{"id":6699,"date":"2019-02-15T20:30:47","date_gmt":"2019-02-16T01:30:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.afcpe.org\/?p=6699"},"modified":"2019-04-23T15:43:01","modified_gmt":"2019-04-23T19:43:01","slug":"fridayfollow-financial-education-by-training-and-passion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.afcpe.org\/news-and-publications\/blog\/fridayfollow-financial-education-by-training-and-passion\/","title":{"rendered":"#FridayFollow: Financial Education, By Training and Passion"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Meet Mia Russell, AFC\u00ae<\/sup>, a financial educator who leads the content strategy for Wells Fargo\u2019s Hands on Banking\u00ae<\/sup>financial education program. In this role, she\u2019s responsible for the development and enhancement of financial education curricula, resources, and tools for all! The available resources cater to youth, adults, seniors, military, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to teach or provide financial education.<\/p>

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AFCPE: What inspired you to enter this field?<\/strong><\/p>

Mia:<\/strong>\u00a0As a college student, I landed an internship where I helped housing voucher program participants create budgets. I guess they thought a student majoring in business might have sufficient skills\u2026 but I learned more than I could have imagined. My first post-college position was as a credit counselor for a bank. These early experiences taught me about the importance of managing my money as well as establishing and managing credit. I\u2019ve enjoyed a 20+ year career helping financially empower individuals and families that spans the nonprofit, educational (Cooperative Extension), and corporate sectors.<\/p>

AFCPE: What does financial capability mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>

Mia:<\/strong>\u00a0Often defined as attitudes, knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to make informed financial decisions, I see financial capability as the intersection of capacity and ability to become more financially successful. We know that having knowledge is important but we also need to build \u2013 and practice \u2013 skills as well as gain confidence to ensure informed decision-making and improved financial outcomes.<\/p>

AFCPE: You are the Vice President of Content Strategy & Integration at Wells Fargo, working directly with the Hands on Banking\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0program. Tell us about the program and the resources that are available.<\/strong><\/p>

Mia:<\/strong>\u00a0The\u00a0Hands on Banking<\/em>\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0program is a free, engaging, and noncommercial financial education program provided as a public service by Wells Fargo. Available in both English and Spanish, the\u00a0Hands on Banking<\/em>\u00a0program helps learners build responsible money management skills and improve each stage of their financial lives; addressing topics from how to budget and manage credit to retirement planning. Our program offers online self-paced courses, resources, and tools for youth, young adults, adults, seniors, military, and entrepreneurs. In addition, we offer engaging and innovative lesson plans and curricula for K-12 educators, aligned with Common Core State Standards. Our resources are also appropriate for college and community-based educators. To learn more about\u00a0Hands on Banking<\/em>\u00a0and access our resources, you can visit\u00a0https:\/\/handsonbanking.org<\/a>\u00a0or email us at\u00a0hobinfo@wellsfargo.com<\/a>.<\/p>

AFCPE: Sounds like an incredible program! We are excited to see this program expand and grow. Mia, what\u2019s next for you? What has you most excited?<\/strong><\/p>

Mia:<\/strong>\u00a0Entering my third year at Wells Fargo, I\u2019m excited to continue working to help advance financial capability, nationally and globally. There\u2019s always a new way to think about and approach our work \u2013 such as creating content to explain current trends and concepts, such as cryptocurrency to creating relevant content for specific audiences, such as the Disability Supplement Guide created in collaboration with National Disability Institute. Additionally, Wells Fargo has supported an AFCPE grant exploring the effects of financial coaching, education, and counseling. I\u2019m excited about how this research will help financial educators, counselors, and coaches in the course of their work. I\u2019m simply excited about the future of our field and the innovations that may exist as we consider behavioral finance and fintech advances.<\/p>

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Mia Answers the Friday 5<\/strong><\/p>

  1. My Why:<\/strong>\u00a0Financial education is a life skill that changes the game\u2026 learning how to manage your money is empowering and has lasting effects regardless of sociodemographics.<\/li>
  2. My Favorite Quote:<\/strong>\u00a0Growth comes from stepping outside of your comfort zone (- Unknown)<\/li>
  3. My Hero:<\/strong>\u00a0My grandmother taught me important life skills and encouraged me to always be willing to take risks.\u00a0<\/li>
  4. My Favorite Personal Finance Resource:<\/strong>\u00a0There are many resources that I personally find helpful, including powerpay.org and Money Habitudes card. And, of course, handsonbanking.org<\/li>
  5. My Best Advice:<\/strong>
    1. For someone starting the journey to financial wellness:<\/strong>\u00a0I like the quote attributed to Arthur Ashe, \u201cStart where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can\u201d. Stay focused but if you fall off track, it\u2019s okay\u2026 every day is a new day.<\/li>
    2. For a new professional entering the field<\/strong>: Love what you do and do what you love\u2026 your passion and action are key ingredients to making this work impactful for individuals and families across the globe.<\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol>

      Follow Mia at:<\/strong>
      Email:\u00a0<\/strong>      mia.b.russell@wellsfargo.com<\/a><\/p>

      LinkedIn:<\/strong>\u00a0http:\/\/linkedin.com\/in\/mia-russell-a482ab57<\/a><\/p>

      Website:\u00a0<\/strong>https:\/\/handsonbanking.org<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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