focused Finances, a sole proprietorship, in 1994 and transitioned to Focused Finances, LLC, in 2004. My objective then and now is to help individuals and couples with their financial planning and investment needs. My advice and insight have been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Oakland Tribune, the Huffington Post, Real Simple, and the Wall Street Journal, among others. I am a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), which is the premiere professional association for fee-only financial planners, and the XY Planning Network (helping advisors serve the other 99% effectively). I am a Certified Financial Planner™ and hold an MBA in Finance from California State University, Hayward (now CSU East Bay). I am also a well-trained and avid musician (my undergraduate degree is in music, and I pursued graduate work as well). I specialize in choral singing and an unusual Baroque instrument – the viola da gamba. I perform with the San Francisco Bay Area Chamber Choir, California Bach Society, participate in numerous vocal and instrumental music workshops, and informal musical gatherings. For me, music is an important touchstone; it’s one of the ways I keep my life in balance.