2013 Annual Conference on Financial Education
Speaker Biographies
General Session
Financial Literacy in Action: Making a Difference
Christopher Caltabiano, Council for Economic Education
Mr. Caltabiano oversees the implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of all domestic programs, and ensures that all program deliverables are met. He is responsible for a portfolio of programs that include the creation and revision of publications; teacher workshops; online training; research and assessment; and other activities. Prior to working with the CEE, Mr. Caltabiano was National Resettlement Director for the International Rescue Committee, where he was responsible for refugee resettlement activities in four U.S. cities, as well as strategic planning and administration of a $45 million annual operating budget.
Theodore R. Daniels, Society for Financial Education & Professional Development
Mr. Daniels is founder and president of the Society for Financial Education and Professional Development, Inc. (SFEPD). In 2008, Mr. Daniels was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy. He continued to serve in this role under President Barack Obama through January 2010. Mr. Daniels has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Certified Financial Planners Board of Standards and he is the current Treasurer of the Alliance for Investor Education.
Johnny DiBartolo, Boys and Girls Clubs of America
Mr. DiBartolo is Director of Program, Training and Youth Development Services for Boy & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). He designed and now directs Money Matters: Make It CountSM, sponsored by the Charles Schwab Foundation. He also worked at BGCA from 2001-2007 as Director, Teen Services prior to leading Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana as Chief Professional Officer. Mr. DiBartolo brings over fifteen years of nonprofit leadership, along with several years in the practice of law.
Geraldine M. Walsh, FINRA Investor Education Foundation
Ms. Walsh is Vice President of Investor Education at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). In this capacity, she is responsible for the development and operations of FINRA’s investor education program. She is also President of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, where she manages the Foundation’s grant making and programmatic efforts to educate and protect investors. Ms. Walsh’s work focuses especially on traditionally underinvested groups of Americans, including young adults, women, Native Americans and members of the U.S. military.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Working for You
Cassandra McConnell, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Ms. McConnell joined the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) as the Deputy Assistant Director in the Office of Financial Education in August 2011. Ms. McConnell is responsible for providing leadership and direction for the development, implementation and assessment of the CFPB’s financial education programs, policies and systems. Prior to joining the CFPB, Ms. McConnell served as the Associate Director of the Community Affairs Office at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
Municipal Leadership in Financial Education
Marco Chavarín, San Francisco Office of the Treasurer
Mr. Chavarín has worked for the Honorable Treasurer José Cisneros providing access to San Francisco residents to the financial mainstream since November 2008. Mr. Chavarín manages the Bank on San Francisco and Payday Plus SF program for the San Francisco Treasurer’s Office of Financial Empowerment. Mr. Chavarín also co-chairs San Francisco’s Smart Money Network with the Charles Schwab Foundation. For the past three years, Mr. Chavarín has also served on the Board of Directors of HomeownershipSF, helping diverse and underserved households buy and keep homes in San Francisco.
Concurrent Session: Investing in Our Future
(K-16)
Coins in the Classroom
Rod Gillis, American Numismatic Association
Mr. Gillis is the Numismatic Educator at the American Numismatic Association (ANA). He was a successful history teacher in public schools for 15 years. Mr. Gillis currently teaches a widely acclaimed professional development course for educators called Coins in the Classroom. He works to get youngsters involved in the hobby of coin collecting and teaches classes at ANA conventions on collecting fundamentals and coin grading.
Dollars and Sense: A Student Financial Literacy and
Loan Default Prevention Strategy
Brenda Williams, North Carolina Department of State Treasurer
Ms. Williams serves as the Director of Financial Literacy for the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer. She oversees the Department’s partnerships with state and local government, private industry and the nonprofit sector to provide financial literacy to citizens of all ages. Prior to joining the Department of State Treasurer, Ms. Williams led the Family Financial Literacy Coalition, a program of Community Link, in Charlotte, NC. Under her leadership, the Coalition provided free tax preparation and financial education to more than 17,000 low-to-moderate income households.
