Welcome to Creative Wealth all new Financial Education Experts Panel.

Our new panel will bring you even more resources, information, tools and tips through the our Financial Wisdom with a TWI$T Ezine each week, teleseminars and webinars.

If you'd like to bring value to our readers and financial educators everywhere, just fill out our Expert Panel Application and submit it today. We'd love to hear from you!

Amanda van der Gulik

Amanda van der Gulik, a home-schooling mom-preneur, is passionate about empowering our children and teens with life skills and money savvy so they will be Clever with their own Dough and have the positive self-esteem needed to live happy fulfilling lives as adults. Amanda’s enthusiasm for empowering kids and teens is highly contagious!  

She is the author of “The Insider’s Secrets to Teaching Children About Money”, “Allowance Secrets: To Give Or Not To Give?”, “50 Money Making Ideas for Kids”, “The Clever Dough Challenge”, “Get Unstuck For Kids!” and many more courses and books,

You can see what Amanda's up to at www.TeachingChildrenAboutMoney.com

Karen Hodgens

Karyn Hodgens studied child development at California State University before receiving her master’s degree in education with a specialization in elementary mathematics. With a multiple-subjects teaching credential, for over two decades, her passion has been designing real-world lessons that resonate with kids and their interests.

In 2006, Hodgens co-founded Kidnexions (kid·neck·shuns), a kid's educational company with the mission to help kids make connections between what they are learning and their everyday lives. In partnership with her husband, John, she created KidsSave, a kids’ savings and money management software program designed as a tool to help parents teach their children how to save and spend money wisely. Karyn is the author of Raised for Richness, a “how to” to help kids master financial literacy and written as a family guide to show parents and caregivers how to initiate vital dialogue on money—and life. It won the 2010 NAPPA Gold Award in the parenting resources category.

Her latest project is a series of Family Math Night kits designed to build strong family-school partnerships. Karyn continues to teach elementary and middle school kids how to prepare for their financial futures in addition to writing about kids and money issues. Contact Karyn or visit her on her Raised for Richness and Family Math Night Facebook pages where she shares daily tips.

You can see what Karen is up to at www.kidnexions.com

Arif M. Halaby

Arif has dedicated his life to protecting people. He has transitioned from 11 years of service with the Los Angeles Police Department to help people protect and preserve their hard-earned assets. Arif’s focus and mission is to help people save money, get out of debt, and plan for retirement.

Arif has been working with families’ financial matters and money management since 1996 and is now President and CEO of Total Financial Solutions, Inc. He holds life, health, property and casualty licenses and specializes in retirement planning. Additionally, he holds endorsements for annuities and long term care. His passion for educating his clients and the community resulted in the formation of Total Money School in 2002. He has taught financial principles as a guest speaker at many PTA events and numerous companies through Total Money School's Lunch-n-Learn program.

Additionally, Arif has expertise in the area of business development. He has been involved on a variety of levels with over 80 companies as a consultant, member of the board, or corporate officer. He has vast experience in helping business owners maximize their earning potential through creative business models and wise investment and insurance decisions.

Arif also hosts two radio shows on Santa Clarita's Home Town Station, AM 1220 KHTS. Tune in on Tuesdays from 1-3pm for the Total Financial Hour.

You can see what Arif is up to at www.tfswealth.com

Vince Shorb

Vince Shorb is President of The National Financial Educator’s Council (NFEC), an organization dedicated to increasing financial literacy. The NFEC offers educator certification, curriculum, financial education events, turnkey financial literacy programs and consultation.

Shorb is the founder of Money XLive – one of the nation’s largest full-production financial literacy events that teaches the value of entrepreneurship and financial responsibility in an MTV-award-show-style environment. He brings together celebrities, sport stars, recording artists and other entertainers to teach practical money matters in a concert venue.

In addition, Shorb serves on the board of directors for several nonprofit organizations and has partnered with nonprofit organizations including Junior Achievement, StandUp for Kids, After School All-Stars and the Matt Leinart Foundation. He has instructed and benefited more than 50 nonprofit organizations including Big Brother Big Sister, Girl Scouts, PALs, Phoenix House and the National Parenting Institute.

