AFCPE Honors Financial Education, Research, and Practice Achievements by Announcing Their 2025 Award Recipients

WESTERVILLE, Ohio, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®) proudly honored outstanding individuals and initiatives during the 2025 AFCPE Symposium, held November 18-20 in Phoenix–Glendale, Arizona. The annual awards recognize exceptional contributions to financial education, research, and practice that advance AFCPE's mission of improving financial well-being for all.

The awards were presented during the 2025 AFCPE Symposium, which welcomed more than 700 in-person and virtual attendees.

"We are honored to celebrate this year's AFCPE Award recipients," said Rachael DeLeon, Executive Director at AFCPE. "These individuals, programs, and initiatives reflect the diverse and meaningful ways our community is driving positive change through financial education, research, and practice – creating lasting and meaningful impact on the financial well-being of individuals, families, and communities nationwide."

The 2025 award recipients included:

Setting the Standard: Financial Therapy Clinical Institute (FTCI)

FTCI provides accessible, trauma-informed financial services that integrate behavioral science, financial education, and clinical insight.

Mary O'Neill Mini Grant: Plootus: The 21-Day Financial Habits Challenge

The 21-Day Financial Habits Challenge will deliver evidence-based daily micro-actions to build sustainable financial wellness habits among individuals from under-resourced and underserved communities.

Mary Ellen Edmondson Educator of the Year: José Medina DBAc, MBA, CPFC®, CEPF, CCFP®

José Medina is a financial educator with over three decades of experience helping individuals and communities transform their relationship with money.

Financial Counselor of the Year: Alisa Nguyen Allebest, AFC®
Alisa Nguyen Allebest, AFC®, is a passionate and highly skilled financial counselor and serves as the Assistant Director of the Money Success Center.

Outstanding Educational Program: Financial Field Trips 

Financial Field Trips is a Maryland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit transforming the way financial education is delivered through a program combining traditional instruction with immersive field trips to banks, car dealerships, apartment complexes, and other locations.

Outstanding Financial Counseling and/or Planning Center: Columbus Financial Empowerment Center (FEC)
Columbus Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) provides free, professional one-on-one financial counseling to adults across central Ohio, with a focused commitment to serving women.

Outstanding Consumer Financial Information: Kate Horrell AFC®, ChFC®, MQFP®
Kate Horrell is an Accredited Financial Counselor®, Chartered Financial Consultant®, and Military Qualified Financial Planner®.

Outstanding Research Journal Article of the Year
Title: "The Effect of Scarcity and Information Avoidance on Debt Management Behavior"
Authors: Kinga Barrafrem, Mario Kienzler, Daniel Västfjäll, Gustav Tinghög

Insight to Impact Grant: Jodi Kaus, Director of Program Implementation, Sara Ray, Principal Consultant, Zach Taylor, Director of Data and Analytics 
Project: Peer PowerED Financial Wellness

This project represents a new research to practice collaboration between the grant team, two universities, a minority serving four-year institution, a community college and a framework of peer financial wellness mentors at both institutions.

To learn more about the AFCPE awards and recipients, visit www.afcpe.org/membership/awards.

About AFCPE®

The Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®) is dedicated to certifying, educating, and supporting financial professionals to serve as qualified motivators of change for individuals pursuing their life goals, regardless of their financial history. The Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) credential is accredited by The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and nationally recognized by the Department of Defense (also known as the Department of War) and the CFPB. Please visit www.afcpe.org.

Media Contact:
Tara Meehan
614-368-1499
[email protected] 

SOURCE AFCPE