As the Founder and CEO of Avana Wealth Management, Joan Tsuei has over 13 years of experience in the financial services industry. She manages wealth for ultra high net worth families, corporate executives, and private business owners. Her area of focus is serving clients concerned with asset preservation, tax-efficient strategies, estate planning and charitable giving. She is a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA™), empowering her to offer investment guidance for retirement plans in strict adherence to fiduciary standards. She also helps business owners design effective 401(k) plans and tailored retirement benefit solutions.
Joan incorporates a 3 step approach in her practice: Discover, Engage, Thrive. In adopting a client-centered approach, she dedicates the time to truly listen to her clients, understanding their unique needs and challenges, and providing them with the resources they need to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.
Beginning her finance career in 2011, Joan has a diverse background encompassing wealth management, portfolio management, private equity, management consulting, start-up initiation, lending, and business development. Her extensive experience offers her clients a fresh, global perspective. Most recently, she served as Vice President and Senior Portfolio Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management for over eight years, managing $100 million in assets. She also held management roles at Matrix Funding Group, Inc. and Alliance Financial Group, Inc.
Among some of her achievements, she attended college at the age of fifteen and earned her Bachelors in Anthropology and Economics from UCLA. She has received several Certificates of Special Recognition from the U.S. Congress, U.S. Legislature, California Senate, and County of Los Angeles for her community involvement. Philanthropy is an area Joan is passionate about, having raised funds for charities over the past 15 years.
At Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Joan was actively involved in several leadership initiatives, including the executive women’s leadership team, Women Leading Los Angeles (WLLA), and the Multicultural Women Ready to Lead Committee. She served as a mentor for the Women's Exchange, participated in the Asian Business Council, and co-chaired the Leadership Development Program Committee (Mentorship Program) for the SoCal Asian Leadership Network. Additionally, she also interned as a Board Member for the Asian American Professional Association and is the Director of Internal Affairs for her business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi - L.A. Chapter.
Joan has also contributed to fundraising efforts for UCLA's Chancellor's Circle and chaired the Student Giving Committee for several years. In recent years, she has supported organizations such as Hope for LA, Downtown Women’s Center, Claris Health, and Her Voice, among others.
In her free time, Joan enjoys pilates, tennis, hiking, and exploring Los Angeles' culinary scene. She treasures spending time with her family, who share a lifelong goal of traveling to over 100 countries to experience diverse cultures and landscapes. Their family motto is: “Live faithfully, give generously, and serve others in wisdom.”
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FINRA SIE, Securities Series 7, 66 | CPFA™ | California Insurance License #4039956