Professor William (Bill) Klepper started his career in teaching by “picking up the phone.” His employer, Bill Mason, asked him one day if he would be interested in teaching. Having thought about the idea of it previously, Klepper enthusiastically replied with a yes. When interviewing for the job, one of the questions they asked was if he had his CFP ®, which he did, however unknowingly to the employer he only had it for a mere two weeks! “I was in the classroom within three weeks. I absolutely loved it and I never looked back,” Klepper said.  

Klepper’s passion in financial planning is money management and his specialty is retirement planning. “I like getting people set up properly so they don’t have those devastating down periods. I want to see people protect their assets,” he said.

Teaching At California Lutheran University

At California Lutheran University, Klepper currently teaches the undergraduate wealth management class, a class where many of the students become financial planners, “there’s a great need for financial planners and there’s not many going into it. It’s a great career,” he said. Klepper also teaches the financial literacy class, a recent course worth one credit that teaches the topics of insurance, investment, car loans, and credit reports to undergraduates to a variety of majors. “You’re telling them topics that nobody ever teaches that they’re dying to know,” he said. 

During his classes, Klepper enjoys bringing real-life examples to help communicate the material.

“I teach ‘war stories’. My students love the war stories of hearing what is happening in real life. The biggest thing with teaching is people remember stories. If you tell a story they will remember but not a data dump,” he explained. His aim in the classroom is to create a relaxed, no fear, no-pressure environment so students feel comfortable to ask any questions.  “Cal Lutheran is a great school and the students are great! Since I teach both graduate and undergraduate I thought there would be a big difference, but there is no difference,” he said.

Making the Classroom a Fun Environment 

Teaching isn’t just a job to Professor Klepper, but an enjoyment. “The interaction with students is a lot of fun. It’s not working. I enjoy the students and I want to make sure that they learn,” he said. His priorities in the classroom are to make sure the student has an understanding of the material while creating a good learning environment.

“I think the best professors are the ones that interact with the students and they’re not just speaking on the topic. It’s the ones that actually make sure the students learn, that is a good teacher,” he said. On the other hand, Klepper believes that a good student is one with a sense of humor and intrigue to ask questions, “that makes the class fun,” he said. 

The Long-Term Connections as a Professor

One of the most rewarding parts of teaching for Klepper is hearing from his students after class has finished. He enjoys hearing the “thank you’s” and receiving messages, but “I’m shocked how many students become friends. I always tell them just because the class ends you can still ask me anything,” Klepper said. Further, Klepper’s favorite part of teaching is watching the “lightbulb go off” after explaining the various concepts to the students. 

Good Times and Cooking!

In his free time, he enjoys hosting dinners for his friends from ten various barbecues he owns in his backyard. “I’m a smoker! I smoke meat and I have ten barbecues!” he said. Every Sunday night for the last 25 years, Klepper has had between 6 and 16 people over for dinner. Community and friends are very important to him, as well as cooking and entertaining.  

About William Klepper: 

William F. Klepper has served over 30 years in the financial industry. He is currently employed by RNC Genter Capital Management as Senior Vice-President Regional Director. He has worked for Union Bank of California, Wilshire Associates, Imperial Trust Company and Wm. Mason & Company, Inc.. He has worked in all aspects of the financial field (Marketing, Management, Administration and Trading). William is President of the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise 2020-21, Past President of the Simi Valley Police Foundation and current board member, and is on the Ventura County Fire Protection Board.

About the Author:

Rosie Baker graduated Magna Cum Laude from California Lutheran University in May 2021 with honors and departmental distinction. Her bachelor’s degree is in Communication emphasizing in PR and Advertising, minoring in Creative Writing. In July 2020, she published her first book, Mirrors & Windows: Unlocking a New Framework to Envision Your Success, with New Degree Press.

Davis’s Passion 

“My passion is to ensure that the personal financial planning gift is accessible, competent, and ethical for all people irrespective of their income and wealth,” she said. Davis is the Founder and Executive Director of Sage Financial Solutions, a San Francisco Bay area-based organization that develops comprehensive financial capability programs for low- and moderate-income communities internationally and throughout the United States. Her goal is to have both professionals and consumers work with their wealth at all levels. She wants finances to “no longer be a burden or a barrier.”

Her role involves training financial planners, helping consumers find people who can help them, and building and developing programs for low and middle-income communities. She founded her company after working in the non-profit sector for 25 years or so. “People who were getting help from community-based organizations were not getting long-term help that was sustainable. They weren’t getting comprehensive support,” she said. Her role is to “make complex financial topics accessible for all people.”

Her Passion for Teaching

Davis is currently in her first semester of teaching at California Lutheran University, however, she has been teaching since 2006. She is recognized as a distinguished professor at Golden Gate University and she also teaches at the American College. “I teach because I want people to see someone who does something other than the traditional financial planning path. I want them to have the opportunity to broaden their perspective on what a financial planner is” Davis said. 

Teaching Experience

Davis enjoys watching students reconcile something they thought they already knew. “I am a believer that students can’t learn something they thought they already knew,” she said. Learning these skills enhances their whole life, she explained, not just their work. Davis recalled a time when one student told her how the class material helped her at an annual family event. Usually, she would find it stressful, but this time around it was enjoyable and she was able to engage with people in a different way due to what she learned. 

