Northwestern Mutual
Irvine
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Leadership
Putting people first.
All of our leadership are dedicated to doing good for our clients, employees, and community.
Get to know our leadership team
Leadership at the Irvine office is dedicated to doing good for our clients, employees and community.
Shawn Mackey
CLU®, ChFC®
Managing Director
Shawn C. Mackey, CLU, ChFC is a visionary leader who empowers others to become their best. In his 30 plus year Northwestern Mutual career, he has played an integral role in developing some of the most successful financial advisors and leaders. He has built and transformed teams which are motivated, effective, and focused on results. He is passionate about helping other leaders create an inspiring vision and build a bullet-proof strategy to achieve their goals. Shawn graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and later continued his education to earn his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) professional designations. He is a member of both Finseca and NAIFA. Shawn currently resides in Newport Beach. He is an avid tennis player, traveler, and Pilates enthusiast. Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Ann and his four children: Nicholas, Chloe, Madeleine, and Aidan.
Phoebe Hertz
Growth and Development Director
Phoebe serves as the Development Officer in the Irvine Northwestern Mutual office. She plays an important role within the organization which includes attracting, launching, and evolving the top leaders & advisors of tomorrow. Her day to day is driven by strategizing and providing ongoing developmental performance coaching to Advisors, Wealth Managers, and Staff Members to impact individual and collective success across the firm. Before joining Northwestern Mutual, Phoebe began her career in Sales Psychology with Subzero/Wolf at the corporate headquarters in Madison, WI. Prior to this, she had spent time working in a high-profile Forensic Psychiatric Institute after graduating with a BA in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin. Phoebe currently resides in Laguna Niguel with her two rescue terriers. Of all the places she has traveled, Phoebe has developed a love and appreciation for Orange County and the beauty and sunshine of Southern California
Ryan Seibel
Growth and Development Director
Ryan Seibel is born and raised in Lodi, CA, and is the youngest of three boys. He went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies. He moved to Los Angeles and sold residential solar with Sunrun for four years. After leaving solar, Ryan wanted to focus on a greater impact and building strong relationships in business. He found his calling as a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual and now runs his practice from the Irvine, CA office. Ryan is also a Growth Development Director and helps in the identify, training and development of new advisors in the Irvine office, power with his seven years of experience. Ryan is married to his best friend, Amanda Seibel, and they have three energetic boys, ages 1, 3, and 5 years old.
Matthew Greiner
CFP®
Growth and Development Director
As a Financial Advisor and Growth & Development Director for Northwestern Mutual, Matthew’s mission is to develop enduring relationships with clients by providing expert guidance for a lifetime of financial security. Matt works with clients to identify their most important financial goals and then focuses on personalized solutions that can help make those financial goals a reality.
Sergio Gonzalez
CFP®
Growth and Development Director
Sergio Gonzalez was raised near Nashville, TN until his family re-located to Orange County in 2007. He attended Cal State Fullerton and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Personal Financial Planning. Sergio later continued his education to earn his CFP® designation in 2022. He started his career with Northwestern Mutual in 2017 as a college intern and transitioned to a full-time financial advisor with the organization in 2020. Nearly with a decade of experience, Sergio leads a fast-growing financial planning practice while serving as a Growth and Development Director with Northwestern Mutual. In his leadership role, Sergio is responsible for the development and long-term success of new financial advisors in the Irvine office. Sergio currently resides in Irvine, CA. He is passionate about sports, music, and enjoying the outdoors. Outside of work, Sergio spends most of his time with his girlfriend, Monica and his Bernedoodle, Joey.
Kristin Rowlands
Director of Operations
Kristin serves as the Director of Business Operations in the Northwestern Mutual Irvine Office. She plays an integral role within the organization which includes working directly with advisors and clients, directing the contracting & licensing process, directing office operations, and supporting the Managing Director. She is passionate about helping others and excels in creating efficient workplace strategies. Kristin joined our team as a college intern as a Talent Acquisition Specialist. She graduated from CalState Fullerton earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business with a special concentration in Finance and Risk Management. Kristin has a passion for Philanthropy and supports various local organizations, including Olive Crest, Laura’s House, and JDRF. She has expanded her support with the creation of the NM Orange County Philanthropy Caucus – bringing more resources and support to the community. In her free time Kristin loves to read, do yoga, and spend time at the beach.
Renee Desimpel
Director of Career Development
Renee serves as the Director of Career Development in the Irvine Northwestern Mutual office. Renee plays an integral role in the growth of the firm and has a passion for building relationships and developing others to succeed . She and her team work diligently alongside our top financial advisors to attract and develop top performers from a variety of industries on opportunities within the firm, specifically financial advising. Renee began her career in technical recruiting at Amazon and Meta in their Los Angeles offices. Prior to recruiting, Renee spent time working in a research lab at UCLA, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Renee currently resides in Costa Mesa with her boyfriend and their Australian Shepard, Penny. Outside of work, Renee enjoys trying new workout classes, cooking, and traveling to different parts of the world.
Kendra Burke
Talent Acquisition Specialist
As a Talent Acquisition Specialist for the Irvine District Office, Kendra identifies and educates strong sales and business development professionals from a variety of different industries on how a career as a Northwestern Mutual advisor can provide the rewards and opportunities of self-employment -- flexibility, having a positive impact on people's lives, and unlimited earning potential. Kendra started at Northwestern Mutual in September 2023 and is excited to be an integral member of the Mackey District Team. Prior to Northwestern Mutual, Kendra earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and public relations from California State University Long Beach while being a captain of the university’s dance team. In her free time, Kendra enjoys spending time in Laguna Beach with her cavapoo and attending group fitness classes.
Sheila Hendizadeh
Talent Acquisition Specialist
As a Talent Acquisition Specialist for the Irvine District office, Sheila identifies, attracts, and engages with top talent that drives business success. She specializes in crafting strategic hiring processes, parting closely leaders, and leveraging data driven sourcing techniques to identify the right candidates. Beyond recruitment, she focus’s on building a strong employer brand fostering positive candidate experiences and ensuring talent pipelines are dynamic and aligned with the company’s culture and long term goals.
Alexandra Chavdarov
Operations Manager
Ali has recently moved into our newly created Operations Manager role. In her role, Ali will lead contracting and licensing and be key in helping onboard new Advisors and Associates. She will also support Kristin Rowlands and Shawn Mackey. Ali joined our firm in 2022 as the Client Experience Coordinator. Within her first 7 months she was recognized by the office for her outstanding performance as a team member. In January of 2024, Ali was promoted to Client Experience Manager, overseeing operations and the client experience for both the Mackey District and the Network Office. She continued to grow her capacity by owning higher level operations. Ali has proven to be a great relationship builder. She is grateful to serve as a resource for each member of our firm and will continue to do so with respect and dedication.
Chelsea McLane
Director of Marketing
Chelsea provides support with several marketing initiatives, including event planning and logistics, flyers, target market sponsorships, advertising, marketing collateral and decks, vendor research, media relations, and marketing training. Chelsea brings to the table her interpersonal and communication skills, along with her passion for people. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where she earned her B.A. in Fashion Merchandising.