Phu Nguyen
Managing Partner
A proud native of Cypress, California, Phu attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. He launched his career with New York Life in July 2006 at the Stockton General Office, spending over three years as an agent. During that time, he earned Executive Council honors each year—a prestigious, company-wide recognition for top-performing agents.
Recognized early on for his leadership potential, Phu was promoted to Partner in October 2009. He focused on recruiting and developing a successful team of advisors, ultimately promoting four individuals to Partner and one to Development Manager. His commitment to excellence earned him multiple qualifications as a Top 50 Partner.
Phu’s upward trajectory continued in September 2018 when he was named Senior Partner. In this role, he played an instrumental part in mentoring his team of agents and Partners while leading the expansion of the Stockton office into the Sacramento Metro region.
In 2019, he stepped into a national leadership role as Corporate Vice President for the South Central Zone, based in Atlanta, GA. Over the next three years, Phu supported the development of 137 managers across 33 General Offices in 13 southeastern states. He was pivotal in creating and scaling virtual recruiting strategies during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and led the Associate Partner program for the Zone. Under his guidance, the South Central Zone experienced one of its highest increases in management performance.
April 2022 marked a new chapter as Phu became the Managing Partner of the Las Vegas General Office, where he set out to build Nevada’s premier financial services firm. In 2023, the office earned the Executive Vice President’s Trophy for New Org Retention, outperforming all other offices in its group in proactive agent retention.
Momentum continued in 2024 as the Las Vegas office earned four national accolades: the Senior Vice President’s Trophy for Management Development, the Agent Growth Award, the New Organization Sales Award, and the Insurance Solution Award—further establishing its position as a leading office within the company.
Throughout his 19-year career, Phu has carried with him a dream that’s both professional and personal: coming home to serve the Orange County area. With his entire extended family residing in the region, this return represents more than a career milestone—it’s a heartfelt homecoming. Leading in the very community that shaped his values, and early life allows Phu to give back with purpose, gratitude, and deep-rooted pride.
In addition to his leadership role, Phu served on the Board of Directors for the Nevada chapter of NAIFA and the Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce. He remains deeply committed to leadership development and driving positive impact in the communities he serves.
Away from work, Phu enjoys spending time with his wife, Ha, and their daughter Gemma.
Joan Huang, CLU®
Senior Partner
Before joining New York Life, Joan spent 27 years in various positions at another company within the industry. Despite achieving significant success, Joan sought greater opportunities for growth and fulfillment in her career. Initially attracted to New York Life’s financial strength and outstanding training programs, she has since come to deeply value the company’s commitment to diversity, community, and professional development.
Her extensive background enabled her to step directly into a management position at New York Life, where the advancement opportunities have proven to be both promising and rewarding. With a clear career path, she believes management is an excellent opportunity for everyone—especially women—as the company provides clear objectives and equal opportunities for all.
Since joining, Joan has built an impressive record of achievement. She qualified for View from The Top in her first year, hired nine agents in her second year (six of whom were women), and was awarded a Silver Medal from the Women’s Market. She was also named Partner of the Year for her GO, and in the following year, her unit ranked ninth nationally. On October 1, 2018, she was promoted to Senior Partner, with nine council qualifiers among other accomplishments. By 2019, her unit achieved an impressive ranking of third in the nation.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Joan values the flexibility and stability that her role provides. She cherishes time with her husband, Dean Evans, as well as her son and stepson. Living in a golf community, she enjoys spending weekends on the green and proudly boasts two career hole-in-ones.
Christian Buccola
Director of Agency Standards
Chris Buccola is a financial services professional with over 30 years of experience in compliance and agency standards. After beginning his career as a Research Specialist with SunAmerica Mutual Funds, an AIG company, in New York City, he joined New York Life in 2005 as a Director in Corporate Compliance. He was promoted to Assistant Vice President in 2011, later moving into field leadership as Director of Agency Standards for the Orange County General Office in 2012. In 2023, he expanded his leadership role by also supporting the Hawaii General Office.
