Veteran wealth advisor Kara S. Boccella has founded Serenus Wealth Advisors, a Santa Monica, California-based independent RIA whose team oversees $1.2 billion in client assets.
Boccella served as a Partner at Certuity since 2014 and has more than 15 years of experience serving high net worth clients. Devon M. Galindo is a Partner at the new firm. Galindo was Senior Director at Certuity since 2014, according to LinkedIn.
Serenus is focused on serving legal professionals, executives, entrepreneurs and high net worth investors, it said Tuesday.
Rebecca K. Tipp and Laura E. Lemoine have also joined Serenus as Directors.
The team has “decades of combined industry experience” and most recently worked together at Certuity’s Santa Monica office, Serenus said.
Lonny Elfenbein, an experienced supervisory and compliance professional, is also joining Serenus as Chief Compliance Officer.
“For over 30 years, it has been my privilege and honor to serve clients with a hyper focus on ensuring their financial peace of mind throughout their lifetimes,” Boccella said.

“This commitment to clients is the driving force behind launching Serenus Wealth Advisors, where our top priority is serving as their trusted partner, day in and day out,“ she explained. “They are the reason why I am dedicated to continuing this journey, now with a renewed focus and passion entirely centered on delivering their financial clarity and well-being for today and tomorrow.”
Explaining why the new firm selected the name Serenus Wealth Advisors, it noted that “reflects the firm’s commitment to providing clients with the calmness that results from financial confidence and peace of mind.”
Its logo, meanwhile, symbolizes water, which Serenus said is a “universal metaphor for tranquility and clarity.”
“Having worked alongside Kara for over 15 years, I deeply share her commitment to meeting every client’s needs through a personalized approach,” according to Galindo. “Our team’s history – having worked together now for more than a decade – and our client-focused dedication reflect our core values. As Serenus Wealth Advisors, we will uphold our tradition of providing personalized attention and expertise, with a focus on crafting tailored strategies that aim to address the diverse and intricate needs of each client.”
Jeff Berman, Contributing Editor & Reporter at Wealth Solutions Report, can be reached at jberman@wealthsolutionsreport.com.