Steven Brooks, State Education Assistance Authority
Mr. Brooks has been executive director of the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority since 1997. Previously, he worked over twenty years in student financial aid at Wake Forest University and Louisburg College. He holds the Bachelor of Arts with Highest Honors in History, Master of Arts and Doctor of Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A former Peace Corps volunteer, Mr. Brooks has served as Trustee of the College Board, Chair of the National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs and Chair of the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Assembly.
Kids Need More than Financial Literacy. They Need Life Literacy.
Alisa T. Weinstein, Earn My Keep
Ms. Weinstein is a financial and life literacy expert, commentator/blogger for Nightly Business Report’s Kids & Cash series, speaker, trainer, author of Earn It, Learn It: Teach Your Child the Value of Money, Work, and Time Well Spent and founder of Earn My Keep. She is also the co-founder of Financial & Life Literacy for Youth, which creates and disseminates innovative, sustainable programming, curricula and tools that help all youth kick-start and sustain a love for learning, contributing and being financially literate.
A Taxing Proposition: Running a High School Volunteer Tax Center
Michael Devault, Osborne High School
Mr. Devault is a business education teacher at R.L. Osborne High School in Marietta, GA. He has been in secondary education for 15 years, teaching a variety of courses including Finance, Entrepreneurship and Computer Education. In 2003, Mr. Devault began operating a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance center in the high school setting, using his students as the tax preparers. This annual service project has prepared nearly 2000 tax returns while providing the students with a real-life educational experience.
Community College Partnerships
Suzanne Matthews, Westchester Community College
Ms. Matthews is the Director of the Center for Financial and Economic Education at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, New York. The center provides a comprehensive platform for financial learning in Westchester, with programs targeted to the campus community and public at large. Prior to joining the college, Ms. Matthews was founder and principal of Finance in Focus, a consulting practice providing financial literacy training and education to businesses, nonprofit organizations and government entities.
Dr. Margaret Brooks, Bridgewater State University
Dr. Brooks is a Professor of Economics and the Founding Director of the Center for Economic Education at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. She has offered innovative economic education workshops and programs for New England teachers and students for over 20 years. She is the immediate past president of the Massachusetts Council on Economic Education, a registered non-profit organization for which she served as president from 2008-2011. Dr. Brooks organizes numerous New England programs and workshops such as Learning, Earning, and Investing, and BSU’s Financial Literacy and Giving program.
Dr. Shannon Donovan, Bridgewater State University
Dr. Donovan, DBA, MFS, is a Professor at Bridgewater State University’s College of Business. She teaches undergraduate and graduate finance, entrepreneurship and accounting courses, including personal finance. She has published in the Journal of Business and Information Technology and has presented papers at the International Conference on Finance, Annual Conference of Entrepreneurial Finance, Midwest Finance Association, Eastern Finance Association and America Risk and Insurance Association. She has co-taught in Bridgewater’s FLAG program since its inception.
Hands on Personal Finance: Interactive Tools for Teachers and Trainers
Lesley Mace, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta – Jacksonville
Ms. Mace is the Economic and Financial Education Specialist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta-Jacksonville Branch. Prior to coming to the Bank in 2010, she was an Instructor of Economics and Director of the Center for Economic Education at Auburn University Montgomery. Ms. Mace has taught Economics and Business classes at both Auburn University’s Montgomery and Auburn campuses, including Principles of Economics, Global Trade and Finance, Cornerstone of Business, and Women and the Economy.
Concurrent Session: Serving Those Who Serve
(Military/Public Servants)
Military Financial Literacy Education: The Australian Experience
Daniel Mendoza-Jones, Australian Defence Force
Mr. Mendoza-Jones is Manager Operations of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Financial Services Consumer Council. He is responsible for management of its staff and business relating to legal and financial services projects, ADF financial education and consumer protection programs. He has written numerous articles on financial services including Australia’s Company and Securities Law Journal. Mr. Mendoza-Jones is a regular speaker at ADF financial education seminars and conferences across Australia. In 2011, he received a Prince of Wales Award in recognition of excellent service as a member of the ADF reserve.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Know Your Options
Jan Smith, Office of Student Financial Assistance, FLDOE
Ms. Smith serves as Manager of Outreach Services for the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA), a division of Florida Department of Education. As an outreach team member, she promotes financial literacy and financial aid awareness to secondary and postsecondary institutions, parents, students and community based organizations in Florida. Through OSFA, she maintains web based financial literacy resources targeting young adults and teens in Florida. Her background includes a B.S. in Accounting and extensive experience in adult education as an instructor, trainer and program coordinator.
