Notes from the Executive Director

Written By: Rebecca Wiggins

Greetings from the AFCPE National Office! We are off to the races this year after an exciting and productive 2015. In December, AFCPE earned the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) Accreditation. This achievement ensures that the AFC^® program aligns with the best practices from an outside accrediting body and demonstrates AFCPE’s commitment to continuous quality improvement.

What does accreditation mean for you?

• Accreditation confirms that the AFC represents the highest standards in the field of financial counseling and education.
• Accreditation enhances the value of AFC certification to your employers, colleagues and consumers.
• Accreditation sets the AFC mark apart from others in the field. We join the CFP^® mark with this level of achievement and recognition.
• Accreditation shows that the educational content and testing for the AFC is psychometrically sound and has been developed, maintained and governed by the highest standard.

Thank you to each of you who completed the 2014 Job Analysis, volunteered time for the Item Writing or Exam Committee, and who serve on the Certification Council. We would not have been successful in this important endeavor without your participation.

Program Updates

AFCPE continues to work with Armed Forces Services Corporation (AFSC) on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s National Financial Coaching Project, which requires the AFC^® designation. The Financial Coaches have also been trained with Master Financial Coach Trainer and AFCPE partner, Saundra Davis of Sage Financial Solutions.

In 2016, AFCPE looks forward to partnering with several organizations, including Wounded Warrior Project, Operation Homefront and USA Cares on a national pilot project to work with wounded post 9/11 veterans. AFC^® professionals will play a crucial role as financial case managers to help the veterans achieve long-term financial security.

We continue to look for partnerships and initiatives that help advance the field and build the continuum of care for the profession so that consumers have access to a more inclusive financial system.

AFCPE Website and myAFCPE

This summer, AFCPE will roll out our new and improved website to coordinate more effectively with our new database, myAFCPE. The redesigned site will be more user-friendly for both professionals and consumers, and will showcase our exceptional publications and resources. If you have not done so already, please login to your myAFCPE account (https://my.afcpe.org/) and update your Profile Information for the AFCPE Certified Professional Search.

2016 Symposium

We look forward to continuing our excellent momentum this year and hope you will join us in horse country for another fantastic symposium! Mark your calendars for November 16–18 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown in Louisville, Kentucky. This is one program you will not want to miss!

For those interested in presenting a practitioners’ forum, poster, research paper, or student paper at the 2016 Symposium, the deadline to submit a proposal is June?3, 2016. If you have any questions, please email as follows:

• Practitioners’ Forum Questions: practitionersforum@afcpe.org
• Poster Session Questions: posters@ afcpe.org
• Research Paper Questions: researchpapers@afcpe.org
• Student Paper Questions: studentpapers@afcpe.org

Get to Know the AFCPE Staff

Although the AFCPE staff is small, most days we feel like a well-oiled machine. This team is incredibly diligent, energetic, intelligent and deeply committed to this organization and the success of its future. We wear many hats and enjoy the hard work it takes, but we are always here to provide you the highest level of care. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Ashlee Abraham 

Ashlee is one of the newest members of the AFCPE team. As the Certification Program Coordinator, she supports our Certification Program Director, Michelle Starkey, and the certification team in the daily operation of the certification department. This includes assisting certification candidates as they go through the program. Ashlee holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University. She is also a former All-American and 3-time Big Ten Champ from The Ohio State University’s Women’s Track and Field team. With that background, she truly understands teamwork, dedication, and perseverance. Ashlee is committed to AFCPE’s mission and working to expand the availability of financial education in today’s society, along with raising awareness for the AFC^®, and the importance of upholding that standard. When she is not assisting candidates or working on certification programs, like our AFC^® Webinar Review Course, she is out for a run or coaching speed and agility to middle-schoolers.