Dr. Daralee Barbera, EdD, CFP^®, CMFC^®, ChFC^®, CPBC^®, CLF^®, is program director for the Master of Science in Management-Leadership (MSM) program at The American College of Financial Services. She is passionate about the importance of financial planning, personal and business development, and the critical role of leadership. She is a certified business coach, international speaker, professor, author, and consultant. Dr. Barbera holds an EdD in Leadership and Organizational Change from The University of Southern California (USC), a BA in Mathematics (summa cum laude), and a MA in Secondary Education from California State University Long Beach (CSULB).

Previous to her role, Dr. Barbera was adjunct professor in the MSM and MSFP/MBA programs at The American College of Financial Services and California Lutheran University, respectively. She is a veteran of the financial services profession, retiring as Managing Principal after a 34 year career at Waddell and Reed. She was the Executive Vice President of GAMA International. She is President of Diversified Professional Coaching (DPC) LLC.

Dr. Barbera has co-authored two books: Women Matter – The Why and How of Gender Diversity in Financial Services and What You Can Do…When You Can’t – 21 Days to Personal Success. Her doctoral dissertation addressed Financial Literacy for Women and the Role of Financial Education.

As well as having served on The College’s Board of Trustees, she is Past President of the GAMA International Board of Directors, past “Woman of the Year” for WIFS (Women in Insurance and Financial Services), was named as one of the “20 Women in Insurance You Need to Know” in 2013 by Life Health Pro, is Chairman Emeritus of FPA Orange County, and serves as an advisor for The College's Granum Center for Financial Security. She belongs to FINSECA, NAIFA, FPA, and WIFS. She is on the Speaker Bureau for Life Happens, FINSECA, and DPC.