Advisory Board Member Donna Cirillo
New York Financial Educators Council
With a strong financial services management foundation, Advisory Board Member Donna Cirillo has transitioned from her former professional and educational background to delivering top-quality, customized, engaging, and high-impact financial education programming and content. As a Financial Services Professional turned Financial Educator, Donna is committed to empowering individuals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to take control of their financial futures.
As founder of her financial education website and blog, Smart Money Changes Everything, Donna is dedicated to inspiring, motivating, and transforming financial lives. She has earned credentials from the National Financial Educators Council as an Accredited Personal Finance Instructor (APFI℠), Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®), and Certified Financial Literacy Professional (CFLP℠). These qualifications, along with her previous top-level experience in bank management and training, uniquely position Donna as a key contributing member of the New York Financial Educators Council Advisory Board.
Teaching, Inspiring, and Motivating Learners toward Financial Wellness: Donna Cirillo
After earning her B.S. in Finance from St. John’s University, New York, Donna entered a Management Training Program at the prestigious wealth management bank, U.S. Trust. She later assumed Bank Officer management and training roles at U.S. Trust and J.P. Morgan Chase while pursuing her MBA. During this time, she recognized a pressing need for financial literacy, particularly evident among bank customers and employees. Driven by a passion for bridging this knowledge gap, Donna spearheaded comprehensive financial product and concept training initiatives, significantly enhancing the capabilities of the call center department to successfully handle over one million inbound calls annually. The training not only elevated the department’s level of service, but also made profound transformations in the employees’ professional and personal lives. Motivated by the training’s success, Donna pursued accreditation as a financial educator from the National Financial Educators Council, earning her Accredited Personal Finance Instructor (APFI℠), Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®), and Certified Financial Literacy Professional (CFLP℠) credentials.
Donna has designed and delivered customized financial education for diverse audiences, including corporate employees, recent graduates, young women transitioning out of foster care, college-bound high school girls, and those navigating significant life changes like divorce or widowhood. Demonstrating her commitment to promoting financial literacy from an early age, Donna has delivered financial education to public and parochial elementary and middle school students in the New York City area, both independently and in collaboration with Junior Achievement. Additionally, Donna currently serves her community as a member of the Board of Trustees of a parochial academy in Queens, New York.
Donna believes financial education is so much more than solely providing financial knowledge. With the right instruction, inspiration, and motivation, learners can make positive behavior changes and improve their financial mindset to gain the confidence, personal growth, direction, and resiliency they need for financial transformation.
New York Financial Educators Council Details
Selected members of the New York Financial Educators Council Advisory Board are individuals who support us in our commitment to widely spread financial wellness resources across the state of New York. They share our goal to donate financial wellness programming at the community level in initiatives that can be sustained and taken to scale.
Board Members who pass the rigorous selection criteria are professionals with a demonstrated commitment to building financial wellness in their communities. Individuals with the following traits are considered:
Passion
A deep belief in the importance of promoting financial wellness and a desire to strengthen individuals, loved ones, and communities with financial education.
Participation
Individuals and organizations that can allocate time toward financial wellness initiatives and actively participate in Board communications.
Ethics
Individuals with a track record of providing service to their local communities with honesty and upholding the values of esteemed professionalism.