We are grateful to the many financial experts who contribute their real-world knowledge to develop actionable, effective financial education materials.

Donna Cirillo (Instructor)

Donna M. Cirillo, MBA, is an Accredited Personal Finance Instructor, Certified Financial Education Instructor, and Certified Financial Literacy Professional with extensive experience in financial services, education, training, and operations management. As the founder of Smart Money Changes Everything and an Advisory Board Member of the New York Financial Educators Council, she develops and delivers practical financial education programs for diverse audiences, including corporate employees, students, young adults, and individuals navigating major life transitions. Her work draws on a substantial financial-services career with J.P. Morgan Chase and U.S. Trust, where she held leadership roles in investor services, client relationship management, training, and operations.

Vince Shorb (SME)

Vince Shorb is the CEO of the National Financial Educators’ Council and leads the NFEC’s Subject Matter Experts board. Before becoming one of the council’s original founders, Shorb spoke with over 20,000 people about their financial situations and reviewed the personal financial statements of more than 10,000 clients across the country. Shorb has over 28 years of investing and financial industry experience and has spent 15 years directly involved in financial education.

Lisa Vera (SME)

Lisa James Vera is an experienced scientific writer, researcher, content developer, and project manager with more than three decades of experience in research, education, and professional communications. She is the Owner, CEO, and Scientific Writer at VeraCite Inc. and has served as Content Development Director for the National Financial Educators Council since 2011, where she develops and refines financial literacy curricula, certification training, reports, white papers, and educational content. Her background also includes senior research and project management roles at the University of California San Diego and Oregon Research Institute, along with an extensive record of peer-reviewed publications and research dissemination.