Financial Freedom for America’s Service Members
Blake Allison, Financial Education & Literacy Advisers (FELA)
Mr. Allison is CEO and President of Financial Education & Literacy Advisers (FELA), a Washington, D.C. based consumer education and financial wellness company. Mr. Allison currently serves on the Maryland State Department of Education Financial Literacy Education Advisory Council; he serves on the Partner Committee for the newly formed D.C. Financial Literacy Council; and is on the board of the Greater Washington Jump$tart Board of Directors. He also participated in the 2012 White House Summit on Financial Capability and Empowerment.
Advanced Communications Skills and Counseling
Staci Mintz, 1st Choice Counseling & Education
Ms. Mintz is President of 1st Choice Counseling and Education, a nonprofit charitable organization that provides counseling and education to underserved populations. She earned her B.S. Degree in business at University of Phoenix and a Masters Degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica. She is certified as an Accredited Financial Counselor, Certified Credit Report Reviewer and Domestic Violence Counselor. She is also a Personal Financial Counselor working with the military and is on Cal State University Northridge’s Consumer Resource Center advisory board.
Military Matters: Strategies for Effective Financial Education
U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Allen Usry (ret), Pioneer Services
Mr. Usry is the former Command Senior Enlisted Leader for NORAD and United States Northern Command. Serving as one of the top 15 Senior Enlisted Leaders within the Department of Defense (DoD), Mr. Usry advised the nation’s most senior military leaders. While assigned as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader at NORAD and Untied States Northern Command he played a critical role in negotiating comprehensive training plans between the U.S. and Mexican militaries, resulting in over 200 courses worth in excess of 4 million dollars.
Soldiers, Sailors and Taxes
Curtis L. Sheldon, C.L. Sheldon & Company
Mr. Sheldon is the President of C.L. Sheldon & Company, a fee-only financial planning firm that develops financial strategies for military professionals. He additionally holds an MBA in Financial Planning. Mr. Sheldon routinely provides financial education to transitioning military members and has been a guest speaker at USAF Bases throughout the United States. Prior to founding his company, Mr. Sheldon served as an Officer and Fighter Pilot in the USAF for 27 years including command of an overseas Fighter Squadron and combat operations during Operation Desert Storm.
Concurrent Session: Road to Financial Recovery
(Adults)
Financial Recovery Strategies for Tough Times
Dr. Barbara O’Neill, Rutgers University
Dr. O’Neill holds the rank of Professor II in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University and is Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Specialist in Financial Resource Management. Dr. O’Neill has written over 1,500 consumer newspaper articles and over 125 articles for academic journals, conference proceedings and other professional publications. Dr. O’Neill is the author of two trade books, Saving on a Shoestring and Investing on a Shoestring and co-author of Investing For Your Future, Money Talk: A Financial Guide for Women and Small Steps to Health and Wealth.
Using Money Stories to Change Behavior and Improve Financial Capability
Dr. Martie Gillen, University of Florida
Dr. Gillen is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Florida, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences. She earned her Doctorate in Family Studies from the University of Kentucky. Her work includes teaching, research and outreach. Dr. Gillen’s research interests include behavioral economics, older adults, Social Security, financial social work and innovative post-secondary education models. Dr. Gillen teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the areas of personal and family finance and research methods.
Women and Money: The New World Order
Diann Douglas, University of Florida
Ms. Douglas is an Extension Agent IV and County Director with University of Florida/IFAS Extension in Madison County, Florida. She holds a B.S. and M.S. from Florida State University and has worked in Extension for 29 years. In her local county, Ms. Douglas is responsible for the leadership in the total county Extension program which includes educational outreach in agriculture, family and consumer science and 4-H youth development. Her teaching assignment is Family and Consumer Science programs in family financial management and nutrition.
