When Choosing a Financial Education Credential, Credibility Matters
Financial education affects people’s lives far beyond money, shaping confidence, decisions, and long-term well-being. Yet quality varies, with many programs led by underqualified instructors. That’s why credibility is essential.
The Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®) designation stands apart as the leading credential built specifically for educators. Backed by rigorous standards, independent governance, and a thriving global network, CFEIs are trained to move beyond facts and deliver true education that drives measurable outcomes and lasting behavior change.
What this means for you: By earning the CFEI®, you gain the trust, recognition, and resources to make a meaningful difference in the communities you serve.
CFEI® – The Leading Credential for Financial Educators
The CFEI® designation is widely recognized as the top credential in the field for professionals who teach personal finance. Designed specifically for educators, it emphasizes instructional excellence, measurable outcomes, and lasting community impact. Graduates are respected for their ability to deliver accurate information while guiding learners toward practical skills and meaningful behavior change. Earning the CFEI® demonstrates that you hold the professional qualifications to teach personal finance with both credibility and confidence.
Expert-built: Designed by Leading Specialists
The CFEI® program was developed in collaboration with subject matter experts across multiple disciplines including education, finance, psychology, and community development. This multidisciplinary foundation ensures that the training is both academically rigorous and practically relevant, preparing educators to address the technical and human sides of financial literacy. (See our team.)
The Only Credential for Financial Educators Issued by an Accredited Organization
The CFEI® is the only professional credential for financial education instructors issued by an IACET-accredited provider. That accreditation means the NFEC aligns with best practices in continuing education standards. Those looking at your credentials can trust that the certifying organization meets rigorous, independently validated criteria for training and assessment.
A Growing Global Network Making an Impact
Be part of a worldwide community of educators and advocates who share resources, exchange ideas, and inspire each other to expand impact. With over 5,000 graduates across all 50 US states and more than 71 countries who collectively have reached over 1.4 million people around the globe, CFEIs are at the forefront of advancing financial literacy worldwide. Graduates lead initiatives in schools, nonprofits, community programs, businesses, faith-based groups, and universities – bringing financial education to diverse populations.
Only Professional Standards for Financial Educators
The NFEC developed the only nationally recognized Framework for Teaching Personal Finance, created in collaboration with the Danielson Group – the authors of the most widely used teaching standards for traditional educators across the United States. Together, we adapted this evidence-based framework to address the unique needs of financial education. The result: a system with 22 components proven to strengthen learner outcomes, from deeper knowledge retention to measurable improvements in financial behavior. This framework gives CFEIs a structured, outcomes-driven approach that elevates financial literacy instruction to the same level of rigor as core academic subjects.
Backed by Public Awareness Campaigns
The NFEC leads national awareness campaigns that elevate the importance of financial literacy and spotlight qualified educators as key agents of change. These campaigns not only advocate for higher standards in financial education, but also increase visibility for CFEIs who are working on the ground. By joining the campaigns, you align yourself with a recognized movement that is shaping public perception of financial education and expanding access to learners across all life stages.
History of the NFEC
The National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) built its expertise through direct, on-the-ground experience. We didn’t begin as a formal “Council” – we started by delivering financial education and coaching services in local communities. In those early years, we learned firsthand how to build sustainable models, refine processes, and create systems that worked across diverse populations.
As our programs demonstrated measurable success, schools, nonprofits, and community leaders began requesting our resources and guidance. This demand drove our evolution from delivering programs to training others to lead them.
That journey led to the creation of the Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI®) program and the development of nationally recognized professional standards – equipping educators worldwide to deliver lasting financial wellness.
Accreditation
As an IACET Accredited Provider, the NFEC offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard.
Social Impact
As a Certified B Corporation, the NFEC meets the highest standards for socially responsible commerce, using the power of business to build more sustainable economies.
Standards
The NFEC set industry standards for the financial education and financial coaching industry. These standards are used to review and recognize programs that align with these standards.
CFEI Development Team
Since 2010, the NFEC has been building, refining, and updating the CFEI® course to meet the highest professional standards and remain relevant to the evolving needs of financial educators worldwide.
We have collaborated with more than 100 experts from diverse fields – including subject-matter specialists, behavioral finance professionals, psychologists, educators, standards developers, and assessment experts. United by a shared mission, the NFEC team works to empower financial wellness champions who help people improve their financial well-being. Together, our team brings deep expertise and practical experience to support educators and advocates across the globe. Read more about some of our contributors:
Jonna Wopperer
Jonna Wopperer is a skilled educator and curriculum developer with permanent certifications in Literacy and English Language Arts. She earned her M.S.Ed. as a Literacy Specialist from State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo in 2013. Since then, she has made significant contributions to developing and implementing curriculum at the high school through adult levels, designing educational content that aligns with learning standards posed by the Common Core and other top benchmarks. Those efforts have included developing and adapting lessons that reflect culturally relevant pedagogy.
