WESTERVILLE, Ohio, Dec. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®) recognized 11 individuals, organizations, special projects, and initiatives expanding access to personal finance resources and education across the country as part of its 2022 AFCPE Awards. More than 20 award nominations were peer-reviewed, and honorees were awarded specifically for their innovation, expertise, and leadership in meeting communities’ financial needs.
“Now more than ever, our country is faced with personal finance challenges demanding that Americans make multiple financial decisions daily to stretch their dollars,” says AFCPE’s Executive Director, Rachael DeLeon. “Fortunately, AFCPE members, partners, and community members have stepped up to ensure Americans are receiving sound financial advice, tools, and resources to help them make the best decision for their financial future. We are honored to recognize those going above and beyond.”
The 2022 honorees are based in South Dakota, Washington, Texas, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania, with a national reach and impact, focused on underserved and overlooked populations that benefit most from reliable personal finance resources. The group included professors, researchers, entrepreneurs, spouses, and non-profit leaders focused on reducing racial disparities in finances, normalizing financial conversations, improving financial readiness in specific careers, and broad financial literacy topics.
The 2022 award recipients include:
Distinguished Fellow Award: Dr. Dottie Durband, AFC®, Associate Dean for Academics and Faculty/Professor of Personal Financial Planning at Texas Tech University. Among her many professional accomplishments, Dr. Durband started the peer-based counseling group at Texas Tech, known as Red to Black, and served as the lead author of the newest financial counseling book used in the industry today. She has served as an AFCPE member for more than two decades and recently helped build out the financial counseling archives and interviews for the organization.
Educator of the Year: Dr. Axton Betz-Hamilton, AFC®, Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Program Coordinator of Consumer Affairs in the School of Health and Consumer Sciences at South Dakota State University. Her primary research focuses on financial abuse within families, including familial identity theft. Her own personal experience is detailed in her book, The Less People Know About Us.
Counselor of the Year: Robyn Mroszczyk, AFC® since 2008. Her focus on military finances has …….