Davis’s Favorite Part of Teaching

“I teach by example,” Davis explained, “all of my classes are practicum based. The students actually have to practice what they are learning. My favorite part about it is taking academic concepts and making them practical through practice,” she said. Davis wants her students’ time in the classroom to be hands-on and for them to learn by doing, not just by reading from a textbook. 

Instead of being a teacher or professor, Davis describes herself as a facilitator, “I have information and I lead with curiosity,” she said. She doesn’t want her students to repeat what the book or lecture said but she wants to hear what they think about it.

What Makes a Good Professor and Student?

To be a great professor Davis believes you need to be a lifelong learner. Along with allowing students to have the space to share and learn from their own experiences. To be a great student Davis believes they should lead with curiosity. She explained that a student should be willing to question what they know and be willing to explore beyond what you already know, allowing yourself to be uncomfortable as you explore rather than focus on the grade. 

Davis’s Inspiration

Davis’s inspiration was a professor who taught insurance, however, it wasn’t the typical reason you may expect. “In every class he said ka-ching,” explained Davis. This was followed by a statement when money could be made. “It inspired me to not be that way and everything I did is to be in service of the human I am working with,” she said. Davis spends her time training others to do the same in hopes that they too can find their “why” and that money isn’t the only reason behind doing what they do. 

Advice to Others

Davis’s advice to others is to be “able to connect with people where they are, whatever that means to them. Understanding their unique concerns and abilities and barriers as well as their perspectives,” she said. 

Outside of the Classroom

When Davis isn’t working or teaching she enjoys pursuing life-long learning by trying new hobbies. Most recently, she has found a passion for gardening her own vegetables during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Things I’ve learned about being a gardener is to have patience and timing is everything,” she said. Being part of a community garden she has found it as a constant learning adventure and discovers something new every day.  

About Saundra Davis: 

Saundra is a US Navy veteran, financial coach, educator, and consultant who is nationally recognized as an expert in the financial coaching field and for her work with community-based organizations. Ms. Davis is the founder and Executive Director of Sage Financial Solutions, a San Francisco Bay area-based organization that develops comprehensive financial capability programs for low- and moderate-income communities throughout the United States.

She developed and facilitates the Financial Fitness Coach (FFC®) certification program to promote the highest standard for professional services for all people, irrespective of wealth, and income. As a Financial Behavior Specialist (FBS®), her philosophy of the financial health continuum of care has shaped the financial coaching efforts around the country.

Saundra holds a B.S. in Management and an M.S. in Financial Planning from Golden Gate University where she is currently a Distinguished Adjunct Professor in the Personal Financial Planning program.

In 2020, Davis was part of the webinar “How to Use Financial Counseling and Coaching Skills to Help Your Clients with D. Chia-Li Chien. Watch it here or read the article. 

About the Author:

Rosie Baker graduated Magna Cum Laude from California Lutheran University in May 2021 with honors and departmental distinction. Her bachelor’s degree is in Communication emphasizing in PR and Advertising, minoring in Creative Writing. In July 2020, she published her first book, Mirrors & Windows: Unlocking a New Framework to Envision Your Success, with New Degree Press.

Dr. Hossein Salehi gains his global perspective in finance from his experience living in Iran, Italy, and the U.S. Dr. Salehi is passionate about teaching and working with students at California Lutheran University, “I like helping people as a whole, that’s why I actually chose financial planning because I really wanted to help people make better financial decisions and teach the younger generations. I really like helping the students pick the right career for the rest of their lives that isn’t just financial but fits their personality,” he said.

Finding His Path to Financial Planning 

Dr. Salehi teaches financial planning courses both to undergraduate and graduate students. His biggest inspiration to find his passion for financial planning came from his father when he lived in Iran with his family.  

As an undergraduate, he followed the footsteps of his father and earned a degree in computer engineering in Iran. After university, he worked as a program developer for different computer applications in finance and accounting much like a software developer for games, he explained. However, after seven years in the industry, he decided it was time to change his career to finance which is more interested in.  He earned his master’s in finance in Iran before deciding to move across the world to dive deeper into his education. As he is most interested in financial markets and investing, Dr. Salehi decided to move to the United States. “My father helped me a lot with the concept of studying abroad at an American university,” he said.

While waiting for his American university admission, Salehi attended university in Italy to study. His decision to move to Europe was fueled by wanting to learn more about financial markets. In Iran, the financial diversity and market are limited, he explained, “I knew that I needed to go somewhere else like Europe.” He spent around nine months in Italy to learn more about theories and financial models. It was also during this time he began teaching and found a passion for it.

In 2011, Salehi moved to the U.S. to study a Ph.D. in Economics as “economics is the base and the foundation of finance,” he said. After finding interest in microeconomics and finances in households, Salehi realized that he enjoyed financial planning the most. Nearly finished with his Ph.D. in Economics, Salehi said it was a hard decision whether he should pursue another Ph.D. in his area of interest in financial planning. After deliberation, he decided to turn his economic Ph.D. into a master’s of economics and pursue a financial planning Ph.D. instead at Texas Tech University, which is one of the top financial planning programs in the country. “I had to start from the beginning and start learning from scratch as the laws are totally different from other countries. It was worth it because I’m a certified financial planner now,” he said.