Chris earned his degree in International Business from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1992. He lives in South Orange County with his wife Ann, their two daughters, Shannon and Kaitlyn, and their Boston Terrier, Sami.
Lovely May Zunino, CFP®, MBA, CLU®, ChFC®, CLF®, RICP®, FSCP®
Director of Development
Lovely started her career with New York Life in July 2012. Prior to joining the company, she spent just over 14 years with Bank of America in various roles. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor's in Business Administration and then earned her Master’s in Business Administration at Pepperdine University.
After spending three and half years as an agent, Lovely was promoted to be a Development Manager at the Orange Coast General Office in February 2016. She currently leads the training and development program in her office and provides continuous support to the local leadership team, staff, and agents. She holds a series 6, 7, 63, and 26 licenses and earned her CLU®, ChFC®, CFP®, CLF®, RICP®, and FSCP® designations. In 2021, she was elected into the Development Manager Advisory Council (DMAC) and served on the Agent Development and Experience Committee. In 2022, she was elected as the DMAC Vice President.
She was born in the Philippines but came to the US at the age of 5 growing up in the Orange County area. In May 2022, she married NYL Investment Solutions Consultant, Michael Zunino. Lovely and Mike currently reside in Huntington Beach. In her spare time, Lovely enjoys traveling, paddle boarding, and loves spending time with her family and friends.
Ignacio “Nacho” Zaragoza Estrada
Service Leader
“Nacho”, which is the common nickname for Ignacio, and how he prefers to be called, started his career with New York Life in January of 2018 as an Agent in the Orange Coast GO. In 2021 he became a Registered Representative and achieved the Established Agent rank. In 2022 participated in the Associate Partner Program and officially became a Partner in October of that year. He worked as a Partner for almost 3 years before transitioning to the Service Leader role.
Over the course of his career with New York Life, Nacho has earned numerous company awards, including the Summit Qualification in 2019, and achieved Council status in 2019, 2020 and 2021. He was also the Paid Case Leader for the New Organization in 2019.
Prior joining to New York Life, Nacho spent 10 years in the IT field as a computer engineer. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, specializing in networks, with a Minor in Accounting. Additionally, Nacho holds the Series 6 and 63 licenses.
Nacho has lived in California for only the past 11 years, as he lived most of his life in his hometown of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. He has been happily married for 10 years to his wife Juliana, and they have two daughters: Evangelina and Lucia. In his free time, he enjoys to travel and spending time with his family, mainly at Disneyland, which he visits almost every week.
Alejandro Inigo
Partner
Alejandro Inigo is a Partner at New York Life Insurance Company, where his mission is to mentor and develop driven professionals into successful financial advisors. In this role, he equips individuals with the tools, training, and support of a Fortune 100 company, empowering them to shape their own practices and strengthen their communities.
Alejandro’s journey began with a global perspective, traveling internationally with his family at a young age before earning a degree in Business Administration. At just 22, he settled in California and pursued a series of entrepreneurial ventures. He became a tax preparer, travel agent, and tour operator before founding Globetrotter Tours, a wholesale tour operator company. At its peak, the company served more than 100 travel agencies and thrived for 17 years under his leadership.
After selling the company, Alejandro transitioned into financial services, starting as an Agent with New York Life. His dedication to helping families and businesses with financial planning led him to become a Registered Representative, and within three years, he advanced into a leadership role as Partner. Since then, he has successfully developed over 50 financial professionals and two Partners in the Orange Coast General Office.
Alejandro lives in Irvine, California with his wife, Vianka, and their four children. Outside of work, he enjoys kayaking, paddle boarding, motorcycling, and hiking — passions that reflect his adventurous spirit and love for the outdoors.
Edwin Kang
Partner
Edwin joined the Orange Coast GO in November 2017 after a 20 year career at Boeing as a financial planning analyst. He qualified for Career Summit in 2018. His success as an agent continued as he qualified for Executive Council in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. He also qualified for MDRT in 2021. He currently holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Cal Poly Pomona and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from DeVry University.
