Financial Literacy is Freedom: A Conversation with VCEE’s President & CEO
Financial Literacy is Freedom
A Conversation with VCEE’s President & CEO
As we recognize Financial Literacy Month, we sat down with VCEE’s President & CEO to talk about why this work matters and what she’s seen firsthand throughout her journey from classroom teacher to organizational leadership.
Your Journey
Q: You’ve grown with VCEE over the years. How has that shaped your perspective on financial literacy?
“Financial literacy, to me, is freedom.
Over the years with VCEE, I’ve watched students and teachers move from uncertainty to real agency, not because their lives changed overnight, but because their understanding did.
I still remember in my own classroom when a group of students realized their choices dictated their future, and that they had the power to stop the cycle of poverty that generations of their families had experienced.
Those kinds of breakthroughs ripple outward. Families make steadier choices, communities gain resilience, and young people begin to imagine futures they once thought out of reach.
That’s why I keep showing up, to create more of those moments across Virginia.”
Why This Work Matters
Q: Why is financial literacy so important for students today?
“Every student deserves a fair shot at economic stability.
Today’s young people face complicated choices about loans, credit, jobs, and housing earlier than ever, and those choices can shape the rest of their life. Without basic financial understanding, good options can look risky and risky options can look normal.
Teaching these skills early levels the playing field, reduces vulnerability to predatory practices, and widens the futures students can imagine. Supporting this work is an investment in stronger families and healthier local economies.”
Program Impact
Q: What impact have you seen from VCEE’s programs?
“Experiential learning changes how students relate to money and to themselves.
When classrooms run Mini-Economies, play The Stock Market Game™, or simulate real financial choices, the learning is active, social, and memorable. I’ve seen quiet students step into leadership roles and teams solve problems under pressure in ways a worksheet never produced.
Teachers tell us engagement spikes and concepts stick longer, and the data backs that up. Those classroom shifts become long-term confidence that follows students into jobs, college, and community life.”
Looking Ahead
Q: What excites you most about the future of this work?
“We need economic and financial education more than ever.
In an AI-driven economy, tools will multiply, but human judgment will be the real advantage. Students must learn to evaluate information, weigh trade-offs, and make decisions under uncertainty while using technology responsibly.
I’m excited to scale programs that teach thinking, not just clicking, programs that pair critical reasoning with tech fluency and financial capability. That mix will create adaptable problem solvers who can turn innovation into stable opportunity for themselves and their communities.”
Real-World Readiness
Q: How does this prepare students for life beyond the classroom?
“Classroom practice becomes lifelong habits.
When students practice budgeting, investing, and real-world simulations, they get a safe place to test choices, recover from setbacks, and see consequences in real time, and that makes lessons stick.
Those habits reduce costly mistakes, improve income management, and sharpen the instincts employers value: problem solving, teamwork, and resilience.
Students who graduate with this experience are better prepared to evaluate job offers, avoid predatory products, and launch small ventures with clearer risk awareness.
In short, this education multiplies opportunity for individuals and strengthens the economic fabric of our communities.”
Advice for Educators
Q: What would you say to teachers just starting to incorporate financial literacy?
“You don’t need to teach a class called ‘Personal Finance’ to teach money skills, every teacher can help.
Weave financial topics into History, Math, Science, English, and the Arts. Start small, one activity, one lesson, and share what works.
Those small steps build vocabulary, judgment, and confidence without overhauling your curriculum. Every teacher has the power to give students practical tools that last a lifetime.”
One Last Lesson
Q: If every student could take one lesson with them, what would you want it to be?
“You will make mistakes, and that’s part of learning.
Decisions are made with the information you have at the moment. The goal is to make the best choice you can now and to improve your decision-making skills as you learn more.
Resilience matters more than perfection. Those who reflect, adapt, and try again are the ones who succeed.
Treat financial health like any other wellness goal. Practice the basics, review the results, and commit to lifelong learning. Never stop getting better.
If you carry that mindset forward, you’ll protect yourself financially and help build stronger, more prosperous communities.”
Closing Thought
At the heart of it all is a simple but powerful truth:
Perspective drives performance.
And when students begin to see what’s possible, everything changes.