The Role of Being a Professor

Over the years, Dr. Salehi has had multiple teachers and mentors to help guide him where he is today. Now he spends his time teaching and researching at California Lutheran University. His most liked areas of interest in financial planning are investment and retirement planning. Dr. Salehi doesn’t only teach those inside the classroom, but he thinks it is important to help others. “I like to help people understand what’s happening around them and it doesn’t only apply to my students. It could be a friend or a family member that needs help to understand the concept. I like teaching and I like educating people with my knowledge and experience of what I learned over these years from three different education systems, Iran, Italy, and the US,” he said. 

In January 2020, Dr. Salehi took financial planning undergraduate minor student Zach Bullard to attend the National LINC 2020, January 29-31, 2020 at Hytall Regency Orlando, FL. At the conference, students had some training and teaching sessions to learn about the industry. It was an opportunity for financial planning students to meet thousands of advisors and talk to them about internships and jobs. A conference like this gave student Bullard a number of opportunities and he said he was extremely grateful for Dr. Salehi for providing it and going with him. 

Another undergraduate financial planning minor student, Jared Martin, said his favorite part of California Lutheran University is the professors and experience offered. In particular, Dr. Salehi is one of his greatest influences within the financial planning department. 

Qualities of a Good Professor

“Being able to teach in the most understandable and digestible way is the best. If you know a topic or a concept well enough you should be able to teach it in very simple words,” he said. Personally, he enjoys this method for learning and tries to follow the same structure for his students to learn from. Other qualities that he believes are important are being able to balance connecting and understanding with the students but also being firm at the same time. 

Learning from a textbook versus learning from a real-life scenario are two very different concepts. Dr. Salehi believes real-life scenarios help the students understand the different concepts and technologies in class, therefore he likes to incorporate them when teaching. “I really like it because it’s very applicable and students can see what they’re learning and apply their knowledge in real-time by using these applications,” he said. Dr. Salehi believes it helps provide realistic outcomes for the student when they take the theories outside of the classroom and it is his favorite part of teaching.

Qualities of a Good Student

Dr. Salehi believes that students shouldn’t rely just on course material or class notes, but rather be looking and learning from other sources. “As a student, try to learn as much as possible from different resources,” Dr. Salehi said. “This is really important for students in finance because finances are changing every day, you have something new that can happen that can influence the market,” he said. He encourages students to use different resources and know what is reliable versus misinformation. 

Finishing his second year at California Lutheran University has been a challenge as most of his teaching has been online during the pandemic. “Teaching in Zoom is pretty challenging not just because I don’t know how to engage the students but because it has challenges of not being able to see the students and not recording the classes with the student’s faces,” he said. However, Dr. Salehi tries his best by using other types of material and engaging students with videos, and by sharing his screen to look at stocks.

Other Interests Outside of Finance

Before the pandemic, Dr. Salehi enjoyed traveling particularly around Europe and learning about the history of the different countries. He also enjoys being active by cycling and swimming as well as reading non-financial planning books. “One of the reasons I chose California is because it’s a really nice state to go outside and do activities,” he said. He is hoping to start surfing soon. 

About Dr. Hossein Salehi: 

Dr. Hossein Salehi is an assistant professor in Financial Planning at California Lutheran University. He has a doctorate in personal financial planning and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®). He also has an M.Sc. in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University, an M.A. in Economics from Texas Tech University, and an M.Sc. in Financial Management from Tehran University.

About the Author:

Rosie Baker is an undergraduate student at California Lutheran University, graduating in May 2021. She is studying Communication with an emphasis in PR and Advertising and has a minor in Creative Writing. In July 2020, she published her first book, Mirrors & Windows: Unlocking a New Framework to Envision Your Success, with New Degree Press. 

HYFLEX TEACHING BEST PRACTICE    

The hyflex teaching model allows some to work remotely while others can work face-to-face, explained California Lutheran University professor Dr. Sharla Berry. Dr. Berry is an online learning expert who has been published in multiple top-tier research publications. After a year of online teaching and online meetings, the U.S. is changing its COVID-19 protocols allowing students the option of going to a classroom on campus. Hyflex teaching allows students to be flexible with their learning and decide to learn, whether it is their home or the classroom. 

How Can Faculty Adapt Quickly Into the Hyflex Teaching Model?  

Dr. Berry firstly suggested the use of whiteboards and of course wearing masks to protect others. She also suggested having a set agenda of “what you’re going to do and how you’re going to do it,” she said. Setting goals for the day and having a schedule allows for breaks which the students can step away, refresh, and maintain on track for the rest of class, she said.  Another important application is using the Zoom chat box for students to interact with each other and the professor. Dr. Berry suggested question and answer periods to help minimize distractions and constant scanning of the chatbox for questions. 

