2026 Sessions

Effectively balancing personal and business finances can be a daunting task for even seasoned entrepreneurs. For many immigrants and other individuals from underserved communities with financial challenges and low access to trustworthy information or resources, it can be an overwhelming experience. However, not having strong financial literacy and business management skills in place puts business owners and their assets (both personal and business) at risk due to potential fiscal, legal and tax consequences. Using existing financial education program structures is a great way for service providers to engage entrepreneurs in a discussion of financial wellness as it relates to both personal and business assets, increase their financial expertise, and connect them to appropriate business resources.

Participants of this session will receive an overview of:
Key financial education considerations for entrepreneurs
Tactical strategies for effectively managing personal and business finances
Helpful tools and resources for ongoing education and support
Culturally and community-centered approaches to financial education, with a focus on underserved communities

And, will leave with:
New technical expertise and piqued interest in learning more
Sufficient confidence in communicating about session topics to colleagues and/or those they serve
Tools and strategies that allow them to initiate exploration re: personal and business finances
Clarity about how to continue their learning via partners and resources

This is a great session for participants with varying levels of experience and/or education regarding the relationship between personal and business finances. Participants are guaranteed to learn something new, from session facilitators and from each other!

Exploring how human-centered algorithms and behavioral insight are reshaping how students learn, decide, and act.

For decades, financial education has focused on teaching what to do—budget, save, invest—while behavioral economics revealed why students rarely follow through.

Now, a new inflection point has arrived.

Artificial intelligence can model how individuals think, learn, and decide, offering educators a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver financial learning that adapts to every mind, not just every module. But, that potential only becomes transformative when paired with the human science of behavioral economics and the educator’s ability to recognize how students learn as well as decide.

This session explores how behavioral insight, learning styles, and AI modeling together create exponential learning outcomes. Drawing on real classroom applications, live behavioral demonstrations, and interactive audience exercises, Joel L. Franks reveals how AI can help detect cognitive biases, identify learning preferences, and personalize feedback, empowering educators to teach students not only about money, but about themselves.

In this session we will explore the nuanced differences between financial literacy and financial capability. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they represent distinct aspects of personal financial management.

Financial literacy entails understanding fundamental financial principles like budgeting, saving, and investing, enabling individuals to effectively manage their financial options. However, financial capability goes beyond mere knowledge, encompassing the ability, confidence, and environment necessary to make informed financial decisions.

Through practical examples and insights, we’ll delve into how financial literacy lays the groundwork for financial capability, emphasizing the importance of bridging the gap between knowing and doing to achieve true financial well-being.

This session is designed to equip financial educators and industry professionals with a transformative framework that moves beyond traditional, numbers-only programs.

The core of this session is the Abundancia 4 M’s Framework (Mindset, Mastery, Momentum, Multiplier), a holistic, behavioral approach. We will demonstrate how leveraging Behavioral Economics and focusing on the psychology of money (the 80% of wealth building that is behavioral) is the key to creating sustainable financial health and measurable positive impact on employee productivity.

Financial literacy is more than a buzzword, it’s a tool for long-term empowerment. Yet, many programs fade after the initial excitement. Financial Education is not just for the now, but for the future.

This workshop equips educators, advocates, and community leaders with strategies to design sustainable frameworks based in value that leave a lasting impact. Participants will explore frameworks, community integration, and measurement tools to future-proof their initiatives, ensuring they continue to serve and empower communities for years to come.

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) are a complex health problem with many economic impacts. Financial stress is a predictor of recurrence for people with SUD. Recovery Capital refers to the sum of resources that can support SUD recovery.

Learn more about financial Recovery Capital and how partnering with Extension may help this underserved audience.

This session explores how education and experience shape financial literacy outcomes, using findings from more than 25,000 adults in the FINRA Foundation’s National Financial Capability Study (NFCS). Grounded in Huston’s (2010) conceptual model and Becker’s (1993) human capital theory, this research examines how educational attainment, financial education, and financial experience contribute to both objective and subjective financial literacy.

Participants will learn which factors most strongly predict financial knowledge and the confidence to apply it, including money management and perceived math abilities, and will translate these insights into practical strategies for improving curriculum design and community outreach. 

Multiple studies have found that peer influence affects people’s choices, but its effect on financial decisions has been less conclusive. For example, one landmark project found that people were less likely to start saving after learning how many of their coworkers participated in their firm’s retirement plan (Beshears et al., 2015).

This session explores whether letting people know about the mistakes of others can be more effective. We describe three retirement interventions among thousands of employees. Results raise interesting questions about the nuances of peer influence in financial contexts.

