MARSHALL L. HOWARD – PRESIDENT & INSTRUCTOR
Marshall Howard, doing business as Marshall Howard Insurance, has over 25 years experience in retirement, financial, and estate planning for both private and federal sector families. As a veteran, spouse, and son of federal employees and annuitants, he understands the benefit programs available to them, including deferred compensation, Medicare, and Social Security, as well as health, life, disability, and long term care insurance. As a service disabled veteran, he has personal experience with the Veterans’ Administration health and disability programs. Mr. Howard is a graduate of Stanford University, served in the US Marine Corps in Vietnam, and has achieved recognition in the insurance industry. He is a specialist in estate planning and has particular expertise in the use of insurance and annuities to assist his clients in reaching their goals. He is a licensed life and health agent and is an active participant in the HUD Reverse Mortgage Program for Senior Citizens. Marshall has achieved special recognition for client retention and expertise on matters of financial planning and estate planning.

JULIANNE HOWARD – SECRETARY & CFO
Julianne Howard has over 25 years experience in the federal sector as a civil servant and manager and understands, first-hand, the needs and concerns of the individuals who comprise the federal workforce and their families. For more than eight years, she has prepared and presented benefit and retirement program training to federal, corporate and non-profit audiences. Julianne has exceptional knowledge of the federal benefit programs and has been commended widely for her warm and engaging presentation style. Prior to joining MLH Training, Inc., she was founder and president of Julianne Howard Government Seminars, to which the US Navy and the US EPA awarded contracts and under which she holds GSA contract GS-02F-0197S (SCHEDULE 69).

Ms. Howard holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from George Washington University, where she was elected to Pi Alpha Alpha National Graduate Honor Society. She is a Certified Elder Planner, a licensed Life, Health and Long Term Care Insurance Agent in California, and is a Securities Registered Representative (Series 6 & 63). She is also a Registered Pharmacist with a degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. During the Vietnam era she served on active duty in the US Army and was a member of the US Army Reserves.

BRIAN S. MANDEL – ATTORNEY & INSTRUCTOR
Attorney Brian S. Mandel has specialized in Estate Planning and Asset Protection for over eight years and has personally drafted over 1,000 estate plans. He is a member of the State Bar of California, the Orange County Bar Association, and the Los Angeles Lawyer’s Club. He graduated from Western State University College of Law with a Juris Doctorate and also has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the State University of New York. He has passed the rigorous written examination administered by the State Board of Legal Specialization to be Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trusts, and Probate Law.

Brian has appeared on local radio as a guest speaker on advanced estate planning. He is a member of the Speakers Bureau for the Trusts & Estates section of the State Bar and has spoken to hundreds of clients at seminars throughout California. Brian also regularly lectures to paralegals, CPAs, and other financial-services professionals on various aspects of estate planning. Brian also serves on the Professional Advisory Committee to the Community Foundation of the Jewish Federation and has also been elected to the Board of Directors of Jewish Family Service of Orange County. Brian has a special interest in the needs of the Federal workforce, as one of his children is with the US Coast Guard.

JEFF LEIB – FINANCIAL PLANNER
Jeff founded ICON Insurance Services, Inc. in 1994 to provide insurance and financial services with integrity and quality customer care.

As a Chartered Life Underwriter, Certified Senior Advisor, Certified Estate Planner and Registered Financial Consultant, Jeff has developed a specialty in working with clients of all ages who want to put together an insurance and financial plan that will incorporate their needs for the present, while achieving their retirement goals and estate planning needs for the future. Jeff offers over 20 year of experience in the insurance and financial industry with advanced knowledge of insurance and financial plans including individual life, health, disability and long term care insurance, annuities, asset protection, wealth preservation, corporate insurance and employee benefits.  Jeff is a specialist in IRA accumulation and distribution strategies.

Jeff grew up in Southern California, attended UC Santa Barbara, and graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Finance.  He received his CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter) designation from The American College in 1990, and his CFP (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER) certificate in 2005.  He has developed and produced seminars for seniors and pre retirees throughout the Los Angeles area.

NICHOLAS CHINNICI – CONSULTANT
Medicare, Annuities & Long Term Care Insurance
Nicholas Chinnici is an acknowledged expert in the field of Medicare, annuities, and long-term care insurance and a consultant exclusive to MLH Training, Inc. He was one of the early leaders in family retirement planning and management. His deep concerns and sincere interest in helping families reach and maintain their retirement objectives have earned him the highest respect within in his community and nationally. Beginning as early as 1985, Mr. Chinnici served as a paid consultant to executives of top insurance companies and to insurance underwriters in designing, pricing, and marketing long term care insurance. For approximately 1-1/2 years, he traveled nationally for US Care, Inc., giving seminars to residents of assisted living facilities on the options available to them and their families.

Nicholas is a graduate of Loyola University, a Registered Health Underwriter, and a licensed Life, Health, and Long Term Care Insurance Agent in California, and holds a Series 6 Securities License. He served on active duty in the US Army.

LINDA BARNHURST, PSY.D. – CONSULTANT
Social And Psychological Preparation For Retirement
Linda F. Barnhurst, PsyD provides a psychological and sociological perspective on retirement. She personally has experienced major career and lifestyle changes at mid-life. She understands the status, psychological, social, and financial concerns that often accompany such changes. Her presentation and reference materials incorporate her own personal experience with her professional expertise as a licensed psychologist to make this information of significant benefit to the federal workforce making similar changes at mid-life.

Dr. Barnhurst is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been in private practice since 1990. She has taught, written, and presented psychological issues for the public in a number of areas. She received her PsyD from the Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University in 1992; her MA from Rosemead in 1987; and her BA from Connecticut College in 1963.

GIL ZEIMER – EDITOR
Gil serves as a consultant and editor. He is a versatile advertising editor and copywriter with 25 years of industry experience. As the Creative Director at Zeimer’s Advertising Shoppe, he creates Web sites, newsletters, ads, brochures, scripts, and direct response projects. He is also a travel writer and blogger as the lead writer/editor of Vagablond.com. He received his B.A. and M.A. from San Francisco State University.

ELLEN F. STRAUSS – FINANCIAL ADVISOR/INVESTMENT MANAGER AND INSTRUCTOR
Ms. Strauss has over 20 years of experience. She is currently a Financial Advisor to Charles Schwab, working closely with clients to achieve their financial objectives while addressing their personal financial risk tolerance. As desired by her clients, she works in conjunction with individual financial planners, as well, to accomplish the short-, mid- range and long-term financial goals established in their plans. Prior to Schwab, Ellen worked at RNC Genter Capital Management as Vice President, Private Client Division. There, she and her professional financial staff managed several billion dollars of assets.

Ellen has over three years expertise with the specialized needs of the federal employee and annuitant and their families. She began her financial services career in 1979 with Citibank NA in New York, specializing in private banking and investments. She has been associated with Citigroup NYC, Merrill Lynch, Israel Discount Bank, City National Bank as well as RNC Genter. Throughout the past 20 years, she has developed relationships in Mexico and Latin America.

Ms. Strauss earned a B.A. from Pitzer College and a M.Ed. from the University of Vermont. She is fluent in Spanish and is responsible for helping with global business development.