By Jerome Cleary
Local Russian West Hollywood resident and activist, Maria Shtabskaya will receive the Women In Leadership Award on March 22 at the 22nd Annual Women in Leadership Awards ceremony. The selection committee included members of the Women’s Advisory Board, the WeHo Chamber of Commerce and West Hollywood city staff. Candidates are required to work for or with an organization in West Hollywood whose efforts greatly affect the community, demonstrating a record of substantial achievement and civic involvement in the city. Proceeds raised from this year’s Women in Leadership Awards event will benefit the National Council of Jewish Women.
Shtabskaya makes a lasting impression on everyone she meets with her lightheartedness, insight, guidance and hard work. She is a West Hollywood resident who has established herself as a valuable financial advisor at Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management branch in Beverly Hills for the past eleven years. Maria is a sought after featured guest speaker working to educate and motivate the members of many organizations she serves. She continues to give back to her community and has been recognized by KidSave, Cops For Causes and the City of West Hollywood.
Many clients seek her counsel with their investments through funds gained by inheritance, divorce settlement or personal injury settlement, along with retirees, people close to retiring and anyone who has a 401(k), real estate financing or cash management questions that need her support and guidance.
Maria found her niche in the Russian and LGBT communities, serving both communities with her professional expertise and through community service and philanthropic efforts. Shtabskaya was the Vice President of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce from 2012 until 2014 and simultaneously served as the Vice Chair of the Russian Advisory Board for the City of West Hollywood for the same term. She is currently an Executive Committee Member of the Eastern European Bar Association. Maria is also a member and supporter of 360Karma.com., an organization empowering women founded by Catherine Grey and Executive Committee member and supporter of the Evening With Women event presented by Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center to benefit woman and LGBT Youth for the last three years.
Born in Russia, Maria became an entrepreneur at the age of 21 operating her own successful travel agency before immigrating to the United States in 2004. Within her first two years here, Maria’s financial savvy led to her breaking records in the world of fashion retail, where she was quickly recruited to join Morgan Stanley Beverly Hills for an entry-level position. Within just a few months, Maria was promoted three times and spent several years working with a top-producing financial advising team servicing exclusive and sophisticated clients and subsequently becoming a financial adviser who now holds licenses in General Securities (Series 7), Investment Advisor (Series 66) and Uniform Securities Agent (Series 63).
Asked why she does the work she does, Maria says: “My goal is to help you to become a better investor by paying attention to your life and listening to your specific needs. When you work with me at Morgan Stanley, I utilize some of the smartest minds on Wall Street to help provide you with a proper investment strategy based on suitability.” This commitment to her client’s success recently earned Maria the “2015, 2016 and 2017 Five Star Wealth Advisor” recognition by Los Angeles Magazine, the definitive resource for the people and culture that define Los Angeles.
Maria is fluent in Russian and English and has a Master’s Degree in Arts of Education/Linguistics/Foreign Language from State University in Russia.
West Hollywood Women in Leadership Awards Ceremony: Wed, March 22, 2017, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
at Woven -8674 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-west-hollywood-women-in-leadership-awards-tickets-31974949936
