Pamela Chen
CPA, CFA®
Refresh Investments LLC
Chief Investment Officer, Managing Partner
Pamela Chen
CPA, CFA®
Refresh Investments LLC
Chief Investment Officer, Managing Partner
As a fee-only financial planner and investment advisor, my focus is to offer unbiased financial advice and smart investment strategies to help you achieve your life goals. - Pamela Chen, CPA, CFA®
Fee-Only investment management firm located in Los Angeles, CA, serving clients throughout the Los Angeles area and across the country

Pamela Chen is a Los Angeles, CA fee-only financial advisor specializing in investment strategies and managing assets for clients with portfolios over $750,000. She is the founder of Refresh Investments LLC, which provides comprehensive wealth planning, investment strategies and management, and financial consulting to help women and families organize, grow and protect their assets through life’s transitions. As a fee-only, fiduciary, and independent financial advisor, Pamela Chen is never paid a commission of any kind, and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.
From Pamela Chen
My career in personal finance began with watching my mother balance the family budget and make decisions about where to spend and where to cut back. She taught me the value of hard work and dedication and instilled in me the ambition to do better - to have enough money to plan for the future. My mother emphasized the importance of financial independence, particularly for a woman. Because of her influence and guidance, I understand how money provides choices and options.
These lessons stayed with me as I strived to build my own savings and achieve fiscal independence.
It wasn’t until I redirected my career into money management, that I realized how quickly assets can grow with smart investing. Not many professions demand a deep understanding of economic and corporate events and their effects on security prices and valuation. The intellectual stimulation was, and continues to be, captivating and invigorating. I realized I love the challenges and rewards of investing, and above all, I feel a great sense of satisfaction watching portfolio values grow with professional asset management.
I started Refresh Investments to help individuals and non-profits improve their financial picture by building the ‘right’ portfolios for them. Balancing asset risks and returns is both an art and a science, and I love doing it. My goal is to build wealth for my clients by implementing smart and sound investment strategies and prudent portfolio management. They invest with me, and I invest in each of them and their unique ambitions.
Education
- Master of Business Administration, Cornell University
- Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, UCLA
- Chartered Financial Analyst
- Certified Public Accountant
Pamela Chen is a Member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors - highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
NAPFA members live by three important values:
- To be the beacon for independent, objective financial advice for individuals and families.
- To be the champion of financial services delivered in the public interest.
- To be the standard bearer for the emerging profession of financial planning.
We offer financial advice for women and families who are seeking a different experience. As fiduciary advisors, we are committed to creating an environment where you become more connected and in control of your financial life. Our mission is to get you organized and align your money with your priorities and goals so that you have the liberty to focus on the true passions in your life.
Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.
Specialties
- Retirement Income Planning
- Investment Strategy & Management
- Legacy Planning
- Tax Planning
- Equity Compensation
- Estate & Generational Planning Issues
Ideal Clients
- Retirees and Near Retirees
- Business Owners and Executives
- Sudden Money Situations
- Women in Transition
- Divorcee & Widows
- High Net Worth Clients
Working Together
- In-Office Meetings
- Virtual Meetings
- Clearly Defined Fees
- No Product Sales
- Complimentary Initial Consultation
- Collaborative & Values Based
Professional Designations & Affiliations
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Pamela Chen is a NAPFA Associate
The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.
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Pamela Chen is a Member of the XY Planning Network
The XY Planning Network is the leading organization of fee-only financial advisors who are focused on working with Generation X and Generation Y clients. Our mission is to connect consumers with best-in-class financial advisors who specialize in working with clients just like you.
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Pamela Chen is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a professional accountant who has met the education and experience requirements set by their state's Board of Accountancy and has passed the Uniform CPA Exam. CPAs are licensed to provide a wide range of accounting services, including financial statement preparation, tax planning and preparation, auditing, consulting, and other financial advisory services.
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Pamela Chen is a CFA® charterholder
The CFA Program is the most respected and recognized investment management designation in the world with less than 200,000 charterholders globally.
This advisor has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation (CFA® charter) by passing all three of the CFA exams and gaining relevant industry experience, demonstrating their mastery of the investment analysis and decision-making skills most needed in the global investment management profession.
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Pamela Chen is a Member of the CFA Institute
The CFA Institute is a global, not-for-profit organization comprising the world’s largest association of investment professionals. With more than 170,000 members and 150 regional societies around the world, the organization is dedicated to developing and promoting the highest educational, ethical, and professional standards in the investment industry.
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Pamela Chen is Quoted in MarketWatch: "Inflation has hit a nearly 40-year high. 7 financial experts tell us the stocks and other investments they favor during periods of high inflation"
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Pamela Chen is Featured on SCORE's Website: "Meet Pamela Chen, SCORE Los Angeles Success Honoree"
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Pamela Chen is Quoted on BankRate.com: "What is a high-net-worth individual (HNWI)?"
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Pamela Chen is Quoted in MarketWatch: "Inflation has hit a nearly 40-year high. 7 financial experts tell us the stocks and other investments they favor during periods of high inflation"
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Pamela Chen is Quoted in Financial Planning: "Do investors really factor ESG into decisions? Robinhood study says no"
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Pamela Chen Presented "Get Smart About Investing" on Behalf of the Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance
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Pamela Chen is a Course Instructor for the USC/CFALA CFA® Level I Review Program
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Pamela Chen is a Member of the CFA® Society of Los Angeles
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Pamela Chen is a Member of the California Society of CPAs
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Pamela Chen Serves as the Secretary of the Board for the Asian Business League of Southern California
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Pamela Chen Serves on the Board of Directors for The Cornell Club of Los Angeles
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Pamela Chen Serves as Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the UCLA Prytanean Alumane Association
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Pamela Chen was a Panelist for the CFA® Review Program
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Pamela Chen is Quoted on BankRate.com: "What is a high-net-worth individual?"
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Refresh Investments is One of Five Firms to be Recognized at the 2020 Success Honorary Event by SCORE
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Pamela Chen is Featured in The Santa Monica Spotlight: "Entrepreneurs and Newlyweds: Pamela Chen and Troy Haines Start Things "
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Pamela Chen and Refresh Investments In the News
Contact Pamela Chen
Office Locations:
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401 Wilshire Blvd.
12th Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90401