Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Marcy. We want to get into the Financial Literacy Youth Initiative, FLY, which you founded and head, but first, can you tell us about your background?
Of course! My journey hasn’t been a straight path—I grew up with a lot of instability, bouncing around with my mother until I finally settled in Rhode Island just before middle school. Financial security was never a given, and by the time I was on my own, I had no financial management skills or knowledge to navigate the real world. I made uninformed financial decisions that kept me struggling, constantly trying to catch up.
Education became my way out. I put myself through Rhode Island College and Northeastern University, determined to learn not just how to build a career, but how to take control of my financial future. Along the way, I realized that too many people were trapped in the same cycle I had fought to escape—not because they lacked ambition, but because they lacked access to financial education. That realization fueled my passion for financial literacy as a tool for empowerment, which ultimately led me to create FLY—empowering young people with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to break cycles and build wealth on their own terms.
You are currently an adjunct professor at Providence College and you have other responsibilities. Can you elaborate?
In addition to my leadership roles in healthcare and education, I have been deeply committed to FLY as a passion project, which has taken on a life of its own—growing into a movement that is transforming the way financial literacy is taught and experienced.
Professionally, I serve as Senior Director of Retention and Product Service Experience at Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA), where I focus on enhancing member engagement, improving retention strategies, and ensuring individuals receive the critical support they need to navigate their healthcare journeys effectively. My work is centered around strategic planning, service experience innovation, and cross-functional collaboration, reinforcing my lifelong commitment to creating access to essential resources—whether in healthcare, finance, or education.
Previously, I served as an adjunct professor at Rhode Island College, where I taught both corporate and personal finance, helping students build foundational financial skills and apply strategic financial principles. Due to my appointment by the governor to the Postsecondary Council on Education, I transitioned to Providence College, where I now teach Financial Management. This course is particularly exciting for me because it allows me to bridge financial theory with real-world application, helping students understand how to strategically manage money at the corporate level to maximize shareholder wealth. I emphasize financial decision-making as a driver of business success, ensuring that students leave the classroom not just with knowledge, but with the confidence and ability to apply financial strategies in the professional world.
While I’ve spent my career working at the intersection of finance, education, and healthcare, FLY has become a deeply personal mission that extends beyond a traditional role. What started as an initiative to address gaps in financial literacy has grown into a thriving organization that is empowering young people to take control of their financial futures. Leading FLY alongside my professional roles has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding, allowing me to merge my expertise with my passion for advocacy and systemic change.
You write on the FLY site that during your “time in finance and academics, [you] discovered a blatant disparity in how financial literacy resources are allocated.” What are these disparities?
The truth is, financial literacy is often a privilege rather than a standard part of education. Schools in affluent communities have personal finance courses and access to financial mentors, while students in lower-income areas rarely get the same opportunities. It’s heartbreaking to see young people enter adulthood without the tools to manage money, take on unnecessary debt, or fall into financial traps simply because they were never taught otherwise. I saw this happening over and over again, and I knew I had to do something about it.
OK, now FLY. When did you found it and what prompted you to? After all, you could simply have acknowledged financial disparities without taking action.
I founded FLY in 2017 because I refused to accept that a lack of access to financial education was keeping generations of families trapped in poverty. I had lived that reality—I knew what it felt like to navigate life without the knowledge or tools to break free. But I also knew firsthand that education has the power to change everything. I couldn’t just acknowledge the problem and move on; I had to do something about it.
FLY was born from the belief that every young person deserves access to financial education that is engaging, practical, and—most importantly—relevant to their experiences. It’s not just about teaching numbers and budgets; it’s about empowering students to take control of their financial futures, building confidence in their ability to make smart money decisions, and shifting mindsets from scarcity to opportunity. FLY is more than a curriculum—it’s a movement to equip young people with the financial knowledge and self-determination to rewrite their futures and break the cycle of generational poverty, once and for all.
You write that FLY “is dedicated to empowering youth from underserved and underrepresented communities with culturally responsive financial education and global experiences to end generational poverty.” Can you expand on that, please?
Absolutely. Too often, financial education is developed without considering the lived experiences, values, and challenges of the students it serves. Traditional financial literacy programs often present a one-size-fits-all approach, overlooking the fact that culture plays a crucial role in how individuals view, manage, and interact with money. Culture isn’t just about ethnicity or background—it’s about shared experiences, community influences, family dynamics, and the unique ways different groups approach financial decision-making.
At FLY, we take a culturally responsive approach, meaning we meet students where they are by acknowledging and integrating their personal, family, and community financial realities into our teaching. We recognize that financial behaviors are shaped by everything from generational money habits and socioeconomic conditions to access (or lack thereof) to financial resources. Instead of just presenting financial concepts in a vacuum, we connect lessons to real-life experiences that resonate with students.
How does FLY work?
FLY operates through a multi-tiered approach to financial literacy education, ensuring that students receive the depth, engagement, and support necessary to develop lifelong financial confidence. Our programming is designed to be flexible and impactful, meeting students where they are—whether through full-semester, in-class courses, intensive week-long FLY academies, ad-hoc workshops, or even personalized 1:1 financial coaching with an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC).
Through our full-semester, in-class programming, students engage in a structured, progressive curriculum that takes them from foundational financial concepts to advanced wealth-building strategies. These courses allow for deep exploration, hands-on projects, and real-world application of financial principles over an extended period. For students looking for a condensed immersive experience, our FLY academies provide intensive, week-long financial literacy training, where they dive into topics such as investing, entrepreneurship, and financial planning through experiential learning, case studies, and expert-led discussions.