Carolyn Fields
Carolyn Fields is a customer-centric Instructional Designer and published author with 20+ years of relevant experience. She is proficient at generating new content or improving upon existing materials. Her corporate experience focused on safety training, instructional design, and assessment creation. Well-versed in the Instructional Systems Design (ISD) model and Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation, she holds a Master’s in Management, qualification as Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) practitioner, and certifications from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Langevin Learning Services.
Sarah Eisenstein
Sarah Eisenstein is a founding teacher in the City University of New York’s nationally recognized CUNY Start program who has worked as a Curriculum and Professional Developer for the past 5 years. She has over 15 years of experience with curriculum writing and teaching, training, and coaching both high- and low-literacy adult learners. She is expert in student-centered learning, with strong technology and design skills; and currently offers instructional design services with specialization in interactive learning experiences through Storyline, Captivate, or Lectora.
Dr. Malia Hoffmann
Dr. Malia Hoffmann is a lifelong educator. With a Bachelor’s in Elementary Middle School education, she began teaching middle school, using integrated technology to motivate students. She earned her Master’s in Educational Technology and became adjunct for Marian University. She took a full-time position with Marian and began pursuing her doctorate in learning technologies at Pepperdine University. Her dissertation applied the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework to study how undergraduate students and faculty use mobile devices for learning.
Dr. Pamela Enders
Dr. Pamela Enders is a psychologist and peak performance coach. A current faculty member at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Enders also serves as a teacher and supervisor at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston. With three decades of experience, she works with high-performing professionals to project confidence and poise in high-visibility, high-pressure situations.
Kerry Toniolo
Kerry Toniolo has a Master’s in Early Childhood Leadership and 13 years in education. She works with students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds, abilities, and disabilities. This experience has taught her a great deal about meeting learners where they are and breaking standards down into scaffolded steps. She believes in designing curriculum that is accessible to all students, challenges them to think deeply about things that matter in their own lives, and allows them freedom to discover and follow their own passions.
Kristina McCormick
Kristina McCormick has extensive experience in developing curricula and educational programs from inception. Ms. McCormick was instrumental in developing the NFEC’s project-based learning program for teens and young adults. She applied classroom teaching methodology and curriculum models to promote active student learning through the integration of technology in order to address the varied learning needs of all students.
Michael Heyman
Michael Heyman, co-founder of the Reimagined Classroom, has a Master’s in K-6 Education and 10 years of teaching experience in elementary schools and Title I environments. He specializes in IB and STEAM curriculum. He believes that learning happens all around us, all the time; and that all students should have equal access to an amazing education and educational opportunities. He sees the educator’s job as helping facilitate a child’s natural inquisitiveness to foster and develop skills and ideas related to their inquiries.
Diane Larsen
Diane Larsen is an award-winning economics teacher and NFEC Instructor. Diane is a 26-year teaching veteran whose awards include being selected as Jump$tart Coalition Outstanding Educator for 2008. She was the only California teacher chosen by CEE and the U.S. State Department to travel to South Africa as part of an international economics teacher exchange program. Her students have won high honors in the California State Stock Market Simulation, placing first in 2008, 2009, and twice in 2012.
Brett Meyers
Brett Meyers, co-founder of the Reimagined Classroom, has his Master’s in K-8 Education and 22 years of experience in nonprofits, international private schools, and public schools. He believes teachers need to focus on the journey of the learning process beyond the end result. He thinks education through inquiry and student ownership is essential to keep kids engaged in the classroom. Thus teachers need to help students not only learn core skills, but also socio-emotional and critical thinking skills to enable their future success.
Gary Jaeckel
Gary Jaeckel is the author of Teaching Personal Financial Education and an NFEC Instructor. His passion for improving people’s financial capabilities took him from the corporate world to the financial literacy industry. He brings real-world experience to the academic side of the financial literacy field with his background in the securities industry and corporate finance. He is a recognized expert in teaching personal finance and an advocate promoting personal financial education as a stand-alone course in schools across the country.
Troy Flowers
Troy Flowers brings nine years of exemplary, student-centered teaching experience gained within public, charter, and independent schools to the NFEC. He possesses solid conceptual and applied knowledge of current research and trends in primary and middle school education, financial literacy curriculum development, service learning, assessment for instruction, and literacy.
