Our Management Team

Alvin R. Barnett, Jr. is a Managing Partner with New York Life, bringing over a decade of leadership, business-building, and advisory experience to his role. A second-generation New York Life professional, Alvin was inspired by his father, who served as a New York Life agent in the Queens General Office for over 30 years and was a perennial Chairman’s Council agent. That legacy has shaped Alvin’s deep commitment to the mission of financial security and long-term client impact.

Since joining the firm in 2013, Alvin has consistently distinguished himself as a top performer and transformational leader, with a strong focus on performance, culture, and long-term development. He began his career as an agent, quickly earning recognition as a member of Executive Council in each of his first two years. His early success led to rapid advancement, including promotion to Partner in 2016, where he was named Rookie Partner of the Year, and subsequently New Partner of the Year in 2017. In 2018, he was promoted to Senior Partner, ranking among the top partners in the company.

In 2019, Alvin was selected to lead the Silicon Valley General Office as Managing Partner. Under his leadership, the office grew into one of the company’s top-performing organizations, achieving more than 20% growth in first-year commissions and earning multiple companywide honors for retention, investment performance, and management development. He has overseen the development of dozens of advisors and built a culture centered on accountability, collaboration, and excellence.

Alvin’s leadership philosophy is rooted in a simple principle: performance is paramount, leadership is the differentiator, and culture is the multiplier. He is deeply committed to developing future leaders, scaling high-performing teams, and helping clients achieve financial security and long-term wealth.

Prior to joining New York Life, Alvin was a practicing attorney specializing in estate planning and real estate. His legal background provides a strong foundation in asset protection, retirement planning, and creating strategies designed to preserve and transfer generational wealth.

Alvin is a proud alumnus of Boston College, where he earned his B.A., as well as his Juris Doctor and MBA. He currently serves as a Director on the Board of Regents at Boston College, continuing his commitment to leadership, service, and institutional impact.

A strong advocate for community engagement, Alvin has supported initiatives such as the American Cancer Society’s “Real Men Wear Pink” campaign and remains actively involved in leadership and governance efforts within his community.

Alvin resides in California with his wife, Serena, and their three children—Olivia (9), Christian (7), and Nicholas (2). In his new role leading the East Bay office, he is focused on accelerating growth, developing the next generation of leaders, and continuing to build a premier organization that delivers meaningful impact for clients and the community.

Awards & Recognition

• Recruiter of the Year Award (formerly the Val Ivanov Award) – Awarded to the number one Managing Partner firm-wide based on overall sales results, agent retention, and recruiting performance

• New Organization Retention Trophy

• Partner Roundtable – Three-time recipient

• Management Development Trophy

• Investment Trophy

• Partner of the Year

• Rookie Partner of the Year

Mila Comandante joined New York Life in 1986 after college moving to Washington D.C. Throughout the years with New York Life, she has worked at the Washington GO, Greater San Francisco GO, and Santa Clara GO and finally settling in the East Bay G.O. 

As the Onsite Service Leader, with strong commitment to operational excellence, Mila works closely with both the agency management team and EBGO’s valued agents to provide comprehensive support for streamlining business processes. Her primary focus is on driving productivity growth across the organization by identifying opportunities for improvement, implementing effective solutions, and fostering collaboration among team members.

Mila loves to travel and has visited several countries in Europe and Asia. Mila lives in Union City, CA with her husband Dom, who is a NYL agent. They are both very much involved in volunteer work serving their Parish Community.  She is a proud mother of two grown-up sons and a doting grandmother to four grandchildren.