Dr. Chien, the host of the webinar, mentioned that she likes to have a team captain monitor the chat and also be the co-host in case she loses her internet. The use of team captain rotation, and regularly stopping for questions to check in with students are valuable tools. Ultimately, if the chatbox becomes too distracting or difficult to maintain there is the option to disable its use.  

Should Cameras Be Off or On?

At the beginning of class, establish wanting to have the students be visible on the camera, said Dr. Berry. When students have the camera turned on they are more likely to be engaged, share a personal appeal, have accountability of focusing, and most importantly, it creates a positive impact on learning. I think many students would agree that they feel more attentive and focused when the camera is on as they can’t easily slip away or play Mario Kart on their phones. 

“The more engagement opportunities the course has, the less opportunity you have for people to turn off their video or be passive,” said Dr. Berry. For example, make use of polls, have random questions that they need to respond to, and use breakout rooms for engagement.  

What is the Best Way to Teach on Zoom? 

For the past year, Dr. Berry has used the pre-COVID flipped classroom method and instead uses Zoom to work with her students rather than lecture the material.  “Flipped classroom is when students do a lot of the direct learning outside of the classroom and they come to the classroom ready for a discussion,” she explained. This method allows students to learn or review the material asynchronously at home and then come to class ready for discussion and work on the subject where they can easily ask questions and develop their understanding more in-depth. Dr. Berry explained that hyflex teaching opens the opportunity for asynchronous teaching and can offer more discussion being more manageable. 

Dr. Chien said it can be hard for students to read ahead for discussion. As an alternative, she likes to have group presentations to highlight the main topics of the chapter of the class or encourage other activities and reading. Other alternatives include annotated readings or online discussion boards to help facilitate early prep of readings, said Dr. Berry.  “Letting people know how you’re going to be using a reading and how we’re going to be accountable for it, I think can go a long way,” she said. 

Another alternative are stations. In the break-out rooms, the instructor has the opportunity to jump into them to meet with the students whereas the in-person students can have a different assignment separately. Zoom allows groups to be more interactive with one another. “Giving yourself a schedule and also giving your students those manageable activities makes it easier so that you don’t have to be in all those places at once,” she said. 

How Can Students Warm Up and Engage More? 

Linda Clayton, a financial planning professor at California Lutheran University, said she likes her students to know that the classroom is a safe place to talk. Since day one of class she sets an example to participate, calling on students to answer if her question is received in silence. She said now they answer by themselves and even alternate who does it.  

Other options to help students warm up to participate more is by using polls either via Zoom or Kahoot and the results can be shared in class allowing for further discussion. Students can also work in pairs where they can answer together on a google document. Alternatively, questions can be shared beforehand, “if you have your agenda, questions, and discussion points listed people who do get lost can easily jump in and people that might be nervous and need more time to think about it, they will have the opportunity,” Dr. Berry said. 

Final Recommendations 

“There’s no reason for your in-person students to not be engaged in the virtual space as well,” Dr. Berry said. In-person students can participate in the chat on Zoom with the other students. Let the students determine what they need through surveys and natural evolving to adapt the classroom and teaching methods. Lastly, Dr. Berry said, “the students always value the opportunity to talk to you and each other about how they’re feeling.” Discussions allow the students to feel stronger about the courses and more connected with each other. 

About Dr. Sharla Berry, Ph.D.:

Dr. Sharla Berry is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership. Her research explores technology in K-12 and higher education. Topics of interest include technology and college access and online learning in postsecondary environments. Dr. Berry teaches a number of research methods classes.

About the Host:

Dr. Chia-Li Chien is a succession program director at Value Growth Institute, a succession consulting practice dedicated to helping business owners increase their firms’ equity value. Before her private consulting practice, she held several senior management positions in Fortune 500 companies. Dr. Chien is a director of the financial planning program at the School of Management at California Lutheran University. Dr. Chien is a frequent speaker about succession and retirement planning at national conferences and has published three award-winning books, including her most recent publication, “Enhancing Retirement Success Rates in the United States.” Dr. Chien serves on the boards of various national financial service associations. She holds a doctorate in financial planning and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) as well as Project Management Professional (PMP®).

About the Writer:

Rosie Baker graduated Magna Cum Laude from California Lutheran University in May 2021 with honors and departmental distinction. Her bachelor’s degree is in Communication emphasizing in PR and Advertising, minoring in Creative Writing. In July 2020, she published her first book, Mirrors & Windows: Unlocking a New Framework to Envision Your Success, with New Degree Press.

Linda Clayton has a mantra that she lives by when working with her students and her clients. It’s a line from a song called For Good by the Broadway musical Wicked and it goes like this, “Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.” After Clayton has worked with either her students or clients she wants them to be able to say that they are better off from working with her: that she has helped them for good. 

Currently, Clayton is teaching Financial Planning, in prior terms she taught graduate students and business undergraduates. Her influence for starting a career as a financial advisor started when her doctor mentioned to her one day that their advisor was looking for someone just like her. She previously used to manage finances for an airline company but after 9/11 the world changed. Clayton left her job at the airline company after being hired by her doctor’s advisor, she got her securities license and earned her MBA and CFP® at California Lutheran University. Embracing that the only thing she could rely on in her career is the inevitability of change being constant. 

