Tomeka Brown – Financial Advisor & Financial Literacy Advocate
Personal Notes
My passion for teaching financial literacy and educating others on the importance of financial planning began in college. It was then that I truly understood the saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” I felt there was so much more to learn about financial responsibility. I began to educate myself on a wide array of financial topics. I realized that I had the unique ability to understand financial concepts and explain them to those without a finance background so that they too understood those same concepts enough to comfortably make informed decisions. I want to educate others that no matter their age, demographic, or experience with finances, it does not have to be intimidating if you take the time to learn the basics, customize them to your personal situation, and develop a strategy.
Bio
Tomeka Brown graduated with honors from Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, concentrating in finance and marketing. While in attendance, she became a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Tomeka’s most rewarding experience during her college career was her time as President of the Drexel University Student Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. from 2004-2006. With a motto of “Lifting As We Climb,” engraved in her heart, it was during a conference that she first fell in love with financial literacy after hearing a financial advising presentation. Tomeka took on a few positions in corporate finance before realizing that her specialty was developing one on one relationships with people through helping them identify their goals and financially planning accordingly.
Tomeka became licensed and started in the financial services industry as a Private Client Associate with Bernstein Global Wealth Management from 2007-2012. She supported a team of financial advisors, but also satisfied her desire to educate by becoming a regional trainer. Tomeka went back to school and obtained her Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Maryland – College Park in 2011, also concentrating in finance. A short-term study abroad in Finland and Sweden reinforced how the importance of financial planning transcended geographical boundaries. After supporting advisors, she decided to pursue advising as a career and was soon promoted to an Associate Wealth Management Advisor with TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC from 2012-2015. Tomeka specialized in comprehensive planning for high net worth clients and retirement planning. Given Tomeka’s perspective on integrity and ethical standards, she earned her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification in 2015 and is required to always put a client’s needs first. In 2015, Tomeka briefly moved into a Financial Solutions Advisor role with Merrill Lynch and Bank of America to be able to interact with walk-in clients in a bank environment. In 2016, Tomeka accepted at an opportunity to become a Financial Consultant with Charles Schwab where she is encouraged to actively engage with her community. Tomeka is an NFEC Certified Financial Education Instructor.
Tomeka enjoys educating people across the entire spectrum. Volunteering with Junior Achievement, which is a non-profit organization that prepares young people to succeed in a global economy, allows Tomeka to both relate to and teach children with regard to financial literacy. In addition, the years in the industry working with high net worth planning also allows Tomeka to discuss more complicated topics with an older demographic. Tomeka is both passionate and committed to financial education and helping individuals reach their financial goals after equipping them with the appropriate knowledge.