Dr. Ann Johnson
Dr. Ann Johnson is an independent consultant who works extensively with international organizations to implement curriculum and assessment reform, develop high-quality leadership teams, and create training and implementation plans. Her practical approach to design and alignment is based on her 30 years of experience as a classroom teacher, associate superintendent, building principal, and adjunct professor to implement long-term curriculum alignment and mapping initiatives.
Arnold Bellow
Arnold Bellow started his career in banking and leveraged that experience to teach courses to adult learners and community college students for more than 22 years using a practical hands-on approach and “real-life” instructional method. He has been an adjunct faculty member and community college instructor for over 20 years. He served on a number of community-based boards helping families in lower-income neighborhoods achieve financial stability and educational enrichment at the Adult Education School level.
Dr. Pamela Rosa
Dr. Pamela Rosa is an Educational Consultant and Senior Consultant for Effective Professional Practices at the Danielson Group. Dr. Rosa has supported schools nationally to design, develop, and implement Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching evaluation and professional growth process. As an educational consultant for the past 14 years, Dr Rosa specializes in teacher and principal evaluation and professional growth processes as well as teacher mentoring/coaching.
Mark Munzenberger
Mark Munzenberger has been directly involved in teaching and developing financial wellness programs over the last 20 years. He holds multiple designations as a financial education instructor and financial coach professional, and leverages that knowledge and training to teach personal finance and lead programming across the state of Michigan.
Helen Graves
Helen Graves With a diverse background in education, Adlerian psychology, Neuro-Linguistic Programming and marketing, Helen Graves is fascinated by how people think and learn. She has taught all age levels in formal classrooms as well as in workshops, conferences, and online seminars. She has recently moved into the field of content development and instructional design, and enjoys bringing her passion for clear communication and innovative solutions to the learning environment.
Jana Sosnowski
Jana Sosnowski has a Master’s in educational psychology and instructional technology and 12 years teaching experience. Trained in ADDIE and backward design, she has worked as a curriculum and training writer for a math remediation program, several test preparation programs, and pilot and flight attendant training for a major airline. She is a strong writer and excellent communicator proficient in Canvas, Blackboard, and prosumer sites including Thinkific and Teachable. She has worked on many internally-developed LMS and is skilled at writing assessments and interactive learning components.
Ellen Smith
Ellen Smith has a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education and several years of classroom experience. She works with the NFEC to produce and edit smart, practical educational resources that are easy to use. She is skilled and experienced at implementing and adapting curricula to meet the critical needs of learners from diverse backgrounds and competency levels.
Maria Belem
Maria Belem is an education expert with a degree in accounting who has worked in the financial industry as a Financial Planning Junior Assistant in a major company, as a brokerage agent and insurance agent, in the construction industry as manager of several projects and real estate matters, in the fashion industry as a boutique owner, and in the network marketing industry by joining several companies in her home town.
Glenn Dawson
Glenn Dawson has a Ph.D. in psychology and extensive experience in academic research, writing, and statistical analyses. He has multiple peer-reviewed publications including a first-authored journal article. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in psychology from Case Western Reserve University and his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in psychology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Dr. Robert Martin
Dr. Robert Martin is a retired university professor and professional communicator with more than 20 years of academic teaching experience in communication. He has extensive experience in social science research, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, academic writing, and publishing. He has published numerous works in top academic journals, books, book chapters, and magazine articles in communication and social psychology. He has been a peer reviewer for various social science journals and manuscript reviewer for Wadsworth Publishing. He fully understands the multidimensional task of writing for different audiences.
Michelle Cason
Michelle Cason, with over ten years of experience as an educator, has designed curriculum for dozens of classes across multiple skill levels, individually adapting to the needs of hundreds of students ranging from elementary-aged to graduate level. She holds a PhD in rhetoric and composition, so is well-versed in research practices, academic writing style, and clear organizational strategies. Her proofreading and editing skills are particularly well-honed, and she is able to copyedit quickly and clearly.
Kambria Damesnel
With a background in instructional design, organizational development, and adult learning, she specializes in giving employees the tools they need to do their jobs well. As Training Content Developer for the State of Washington Department of Labor & Industries, she works directly with subject matter experts to translate their knowledge into effective instructional content. She enjoys learning about the latest instructional design and eLearning trends and staying up-to-date on the latest technology and software.
Delaney King
Delaney King has a Master’s Degree in Adult Education and more than 10 years of experience as an instructor. Her content experience includes business communication, literacy development, sustainability and environmental issues, adult education, women & gender studies, and cultural diversity. Her educational experience includes content development, instructional design, and curriculum development.
