Community Champion: Patrina Dixon
Patrina Dixon’s work reads like someone who doesn’t just talk about financial empowerment – she lives it. Driven by a deep commitment to uplift her community, she’s expanding access to personal finance education for people and organizations throughout Florida. Her background with Cigna, paired with the impact of her business, It’$ My Money, reflects a lifelong pattern of showing up for others both professionally and personally.
Patrina’s service stretches across classrooms, stages, and community spaces. She speaks, teaches, and leads financial literacy programs for individuals, nonprofits, faith communities, and businesses across Florida and beyond. As a FL Licensed Life and Health Producer and Certified Mental Health First Aider, she brings both expertise and empathy to every room she enters. Recognized widely for her innovation and authenticity, Patrina has earned a reputation as a true community champion – someone who inspires, educates, and empowers.
Personal Statement
For more than a decade, I have dedicated my life to helping people understand money in a way that feels practical, empowering, and achievable. As the Founder & CEO of It’$ My Money, I have had the opportunity to educate high school students, young adults, families, nonprofits, churches, libraries, and corporations on personal finance, investing, entrepreneurship, and wealth building. What began as a passion project has grown into a mission-driven movement focused on helping individuals gain confidence with their finances and create lasting financial stability. I have always believed that financial literacy is not just about dollars and cents – it is about freedom, opportunity, confidence, and breaking generational cycles. My passion comes from seeing firsthand how access to financial education can completely transform someone’s future.
My connection to financial wellness is deeply personal. Years ago, I remember the stress and uncertainty that came from trying to navigate financial decisions without enough guidance. I know what it feels like to lie awake at night thinking about bills, wondering how to stretch a paycheck, and trying to make the “right” money decisions while feeling overwhelmed. Over time, I also began meeting students and adults who were facing the same fears – young people afraid of student loan debt before even graduating from high school, parents struggling to recover from financial setbacks, and hardworking individuals who simply had never been taught how money truly works. I can still remember sitting across from participants during workshops and hearing the frustration in their voices as they shared stories about credit mistakes, living paycheck to paycheck, or feeling embarrassed to ask financial questions. Those conversations stayed with me. They reminded me that financial struggles often come with shame, silence, and stress, even though millions of people are experiencing the same challenges.
One moment that especially affected me was realizing how many young people were entering adulthood completely unprepared to manage money. I would walk into classrooms filled with bright, talented students who knew advanced subjects in school but had never been taught how to budget, understand credit, open a bank account, or prepare for real-life financial responsibilities. I knew then that I wanted to be part of changing that reality. I became committed to reaching people before financial mistakes became financial burdens. Every workshop, presentation, book, and conversation became an opportunity to help someone feel more informed, empowered, and hopeful about their future. My goal has never been to simply teach financial concepts – it has been to help people believe that financial success is possible for them.
Being part of this financial wellness campaign in Florida allows me to expand that mission even further. It gives me the opportunity to connect with more individuals, families, and communities who need accessible and relatable financial education. Through this work, I hope to continue creating safe spaces for people to learn, ask questions, and build confidence around money without judgment. This campaign aligns perfectly with my lifelong purpose of helping others unlock their financial potential, strengthen their futures, and create generational change. Every person we reach is another opportunity to empower someone to make informed decisions, build stability, and realize that financial wellness is within their reach.
Community Champion: Patrina Dixon
Patrina Dixon has spent more than 30 years championing financial wellness, blending deep expertise in business and financial services with a passion for financial literacy education. Her service on the Florida Financial Educators Council Advisory Board reflects her unwavering commitment to helping individuals and communities thrive.
Her drive to uplift others is contagious. Patrina leads with heart, purpose, and a belief in the power of community to spark meaningful change. She is, without question, a true community champion – and the Florida Council enthusiastically offers her a well-earned “thank you.”
