Q: How did your family and culture influence who you are today?
I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin as the second oldest of 11 children with a college professor dad and a stay-at-home mom. We had a huge garden as our main food source, and all the children learned to work hard and help each other. When we earned money, my dad required us to put 50% of it in a savings account. Both of those skills – working hard and saving money – were skills I took with me when I left home for college.
Q: Why is ACEE important to you?
I love ACEE’s mission to reach and teach students and teachers throughout Arizona. I know that education changes lives and that all students should have the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills that can help them make positive decisions about their lives and their futures.
Q: Why do you care about financial and economic education?
Until I taught a personal finance class, I really didn’t understand the power of financial literacy in changing lives. My students were able to ask honest questions about financial topics that they wanted to learn or had worries about, and they were so eager to learn. Arizona’s students will find personal power in understanding economic and financial concepts. If I could teach them all, I would, but since I’m not Wonder Woman (yet), I’m grateful to be part of an organization whose passion is to support classroom teachers so that they can change students’ lives.