Liz da Rosa
This fall began her 23rd year teaching in a college setting, with 17 years in online teaching. She completed her doctorate in adult education with an earned graduate degree in sociology and certificate of graduate study in women’s studies. She has been Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Maryland; Dean of Education and Education Affiliates at the University of Cincinnati; Instructor at DePaul University and Western Michigan University; and Online Faculty/Course Developer at American Sentinel University.
Samantha Faw
Samantha Faw is an experienced legal writer, educator, and consultant specializing in the academic, technical, and legal fields. She holds a Juris Doctorate (JD), Masters of Law (LL.M), and Masters in Energy Regulation and Law, and uses her extensive skills and experience to serve clients with excellence and precision.
Chanelle Paul
Chanelle Paul’s knowledge of instructional design models, such as ADDIE and the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy, guide her design process. She is especially proficient in curriculum development, mapping, and assessment. She believes the dynamics of teaching and learning are ever-changing and learners grow increasingly diverse. As an Instructional Designer dedicated to understanding client and learner needs, she is excited to take on new challenges and create new solutions. She is Adjunct Faculty at Southern New Hampshire University and Lead Instructional Designer at Wisewire.
Personal Finance Subject Matter Experts
We are grateful to the many financial experts who contribute their real-world knowledge to develop actionable, effective financial education materials.
Vince Shorb
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.
Peter Rasmussen
Peter Rasmussen, former Program Director to the Consumer Credit Counseling Service, is a current bank auditor. He is dedicated to sharing financial literacy with his community and is actively involved in the Money Smart Week promotions held during financial literacy month.
Stan Webb
Stan Webb has been a steady beacon in the financial education world. In addition to his professional securities licenses, Stan is a Certified Fund Specialist and Certified Senior Advisor. He attained these designations to better help his clients achieve their financial goals and leverages his real-world experience to contribute to that goal. With a passion for improving the financial capability of his clients and community, Stan has hosted financial literacy promotions and a variety of financial education services throughout Kansas.
Dianne Jennings
Dianne Jennings is the executive producer of the radio talk show “Mine Your Business” and a co-host on the Tim Ridley Radio Show, which airs on the popular Sirius XM radio network. Dianne serves as an instructor for Brookshire Professional Training Institute, a continuing education resource center for the legal profession. Dianne’s lifelong career has been to assist others with their financial needs, thus allowing them to live lives of financial freedom.
Laura Adams
Laura Adams is the award-winning author of the 2010 best seller Money Girl’s Smart Moves to Grow Rich and produces a weekly podcast that receives more than 500,000 monthly downloads. She won the Excellence in Financial Literacy Education Award and is considered one of the leading financial literacy experts in the country.
Somya Munjal
Somya Munjal has been tackling the issue of financial literacy since she graduated from college. She realized quickly how fortunate she was to earn Bachelor’s and graduate degrees in accountancy completely free of personal debt, due to her work experience and scholarships. She is now a Certified Financial Accountant and holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Northern Illinois University.
Steven Alexander
Steven Alexander has more than 27 years of financial experience working in different capacities with major financial institutions, including Bank of America Private Wealth Management, Wachovia Trust Nonprofit and Philanthropic Services, Bank of New York/Mellon, and TIAA/CREF Wealth Management. He embraced the importance of financial literacy education early in his career by obtaining his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation in 1990.
Ornella Grosz
Ornella Grosz is a personal finance expert and author of a book titled Moneylicious: A Financial Clue for Generation Y. Ms. Grosz has been a featured financial expert for top radio shows on CBS, NBC, and ABC and is a personal finance writer.
Victor Ricciardi
Victor Ricciardi teaches Financial Management at Goucher College and has earned his BBA, MBA, and APC designations. Professor Ricciardi teaches a variety of subjects related to financial literacy for individuals and organizations, with special expertise in behavioral finance.
Lee Aubry
Lee Aubry has been in the financial industry for over 20 years. A top producer in real estate loan origination and private banking/fund investments, Ms. Aubry spent five years as a financial analyst for a global oil company and five years in Washington, D.C. as a legislative analyst and lobbyist. She possesses an MBA from Santa Clara University where she graduated first in class, Beta Gamma Sigma.
Erica Jackson
Erica Jackson served as Director for the Center for Financial and Consumer Outreach (at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College) and holds a certification as a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI). Jackson also served as the inaugural Executive Director for Junior Achievement’s Northwest PA Regional Office. Over the years, Erica has partnered with several agencies and organizations to advocate for financial capability, including the National Financial Educators Council, Pennsylvania Treasury, Pennsylvania Department of Banking, and Jump$tart Coalition.
