Who We Are

With 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, I am founder and President of Horizon Advisors, a multi-family office established in 2011. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, I hold myself accountable to a heightened fiduciary standard.

I assemble and orchestrate a team of experts in all the key financial disciplines, integrating innovative financial strategies with personal leadership design principles. The purpose of my work is to guide my families to live lives that are rich with meaning and fulfillment.

Having worked in the past for big-name banks such as Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch, I have helped my clients to be successful, using strategies from a variety of financial disciplines. Over time, I had observed how families were consistently being underserved by the big corporations on Wall St. As a result, I responded to a new calling to help people who, despite their hard work, were not getting the fulfillment and satisfaction they deserved. I have been inspired to help people see what outcomes are possible when they are guided by their true purposes.

I live in Westlake Village with Susan, my wife of 29 years, a Human Resources administrator and a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Although Susan and I love to take trips to Hawaii (Maui & Kauai) and Mexico (Cancun & Cabo San Lucas), COVID has taught us to appreciate more than ever local getaways in Santa Barbara and Ventura. On weekday evenings you'll find us watching our favorite crime dramas on TV.

Our son, Kyle, is a rock musician who delights in sharing his band's innovative sound. I'm glad his tastes are eclectic - we have great conversations about 80s alternative rock and 70s R&B.

In my free time, I enjoy reading books on business and peak performance. I have found that running and meditation are great at renewing my energy. I believe that the spoken word is a wonderful creative art and I hone my skills weekly with the Daybreakers of Westlake Toastmasters club.

Because contribution is an important value of mine, I like to volunteer in the community. I have served as President for Rotary Club of Westlake Village Sunrise and as Assistant District Governor for the five Rotary Clubs in the Conejo Valley. I currently serve on the Board of Directors for the Yarrow Family YMCA in Westlake Village. The YMCA stands out as a center for the community in promoting health & wellness, education for the under-privileged, and lasting relationships within and between generations.

Attorney at Law James D. Stephens is designated by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. He is a member of the Trusts & Estates section of the California State Bar (1998-2018), a founding member and past President of the Conejo Valley Estate Planning Council, and a founding member of the Pepperdine Network of Estate Planning Professionals. He received a B.A. in History from Pepperdine University in 1994, and his Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine School of Law in 1997.

Mr. Stephens began his estate planning career in law school, where he worked as a Law Clerk for the Vice Chancellor in charge of all planned giving for the University’s donors. A veteran of one of Southern California’s most prestigious celebrity estate planning law firms, Mr. Stephens launched his own practice in Westlake Village in 2002.

His law practice focuses on estate planning (Will and Trust drafting), probate and trust administration (including court appearances and tax compliance), and contested estate matters (litigation). He offers estate planning and wealth transfer strategies (e.g., ILITs, Grantor Retained Trusts, Charitable Trusts, to name a few) to high net worth individuals, families, and business owners, with a special emphasis in estate planning for retirement benefits, life insurance, vacation homes, employee benefits, privately owned companies, and family foundations.

As a father of four, he has a special interest in helping parents make the best choices for their children, including guardianship, spendthrift Trusts, and planning for the Special Needs child. Mostly, he enjoys taking really complex legal terms, and discussing them in plain English with clients.

Mr. Stephens spends most of his free time coaching youth sports, or training for the next marathon or triathlon.

Lindsay Leimbach has more than 27 years of teaching and speaking experience.  Formerly, Lindsay was the Head Director of a special education school working with severely emotionally challenged individuals and their families. She has taught classes and seminars for schools, groups, businesses, and parents on mindful living, mindful parenting, active awareness, and becoming your personal best.  She is a Mindful Living Coach working with adults, teens, and children, as well. Lindsay is currently on the Executive Board for the Southeast Ventura County YMCA.

John has more than 30 years of industry experience and earned the Chartered Financial Consultant designation specializing in insurance and risk management.  He identifies key areas of risk that could disrupt a family’s financial life and put them at risk.

Financial risk from the premature death of a primary wage earner, loss of earning power due to disability or illness and loss of assets due to litigation are areas of concern.  John also evaluates needs for estate preservation, liquidity and equalization.  This can be a major concern when the family’s primary asset is a privately owned business

John reviews every type of insurance that the family owns including property and casualty, liability, disability, life, business liability, estate preservation and transfer, long term care and health.  He then answers three questions. 

1. Is this insurance that you actually need at this stage of your life;
2. If so, is this the right type of insurance for you; and
3. Is this the right amount of protection for you?

Once it is determined there is a gap in coverage, John works with professionals that specialize in that specific area of insurance to develop the best solution.  John finds that helping families manage risk so that they have the highest probability of achieving their goals is deeply satisfying.

On a personal note, John and his wife Vicki recently celebrated their 36^th wedding anniversary.  They live in Monroe, LA with their pets (two French Bulldogs and two cats).  They enjoy traveling to the Pacific NW, the outdoors and reading.  They recently formed the Northeast Louisiana Chapter of ISF (NELA), a 501c 3 that provides scholarships, mentoring and leadership training for students aging out of Foster Care who wish to go to College.  See ISFsite.org for more information.   

John Kelly is not affiliated with or employed by Horizon Advisors.