Wisconsin Financial Educators Council: About, Mission, Advisory Board
The Wisconsin Financial Educators Council℠ is committed to helping people across the state gain access to financial education programming that helps them work toward financial wellness. To this end, we provide complimentary resources, advocacy campaigns, and local personal support to build scalable financial wellness initiatives.
The mission of the Wisconsin Financial Educators Council℠ is to build sustainable, scalable economic empowerment programs that have a real impact on people’s lives at the community level.
Wisconsin & Regional Advisory Board
The Wisconsin Financial Educators Council Advisory Board members come from diverse backgrounds, yet share one similar goal – to help push the financial wellness movement forward. Board members serve in a variety of roles to support the Leadership Team to develop leading educational resources, expand our business, and create positive social change.
Founding Members
Talaya Scott
Co-Fouder & COO of SaveCircle, Accountant, Author, Professor and Speaker
Marina Moths
VP of Financial Wellness, Spectrum Investment Advisors, Inc.
Great Lakes Regional Advisory Board Members
Brandon Biddles
Managing Partner & Chief Market Strategist, Biddles Group
Dr. Brenda Oldham
Financial Literacy Expert – Oakland County, MI
J.M. (Jack) Towarnicky
HR/Benefits Plan Sponsor and Plan Fiduciary Leadership Roles at Four different Fortune 500 companies
Mark Dunaway
Financial Educator & Retired Partner, Accenture
Dr. Tim Shimp, EdD
Educational Learning Designer with DLR Group
Dorenda Monique Clink
Director of Community Outreach & Education at Vested Interest Financial Group, LLC
State Chapter Details & Affiliation with National Council
The Wisconsin Financial Educators Council℠ is a chapter of the National Financial Educators Council®. The National chapter is well-qualified to support our initiatives here across the state of Wisconsin. They bring:
Accreditation
As an IACET Accredited Provider, the NFEC offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard.
Social Impact
As a Certified B Corporation, the NFEC meets the highest standards for socially responsible commerce, using the power of business to build more sustainable economies.
Standards
The NFEC set industry standards for the financial education industry and materials are developed with the highest educational outcomes in mind.
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Talaya Scott
Co-Fouder & COO of SaveCircle, Accountant, Author, Professor and Speaker
Talaya Scott brings a wealth of education and experience in accounting, higher education, fintech, and community leadership to her position on the WIFEC Advisory Board. She is Co-Founder and COO of SaveCircle, an employer-sponsored group savings benefit and personal finance platform. Scott leads the company’s operational strategy and product execution functions. She is an Accounting Professor at Milwaukee Area Technical College and Concordia University-Wisconsin. She holds an MSA in Accounting and Finance from the Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University; and is currently a doctoral candidate in Business Administration at Concordia.
A talented and sought-after public speaker, Talaya Scott recently has been featured on the Money Sense, MoneyGeek, and Eloma podcasts and made presentations at accounting conferences. Talaya is author of the 2019 book So I Graduated, Now What Do I Do?, an entertaining take on the real-life financial concepts not being taught in urban community schools. She previously served for eight years in Military Finance in the U.S. Air Force and worked at Ernst & Young LLP. Scott also is a Financial Education Advocate for the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC), the WIFEC’s parent organization. Outside her professional work, she supports community groups to build sustainable financial wellness programs, advocates for family-centered financial education, and promotes public policy that advances financial education mandates in public schools.
Talaya actively volunteers in her community, donating her time and expertise to nonprofit organizations seeking to implement financial wellness initiatives. Her doctoral degree focus is on improving the detrimental status of personal finances among communities of color. Her goal for serving on the WIFEC Board is to expand equitable access to high-quality financial education, ensuring that Wisconsin individuals and families have the tools they need to build sustainable financial futures. She feels deeply passionate about financial education and is dedicated to shifting people’s mindsets to help them move toward greater financial wellness.
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Marina Moths
VP of Financial Wellness, Spectrum Investment Advisors, Inc.
Marina Moths and her family immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador when she was 15 years old. As the family’s resources were insufficient to pay for college after she graduated from high school, Marina had to work her way through university – starting as a bank teller and moving into financial education over time. That’s how Moths received her Wisconsin Life and Health Insurance and FINRA Series 63 and 6 Licenses before she earned her BS in Business Management from Cardinal Stritch University. Her finance career has spanned various roles including Personal and Business Banker at JP Morgan Chase, Retirement Education Consultant at BMO, and Director of Retirement Education at OneAmerica. Currently Marina is Vice President of Financial Wellness at Spectrum Investment Advisors, Inc. In that role, she manages a team of educators who provide comprehensive financial and retirement planning services for individuals and businesses.
Throughout her career, Marina Moths has developed and pursued her passion for helping people. She supports individuals, companies, and whole communities with financial education resources, particularly low-income individuals and families with limited resources and financial capability. In addition to her professional work, she has been a community volunteer for HPGM and currently serves as a Student Mentor for SecureFutures, helping high school students understand budgeting and financial concepts before they enter the workforce.
