#CreditChat Live From Boston: How Jump$tart Is Transforming Financial Education Nationwide
Welcome to #CreditChat Live From Boston, a special limited series within the #CreditChat Live podcast featuring conversations with educators and advocates from the Jump$tart National Educator Conference — dedicated to exploring the future of financial literacy in America’s classrooms.
This episode features Laura Levine, President & CEO of the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, recorded live in Boston, Massachusetts at the 16th annual National Educator Conference (NEC) — an all-scholarship event bringing together PreK–12 educators committed to teaching personal finance.
Christina and Rod sit down with Laura to explore what makes the NEC such a milestone event for financial educators across the country. Laura unpacks the meaning behind this year’s conference theme, “Together We Shine,” and how that spirit of collaboration shaped the experience for attendees. She shares what she hopes teachers walk away with — both in terms of practical classroom tools and personal inspiration — and discusses Jump$tart’s commitment to ensuring financial education reaches every student, including those who may not receive that guidance at home.
Laura also speaks to the vital role that partnerships with sponsors, nonprofits, and corporate supporters like Experian play in bringing financial literacy to life in classrooms nationwide. Looking ahead, she shares her vision for the future of financial education in America’s schools and closes with a powerful message for every teacher, policymaker, and parent about why financial education isn’t optional — it’s essential.
#CreditChat Live is a podcast series hosted by Experian, featuring expert insights on a variety of financial topics, from credit scores to debt management. Join co-hosts Rod Griffin and Christina Roman for enlightening discussions aimed at empowering you to achieve financial success. Join us in our evolution from the decade-long #CreditChat on X, hosted every Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET. Follow @Experian on X, @Experian.us on Instagram, and @ExperianNews on Facebook & TikTok for updates!
Watch the full video episode here!
About Laura Levine
Laura Levine is the President and CEO at Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. She has devoted her career to helping people of all ages better understand financial services through marketing and outreach, communications, and most recently, through education. In 2004, she became executive director of the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, a Washington DC-based nonprofit organization committed to “financial smarts for students,” and was named President and CEO in 2011.
Since taking over at Jump$tart, Laura has continued raise awareness about the importance of financial literacy and the need for effective financial education. Under her leadership, Jump$tart launched the Jump$tart National Educator Conference, Jump$tart Financial Foundations for Educators and J$FFE Online, Project Groundswell/Check Your School and the Jump$tart Teen Teach-In, as well as the coalition’s social media efforts. Laura guided the expansion of Financial Literacy for Youth Month to the broader Financial Literacy Month (sometimes called National Financial Capability Month) observed today. While growing the coalition at both the state and national levels, she led the enhancement of legacy programs including the Jump$tart Clearinghouse and National Standards for Personal Financial Education.
In 2008, Laura was appointed to the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy by President George W. Bush and chaired the Council’s Youth Committee. She is currently a member of the Experian Consumer Council, the Forbes Nonprofit Council, CNBC Financial Wellness Council, the Community Advisory Forum for Fifth Third Bank, and has held many voluntary appointments, including having served on the Parent Cabinet for DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson. Laura speaks and writes on financial literacy topics, especially guidance for parents and family members, and the important role that classroom-based financial education can have in advancing financial equity and inclusion.
Laura began her career in credit unions and was a credentialed, Capitol Hill correspondent before moving into the securities industry. She served as Director of Editorial Services for the National Association of Securities Dealers (now FINRA) and, later, as Director of Education and Information for the NASD Office of Individual Investor Services. From 1999-2004, Laura was Director of the NASDAQ Educational Foundation. A native of Los Angeles, Laura holds a degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Southern California. She does not consider herself a financial expert, but rather, a staunch advocate for financial education and information and – she hopes – she has raised a financially literate son.