Mia Herrera, FSCP®
Partner
Mia Herrera grew up in Long Beach, California, with her two older brothers, Joseph and Derek. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies and a Teaching Credential in Elementary Education with a concentration in Mathematics from San Francisco State University in 2010.
After five years in education and six years in project management, Mia was introduced to New York Life through a LinkedIn connection. While the career shift initially felt unexpected, her decision was driven by a deep personal understanding of the importance of financial planning. Having experienced financial hardships within her own family, Mia developed a strong passion for helping others build security and avoid similar struggles—always carrying forward her natural drive to educate.
Mia began her career with New York Life in March 2021 and quickly established herself as a dedicated professional. Within her first year, she became a Registered Representative, qualified for Executive Council in June 2022, and earned her FSCP designation through The American College in July 2022. Her leadership journey advanced as she entered the Associate Partner program in October 2022 and was promoted to Partner in April 2023.
Looking ahead, Mia is focused on continuing her leadership path, with the goal of becoming a Senior Partner within the next two years and a Managing Partner within five. Her story reflects both resilience and ambition, with a commitment to empowering others through education and financial guidance.
Gilbert Agyemang-Badu
Partner
Gilbert Agyemang-Badu is a tenacious, thoughtful and dependable leader who has built a successful practice in the insurance and financial service industry.
He was a Partner in the Manhattan General Office of New York Life, where he oversaw the recruiting, development, and production of new financial professionals in his unit.
Gilbert says, "If you are passionate about changing lives and want to impact others by guiding them to make sound financial decisions, I can help you build an incredible career in the insurance and financial industry where you can enjoy the career’s purpose, autonomy, and income.”
Throughout his seven-year career with New York Life, Gilbert has qualified for Executive Council seven times. Council is an annual program that recognizes the top 19 percent of New York Life’s elite field force of more than 12,000 licensed agents in sales achievement.
Single-handedly, Gilbert served about 1,000 clients and is a member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). As a believer in continued education and advancement, Gilbert has attained the Chartered Financial Consultant Designation (ChFC®) from the American College and is a graduate of the University of Ghana, Legon.
Gilbert and his wife Alice of 14 years are rooted in family values. They are blessed with a son, Ezra, who is 3 years old and a daughter 16 months old.
Gilbert is also passionate about impacting others in his free time. He sits on the board and volunteers for African Compassionate network, a non-profit organization supporting underprivileged kids in Ghana.
Zach Moos, FSCP®
Associate Partner
Zach Moos, FSCP®, is an Associate Partner with New York Life, where he helps aspiring financial professionals launch rewarding, purpose-driven careers. With more than 25 years of experience as a business owner and mentor, Zach blends entrepreneurial leadership with a deep commitment to service and development.
His path to financial services is personal. After losing both parents to cancer by age 19—neither of whom had life insurance, retirement savings, or a financial plan—Zach experienced firsthand the challenges of financial hardship and caregiving. That experience continues to fuel his passion for helping others plan ahead and protect their loved ones.
Since joining New York Life, Zach has earned multiple honors, including the 2024 New Org Agent of the Year and consecutive qualifications for Executive Council. He is also a proud member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), which recognizes the top financial professionals globally.
As an Associate Partner, Zach recruits and mentors professionals who want more than just a job—they want purpose, freedom, and the opportunity to make an impact. He specializes in helping career changers find fulfillment and long-term success in financial services by providing the structure, tools, and coaching needed to thrive.
Zach holds the FSCP® (Financial Services Certified Professional) designation from The American College. Originally from the Midwest, he moved to California in 2000 and has lived in Orange County since 2006. He resides there with his husband, Edwin. Outside of work, Zach enjoys tennis, golf, and theater, and supports local causes like Pretend City Children’s Museum.
His leadership is rooted in three core values: Integrity, Empowerment, and Vision—a foundation he brings to every client relationship and mentoring opportunity.
