South Bay Financial Partners was founded by Tara Unverzagt in 2014. Tara’s interest in financial planning was sparked at a young age as she watched her mother become a financial planner in the 1960s, a time before the development of the financial planning career. Now, with over 30 years of experience in financial planning, investment advice, and tax preparation, Tara is more dedicated than ever to walking with clients through their life's journey, navigating financial decisions at various stages along the way. Her clients range from young adults just embarking on their careers to business owners to couples going through post-retirement transitions to multi-generations of families. Much like her mother, Tara is a visionary within her industry, fueled by her active involvement in the Financial Therapy Association (FTA). The FTA places a strong emphasis on recognizing, addressing, and working through the emotional factors that intertwine with money, like fear, shame, and anxiety, which frequently impede individuals from making optimal financial choices. In 2019, Tara received her CFT-I in Financial Therapy and now utilizes those skills in every client interaction. Since founding South Bay Financial Partners, Tara has grown her team to now have three other planners who bring their own areas of expertise and extensive experience to the table. This collective knowledge ensures that clients receive a well-rounded approach to their financial planning needs. Tara and her team firmly believe that your finances should support your life, and not the other way around. You deserve to have a life plan that is unique to you and your dreams. A plan that helps you live by your values without shame, fear, or anxiety. Your budget should tell your story. “We believe it’s your day-to-day decisions that make the difference in achieving financial success.” – South Bay Financial Partners team Overall, South Bay Financial Partners offers a comprehensive range of financial planning tools and services for anyone with any budget, with a focus on supporting clients in their day-to-day decisions, aligning their finances with their life goals, and addressing the emotional aspects of money decisions to create a fulfilling financial journey. Tara and her team provide investment advice and management, tax preparation and planning, cash flow (aka budgeting), estate planning support, charitable giving, generational wealth transfer, career development, insurance/company benefits review, and student loan and debt management, with financial therapy tools woven in everything they do. Learn more about Tara, the rest of the team, and their services by visiting southbayfinancialpartners.com

Mary Kusnic is a financial advisor at Victus Capital Wealth with 27 years of industry experience. She has held her current role since 2012 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Kusnic serves on the Board of Directors for the Century City Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit organization. Victus Capital Wealth provides portfolio management and retirement plan consulting to individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, and business entities. The firm uses a blend of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis in its investment approach, combining long-term and trading strategies with options, margin, short sales, and private equity allocations when appropriate.

Laura Robayo is a CFP® professional with six years of industry experience, currently serving at Silver Oak Wealth Advisors Services, LLC since 2018. Her prior work includes roles at Save-On Insurance Service Inc and running a daycare business, Bubbles N Colors. Silver Oak Wealth Advisors Services, LLC provides integrated wealth management, financial planning, investment management, and consulting to individuals, high-net-worth families, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a Family CFO process with both passive and active investment strategies, focusing on clients undergoing significant financial transitions and incorporating behavioral and psychological considerations in its approach.

Michael O'Brien is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) with 17 years of industry experience. He has served as a financial advisor at O'Brien Investment Management, LLC since 2016. O'Brien Investment Management provides discretionary investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, charities, businesses, and retirement plan participants, managing approximately $225–$275 million in assets across about 165 client relationships. The firm focuses on portfolios of publicly traded equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs with a typical holding horizon of more than one year and offers management of held-away retirement accounts through a third-party platform.

David Zuckerman is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving at Zuckerman Capital Management, LLC since 2008. He is licensed as an independent insurance agent in California and occasionally writes fixed insurance policies, though this activity comprises less than 5% of his work hours. Zuckerman Capital Management serves individual investors—including high-net-worth clients—along with trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a diversified investment approach blending modern portfolio theory with established investment principles, utilizing actively managed mutual funds and ETFs on an institutional platform with access to specialized third-party managers.

Samuel Wida is a financial advisor with Stock Traders in Huntington Beach, CA, holding a Series 63 designation and 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Stock Traders since 2000. Outside of his advisory role, he operates a certified tax preparation business from home. Stock Traders provides financial planning and individual portfolio management primarily to individual clients, as well as pension plans and businesses. The firm manages assets on a largely non-discretionary basis and employs a combination of fundamental, technical, quantitative, and asset-allocation methods across a range of investment types.

Zenia Delgado is a financial advisor at Galliott Capital Advisors, LLC with 16 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Morgan Stanley & Co. and Insigneo Advisory Services. Galliott Capital Advisors is a family-office and investment advisory boutique serving high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, businesses, institutional clients, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm offers asset and portfolio management, financial planning, multi-family office services, and consulting, utilizing a range of investments including equities, fixed income, ETFs, options, and alternatives.

Gillian Goldman is a financial advisor at Stonebridge Capital Management Inc. She holds a Series 65 designation and has been in the industry since 2012, with prior experience at Harold Davidson & Associates from 2016 to 2023. Stonebridge Capital Management provides fee-based investment supervisory services to individuals, families, and institutions, offering customized portfolio management and specialized investment strategies. The firm employs a bottom-up, fundamental analysis approach and assigns a senior portfolio manager to each client for ongoing oversight.

