Claudia Martins Empowers Lives through Passion and Purpose as NFEC’s Community Engagement Director

In the financial wellness domain, the role of a Community Engagement Director takes on a significance that goes beyond customer service: that position has the potential to empower people’s lives. Claudia Martins, Community Engagement Director for the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC), offers a shining example of how that role can be leveraged to transform and inspire others with greater financial health.

Serving as the front line of contact for all entities and individuals with interest in the NFEC, Martins’ influence is felt at all levels of interaction – from program enrollees, to advisory board members, to top-level organizational partners. Her dedication to excellent customer service ensures that every interaction with the NFEC is not just informative, but transformative.

Claudia Martins’ Unique Backstory

Born and raised in Brazil, Claudia’s life-changing journey began 23 years ago when she uprooted, left her legal career, and came to the U.S. with only $700 in her pocket. Although she immediately fell in love with the people and surroundings in Florida, where she landed, she initially faced daunting financial challenges. Those trials were to form the impetus behind her passion and life purpose.

Martins started a Facebook group for women to share their financial struggles and triumphs. This virtual community soon grew into a space for empowerment, attracting more and more followers inspired by Claudia’s authentic story. She embraced entrepreneurship, becoming a healthy lifestyle coach consulting with individuals, nonprofits, and community groups. In 2018 she was introduced to the NFEC and earned her Certified Financial Education Instructor® and Certified Personal Financial Wellness Consultant credentials. Claudia took her relationship with the NFEC to the next level in 2020 by assuming her current Community Engagement Director (CED) role.

A Dynamic Force for Empowerment

The CED is tasked not only to connect with all clients and stakeholders, but to support them toward professional working relationships and help ensure that programs can be taken to scale. Martins conducts outreach to build partnerships and seek out opportunities that further the NFEC’s business and social impact mission. Her law background extends her expertise into the legal realm, where she manages license agreements and compliance matters for the organization.

With a strong commitment to detail, Claudia demonstrates talents for event planning, decision-making support, and multimedia communications. Fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish and currently studying French, she is skilled at communicating effectively with diverse and multicultural audiences. She also manages inter-organizational communications, activities, and content that align with the NFEC’s vision of creating a healthy, rewarding work environment.

Inspiring Future Generations

Claudia’s commitment to empowerment through financial education extends to children and the broader community. Following the end of her marriage, she took it upon herself to build up her own kids’ financial literacy – a subject rarely taught at school. This experience inspired Claudia to align herself with the NFEC’s mission to implement financial literacy in schools across the U.S. Her belief in raising self-sufficient, financially secure children embodies Claudia’s understanding that financial empowerment is the key to developing resilient, prosperous adults.

Both Claudia Martins’ life journey and her contributions to the NFEC’s mission are testaments to the transformational power of financial education. Claudia represents an inspiration to others who aspire to rise above their challenges and embrace their true potential. Her legacy reminds us that all individuals have the capacity to rewrite their narratives, empower others, and move toward healthy, secure futures.