At Hanscom Federal Credit Union, financial wellness isn’t a product, it’s a philosophy that shapes how we serve our members and support our employees. This session explores how we define financial wellness as a shared journey rooted in clarity, compassion, and confidence.

From immersive learning to coaching and digital tools, we’ll show how aligning internal culture with external impact creates a more inclusive, empowered financial future for all.

Expand your ability to help others reduce or eliminate debt using PowerPay – a free, nationally recognized, research-based tool developed over 30 years ago by Utah State University Extension.

Participants will explore key debt payoff concepts, learn how to integrate the PowerPay platform into financial education and client sessions, and apply strategies to support lasting financial behavior change. Through a realistic case study, attendees will leave ready to support individuals on their journey to become debt free.

This presentation uses the world of cybercrime to reveal why understanding economics is essential for making smart personal financial decisions. It highlights how scams operate like real businesses—helping students learn key financial literacy skills such as protecting personal information, recognizing risky behavior, and making informed choices online.

By exploring the behavioral economics behind why people fall for scams, students gain tools to better understand human decision-making, avoid fraud, and manage their money responsibly in a digital world.

This session explores the financial well-being of military families and how you can increase your impact with this often-overlooked audience. Participants will learn about military demographics, unique financial considerations of service members, and the role of financial counselors in the Military Family Readiness System.

The session highlights OneOp, a professional development resource hub created through a national partnership between the Department of Defense, USDA-NIFA, and Cooperative Extension System. By offering free continuing education credits through webinars, courses, and podcasts, OneOp equips financial professionals to better meet the evolving needs of military families. Participants will identify ways to identify and leverage community, state, and national resources to strengthen support for service members and their families.

What if the real barrier to effective financial education isn’t curriculum, but connection? In this energizing and motivational session, educator, author, and entrepreneur Justin Lyn Perfili explores the intersection between passion and intention, showing how the why behind the lesson can be just as transformative as the lesson itself.

Drawing on years of real-world experience in both business and education, Justin shares how mindset, mission, and meaningful teaching can reignite engagement—for both educators and learners. He’ll challenge attendees to reframe their approach to financial literacy by blending emotional intelligence, personal storytelling, and intentional goal-setting.

With a mix of humor, personal stories, classroom-tested strategies, and principles from his book Blind Spot, this session delivers practical takeaways that attendees can immediately apply—whether they teach students, run community workshops, or design financial education programs.

This session equips financial educators with a research-backed framework for making every minute count. In today’s wellness programs, financial coaches often have a quick window to reduce stress, build trust, and spark momentum.

This session introduces the FAST model for an effective 15 min session, along with the CARE disclosure formula. Participants will learn how to disarm tension, validate emotions, and deliver quick wins. Attendees leave with practical tools, sample scripts, and “15 Wins” they can apply with clients immediately.

Money and mental health are more connected than we think. Financial stress is the number one source of stress for many, and it directly affects decision-making, relationships, and overall well-being.

In this engaging session, Amanda Martin, from the Credit Counselling Society, will share practical strategies, tools, and real-world insights to help educators and practitioners support both financial and emotional health. Leave the session with tips you can use immediately to build programs that acknowledge the person behind the numbers.

Discover the power of simple supplies and intentional teacher preparation in creating active, engaging learning experiences. This session explores Take Charge Today’s Active Learning tools, where foam dice, card games, fly swatters, and clothespins transform into interactive instruments that bring course content to life.

Step into your students’ shoes as you participate in activities like Fly Swatter Facts, Clothespin Review, Hexagon Connections, and Questions About Money. These hands-on strategies not only strengthen content understanding but also build essential skills such as teamwork, collaboration, and communication.

Join us to elevate your teaching practice and turn learning into an exciting, memorable experience!

Many young adults graduate high school academically prepared but unready to handle essential life responsibilities. This session will guide educators on how to plan and host an engaging “Adulting Day”—a hands-on event that equips students with practical skills needed for life after graduation.

Participants will learn how to design an event where students rotate through interactive stations covering real-world skills such as:

• Basic car care (changing a tire, checking oil)
• Personal finance (budgeting, credit, taxes, banking)
• Home skills (laundry, cooking basics, sewing a button)
• Career prep (job applications, interviews, workplace etiquette)

This experiential approach not only teaches life skills but also boosts student confidence and connects them with community experts.

In this session, Ramat Oyetunji, CPFC and CEPF, shares insider lessons from developing a highly customized K–5 financial literacy and entrepreneurship curriculum for a Wisconsin charter school. Drawing on her CEPF training, Ramat demonstrates how core financial concepts can be translated into age-appropriate, standards-aligned lessons that also align seamlessly with a school’s academic priorities and thematic calendar.