Lynda Spence, University of Florida
Ms. Spence is a Family and Consumer Sciences educator. She teaches Financial Management and Aging. She has been selected to present at conferences at district, state and national levels. Lynda is a member of National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and serves as Vice President for Public Affairs for Florida Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. She earned her master’s degree in Family, Youth and Consumer Sciences from the University of Florida.
Dr. Martie Gillen, University of Florida
Dr. Gillen is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Florida, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences. She earned her Doctorate in Family Studies from the University of Kentucky. Her work includes teaching, research and outreach. Dr. Gillen’s research interests include behavioral economics, older adults, Social Security, financial social work and innovative post-secondary education models. Dr. Gillen teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the areas of personal and family finance and research methods.
Gaming for Financial Literacy Success
Nick Maynard, D2D Fund
Mr. Maynard is the Director of Innovation for Doorways to Dreams Fund (D2D) where he leads the Financial Entertainment (FE) project and D2D’s “gamification” initiative. He is the Executive Producer of seven, award-winning financial literacy casual video games, including Celebrity Calamity Mobile, D2D’s newest title for the iPlatform. He is lead author of the RAND Working Paper, “Can Games Build Financial Capability?” Mr. Maynard is also a researcher in the Financial Literacy Center and a NetSpar Research Fellow.
Fresh Start: Financial Education and the Prison and Reentry Population
Gwendolyn Riase, US Wealth School
Ms. Riase is a Personal Finance Educator and CEO of the US Wealth School in Cleveland, Ohio. The school provides tailored financial corporate programs that empower people with financial knowledge, tools and vision to make sound financial decisions with confidence. Ms. Riase has over 20 years of experience teaching consumers, employees and families nationwide how to chart a brighter financial future and how to continually move toward it. Ms. Riase is a former television producer and won an Emmy Award for her strong research and writing skills.
Poverty Based Behavioral Change
Alycia Juvik, CU Strategic Planning
Ms. Juvik leads CU Strategic Planning’s Development Services Division through the development of credit union community resource centers, individual development account programs, financial counseling, EITC/VITA and various other nationwide initiatives as Director of Development Services. Ms. Juvik has been instrumental in the creation of CU Strategic Planning’s online Community Development Certified Financial Counseling program (CDCFC) and her asset-building initiatives have been recognized as best practices by the U.S. Department of Treasury, OWEESTA First Nations, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Department of Hawaiian Homelands and has been awarded The Dora Maxwell Award for Social Responsibility.
Opening Remarks
Matt Towson, Discover
Mr. Towson is the Senior Manager of Community Affairs and Media Relations at Discover Financial Services. He co-created and implemented Discover’s Pathway to Financial Success program and oversees the program’s funding and partnerships. He has been at Discover for six years. Prior to Discover, he served as press secretary to former Congressman and current U.S. Senator Mark Kirk and worked for WGN-TV Channel 9 News where he was an Assignment Manager. He graduated from Bowling Green State University.
Kaye Schmitz, Florida Prosperity Partnership
Ms. Schmitz is the President/CEO of Florida Prosperity Partnership (FPP). Since being hired as its President in early 2009, has grown FPP membership by 300% and FPP funding by more than 1000%. Prior to joining FPP, Ms. Schmitz served as the Executive Director of the Real$ense Prosperity Campaign, a regional initiative to improve the financial stability for Northeast Floridians. Ms. Schmitz has served in national leadership capacities for an IRS task force, the National Community Tax Coalition’s Advisory Council and CFED’s Assets & Opportunity Network’s Steering Committee.
Leslie Linfield, Esq., Institute for Financial Literacy
Ms. Linfield is the Executive Director and Founder of the Institute for Financial Literacy and a national authority on adult financial literacy education and consumer finance issues. A noted author, her work has been widely covered in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Kiplingers, and SmartMoney, among other publications. Ms. Linfield has published several books on personal finance, including: Senior Financial Safety; Guide to Insurance & Investing; First Step: Family Financial Management; Guide to Credit & Debt Management; Budget! It’s not a Four Letter Word Fresh Start: Personal Financial Management; and Guide to Budgeting.