Helping Others Understand Finances

Clayton’s passion is about helping others to “improve their situation and understand what they’re doing,” she said. She wants to share concepts and education that she wished she knew when she was younger to help her students and clients understand the world of finance. 

Her main specialty is being a financial planner working with clients in transition. Over the years she has worked with many members of the same families. She also does wealth management, is a certified divorce financial analyst, CDFA®, mediator, and faculty member at California Lutheran University. Her goal is to empower clients to make financial decisions themselves by giving them the resources and information needed. “As a planner, you hope to really listen and help the clients tell you what they want and how to get there,” Clayton said. She believes that being a mediator has helped her be better at listening to others by developing this skill. 

Sharing Experiences 

Ever since high school, Clayton has been busy teaching others. It’s something she loves and in return, she loves learning from the students and gaining new perspectives. “In my classes, I ask students to share their experiences and I try to develop concepts so that they can talk about what they do with the other students in the class,” she said. It’s very important to Clayton that her classroom is a judgment-free zone where students can learn, share their ideas, and work. 

Another part of teaching that Clayton loves is hearing from her students after they have taken her class. “I hope my students continue to reach out because it’s so fun to hear what they’re doing and how their careers have developed and what their lives look like now,” she said happily. Knowing that her students have embraced the material and put it into practice in real-life examples makes the learning in the classroom worthwhile. 

One Size Does Not Fit All

“Sometimes a topic that you think is really interesting may not be to the students and what their learning style is,” Clayton said. “Some of them really like proof, organization, and detail. Some want to cut to the chase. I try to get an idea of where they’re coming from so that I can make sure they hear me and the communication gets through. One size fits none, you have to be a flexible professor and find different ways to explain if what you are saying is not the way a student processes information.” Being a good professor to Clayton is having the ability to be a good listener to hear your students. She likes her classes to be a mix of lecturing and interaction between the students. 

Making the Most of Class

On the other side of the coin, Clayton believes the qualities that make a good student are having the ability to speak up, communicate with the professor if they’re struggling or need help, and stop having the idea of needing to be perfect on your first try. “I think for students this is such a valuable experience that goes by so fast that they don’t give it their full attention when they’re in class and they try to do too much,” she said. Clayton believes students should stop multitasking in class and get the most out of the program. Although class time and work may feel like forever, it isn’t for very long and students should make the most of the opportunity they have to learn and interact with a professional.  

When Clayton was a student in the Financial Planning program at California Lutheran University she had an inspirational professor. Harry Starn who used to teach at California Lutheran University was the first professor of the first-class Clayton took. “He was really inspiring to me, I loved his approach and detail, and his encouragement. I really felt myself wanting to do a good job,” she said. He inspired her to be the professor she is today. 

Clayton’s Free Time

In her spare time before the pandemic, Clayton loved to go to spin classes early in the morning with her CFP® friend. Since the pandemic, Clayton hasn’t been able to continue her spin classes so instead, she enjoys seasonally decorating her home for the holidays. Currently, her dining room table is ready for St. Patrick Day later this month!  

About Linda Clayton: 

Linda has always known that she wanted a career working with people.  This love of working with people prompted her to be active in the PTA, and in her community, serving as two-term Publicity Chairman and two-term President of La Canada Junior Woman’s Club.

While earning her Bachelor’s Degree in History from UCLA, Linda worked her way through school as a retail manager of several departments at a local Sears store. Upon graduation, she began her career at Continental Airlines. She worked her way up through customer service positions, ultimately promoted to the Western Regional Sales and Marketing Manager of 15 ticket offices for Continental, and another for their international partner, COPA Airlines. Having the responsibility of running each of these offices as her own small business for fifteen years, managing bottom-up budgeting, journal entries, marketing, and auditing, she learned to love finance. After the tragic events of September 11th and the airlines began closing their autonomous offices, Linda switched career paths.

Linda began her career in Financial Planning as a relationship manager/ paraplanner, working in the Life Planning division of a boutique Financial Planning firm. In addition, she also worked in a human resources position with Working Solutions, interviewing applicants for work-at-home agent positions. In these roles, Linda was able to combine her love of working with people and finance. To visit her website click here https://www.lindaclaytonadvisory.com/

About the Author:

Rosie Baker is an undergraduate student at California Lutheran University, graduating in May 2021. She is studying Communication with an emphasis in PR and Advertising and has a minor in Creative Writing. In July 2020, she published her first book, Mirrors & Windows: Unlocking a New Framework to Envision Your Success, with New Degree Press.

Hratch Karakachian has an undying love for education. It has propelled him through college, his career, as a professor, and even his hobby of Texas Holdem poker.

Over the years, Hratch has had two influences that have inspired him and fueled his love of learning. His first inspiration comes from his father. As a boy, he would spend summers and time after school working at his father’s architectural and interior design firm in Beirut, Lebanon. Despite owning a business, his father had little to no business background or financial skills to run his business. Although professionally the firm was successful, Hratch spent much time watching the business struggle due to lack of financial and business experience. lack of focus on the business over the years. Ultimately, this is what encouraged him to study business with an emphasis in real-estate.  

