When you’re the first in your family to reach financial stability, generosity can start to feel expected. Decide what you can afford before requests come in. Keep contributing to your own emergency fund and retirement, and don’t use credit to give beyond your means.

Bre Scullark visited our team, and she shared that she says, “I invite you to” instead of giving directives. That phrasing allows for someone to respond and feel some ownership over what happens next. I’m paying closer attention to where I can use that and about how my words affect others.

Our operations team stepped away from the daily work for our first biannual Stepback. We talked through working styles, defined what success should look like in two years and drafted a mission and vision together. We’ll hold these sessions twice a year to keep the team aligned.

Salary is usually the first number people compare, but your benefits are part of your compensation too. Review what your employer offers, check enrollment deadlines and find out whether you need to contribute before the company does. Ask HR to explain anything you don’t understand.

Most of us ask, "Can I afford it?" I've found another question is just as important: "Do I still want this after I've had a little time to think about it?" A short pause before making a purchase can lead to a better decision.

One of the best career decisions you can make is finding someone who's already walked the path you're hoping to take. I've benefited from mentors throughout my career, and that's one reason I try to support others today. Good advice has a way of being passed forward.

Savings gives you more choices when opportunities appear and more breathing room when life doesn't go according to plan. Financial security can make a big difference in the choices available to you in your career, education and personal life.

Knowing where your money goes changes how you use it. People make different financial decisions once they have a clearer picture of their recurring expenses and everyday spending. You don't need a complex plan to start. A month of paying closer attention is enough to teach you something useful.

The rate on your car loan is marked up before you ever see it. I learned that working at BMW. The dealership adds their cut on top of what the lender approved. That gap is negotiable. Get pre-approved. Ask for better.

At 19, I maxed out a credit card and paid 2.5x what I spent. Nobody explained how interest compounds. Carrying a balance gradually turns a $500 purchase into a $1,200 lesson. Understand what your debt is actually costing you.

If you didn’t grow up with enough income to leverage savings as security, it’s natural to feel like money should be used immediately instead of left sitting in an account. That mindset can continue even after someone’s financial situation becomes more stable.

A lot of people grow up hearing this about credit cards: stay away from them. I get why that warning gets passed down. But avoiding credit completely can also be a disadvantage. Learn how credit works well enough to use it intentionally.

You can’t separate how people think about money from what they’ve experienced. In workforce development and reentry work, you see this clearly. Two people can approach the same opportunity very differently based on what they’ve been through. Support has to go beyond technical skills.

In nonprofit work, you lead knowing the mission will outlive you. The work continues long after current leaders, staff and boards move on. That changes how you think about responsibility. The goal is making sure the mission stays strong for the people who will need it tomorrow.

I’ve been reviewing recordings of my own remarks and internal meetings. Where was I rushing? Where was I repeating myself? Those things don’t change the substance of a message, but they can blur it. Communication is something we should keep refining as part of the discipline of leadership.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a reminder that dignity isn’t something you earn. I came to this country as a kid and learned that systems don’t always see your full humanity. Dr. King knew real progress requires cultural change, not just laws. The work is still unfinished.

🚫 Myth: Probation and parole reliably lead to freedom. ✅ Fact: Technical violations often turn them into extended punishment. When systems block progress, the damage reaches families, communities, and public safety. System design determines outcomes.

We took a cooking class while traveling and quickly realized it wasn’t about competence. It was collaborative, imperfect and shared. Trying something new alongside others has a way of widening perspective, even when you’re not particularly good at it.

Earlier this month I spent time with LGBTQ+ CFOs and finance leaders in DC. What started in 2020 as crisis support has grown into real shared leadership. Grateful to HRC for hosting, and to a community that shows what leadership looks like when we choose transparency, shared learning, and care.

As the year winds down, I’ve been thinking about what real development looks like. It’s usually not about reviews or big moments. It’s the steady support leaders give and the opportunities they make for people to grow.

Diversify your portfolio beyond dollars. Financial wealth is only one measure of success. The strongest returns often come from relationships, credibility and purpose. Money matters, but meaning multiplies. #FinancialEmpowerment #Leadership

Determined people make an impact when they work together. A visit with leaders at the United Justice Coalition earlier this year reminded me how collaboration moves communities forward. Grateful for the teams who keep showing up and supporting this work every day. Give what and where you can!

I attended a conversation led by Oprah Winfrey about caregiving and loss. I shared a memory of my grandmother, who lived with Alzheimers, and how that experience taught me that connection and love are what stay with us. I’m grateful I could share it.

This #SmallBusinessSaturday, I’d like you to meet Chef Sharon Richardson, founder of Just Soul Catering After 20 years of incarceration, she built a business rooted in second chances, purpose, and community. Her story is proof that opportunity changes everything.

Eric and I started a new Thanksgiving tradition: spending the holiday abroad. Life can take you far when you're open to new experiences. Wishing everyone a holiday week that brings rest, connection, and moments that remind you what matters most. #Gratitude #Thanksgiving

We plan for expenses, investments, and savings, but rarely for rest. This season, I’m budgeting for balance: time to rest, recharge, and reflect. Because wealth isn’t just what you earn, it’s the energy to enjoy what you’ve built.

I recently attended the 35-year anniversary gala for HealthRight International, an organization expanding access to healthcare for communities too often left behind. Health is more than care, it’s dignity. Grateful for the people and partners doing this work every day.

Attending the recent Hispanic Leadership Summit at the United Nations was a powerful reminder of what representation looks like in action. Leadership, ownership, equity and visibility are not abstract goals. They’re the foundation of lasting change.

Someone once took the time to teach me accounting, and it changed how I saw everything in money and work. That experience taught me that when you invest in learning, you build confidence, clarity, and the freedom to choose your own path. Knowledge is the kind of return that compounds for life.

I never planned on a career in finance. What changed everything was access to education and people who saw potential before I did. STEM and financial education open doors to confidence, stability, and mobility. Talent is everywhere. Opportunity still isn’t.