Aleksandar Kelly is a financial advisor at Life UnLocked Partners LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has prior work experience at L & A Holdings LLC, Jaguar Land Rover Santa Monica, and Culver City Honda. Outside of his advisory role, Kelly is the CEO of L & A Holdings LLC, a consulting business that provides services to families with children who have developmental disabilities. Life UnLocked Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, and other business entities with financial planning, investment monitoring, and recommendations. The firm employs a value and dividend-focused investment strategy aimed at income replacement and longer-term appreciation, supported by structured onboarding and ongoing client education.

Troy Broyles is a financial advisor with Mogul Wealth Management, Inc. in Manhattan Beach, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. His career includes roles at LPL Financial LLC and CETERA Advisor Networks LLC. Outside of finance, he is a business owner of Air Mates, a non-investment-related enterprise. Mogul Wealth Management provides investment supervisory services, financial planning, and pension consulting to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, and business entities. The firm employs fundamental and cyclical analysis to build diversified portfolios and conducts regular client reviews with semi-annual reporting.

Susan Miller is a financial advisor with Slaten Wealth Management in Anaheim, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Crown Capital Securities, LP, and has been with Slaten Financial and Slaten Wealth Management since 2008. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as president of Ballyhoo Ice Theatre Inc., a nonprofit focused on amateur competitive figure skating. Slaten Wealth Management provides fee-based investment advisory and portfolio management services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a tactical allocation approach combining fundamental and technical analysis, offering custom portfolio management alongside third-party managed account oversight and integrating tax-related services and licensed insurance activities.

Joanne Nishiyama is a financial advisor at Insight Investment Counsel with 26 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc. and The Kinney Group, LLC for 11 years each. Insight Investment Counsel manages approximately $245.7 million across about 92 client accounts, providing individualized portfolio management to a diverse client base including high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and other investment advisers. The firm’s investment approach focuses on asset allocation, fundamental analysis, and utilizes mutual funds and ETFs with both long- and short-term strategies.

Peter Heilbron is a CFA® charterholder with 14 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Trace Wealth Advisors in Los Angeles and has held positions at Northern Trust Wealth Management, LPL Financial, and YDS Investments LLC, where he serves as Interim CFO consulting on estate planning, tax planning, and real estate investments. Trace Wealth Advisors serves individual and high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and businesses, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to separately managed accounts through LPL Financial’s Manager Select program. The firm employs a tailored investment approach focused on ETFs and mutual funds, using fundamental analysis and modern portfolio theory alongside long-term purchase strategies.

Travis Henry is a financial advisor with Factory Capital LLC in Los Angeles, CA, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Cresset Asset Management, True Capital Management, and Morgan Stanley. Factory Capital LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and OCIO-style investment management to institutional and other clients. The firm emphasizes portfolio construction through allocations to third-party managers and outsourced solutions, employing both active and passive strategies across a range of asset classes.

Jeff Fang is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Aqua Capital Advisors since 2009 and previously worked at Merrill from 2002 to 2009. The firm provides fee-only wealth management and financial planning primarily to individual and family clients, including both high-net-worth and non‑HNW households. Aqua Capital Advisors constructs customized portfolios using diversified, low-cost ETFs and tax-aware strategies, and for select high-net-worth clients, it may include private funds and limited option strategies.

Brad Tonoff is a financial advisor at Penmar Wealth Management LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked with New York Life Insurance Company and Health Platforms Inc. Tonoff is also the CEO of BJT Solutions Inc., an insurance and marketing consultancy based in Santa Monica. Penmar Wealth Management provides discretionary asset management and financial planning services tailored to client goals, utilizing a variety of analytical methods and investment strategies. The firm is operated by two advisors and manages discretionary assets for a small number of clients.

Kyung Choe is a CFP® professional with 13 years of experience in the financial services industry. Currently with Apiis Wealth Management Corp., Choe has held roles at Allmerits Asset, LLC and Horter Investment Management, LLC among others. Outside of financial advising, Choe is president of a garment design and sales company and managing member of a non-investment related property management business. Apiis Wealth Management Corp. provides discretionary portfolio management primarily through third-party sub-advisers and offers retirement plan consulting and standalone financial consulting services. The firm serves a diverse client base including pension plans, corporations, nonprofits, and individuals, utilizing tactical and strategic asset allocation while maintaining oversight of sub-advisers.

John Koudsi is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 27 years of industry experience. He is a managing member and strategist of Trojan Storage, a commercial storage firm, and also serves as managing member of 31Ten Lounge, a restaurant and lounge in Santa Monica. He has worked at Counterpoint Mutual Funds, LLC since 2014 and Core Financial Partners Inc. since 2010. Core Financial Partners is an SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and insurance company clients. The firm provides financial planning, consulting, and wrap-fee asset management, constructing portfolios with mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, and a range of private and alternative investments.

Dixon Karmindro Sr. is a financial advisor at Mainstream Capital Management with 16 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Blue Dog Capital Management LLC and Cheviot Value Management, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he is a passive investor and provides business consulting services through separate entities. Mainstream Capital Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as businesses, offering comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs fundamental security analysis and tactical asset allocation, including alternative strategies such as long/short and selective use of leveraged or inverse funds.

Valerie Lemmon is a CFA® charterholder with 13 years of industry experience. She has been with Ridgewood Investments since 2012. Valerie is also a partial owner of Dividend Research and Management Inc, an entity created to share administrative costs and manage employee payments connected to Ridgewood. Ridgewood Investments provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, foundations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm employs fundamental analysis and model-level portfolio construction with a long-term investment horizon, offering both model portfolios and bespoke solutions, including access to private pooled investment vehicles.