Cynthia started working for MainStreet Financial Planning in 2018 as a Financial Planner. Cynthia’s entire professional career has been in financial services. Originally, however, after completing her undergraduate degree at San Francisco State University as a Business Analysis major, the career dream was very much Excel spreadsheet-centric, geeking out about well-crafted formulas. Fate had other plans and she wound up working for wealth management and investment management companies, doing everything from client service and marketing to bond trading and financial planning, loving not only the investment side and economy discussions, but also the exposure to clients and being a part of her client’s lives. She made the shift to financial planning to guide clients through making good financial decisions through both grim and exciting changes in life. More than anything, she thrives on helping people.
A pivotal moment in Cynthia’s life was when her mother died unexpectedly. Her mother had no will (that was found, anyway) and left behind a financial puzzle that needed to be solved along with a mountain of questions that may never be answered. Cynthia became determined to not let this happen when her dad eventually passes away knowing firsthand that the benefits of good financial planning doesn’t just involve money. Now she applies these lessons learned so others may benefit.
Cynthia considers herself a compulsive volunteer and annually volunteers as a one-on-one counselor for FPA’s Financial Planning Days. She has previously been on the board of the Junior League of San Francisco and the Financial Planning Association of San Francisco where she was president of the chapter in 2015. She is currently Treasurer and on the “posse” for the Far West Roundup–an annual financial planning conference. On the board of the Bay Area Financial Planning Association and an Adjunct Professor at Golden Gate University. She obtained her CFP designation in 2008 and completed a masters in financial planning and taxation at Golden Gate University.
When not working, she likes to play pub trivia and tend to her garden of avocado plants grown from pits. She roots for the San Francisco Giants and will always cheer for the 49ers unless her home team, the Vikings, are playing.