Shorb is the creator of a highly acclaimed, multimedia, virtual classroom on financial literacy – MoneySmarts Course - which combines YouTube-style videos, podcasts, MP3 downloads, interactive tools and course materials to provide real-world financial advice to young adults. He has also designed custom financial literacy curriculum for numerous organizations.

Further, Shorb is highly acclaimed and has been recommended by The National Parenting Institute and the Youth Leadership Academy. He has been featured on the Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, Dow Jones MarketWatch, New York Post, CNBC, Forbes.com and Smart Money. He is a recognized leading financial education authority and advocate.

Shorb brings real-world experience to the financial literacy field, having reviewed the personal financial statements of more than 10,000 clients and has been an active investor and entrepreneur since age 18. His financial knowledge combined with almost 20 years of investment experience puts him in a unique position to relate to and inspire today’s youth.

Shorb is fully aware of the challenges and opportunities faced by young adults today, and he provides practical advice on how to achieve a level of financial security that will keep them on the right path. His guidance and everyday financial know-how encourages them to harness the power of youth and achieve financial independence.

You can see what Vince is up to at www.financialeducatorscouncil.org/

Linette Daniels

Dr. Linette Daniels is a nationally acclaimed speaker, author and award winning success strategist who, for the past 20 years, has empowered youth from the cradle through college in a variety of youth-serving arenas to include public school, child care, foster care, juvenile court, social services, and early intervention.

As a single parent, she raised 12 therapeutic foster care and 2 biological children using her vision to see infants’ progress into developmentally strong toddlers, academically prepared preschoolers, empowered youth and successful adults.

Dr. Daniels believes that given the right space, tools, and training; ALL youth can succeed, and as founder of the International Movement To Empower More Youth, her mission is to empower youth for financial, business and leadership success so they can create the life they want to live.

You can see what Linette is up to at EmpowerMoreYouth.com

Michele Lawrence

For over a decade, noted philanthropist and business leader Michele Lawrence has served Philadelphia and its surrounding counties by educating and mentoring individuals and neglected communities on financial literacy and economic empowerment. Via workshops and discussions at churches, community centers and private homes, Lawrence has educated more than 5,000 individuals. Since 2009, Lawrence has served as a Senior Vice President and Community Banking President for the Delaware Central market of Wells Fargo. The Delaware Central market includes 53 stores in Philadelphia and marts of Montgomery County with over 500 employees, $3.7 billion in deposits, and $1.4 billion in loans. If Lawrence’s team operated as a stand alone bank, it would be the sixth largest in the city. As part of her role as SVP and Community Banking President, Lawrence goes into various communities on a weekly basis to educate individuals and organizations on the importance of financial literacy and being educated on how money works and the tools to financial growth and independence.

You can see what Michele Lawrence is up to at Michelelawrence.biz

Nick Wolff

Financial Education Presentation and counseling. Designed a board game encompassing aspects of entrepreneurship, accounting and macro-economic theory. He have modified rules of familiar board games, such as monopoly, to facilitate better learning.

You can see what Nick Wolff is up to at www.YouthFinancialEducation.com

Christine Strickland

Christine has over 25 years of experience working with financial institutions and their investment programs. She also has a passion for educating people on saving for their retirement goals.

During her career, she has held a variety of leadership roles in sales, training, marketing, and client service. From 2003 to 2011, she led a national sales division supporting over 3,500 licensed bankers for LPL Financial - the largest independent broker dealer in the United States. Throughout her career, whether she was working directly one-on-one with clients or leading sales teams, she has relentlessly promoted the need to help clients prepare for retirement. She is the President of the Charlotte Chapter of The National Association of Professional Women and serves on the professional development committee of Women in Insurance and Financial Services. She also volunteers with Dress for Success Charlotte and Life Share of the Carolinas.

You can see what Christine Strickland is up to at www.MyRetireDREAMS.com

John Lanza

Financial Literacy Expertise: Teaching pre- and elementary school kids about money, specifically allowance, making smart money choices and distinguishing between needs and wants.

You can see what John Lanza is up to at www.themoneymammals.com