William Martin
William Martin received his MS from the College of Financial Planning and a PsyD from Rutgers University in Clinical Psychology. Mr. Martin is an expert in personal financial psychology and has been featured in numerous publications highlighting his expertise. He currently works as Associate Professor and Director of the MSHR Department of Management at DePaul University.
Steve Repak
Steve Repak is a Certified Financial Planner™ and author of Dollars & Uncommon Sense: Basic Training for Your Money. Steve is an advocate for financial literacy and a 15-year veteran in the financial services industry. Steve has top expertise as an educator demonstrated by how well his presentations are received by the audiences, and from the post-surveys collected which showed that the material made a strong impact.
Natasha Riley-Noah
Natasha Riley-Noah has been active in the financial services industry for more than 20 years. Ms. Riley-Noah brings diverse experience to the advisory board with experience in insurance, securities, debt management, and financial planning.
Yamila Constantino
Yamila Constantino is an award-winning journalist with two decades of experience in the financial realm. She has been included twice on Hispanic Magazine’s “One Hundred Top Latinas in the U.S.” list. She acquired her financial expertise at Bloomberg TV and Radio where she held various positions, including Head of Production.
Danny Kofke
Danny Kofke is a teacher of 20 years and a personal finance expert. Mr. Kofke authored two financial books: How to Survive (and perhaps thrive) on a Teacher’s Salary and A Simple Book of Financial Wisdom: Teach yourself (and your kids) How to Live Wealthy with Little Money.
Richard White
Richard White spent four years as an investor at multi-billion dollar hedge funds before launching his own startup. Prior to investing, he was a management consultant for three years. He earned his Doctor of Law (J.D.) degree from Columbia University in the City of New York and a Master’s in international finance from The Fletcher School at Tufts. He also holds a B.S. in Math from Yale University.
Chad Penry
Chad Penry brings 20 years of experience in the financial services and personal finance industry into converging financial solutions, philanthropy, entertainment, and business development working with celebrities, artists, athletes, leading industry professionals, and nonprofit organizations. Chad co-founded Money XLive, an edutainment program that teaches youth the value of financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility.
Jason Van Steinwyk
Jason Van Steinwyk has been a professional financial industry, insurance, and real estate writer since 2000. He cut his teeth as staff reporter for Mutual Funds Magazine and Time; has MARCOM agency experience as director of business development. His strengths are in investing, insurance, HR, employee benefits, and personal finance content. He has been published by Time, Journal of Financial Planning, NerdWallet, SeekingAlpha.com, Bankrate, WealthManagement.com, ValuePenguin.com, Nasdaq.com, Life & Health Pro, Senior Market Advisor, the Annuity Selling Guide, and MoneyGeek. He also is a 21-year Army veteran.
Rachel Morey
Rachel Morey is a journalist specializing in automotive, insurance, and finance content. She has been writing professionally for nearly a decade and has projects both in print and in broadcasting. A native Iowan, Rachel has a special fondness for the open roads of rural America.
Paul Hilliard
Paul Hilliard is a versatile Certified Management Accountant (CMA) with a wide variety of corporate accounting experience, from basic bookkeeping to complex GL accounting. He has working experience in cash management, GL account analysis, expense analysis, revenue analysis, forecasting and budgeting, journal entries, financial statement review and analysis, and bookkeeping.
Pat Valvanz
Pat Valvanz is an expert copywriter with a B.A. in English and a Master’s in Educational Psychology. She has written copy for offline and online articles, sales pages, and marketing for over 30 years. She writes excellent copy, edits and proofreads existing copy so clients’ online presence shines with professionalism. When the copy is perfect, audiences can focus on the message instead of being distracted by poor spelling, grammar, and syntax. Pat’s broad interests include finances and investing, insurance, women’s issues, cooking, gardening, psychology, and relationships.
Angela Anderson
Angela Anderson is a tax and finance expert for a fee-based Q&A site. On a daily basis, she answers multiple questions relating to tax, accounting, general finance, and social security-related matters for individuals throughout the U.S. She also has acquired a basic to intermediate skill set and experience level in the fields of event planning, trade shows, audio editing, voiceovers, audio transcription, general writing, and travel consulting.
Katrina Harris
Katrina Harris has a background in the Financial Services industry with a degree in Finance and has previously held the Series 66, 7, 9, and 10 licenses with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). She has worked both in banking and at a brokerage firm.
Jacob Schroeder
Jacob Schroeder specializes in financial writing and personal finance content (blogs, newsletters, websites, etc.) having led content production for two multi-billion-dollar financial planning firms. He serves as contributing writer at Kiplinger’s Magazine, Manager of Investor Education at Advance Capital Management, and Senior Financial Writer at Portfolio Solutions.