Ariana Alisjahbana (“Alicia-bana”) is a Lead Advisor with North Berkeley Wealth. She provides clients with comprehensive financial planning and investment management. Ariana has experienced firsthand how thoughtful and intentional financial planning helped her live her best life. She is drawn to help others do the same.
Before joining North Berkeley, Ariana spent six years in the technology industry as a marketer and strategist, focusing on bringing different industries into the digital age. She worked for large companies such as Alibaba and Google, as well as startups BrightPlan and Rocket Lawyer. She also spent three years working on climate change and environmental policy. These experiences left her craving a career with rich human connections and a tangible impact on individuals and families.
A first-generation American, Ariana was born in Seattle and grew up in Indonesia. Outside of work, she enjoys Balinese dancing and regularly performs with Berkeley-based Gamelan Sekar Jaya. She lives in Albany, California, with her husband, daughter, and cat.
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Education, Certifications, & Affiliations
- CFP® (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™) certification
- B.A. in Economics, Environmental Policy, Boston University
- M.B.A., University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business
- Member, Financial Planning Association (FPA)
The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards owns the certification marks CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
More About Ariana
I became an advisor to help people live their best lives. I came to the United States for college when I was 17. I had to quickly learn how things worked and create a safety net for myself. The more I learned about and applied financial planning principles, the freer I was to do the things I wanted. From having my first emergency fund, paying off my student loans, traveling the world, to having a healthy nest egg—I wanted to help others feel a sense of relief coming from knowing that they’re going to be ok.
I serve our local community by being a tax preparer in the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Many safety net programs are delivered through the tax code. Unfortunately, filing taxes is often complicated and intimidating for most people, especially lower-income Americans who need it the most. I’ve always been fascinated by the tax code, so I like to help others make their lives a little easier by getting them their benefits.
The best advice I ever received was from a mentor who said to me early in my career, “People don’t make decisions based on numbers and data, they make decisions based on emotions like fear, hope, regret, aversion, and pride.” I learned that communicating effectively requires learning soft skills, such as truly listening, being empathetic, asking open-ended questions, and telling stories – all things I’m still working on.
