John M. Parsons

John has been helping clients make smart financial and tax decisions for over 25 years. He finds the personal side of business very enjoyable, from discovering his clients’ needs and goals to helping them develop and implement comprehensive plans to achieve what matters most in their lives. John builds relationships on a foundation of mutual understanding and trust, since these are the cornerstones to effective financial planning. To best serve his clients, John has two complementary businesses: Parsons Financial Advisors, Inc., and, in partnership with Kevin Andersen, Parsons Andersen CPAs, LLP.  

John has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1985, and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ since 1992; he also holds a California real estate license and California insurance licenses for life, disability, and long-term care insurance.

Spending time with his family and staying active in the community are what drive John in his personal life. He is a member of the Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce, the Cabrillo Education Foundation Endowment Committee, the Half Moon Bay Yacht Club, and a long-time coach of youth and high school basketball. John is a life-long learner who avidly enjoys outdoor activities, nature, yoga, playing basketball, and traveling to Hawaii with his wife of nearly 30 years, Jacqueline.

Kevin enjoys providing personalized tax and accounting services to individuals and small businesses. He has worked with the firm in different capacities since high school, and full-time since 2004. A 1999 Accounting graduate of San Jose State University, Kevin worked for several Silicon Valley start-ups, where he gained experience in advanced accounting, including corporate acquisitions and stock options. Kevin became a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor in 2005, and a Certified Public Accountant in 2009. Kevin has recently become involved in financial planning for Parsons Financial Advisors, and is now pursuing a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ license.

In his spare time, Kevin enjoys writing, hiking, playing tennis and traveling the world with his wife, Jennifer.

John William Parsons, Financial Advisor / Registered Principal / CA Insurance License # 0F81488 / Notary Public

John William began working part-time at Parsons Accounting & Financial Advisors while in junior high school. He joined the firm full-time in 2006, and became a fully licensed Financial Advisor in 2007. John William is experienced in all aspects of the business, with his primary focus on Investment Management and Research & Development.  He is also a Notary Public and Registered Principal.

John William is a 2006 graduate of Claremont McKenna College, with a dual degree in Accounting and Psychology, along with a Leadership Sequence. In his free time, John William enjoys cooking, yoga, watching/coaching/playing basketball, and running on the beach with Muggsy, the office dog.

Cindy Chong, MBA / Enrolled Agent

Cindy joined Parsons as a Tax Accountant in 2008 and became licensed as an Enrolled Agent in 2009. She holds an MBA from the Ageno School of Business at Golden Gate University, and has ten years of experience in tax preparation and financial analysis. At Parsons Andersen, Cindy focuses on preparing tax returns, communicating with the IRS and FTB on behalf of clients, and assisting clients with tax matters pertaining to everything from domestic partnerships to non-profits.

In her spare time, Cindy loves cooking, home improvement projects, spending time with her husband and children (she has three young daughters to keep her busy!), engaging in community and school projects, and enjoying life on the coast.

Polina Pavlova, Financial Planning Process Coordinator / Insurance Case Specialist / CA Insurance License # 0H39200

Polina joined Parsons Financial Advisors in 2009. She works with all aspects of the business, serving as a liaison between John and his investment clients and helping to coordinate the financial planning process. Polina’s primary focus in the business is on protection planning, and she enjoys working with all aspects of life, disability, and long-term care insurance; she is also currently pursuing a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ license.

Born in Moscow and raised in New York City, Polina moved to Southern California to attend Claremont McKenna College. Upon graduating in 2007 with a degree in Psychology/Government/Leadership, she worked in the Entity Process and Corporate Compliance divisions of a boutique corporate law firm in Los Angeles, before moving to the Bay Area. In her free time, Polina enjoys reading, writing, exploring the Coastside with Muggsy, and visiting loved ones in New York and L.A.

Thuy Truong, Executive Assistant

Thuy Truong joined Parsons Financial Advisors in December 2011 as the Executive Assistant to John M. Parsons. Prior to PFA, Thuy was a General Manager for three successful restaurants in the Bay Area. Thuy has also worked as an Executive Assistant for a premier hedge fund firm in Menlo Park, CA.

Thuy holds a Bachelor’s degree San Jose State University in Business Administrative with a concentration in Management Information Systems. Thuy is actively involved in her community with charity events and volunteering to provide funding and support for underprivileged children.

Cristie Johnsen, Office Manager / Marketing Associate

Cristie joined our team in December of 2011. As the Office Manager, Cristie works to ensure all aspects of the office are running smoothly and that all office projects are completed timely and efficiently in order to maintain the harmonic balance of the office. Cristie is also our Marketing Associate, taking the lead on all marketing projects from designing our advertisements to developing and implementing our marketing plan. Additionally, Cristie handles internal accounting including both accounts payable and accounts receivable.

Cristie was born in San Francisco and has remained in the Bay Area her entire life. She received her Associate’s degree in Japanese from City College of San Francisco in 2008 and her Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2011. While in college, Cristie developed a love for traveling by studying abroad and visiting over eleven countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. During her free time, she enjoys sight-seeing, learning, singing, painting and spending time with her family, friends and two dogs.

Connie Lei, Staff Accountant

Connie joined the firm as a Staff Accountant in January 2012. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. She has worked in both private industry and public accounting firms performing work in bookkeeping, tax and audit. At Parsons Andersen CPAs, Connie performs a range of accounting and tax procedures in accordance with the size and complexity of engagement.

While Connie enjoys her work as an Accountant, she also enjoys outdoor activities such as swimming, hiking and tennis.

Jessica Abbott, Receptionist

Jessica joined our team as the receptionist in 2012. With seven years of administrative experience in Real Estate, Jessica brings both professionalism and knowledge to her position. Jessica utilizes her professional and interpersonal skills in being the first point of contact for our clients both when they call us on the phone and when they visit our office. Whether you’re a long time client or just beginning your relationship with our firm, Jessica’s goal is to make you feel welcome and at home throughout your experience with Parsons Andersen CPAs and Parsons Financial Advisors.

As a lifetime Coastside resident, Jessica enjoys shopping at the local farmers market, collecting vintage Fiestaware, and taking long walks on the beach with her husband Ted and their two dogs Cole and Moose.

Muggsy H. Smalls, Director of First Impressions

Muggsy joined the Parsons staff in 2010 as the Official Greeter/Head of Security; she also currently serves as the sole member of the Welcome Committee. Muggsy spends her time at the office enthusiastically greeting clients, napping through staff meetings, and “high-fiving” for treats.

Born in 2009 of French Bulldog and Pug descent, Muggsy spent the first months of her life frolicking on a Nampa, Idaho farm with her brothers; she relocated to the Bay Area later that year and never looked back. Outside of work, Muggsy enjoys long walks on the beach, performing tricks for anyone who’ll pay attention, making friends at the dog park, and above all else, eating.