To study for college Hratch came to the United States, more specifically Los Angeles. It is here he met his next inspiration: his professor who taught his introduction to accounting class. The professor worked full-time, had published many textbooks on courses for college-level students about real estate, and he was an investor in real estate. This was the second catalyst of influence for Hratch. He was so inspired that he decided to follow his tracks in accounting and real estate. However, after working for an accounting firm to get a license, Hratch decided not to be involved with real estate, which led him to be a CPA in tax and earn a law degree. Fast forward to the present and Hratch is a CPA tax specialist and legal specialist.

Sharing Knowledge with Others 

“My work is not in the heart of financial planning. If you had a financial planner sitting in the center with a client, I would be two of the spokes on the wheel. All of them need to be working together to make sure the plan works efficiently and effectively,” explained Hratch. This ties into Hratch’s passion for helping others by using his skill set. “My knowledge of the tax field and my knowledge of the legal environment is how I help the individuals that need the advice,” he said. 

As a CPA Hratch specialises in tax working with both individuals and families which includes form preparation and counseling. As a solicitor, he gives transaction orientated advice, for example, real estate transactions. His specialty is in taxation income and estate and gift taxes. 

Teaching Others 

Hratch has been teaching online classes in the Financial Planning program at California Lutheran University since 2013. He teaches; Managerial Accounting, Foundations of Accounting and Finance, Tax Management and Strategy, and Principles of Estate Planning. Hratch describes his teaching style as a combination of lecture, activity, and group work with an emphasis on problem-solving to provide an opportunity for students to think

There are three reasons why Hratch enjoys teaching. The first reason is he believes it is his duty as a professional to share knowledge with the next generation of students so they can be more prepared and knowledgeable. The second reason goes back to his love of learning. As a professor, he enjoys learning more by digging deeper into class material as some areas he doesn’t work in, what’s more, the accounting world is a fast-changing environment with various rules and regulations. Lastly, as a practitioner at California Lutheran University, he has access to progress and learn with library resources, networking opportunities, events, and training. 

The Importance of Professor-Student Relationships 

A highlight of teaching for Hratch is hearing from students years later. He enjoys learning how they remember material from the class and applied it to a real-life situation. “That’s a nice moment of personal satisfaction,” he said. “Helping students understand the subject matter especially the complex areas. I like instilling knowledge and gaining knowledge from students that are intrigued and ask questions. It requires me to think, analyze, ask questions, and explain things,” Hratch said. His favorite part of teaching is the two-way interaction that develops between the students and the professor. 

Hratch believes there are two qualities that make a good professor. The first being the ability to break down complex matters into simple and easy to understand situations including real-life examples. “It should be interesting, timely, and relevant to retain the subject discussed,” he said. Secondly, there should be humor when teaching. “A good teacher has the ability to pepper fun or funny jokes which I think enhances a student’s retention on the specific issue,” he said. Qualities that make a student Hratch believes are being focused, eager and willing to learn, motivated, and have a yearning to dig deeper to learn knowledge from the textbook and faculty member.

The parting discussion in the interview was about Hratch’s hobby of Texas Holdem poker. After playing one time on a friend’s electronic device, Hratch became hooked on the research and study of the play. “It’s interesting to me because it combines math statistics, math, and psychology. The combination of that makes it very interesting and a challenging game,” he said. 

About Hratch Karakachian: 

Hratch J Karakachian, CPA, ESQ, is a senior adjunct faculty member in California Lutheran University School of Management.  He has been teaching in the MBA in Financial Planning Program since 2013.  He has taught Principles of Estate Planning, Income Tax and Strategy, Managerial Accounting and Foundations of Accounting and Finance courses.

About the Author:

Rosie Baker is an undergraduate student at California Lutheran University, graduating in May 2021. She is studying Communication with an emphasis in PR and Advertising and has a minor in Creative Writing. In July 2020, she published her first book, Mirrors & Windows: Unlocking a New Framework to Envision Your Success, with New Degree Press. 

Throughout Dr. Daralee Barbera’s life she has had many influences to help guide her to where she is today. Her parents were one of those influences as from a young age they encouraged her and her siblings by telling them they could do or be anything. Gender-related jobs did not exist in their world resulting in Barbera growing up with no recommendations for a gender-based life. 

Achieving goals is something Barbera is passionate about helping others achieve.  “My siblings and I were encouraged to follow our heart and pursue the things that were of interest to us with total support,” Barbera said. Her father was a mechanical engineer and her mother was a homemaker raising four children. By chance all four of the siblings later went into the finance industry. Now, three of them are financial advisors and one is a tax and estate planning attorney.  

Barbera has spent 34 years working in the financial planning industry. She spent four years working as an advisor and 30 years as a managing principal at a comprehensive financial planning company that develops relationships with clients. Her role as manager was responsible for all the financial advisors. Today she is retired with a doctorate in leadership and organizational change and is involved with financial services leadership as well as an adjunct professor at California Lutheran University. 

Working with Others 

Barbera’s specialty is the comprehensive financial planning process. Her work is a client-centric perspective looking at all the assets. It covers a variety of topics from investments, wealth management, advisory programs, securities, comprehensive, insurance, and more.  She worked with the employees and employers as well as the individuals and families. She was responsible for the business of running the financial planning operations of all positions in multiple locations with a multitude of layers of leadership; recruiting, selecting, and training. 

