OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM
Lucas J. Quaccia, CLU®, ChFC®, CLF®, RICP®
Managing Partner
A native of Oakdale in California’s Central Valley, Luke graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Economics. Following that, he played baseball in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system for three years. He joined New York Life in 2000 as an agent in the Stockton GO in California. After qualifying for Executive Council* three times, Luke transitioned into his role as Partner in 2003, earned Senior Partner in September 2008, and was promoted to Managing Partner of the Chicago North Shore General Office in February 2009. In May of 2015, he was able to return home to lead the Central California General Office in their next chapter of growth.
Luke loved the autonomy the career of the agent provided him and the impact that he could have on the families he served. As the Managing Partner, he has the same kind of impact on the agents he hires and develops as well as the Partners whose management careers he helps to launch. In addition to a desire to help people, Luke believes that keys to success at the New York Life are a passion for winning, being coachable, and the ability to adapt rapidly.
Luke resides in Fresno and has been married to his wife Michelle for 23 years after meeting her in Peoria, IL. They have four children Grace, Jack, Joseph, and Brianna. In addition to being actively involved in his church and coaching his kids, he enjoys time with his family, traveling, and mentoring.
“You must have a passion to continually get better. A coach of mine at Stanford used to say that a player was either getting better or getting worse, but no one ever stays the same. This career as well as life is a direct reflection of that.”
*Awarded by New York Life Insurance Company for outstanding sales achievements.
Sean Allen
Partner
Sean grew up in Fresno CA and attended Clovis West High School, Fresno City College and earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University of Fresno in Business Management and Organizational Leadership, as well as earning a certificate in Entrepreneurship. After college, Sean became a professional baseball umpire. He worked 11 years in the MILB, competing in the following leagues: Arizona League, Pioneer League, Midwest League, California League, Colombian Winter League, Texas League and finished in AAA with the Pacific Coast League.
Sean triggered his career with New York Life in June of 2022 as an agent after finishing his D-1 college baseball season. He made Executive council in his first year and earned the Class Leader award. Sean continued as an agent in the fast-track program and earned New Associate of the year in 2023 and has now made the switch to Partner. Sean enjoys the process of selecting, hiring, training and developing agents and managing a team.
Sean is married to Kristin whom he’s known for 25 years. They have a daughter Rylee and a son Jack. They live in the Riverstone Community in Madera and continue to call the Central Valley home. The whole family enjoys professional sports and the outdoors.
Ramz Uppal
Associate Partner
Ramz Uppal comes from a proud multi-generational farming background. He attended convent schools throughout his childhood and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Information Technology. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, Ramz successfully owned and operated businesses in the Visalia and Fresno area for more than 13 years. While his ventures were thriving, he sought a career path that offered greater flexibility and independence, in alignment with his strong family-oriented values.
Ramz joined New York Life Central California Office in 2024 as Financial Professional and achieved Registered Representative position within a short period of 3 months. Following that, Ramz had a terrific first year, made Executive Council status and received Paid Case Leader of the Year Award. He qualified for Fast Track Management Program and joined New York Life corporate leadership as Associate Partner in 2025. Ramz enjoys working with hard-working self-starters and talented entrepreneurship mindset individuals to add to his team, He's responsible for growth and development of the Central California office and he loves to help his team achieve their personal and professional goals.
Ramz is married to Jezlyne and has been together for over 15 years. They have 2 children together, Nevaeh and Zar. The Uppal family resides in the great farming community of Kingsburg. They enjoy traveling, hiking, horseback riding, and spending serene quality time together.
Michael Oliphant, CLU®, ChFC®, FSCP®, CLF®, LUTCF®
Director of Development
Michael Oliphant is the Director of Development for the Central California General Office of New York Life. Michael began his career in the insurance and financial services industry in 1991 with MetLife. In 1996, joined New York Life as an agent in the Visalia sales office qualifying for Council every year until 2001 when he joined the management team as the Sales Development Manager. In 2007, he took the opportunity to become a product consultant for the company and supported various product offerings and company initiatives.
In 2017, Michael rejoined the Central California General Office as the Director of Development. His main responsibilities are new agent training and support in the field by meeting with agents and their prospective clients.
Michael continues to be a student of the business and has earned his CLU®, ChFC®, FSCP®, CLF® and LUTCF® designations as well having his Series 6, 63, 7 and 22 securities licenses. Michael resides in Visalia, Ca with his three children, Jared, Riley, Kyle and his Boston Terrier, Daisy.
Kylie Watson
Service Leader
A native of Fresno, California, Kylie Watson has called the Central Valley home for most of her life, with the exception of four years spent in Nashville. She attended the Craig School of Business at Fresno State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Business with an emphasis in Finance. During her time at Fresno State, Kylie was actively involved in the Investment Club and the Debate Club, experiences that sharpened her analytical skills and passion for leadership.
Kylie joins New York Life as a Service Leader in 2025, bringing with her over eight years of experience in Finance and Operations. She holds her Series 99 Operations license and is deeply committed to continuous growth and professional development. Motivated by a passion for service, Kylie thrives on creating strong operational systems, supporting her colleagues, and helping businesses grow. She believes that excellent service is not just about meeting expectations but exceeding them with integrity, adaptability, and dedication.
Outside of work, Kylie enjoys reading, traveling, and exploring new restaurants with her partner, Lucky. She also loves spending time with her dog, Gus, taking him on new adventures and enjoying the outdoors.
Ron Mack
Director of Agency Standards
Ron Mack entered the financial services industry in 1988, beginning a career that has included investment and pension consulting, investment advisory services, and branch office management. Ron joined New York Life in 2009 as an Agency Standards Consultant in the Stockton, California General Office, focusing on the regulatory supervision of over 90 agents. In 2015, Ron transferred to the East Bay General Office and was the promoted to Director of Agency Standards in 2016 and has since assumed the role of Director of Agency standards. In 2025, he expanded his role to include the Central California, East Bay, and Silicon Valley General Offices. He looks forward to helping the growth and success of the Central California General Office.