For organizations, schools, and community groups seeking targeted financial education, our ad-hoc workshops offer customized, high-impact sessions tailored to specific financial topics, ensuring students receive relevant, timely financial knowledge that fits their immediate needs. Additionally, we provide 1:1 financial coaching with an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC), giving students and young professionals the opportunity to receive personalized guidance, support, and financial goal-setting strategies to help them navigate their unique financial situations with confidence.
At FLY, we don’t just lecture—we engage, inspire, and empower. Students participate in financial simulations, interactive planning challenges, and hands-on activities that reinforce key financial principles in a way that’s engaging and memorable. Beyond the classroom, we connect students with mentors and industry professionals, providing them with critical networking opportunities, career insights, and long-term support to ensure their financial success extends well beyond the classroom. By combining education, mentorship, and hands-on experiences, FLY goes beyond traditional financial literacy programs, ensuring that students don’t just learn about money—they learn how to use it to transform their futures.
On the FLY site, we find a ten-unit course roadmap. What are the units?
At FLY, our ten-unit financial literacy curriculum is designed not only to meet but exceed state-adopted standards, ensuring students receive an exceptional, real-world education that prepares them for financial independence. We go beyond basic financial concepts by integrating behavioral psychology, strategic decision-making, and hands-on application to make financial literacy relatable, practical, and impactful. Our curriculum starts with the Psychology of Money, helping students understand their personal relationship with finances—because mindset is the foundation of financial success. From there, we build essential skills in banking, budgeting, income generation, and credit management, ensuring students can make informed financial decisions in their personal and professional lives. As we advance through investing, taxation, and entrepreneurship, students learn how to maximize wealth, create opportunities, and navigate complex financial systems with confidence. We also focus on risk management, consumer protection, and long-term financial planning, ensuring that students are equipped to build and sustain generational wealth. By bridging financial theory with real-world application, FLY’s curriculum surpasses traditional financial education models, providing culturally responsive, forward-thinking instruction that prepares students not just to succeed but to thrive in an increasingly complex financial world.
Tell us about other members of the team.
I’m incredibly proud of the passionate, mission-driven team we’ve built at FLY. We are a team of 15 dedicated individuals, including faculty, staff, and financial professionals spanning three states—Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts. Each member of our team brings a unique background and expertise, but we are all united by a shared commitment: to make financial education accessible, engaging, and transformative for the students and communities we serve.
Our team includes experienced educators who lead our in-class programs, ensuring that financial concepts are taught in a way that is both practical and culturally relevant. We also have finance professionals who provide real-world insights into banking, investing, entrepreneurship, and credit management—bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world application. Additionally, we are supported by community leaders and strategic advisors who help us expand our reach, build key partnerships, and advocate for financial literacy as a fundamental right for all students.
Beyond our core faculty and staff, FLY also collaborates with guest speakers, mentors, and industry professionals who offer their expertise through workshops, one-on-one coaching, and special events. This expands students’ networks and introduces them to professionals in various fields—helping them see firsthand the impact of financial knowledge on career growth and long-term success.
Our team is more than just educators—we are mentors, advocates, and champions for financial empowerment. We work tirelessly to ensure that students don’t just learn about financial literacy but are equipped with the tools, confidence, and mindset to take control of their financial futures. Whether it’s through in-class instruction, immersive learning experiences, or personalized coaching, we are committed to not just meeting but exceeding the standards for financial education—helping young people break cycles of poverty and build pathways to financial independence.
How many people have completed the FLY curriculum?
Since our launch in 2017, FLY has reached over 7500 individuals, and counting, through our programs. We’ve partnered with over 130 academic and community-based organizations across Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts. And we’re just getting started—our goal is to expand even further and reach more students every year.
What kind of feedback do you get?
The best part of this work is hearing from students who tell me, This program changed my life. Many have shared that before FLY, they were intimidated by money and had no idea how to manage it. After completing the program, they feel confident, informed, and ready to take control of their financial future. Educators tell us that FLY fills a critical gap in their curriculum, and parents have even reached out to say they’ve learned from their kids! That’s when I know we’re making a real difference.
Tell us about partnering and volunteering opportunities.
FLY is always looking for corporate partners, mentors, guest speakers, and volunteers who are passionate about empowering the next generation with the financial knowledge and skills they need to succeed. We believe that financial literacy should be a right, not a privilege, and achieving this vision requires a strong network of committed individuals and organizations who are willing to invest their time, expertise, and resources to make a lasting impact.
There are countless ways to get involved with FLY. Organizations can sponsor a program, helping us expand our reach and provide financial education to more students in underserved communities. Professionals in finance, business, and entrepreneurship can, serve as guest speakers or provide mentorship, offering students firsthand insight into financial decision-making, career pathways, and wealth-building strategies. For those who want to work directly with students, we also offer volunteer opportunities in classroom instruction, curriculum development, and financial coaching, ensuring that young people receive practical, real-world guidance that extends beyond textbooks.
At FLY, we know that true change happens when communities come together to uplift and support one another. By sharing your knowledge, experience, and resources, you can help break cycles of poverty and equip young people with the tools they need to take control of their financial futures. Whether you’re an individual looking to make a difference or an organization interested in strategic partnerships, we invite you to join us in this movement.
For more information or to sign up for our volunteer opportunities, individuals can submit an inquiry through our website at www.flyinitiative.org. Together, we can ensure that every student has access to the financial education they deserve and create a future where economic empowerment is within reach for all.
