April Is Financial Literacy Month: Meet the Mentors in Your Corner

Financial Literacy Month has been recognized every April in the United States since 2004. It's a month dedicated to raising awareness around personal finance and making financial education a little harder to ignore. It’s a standing reminder that it’s worth the time to understand your money, and that the resources to do it are more accessible than most people realize.

The growing Fruition Mentor roster reflects that. The people on this team come from genuinely different places: different credentials, different life experiences, different reasons for stepping into this kind of work. Some are bilingual. One spent years serving in the military. That range isn't incidental - It's kind of the whole point!

Financial literacy isn't one-size-fits-all. What someone brings to a Mentor session depends entirely on where they are, what they've been through, and what they're trying to figure out. Your Mentor isn't handing you a plan; they're helping you understand your own situation, ask better questions, and see your finances more clearly.

Hear from the Mentors themselves, and discover what drew them to this work, and why financial literacy is so personal to each of them.

Gilles Hudelot — CFP®, AFC®, MS-PFP

“Teaching is in my DNA. All my grandparents and most of my aunts and uncles are teachers. So, it’s natural that I would combine that ethic with my career in financial services to focus on financial literacy.

Unfortunately, when it comes to finances, what people don’t know about money can hurt them, whether it’s overspending, getting into credit card debt, or not saving properly for retirement. My mission is to improve financial knowledge so people can take control of their finances, reduce stress, and fully engage in their lives.”

Nadine Burgos — AFC® Candidate, CPA Candidate, CFP™ Candidate (bilingual)

"Financial literacy matters to me because it gives people choices, and choices create freedom. I view financial wellness as part of self-care, since money can be a major source of stress, anxiety, or confidence. Anyone can learn to be financially literate, just like any other life skill, but not everyone has access to the same support or guidance along the way. Money is never just numbers. It's shaped by our experiences, values, and circumstances. To me, financial literacy is about building confidence, reducing stress, and helping people create a life that truly fits them."

Zachary Ryan — AFC® Candidate

"Few things have the power to transform a life like financial literacy. Money touches every part of our existence, from the security of our homes to the quality of time we can spend with our families. Understanding personal finance lifted me out of poverty and provided my wife and me with a peaceful, stable life. I chose this profession because I want to use what I've learned to empower others, helping them gain the tools and confidence to achieve their own goals."

Todd Domachowski — AFC® Candidate, CDFM Retired, CGFM Retired

"Financial literacy is the new wealth. The ability to effectively manage your finances enables you to see the world through a different lens, one defined by independence and a focus on the future. As the world twists and turns, maintaining a balanced financial life amidst the chaos pays infinite dividends. Being a financial mentor is my dream. As a father, husband, and military officer, I am programmed for decision support. This is what I love to do, and I want to help as many people as possible. Live, learn, and pay it forward."

Monica Myers — BSN, RN, LUTCF®, AFC® Candidate (bilingual)

"Money is deeply emotional, and without financial literacy, our emotions can often drive poor decisions. While money can buy happiness, we are often terrible at knowing what actually brings us joy. True financial literacy means digging deep into your 'why': your goals, your dreams, and your true values. It empowers us to stop viewing money as a source of stress and instead use it as a powerful tool to build the life we want."

Danny Steffensmeier — Actuary

"Whether we like it or not, money is involved in every day of our lives. I know plenty of smart, talented, wonderful people who would rather pursue other things than learn about personal finance. In fact, I'm married to one! I've chosen to pursue financial literacy as a profession because I love helping people with such an important aspect of their lives. I want to make it easy for people like my spouse to absorb the most important aspects of personal finance and get back to the things they love!"

Shakira Drones — Trauma of Money Method Certified Practitioner, AFC® Candidate

"Financial literacy is important to me because it helped me break the chains of debt that once impacted every decision, every relationship, and my day-to-day life. I know what it feels like to carry that weight and still have to show up every day. It gave me a blueprint for freedom, new opportunities, and the ability to take calculated risks with confidence. I've chosen this work because I want to help people break free from financial survival mode in a way that feels supportive, personalized, and actually reflects their real life."

Jeremy Ko — Ph.D.

"Financial literacy is important to me because it's a pillar of an emotionally stable life. I've seen too many people experience stress and difficulty because of their personal finances! Younger people can get trapped in a cycle of debt. Seniors can have their savings decimated because of long-term care costs in old age. These problems can be mitigated with careful financial planning, including budgeting, saving, debt management, and insurance strategies. I've chosen to focus on personal finance because it's the area of finance with the greatest ability to improve the lives of everyday people."

Real experience, real guidance

Our Mentors didn't land here by accident. They ventured into this work because money touched their own lives in very real ways, sometimes heavy ones, and they decided to use their unique experiences to positively affect the lives of other people.

Meet the full Fruition Mentor team and find someone whose experience resonates with where you are in your financial journey. There's someone here ready to help you find clarity with your money and set the goals you need to be successful today and into the future!