Marina Moths undertakes financial education from an action perspective – helping people overcome personal finance challenges and obstacles with actionable tools that support achieving their goals. She brings this dynamic point of view to her participation on the WIFEC Advisory Board, helping make financial wellness education both scalable and sustainable across Wisconsin.
Brandon Biddles
Managing Partner & Chief Market Strategist, Biddles Group
Brandon Biddles, BA, MBA, and PMP®, is Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Investment Strategist at Biddles Group – a financial consulting and investment research company that also offers real-world financial education. Biddles earned his MBA with a Finance concentration from Oakland University in 2007 and his Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute in 2015. He has been honored with the annual Financial Educators Day Award from the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) three times (2020, 2021, and 2023) and joined the NFEC’s United for Financial Literacy Advocacy Committee in 2025.
Biddles’ abundance of experience in financial services and financial wellness advocacy has spanned the banking, tax, healthcare, higher education, nonprofit, and investment sectors. He currently serves as Board Treasurer for Detroit Phoenix Center and Still Standing Michigan; and is published author of the book CLASS: Character, Leadership, Attitude, Service, and Success. Brandon and his firm Biddles Group have been featured on Fox News, Yahoo! Life, and the New Leaders Council. He also became a Roots of Ministry Leadership Program Graduate through Ascension Health in 2025.
Brandon Biddles has a stated mission “To bridge transformation, financial literacy, and community impact – empowering individuals and organizations to make informed, financially sound decisions that drive sustainable growth.” His professional efforts give him the opportunity to realize his passion for blending strategic wealth consultation with financial literacy education – emphasizing clarity, sustainability, and long-term impact among his clients, who represent all societal segments from individuals to corporations.
Biddles’ primary objective for joining the MFEC’s Advisory Board is to make top-quality financial literacy education available and easily accessible to all residents of the Wolverine State. He intends to achieve that goal by bridging education with innovation – providing resources, insights, and tools that empower people to take control of their financial futures.
Dr. Brenda Oldham
Financial Literacy Expert – Oakland County, MI
Dr. Brenda Oldham was selected as a distinguished member of the Michigan Financial Educators Council Advisory Board due to her highly-respected status as a financial literacy expert, author, and educator with more than 35 years of experience in the insurance and financial planning industries. As the CEO of RAM Insurance & Financial Services and the founder of RAM Educational Business Solutions, Advisory Board Member Dr. Brenda Oldham has dedicated her career to improving financial education and wealth-building opportunities for individuals and organizations alike. Her acclaimed book, “Grandma (Nana) Piggy Bank Money Saving Tips,” highlights her commitment to closing the wealth gap and helping families build sustainable financial habits.
Dr. Oldham’s deep commitment to financial literacy education, combined with years of experience and a culturally competent approach, underscore her strong alignment with the NFEC’s mission and her trusted leadership in the movement for financial empowerment. The Michigan Financial Educators Council anticipates an advantageous collaboration with Dr. Oldham in the coming years.
Empowering Underserved Communities with Transformational Financial Literacy Initiatives: Dr. Brenda Oldham
Dr. Brenda Oldham, renowned financial literacy expert and author of “Grandma Piggy Bank Money Saving Tips: A Financial Literacy Wellness Guide,” is making strides to bridge the financial literacy gap within underserved and underrepresented groups through her transformative workshops titled “Get Your Financial House in Order.” This initiative brings accessible, engaging, and actionable financial education directly into workplaces and community centers, empowering participants to achieve lasting financial wellness.
“Our mission is to empower individuals with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to transform their financial lives,” comments Dr. Oldham. “We are dedicated to addressing the unique financial challenges faced by underrepresented groups and creating pathways to long-term financial health and success.” The “Get Your Financial House in Order” workshops are specifically designed to provide a comprehensive approach to financial literacy, including topics such as budgeting, debt reduction, credit improvement, savings and investment strategies, and building generational wealth. The workshops cater to diverse communities, with a special focus on the experiences of African Americans before and after a series of tailored financial programs. Participants gain practical strategies that lead to real-world results and measurable improvements in their financial lives.
Mark Dunaway
Financial Educator & Retired Partner, Accenture
Mark Dunaway put himself through Illinois State University as a first-generation college student – earning a Bachelor’s in Applied Computer Science in 1984. His professional career was primarily spent with Accenture, a leading global business consulting firm, where he served as engagement partner for several large clients including Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and CareFirst. Dunaway retired from Accenture in 2004.
Since retirement he has been donating his time as a guest lecturer in personal finance classes, both at local Ohio high schools and at multiple universities including Florida State University, Illinois State University, and Auburn University. Mark feels college juniors and seniors are the audience where he can have the most impact. With them he focuses on three key financial decisions – housing, transportation, and retirement enrollment – that are certain to shape long-term life outcomes. Currently at FSU and ISU, he is working with educators to expand their financial education programs to reach even more students.
Dunaway and his wife, Julie, also are active in Ohio communities. They co-sponsor several high school and university scholarships and started the first Dean’s Scholarship in the ISU College of Business. Mark serves on the Boys and Girls Club of West Chester/Liberty Board of Directors. They work with CityLink, a community group that provides job and life skills training to low-income Ohio residents. The couple also volunteers for Golden Endings, a Golden Retriever rescue organization through which they have adopted four rescue dogs into their family across the years.
