July Happy Hour

Dr. Daralee Barbera, EdD, CPMBC, CPBC, CFP®, CLF®, ChFC®, CMFC® has over 30 years of experience in the financial services profession where she partnered with family members and colleagues to achieve success at Waddell and Reed, winning many awards for her leadership. Dr. Barbera has an EdD in Leadership and Organizational Change from the University of Southern California, a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics (summa cum laude), and a Master of Arts in Secondary Education from California State University, Long Beach. She is adjunct faculty at The American College of Financial Services, teaching in the Master of Science in Management program, as well as adjunct faculty at California Lutheran University in the Master of Science in Financial Planning program. Daralee was Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Executive Vice President of Business Development for GAMA International which provides leadership development solutions globally for financial services leadership. Daralee has co-authored two books: Women Matter – The Why and How of Gender Diversity in Financial Services and What You Can Do…When You Can’t – 21 Days to Personal Success. Dr. Daralee has taken all her experience and has recently partnered with others and launched Diversified Professional Coaching, LLC to share the diverse knowledge of successful leadership and partnership.

Alabel "Belle" D. Lavares is a Financial Services Specialist (FSS), Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF), Long Term Care Professional (LTCP), Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP), Life & Annuity Certified Professional (LACP), and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) who has been in the insurance industry since 1981, and is a principal of the firm Wilshire Group Financial Services, which has been in service since 1976. Through the years, Belle has moderated for classes with the American College for Financial Services to educate advisors to attain their professional designations in the financial industry.

Peter L. Lavares is a Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF), Life & Annuity Certified Professional (LACP), a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), Court of the Table, who has been serving clients since 1985. Since entering the business full time in 1988, Peter has received various accolades for his work with his clients. He is determined to maintain a high standard of ethics in the service he provides to his clients by continually educating himself through courses, conferences, and learning by collaborating with other professionals.

Stan Israel, a Vietnam Era veteran, opened his Life/Disability insurance brokerage over 30 years ago. Now, a premier specialist in Long Term Care Insurance, Stan teaches the general LTCi Continuing Education (CA) courses, as well as The California Partnership for Long Term Care, under the auspices of the California Departments of Insurance and Health/Human Services. He serves on the advisory panel for the California Partnership for Long Term Care. Aside from his personal production and teaching seminars, Stan supports financial advisors through the complexities of the LTC Insurance sale. His agency assists the sellers of LTCI with education, marketing, and product knowledge. He often works with insurance underwriters to save challenging cases.

Marcia Israel, MEd, is VP at Stan Israel Insurance Services, Inc. She has a BA from UCLA and MA from CSUN and for many years pursued her passion for educating children with LAUSD. When her husband and business partner, Stan, began his insurance career in the life, disability, and long-term care insurance industry over 35 years ago, Marcia became a licensed agent and went on to obtain her real estate license as well. She assisted their agency from behind the scenes, doing marketing, sales, networking, and financials until 5 years ago, when Marcia chose to come onboard, full- time and serve the agency and the senior communities throughout the Los Angeles area. Marcia leads the Valley Senior Resource Network group for the West Valley Warner Center Chamber.