Before Barbera worked in the financial planning industry she was a math teacher. It was during this time she worked with a financial planner. “It changed the way I looked at life,” she said. After this experience, Barbera wanted to get a license to train to help family and friends. “Everyone should have a financial plan, it is so important to have a plan for your life that is on purpose,” explained Barbera. She went on to say that it doesn’t matter how much you do or don’t have, but it’s a very delicate calculation and a super important one.

The Importance of Communication 

Barbera teaches two classes at California Lutheran University; MFP 535 Psychological and Cultural Dynamics of Communication and Persuasion, and MFP 536 Social Psychology of Client Leadership. Although the courses are to earn a Financial Planning degree Barbera said, “Communication is so critical between the clients of financial advisors and the leadership role that the financial advisors take clients lives.”

A Career of Teaching 

From being a math teacher to working in financial planning, to teaching financial planning Barbera has not stopped teaching throughout her career. “My whole career in financial planning was about teaching. Every client I look at like a student and it was my privilege and responsibility to help educate them as much as possible to make informed qualified decisions in their life,” she said. She wants to help others be well informed and to understand financial planning.

With a career surrounding teaching, it is no surprise that Barbera enjoys it and the act of helping others. She likes seeing students in the classroom or a client realize something new about themselves and apply the knowledge to others. “It’s the domino effect of teaching and learning. The power and opportunity for tremendous impact to change so many lives forever,” she said. It’s also the act of applying information forward to others, she explained. 

Her favorite part of teaching is being part of a student’s academic journey and helping encourage it. Barbera thinks of her role as the person of responsibility to create a new frame for the students to look through. She then adds or recreates an old topic into a new topic to learn about. From here “aha moments” develop and that is what makes teaching for Barbera such an enjoyable experience. 

“We are life in motion. Seeing the professionals (students) come together and be interested in their own self-awareness to help their clients is what makes teaching worthwhile,” Barbera said.  

Helping Others Accomplish Their Goals 

Barbera’s passion is to help others and make things better. “Helping people set and accomplish goals to go down a path that may not have previously thought they could,” she said. So much so that Barbera has written a book called What You Can Do… When You Can’t: Twenty-One Days to Personal Success. It’s about looking for the positives and how to be motivated to propel us forward, she explained. As well as having a passion to find the positive and help other people accomplish their goals. 

Barbera describes her teaching style to be influenced by thinking of herself as a facilitator. “It’s to be able to facilitate to bring the students to the table, to challenge, to self-reflect, to figure out how to approach the content and how it applies to themselves. Where are they? Where are they going? How will they use it in the future?” 

Being a Good Professor and Student

A good professor is “Someone who contributes to the academic body of knowledge for their topic,” Barbera said. They bring a new life to teaching by being a guide and helping the students create their own curiosity. Circling back to paying it forward and inspiring other students to hand on the information and knowledge.

A good student is someone who allocates time to do the work and has trust in the school and curriculum explained Barbera. Curriculums to earn a degree can be daunting and overwhelming but the student must trust they will be guided step by step. “Don’t be daunted looking at the whole forest, take it one tree at a time and we will come to the other end,” she said. 

Professors Seeing Something in a Student

Aside from Barbera’s parents, her other inspiration were three teachers. When in school, Barbera stuttered so she decided to go to a speech and debate teacher to learn how to stop stuttering. This decision came after she decided to be a math teacher. Her speech and debate teacher signed her up for competitions and a graduation speech. “That changed my life forever. She saw something. She saw that I could do it,” Barbera said. 

Other teachers that inspired her were her high school and college math teachers. Both encouraged her to get a degree in math and pursue the subject. All three of the teachers saw something in their student, Barbera, and encouraged her. This is something Barbera has taken to heart and pays forward with her students today. 

Looking at the Positive

When she isn’t working or teaching or writing a book, Barbera enjoys creating new things, spending time with her large family, and traveling all over the world. “I am always looking for growth, positive, new things,” she said. 

The interview ended with Barbera sharing her thoughts and perspective on working at California Lutheran University. “I have different frames of reference and the ability to compare to other universities. From the professors to the students, to the care that comes through every email that I see, the care of Cal Lutheran for the students and the community is really exceptional. I think it’s outstanding,” she said. 

About Daralee Barbera: 

Dr. Daralee Barbera is a professor, professional business coach, consultant, speaker, and author with an EdD in Leadership and Organizational Change from the University of Southern California. She is President of Diversified Professional Coaching LLC, is the former EVP of Business Development and VP of Strategic Initiatives at GAMA International, and retired as Managing Principal at Waddell & Reed where she spent 34 years. Daralee has written 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, as well as her dissertation, Financial Literacy for Women and the Role of Financial Education: An Exploratory Study of Promising Practices.

About the Author:

Rosie Baker is an undergraduate student at California Lutheran University, graduating in May 2021. She is studying Communication with an emphasis in PR and Advertising and has a minor in Creative Writing. In July 2020, she published her first book, Mirrors & Windows: Unlocking a New Framework to Envision Your Success, with New Degree Press. 

