Joanna Marie specializes in
    working with her clients by helping
    them avoid the common mistakes
    made during a trying family time.  
    She has experienced the trials and
    tribulations of family members
    needing assistance both
    personally and professionally,

    Joanna's experiences have given
    her the insight to navigate the
    medical, legal and financial worlds
    to give her clients empowering
    information in order to make well
    informed decisions.  Her greatest
    strength is her passion and full
    understanding of her clients
    needs.  

    Her professional knowledge
    comes from working with medical
    providers such as: Hillhaven
    Corporation, Ocadian Health Care,
    Health Quality Management Group,
    Northern California Veterans
    Medical Center, Chelsea Naval
    Hospital and Massachusetts
    General Hospital.  

    She has established Patient and
    Family Advocate programs for
    major medical providers and
    educational programs for company
    employees focusing on personal
    and professional growth.  Her
    background also includes working
    with Elder Law Attorneys and Crisis
    Intervention Teams.  As a
    preceptor for California State
    Northridge she mentored graduate
    students in the school's Medical
    Administration Program.  

    Joanna attended Bryant & Stratton
    College and Northeastern
    University. She is certified as a
    Trainer of Trainers for Case
    Management Teams through
    UCLA's David Grant Foundation, a
    Social Worker, Paralegal and
    Notary Public.  

    Joanna lives and works in the East
    Bay. She is an active member with
    Contra Costa County*s Ageing and
    Adult SHARE Planning Committee
    and volunteers at various medical
    facilities with her 2 pet therapy
    dogs Fonzi and Sadie.  

    In her free time she volunteers by
    giving back to the Concord Blue
    Devils Drum & Bugle Corps who
    gave her children the insight and
    discipline to be successful adults
    today.  

    Joanna is a proud Mom of her son
    serving as a Navy Pilot and her
    daughter, after retiring from the
    Toni Award winning Broadway
    Production BLAST!, studies to be a
    Physical Therapist and is a member
    of
    Phi Beta Kappa.
    Lela knows the challenge of the
    ‘Sandwich Generation’ only to
    well.  Like so many, Lela was
    challenged with caring for her own
    family and frail parents while
    working on her professional
    career.

    Lela’s personal experience and
    perseverance has rewarded her
    with unique knowledge and
    compassion.
    Today she guides families so they
    can avoid the pitfalls and common
    mistakes that face them as she has
    addressed them herself.  

    Professionally her work with
    Kaiser Permanente gave her
    practical experience of the inner
    working of the medical
    environment.  Lela recognized the
    many wonderful things medical
    providers offer yet, for her, there
    was something missing – the
    challenges of caring for a frail
    person when outside of the
    medical environment.  

    Lela’s work at Kaiser gave her the
    opportunity to hear about family
    challenges in finances, legal and
    lifestyle when making the
    adjustments to care for their loved
    ones.  
    She began researching these
    aspects and decided to become
    involved in addressing the
    financial issues surrounding her
    clients.  She entered the world of
    finance and banking specializing in
    real estate transactions that gives
    families the ability to utilize there
    property wealth without risking
    their financial future.

    Lela was raised in the San
    Francisco Bay Area and is a
    graduate of Diablo Valley College
    with a degree is in speech
    communication.  She is a licensed
    Realtor with emphasis on senior
    products.  

    She is an active member of the  
    Women’s council of Realtors,  
    Business Networking International
    (BNI) and the Martinez and
    Pleasant Hill Chambers of
    Commerce.
    A community person, Lela
    volunteers with the Contra Costa
    County Child Abuse Prevention
    Council.  

    Lela and her husband, Robert
    have been married for 28 years.  
    Their daughter, Andrea, is studying
    for her Ph.D. in Psychology.  They
    enjoy hiking, biking, cooking and
    traveling the United States going
    to art fairs  and wineries.

    Lela’s personal passion is
    researching current issues to her
    profession through specialty
    libraries and of course the internet.


EMPOWERING INFORMATION

925-228-2679

VALUABLE SERVICES
925-209-3953
925-366-9048