Agenda

Marin Laukka, MA - Money, Meaning, and the Missing Piece: What Everyone Needs to Know About Wealth, Worth, and Alignment

In her engaging presentation, Marin delivers something most financial talks miss: the emotional, psychological, and relational side of money.

With two true and unforgettable stories - one unexpected inheritance conversation and a total-loss house fire two months before her wedding - Marin doesn’t just explain how to manage money differently... she shows you why it matters, and how it can transform your personal and professional life.

Sung-Jin Lee, PhD, Troy Anderson, Ed.D., & Carrie Sorenson, M.P.H. - Understanding the Rental Housing Market: Trends, Renter Challenges, and Key Considerations

This session provides an overview of today’s rental housing market, with a focus on key trends, common challenges renters face, and essential considerations that influence housing decisions. Designed for professionals who support consumers (for example, educators, counselors, and service providers), the presentation offers practical insights to strengthen guidance, improve outreach, and enhance renter preparedness. The session will also include a brief section on U.S. young adults’ renting trends and challenges and a section on consumer protections for older renters and resources for aging in place. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of market dynamics and leave with actionable information to better serve individuals and families navigating the rental process.

Diego Mendez-Carbajo, PhD - Meet FRED® and Friends

The Research Division at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis is widely known for its flagship data service FRED®. Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) is the largest aggregator of United States economic data. It provides free access to more than 800 thousand data series from more than 100 domestic and international sources. Its website, mobile apps, spreadsheet add-in, and application programming interface allow the public at large to easily chart, map, and share data.

Karen Richel, M.S., AFC®, Certified Money Coach (CMC)® - When Accountability Meets Community: Why Financial Challenges Turn Intentions Into Action

Traditional financial education often increases knowledge—but doesn’t always lead to behavior change. This session explores why structured, time-bound challenges like the 52-Week Declutter Challenge and Broke January are effective tools for turning good intentions into real-life action. Participants will learn how accountability, social connection, and small, repeatable steps work together to increase engagement, sustain motivation, and produce measurable outcomes. The session will highlight practical design elements that make challenges successful, including pacing, prompts, reflection, and peer support. Attendees will leave with a clear framework for creating or adapting challenge-based programming in their own communities, along with strategies to measure impact and support participants beyond the challenge itself.

Jonathan Ritter - Preparing Consumers to Navigate the 2026 Housing Market

The housing market continues to evolve, leaving many consumers uncertain about whether homeownership is realistic—or wise—in today’s environment. This session provides financial educators and counselors with an insider’s view of how lenders evaluate borrowers, what is truly driving affordability challenges, and how professionals can help consumers make informed housing decisions. Participants will leave with clearer insight into how credit, income stability, debt, and financial behaviors impact mortgage outcomes, along with facts to guide consumers toward navigating their home purchase with confidence.

Rebecca Selkowe,  JD, AFC® - Game of Loans: Guiding Clients Through Debt Relief Options

In an ideal world, every client with debt could devise and implement a plan to pay it all off, but in reality, the debt burdens of some clients are so heavy that full repayment is neither advisable nor possible. 

This dynamic, hands-on session explores alternatives to full debt repayment, from negotiation to consolidation to bankruptcy. Each option will be clearly explained and discussed in detail, including pros and cons, common myths, and red flags. We’ll also walk through a simple matrix designed to help you guide your clients toward decisions that are well-informed, carefully considered, and best suited to their unique needs and goals. 

Whether you're brand new to debt relief or looking to level up your approach, this session will boost your ability to navigate the complicated landscape of debt relief with your clients and help them win their own Game of Loans.