Colleen Carcone has a passion for helping others. Whether that is at her day job as an Income Tax and Estate Planner or as a professor at California Lutheran University. 

Her biggest influences growing up were her parents. Her mother was a nurse. She turned her passion for nursing into a career in the healthcare industry by going back to college to earn her degrees. Her father owned a restaurant. Carcone watched him work and grind to create a successful business, watching the level of work needed to create it. “It instilled my hard work values which I think is where I get having so many different jobs right now,” said Carcone. Not only is she a financial planner and professor, but she has also written a textbook.

Carcone’s Two Passions 

Carcone’s day job is helping higher network clients, in particular educators, by working directly with them for their financial plans. Her niches are income tax and estate planning. “I have worked with professors at some of the most elite institutions, I’ve worked with physicians and very well known names. My job is to be able to help folks understand this tiny niche, their every life and to make it easier for them, that is really what gets me out of bed in the morning,” Carcone said.

Her other passion is helping students as their professor. “I help the students understand their objectives, whether it’s a student in the classroom or through our education initiatives in a program teaching certain topics to our advisors. I get so excited when I hear someone repeating something they heard me say,” said Carcone. When a student understands the material or talks about a situation they used it with a client, it means Carcone has reached her goal of teaching. That is the moment that makes teaching a fulfilling job.

Modern Family in the Classroom 

Carcone teaches Principles of Estate Planning for the MBA program at California Lutheran University. She likes to use case studies in her teaching experience to help study and practice concepts, making it easier for students to remember when they work with a client. 

In particular, she liked to use examples from the popular TV show, Modern Family. “It has every estate planning situation you could ever think of from divorced couples to same-sex couples to adoption.” By using these examples they explore real-life planning situations including death and taxes. It is important for clients to think about what should happen to their assets why they pass but can be difficult to talk about, she said.

“If I can make it fun in the classroom and help folks to start thinking about this and talk about it with their clients it’s going to help them become a better planner. We need to be able to help our clients think about their estate plan,” said Carcone. “Whatever your passion is, it is what we as financial planners have the responsibility and passion of being able to help plan for.”

Qualities For a Good Professor

Carcone believes in bringing topics to the classroom in creative ways to help make topics stick for students. It is something she takes to the core of her teaching. “You have to understand that this teeny, tiny area of the world is probably the only thing that I know inside and out. I have to figure out a way to make something that gets really complicated quickly, easy to understand,” said Carcone. She uses repetition of stories and breaks down the subjects to be simple and easy to understand when teaching. 

Another aspect of teaching that she believes is important is to check on the students especially if someone looks confused. It’s important for students to feel comfortable asking questions she explained. To do this Carcone likes to acknowledge that concepts can be difficult to grasp and understand when first learned.

Qualities For a Good Student

“The reason you are a student in a class is to learn something new. If it wasn’t new, and you already knew the information, you wouldn’t take the course,” said Carcone. She believes it is important for students to ask questions, be inquisitive, and soak up the information. What’s more, in order to do this, it’s important for them to identify and understand how they learn. Is it auditory? Visual? This can enhance students learning and make it easier for them to do so.  

Tina Turner Doesn’t Have to Sing

The professor that influenced and inspired Carcone the most was from law school, in her fundamentals of contracts class. It was in this class the professor shared the story of Tina Turner signing contracts and singing. The overall lesson being, “You can’t make her sing.” In a twist of fate, years later Carcone ran into her professor at a Tina Turner concert!

This seemingly short story has stayed with Carcone her whole life, proving the power that stories can have on students in the classroom. She enjoyed the classes so much it influenced her teaching style in the classroom. She too likes to share stories with her students when teaching new concepts. Carcone also likes to simplify to make it easy to understand, be relatable and approachable to her students, and ultimately, wants to help them in their careers. 

Cooking and Beach Walks

In her free time, Carcone enjoys trying new recipes and going-off script to create a new dish. After spending hours of the day working on her laptop, she enjoys having some downtime and being creative. She also enjoys walking along the beach/ waterfront every day in Boston. She treasures this time to reflect on being grateful and thankful.  

About the Interviewee:

Colleen Carcone J.D., CFP®,  is a professor at California Lutheran University, as well as an Income Tax and Estate Planner, and author. 

Colleen is a tax attorney with more than twenty years of experience who has escaped practicing law and now works in-house for a financial services company partnering with high-net-worth individuals. Colleen has been teaching estate planning and income tax planning for various programs for twelve years. An estate planning expert, Colleen co-authored Principles of Estate Planning, the third edition of which was published in 2018 and has been quoted in many articles.

Colleen has served as a Director of Wealth Planning Strategies for TIAA for more than 13 years, where she has been serving the firm’s high-net-worth families with specialized advice and sophisticated financial, income tax, and estate planning strategies.

About the Author:

Rosie Baker is an undergraduate student at California Lutheran University, graduating in May 2021. She is studying Communication with an emphasis in PR and Advertising and has a minor in Creative Writing. In July 2020, she published her first book, Mirrors & Windows: Unlocking a New Framework to Envision Your Success, with New Degree Press.