She will walk attendees through the practical nuances of adapting certified educator tools to fit unique school environments, from integrating financial concepts into monthly themes like “Reaching for the Stars” and “Wellness and Self-Care” to balancing rigorous standards with creative flexibility. Educators will gain actionable insights for designing curricula that move beyond standalone lessons and become a natural, engaging part of the broader learning experience.

This presentation discusses why it’s paramount to begin financial literacy education in the early elementary grades. It is essential for children to establish and maintain the financial literacy skills necessary to be successful in money matters throughout their lives; Yet, many young children are not being taught financial concepts. In addition, a person’s financial attitudes are shaped in childhood, and during this time, the financial foundation of knowledge, attitudes, skills and personality traits develops which affects how well individuals manage their finances as adults.

The presentation highlights:
Practical strategies that parents, professionals, and educators can use to introduce and cultivate healthy foundational financial habits
How we can integrate financial literacy into other subjects such as literacy, math, and social emotional learning 
The benefits of experiential learning

What if the most overlooked solution to generational poverty isn’t just better budgeting or credit repair, but better thinking? This session explores how financial education can evolve beyond facts and formulas to intentionally cultivate thought leadership, critical thinking, and strategic mindset shifts in youth.

Drawing from real-world examples, such as the Bright Minds internship programs, this session unpacks how youth from under-resourced communities can be empowered to not just learn about money, but think like leaders. Attendees will explore how framing, language, activities, and expectations can all drive deeper transformation, shifting young people from recipients of services to future-ready thinkers who drive their own prosperity.

Whether you’re working in schools, nonprofits, workforce programs, or community-based initiatives, this session will give you actionable strategies for integrating thought leadership development into your financial capability programming. Come ready to challenge assumptions, share your own insights, and walk away with practical tools to help young people rewrite their financial futures.

Money management doesn’t have to be dry! This session brings financial literacy to life with an escape-room twist. Participants will step into a financial escape room where puzzles, codes, and challenges mirror real-life money choices. Through interactive play, educators will discover how to turn budgeting, credit, loans, and savings into hands-on lessons that excite students in grades 7 through college.

Attendees will not only experience the escape-room challenge but also take home a collection of classroom-ready activities that connect financial literacy to real-world decisions facing today’s students.

Join this session designed for financial educators seeking to foster an engaging and comfortable learning environment. Learn how to communicate effectively by talking with students, not at them, ensuring they feel heard and valued. Fine tune the power of guided and relevant storytelling to make financial concepts relatable and memorable. Embrace the “main character” approach, where students are encouraged to view themselves as key players in their financial journeys.

Key Takeaways:
Actionable tools and resources that can be used within the classroom
Effective communication with a new generation of students
The “Main Character” approach used to lead over 150 finance workshops

Financial habits start forming by age seven. Piggy Bank Pathways is a research-informed, family-centered financial literacy program designed for Pre-K through 5th grade. In this session, Dr. Darla Bishop, public health scientist, professor, and founder of Finansis Financial Wellness Solutions, shares how early childhood education can become a catalyst for lifelong financial well-being.

Attendees will explore practical tools and age-appropriate strategies for integrating financial literacy into classrooms, afterschool programs, and libraries. Participants will learn how to create lessons that make money conversations fun, inclusive, and culturally responsive while engaging both kids and their grownups. Everyone will leave with actionable steps to strengthen financial learning environments in their own schools and communities.

College student-athletes face unique financial challenges and opportunities. After an NCAA policy change in 2021, student-athletes have been able to earn income called NIL income. In the world of collegiate sports, NIL income is the money or financial gain that a student-athlete receives from the commercial use of their Name, Image, or Likeness. Some student-athletes are earning six or seven-figure incomes. This NIL income is taxable. Because taxes are typically not withheld from these payments, student-athletes are considered self-employed and are responsible for paying their own estimated federal and state income taxes, as well as self-employment taxes. These athletes are navigating spending, saving, paying taxes, investing, and more. Despite these financial pressures, many receive little formal training in personal finance. More than ever, student-athletes need financial literacy.

Cami Sheaffer has been providing the University of Oklahoma students with financial literacy since 2017 and has been working with their athletes since 2022. Known as “Coach Cami” on campus, she has integrated herself into the OU football program to the point where she is a regular guest on a local football podcast. Join Cami to learn the ways in which she provides financial literacy to this group of students who already have a full schedule.