Mark Dunaway’s approach to teaching financial wellness education is to empower students with financial competence, not just financial literacy. His programs are practical and actionable – encouraging students to build real-world budgets, practice housing choices and vehicle purchases, and plan their retirement enrollment starting with their very first jobs. Working exclusively as a volunteer, Mark has a vision to help young adults avoid the stress and anguish of the common pitfalls into which people fall when they are unprepared to meet today’s financial realities.
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J.M. (Jack) Towarnicky
HR/Benefits Plan Sponsor and Plan Fiduciary Leadership Roles at Four different Fortune 500 companies
J.M. (Jack) Towarnicky has more than 40 years of professional experience – 31 years in HR/Benefits plan sponsor and plan fiduciary leadership roles at four different Fortune 500 companies; plus more than a decade as a compliance and consulting attorney. Jack has higher education teaching experience at Duquesne, Ohio State, and Franklin Universities and has served as an instructor for the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) and Certified Plan Sponsor Professional (CPSP™) designations. He brings this rich experiential background to bear for his contributions to the Ohio Financial Educators Council’s Advisory Board.
Advisory Board Member J.M. (Jack) Towarnicky received individual national recognition in 2021 as 401(k) Champion and his team was presented with the Platinum Award from the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) “Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles®” program in 2010.
Highly-valued Experience and Background: Jack Towarnicky
Towarnicky received his LLM degree with honors in Employee Benefits from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, IL; his JD from the South Texas College of Law in Houston, TX; his MBA and BBA in Economics from Cleveland State University in Cleveland, OH; and holds designation as a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS).
Jack’s experience as director, member, and trustee on professional boards has included the Department of Labor’s EBSA and ERISA Advisory Council; the Presbyterian Church USA Board of Pensions; World at Work; Council on Employee Benefits; American Benefits Council; and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Corporate Board. This substantial list of accomplishments makes him a highly-valued member of the Ohio Advisory Board.
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Dr. Tim Shimp, EdD
Educational Learning Designer with DLR Group, Retired Superintendent of Schools, Yorkville CUSD
Over his 27 years as an educational leader, Dr. Timothy Shimp has been instrumental in curriculum development and instructional best practice implementation; raising student achievement outcomes; bringing greater equity, access, and rigor to student learning experiences; and supporting a district culture of personalized learning.
With an MA in Educational Administration from Northern Illinois University and an EdD in Educational Leadership and Administration from Aurora University, Dr. Shimp demonstrates a strong history of working in the pre-K – 12 education industry. He brings skills in Educational Instructional Practice, Strategic Planning, Organizational Branding, Leadership, Systems Thinking and Change, and Personalized Learning to his participation on the Illinois Financial Educators Council Advisory Board.
Dr. Shimp believes that communities must partner together to bring timely and relevant financial education to all generations, help individuals and families change their stories and gain a true understanding of their financial situations, provide education and proven life-changing solutions to ignite optimism and progress, and assist individuals to solidify behaviors and create action plans to eliminate debt and gain wealth.
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Dorenda Monique Clink
Director of Community Outreach & Education at Vested Interest Financial Group, LLC
Familiarly known as Professor Doe, Dorenda Monique Clink – current Director of Community Outreach & Education at Vested Interest Financial Group, LLC – has a long history of giving back to her hometown Chicago and communities around Illinois. As a former Cook County Deputy Sheriff, Clink worked directly with such departments as child support, warrants, juvenile detention, and criminal court, where she learned firsthand how lack of financial literacy and community support could hold people back from achieving lasting stability. This experience fueled her passion for helping Illinoisans change their mindsets about money so they can move from surviving to thriving.
Today, Dorenda holds an MAFM in Finance and Accounting and an MBA in Project Management from Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University. She also earned a BS in Computer Information Systems at DeVry. In addition to founding Vested Interest Financial Group, Clink is an Insurance Sales Professional at Bankers Life. She is certified as an Insurance Producer and earned her Certified Financial Education Instructor® (CFEI®) credentials from the National Financial Educators Council in 2025. An author, skilled public speaker, and workshop facilitator, Dorenda exhibits her straightforward style on her Get Your Money Right! YouTube channel, discussing “money, mindset, and the mayhem that blocks you from reaching your full potential.”
Dorenda Clink also volunteers with the nonprofit CARE Chicago, through which she gives free financial literacy presentations to schools and community groups across the city. She joined the NFEC United for Financial Literacy Advocacy Committee in 2024. As founder of Vested Interest Financial Group, Clink focuses on financial education, coaching, and empowerment – offering practical guidance that helps individuals shift their perspectives to break free from the cycle of poverty and build healthier financial habits.
As a member of the Illinois Financial Educators Council Advisory Board, Dorenda Monique Clink has a goal to make lasting impact on Black and Brown communities in and around the Chicago Metropolitan area – providing more equitable access to financial wellness education so families and communities can thrive.