Participants will learn strategies for integrating financial education into athletic programs, including budgeting, understanding credit, saving and investing, tax implications of NIL deals, and planning for life after sports. Drawing on her experience over the past three years, the session will empower educators, coaches, and administrators to design initiatives that promote financial confidence and long-term stability for student-athletes. 

This session presents a replicable model for building financial education through an introductory college course taught at Hampden-Sydney College, which integrates evidence-based pedagogy, behavioral tools, and experiential learning to develop lifelong financial capability and improve the financial literacy of college students.

Participants will observe how classroom modules translate into improvements in financial literacy and overall well-being. Attendees will leave with adaptable templates for syllabi, student exercises, and community-based learning extensions that connect classroom learning to practical, real-world impact.

How do you make a generation of young people excited about their financial futures when they have lived through COVID, extreme inflation, political and social unrest, and an ever-changing landscape of AI and technology? Making financial literacy realistic and attainable.

Financial education often prioritizes budgeting, investing, and credit management, yet overlooks the emotional and identity-based drivers that shape financial behavior. This session introduces Financial Identity Mapping, an innovative framework that combines behavioral coding, emotional literacy assessment, and narrative-based reflection to deepen learner engagement and improve financial decision-making outcomes.

Grounded in emerging research on financial self-concept, cultural money narratives, and emotional regulation in spending and saving behaviors, this session equips educators and financial coaches with practical tools to assess and code identity-aligned financial behaviors using a structured rubric. Participants will learn how to use a coding spreadsheet to track emotional responses, alignment between stated financial goals and actual decisions, and shifts in financial self-efficacy over time.

Through interactive demonstration, attendees will leave with a replicable methodology for integrating financial identity mapping into workshops, advising sessions, and classroom instruction. Special attention will be given to working with first-generation earners, debt-burdened adults, and individuals navigating financial trauma or scarcity mindsets.

By expanding beyond numerical literacy to include emotional and identity fluency, this session empowers financial educators to foster transformative, equity-minded financial education experiences.

The federal student loan game has changed and The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is shaking up everything from borrowing caps to the way borrowers will pay back their student loan debt.

Join this session to uncover all the essential details, including:

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Update: Federal student loan forgiveness is achievable if you know and follow the PSLF rules.
• Goodbye, Grad PLUS! Learn about the elimination of the Grad PLUS loan program and the new borrowing caps for undergraduate, graduate, professional, and Parent PLUS loans.
• The New Repayment Reality: Say farewell to existing Income Driven Repayment Plan options SAVE, PAYE, and ICR. Meet the mandatory new cast members: the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) and the tiered Standard Plan. How these new plans work and the action steps current borrowers must take by July 2028 to avoid a default transition will be discussed and takeaway resources provided.

Discover how the power of peer connection can transform financial literacy programming! In this session, we’ll explore how leveraging student ambassadors and employees can create meaningful engagement with their peers, both in the classroom and through 1:1 financial counseling. Learn how collaboration across departments and strategic professional partnerships can amplify your program’s reach and impact.

Whether you’re just starting to build a student-led initiative or looking to expand an existing one, you’ll leave with actionable strategies, creative ideas, and real-world examples of how student voices can drive financial wellness on campus.

Most students may not have the means to apply advanced financial concepts today, but what if they could build a personalized resource to guide their future decisions? This session introduces the Personal Finance Portfolio Project, an innovative approach to teaching financial literacy that moves beyond theory into practical, lasting impact.

Participants will learn how students compile a portfolio of real-world financial decisions, such as budgeting, credit management, housing, investing, and retirement planning, creating a tangible roadmap they can reference throughout their lives. By engaging in activities like calculating net pay, comparing credit cards, exploring mortgage and car loan scenarios, and planning for retirement, students complete the course with not just with knowledge, but with a customized financial toolkit ready for the moments when those decisions become real.

Educators will walk away with a ready-to-implement framework that promotes financial confidence, bridges the gap between the classroom and real life, and empowers students to see financial literacy as an ongoing journey.

Financial challenges remain one of the top barriers to persistence and completion for community college students, especially for our non-traditional learners balancing school, work, and family responsibilities. While tuition is often the focus, the “hidden costs” of attending college, transportation, childcare, textbooks, technology, food, and housing, can significantly impact student success.

This session will explore how financial stress affects student retention, academic performance, and overall well-being. Participants will gain insight into the financial realities our students face, learn about common misconceptions students hold around money, and discover practical ways faculty and staff can support financial wellness on campus. Together, we’ll discuss strategies for recognizing when financial struggles may be affecting a student, how to connect students to available resources, and how to create a supportive culture that reduces stigma and empowers students.