Please join me in welcoming Ryan Wood to the team at NGPF as a curriculum designer with a focus on economics. Here's a short essay on why financial education means so much to him.

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Public speaking has never really scared me. I’m one of the lucky ones with the audacious assumption that people might want to hear what I have to say (whether that’s always the case is another story). But the first time I stood in front of a room of high school juniors to teach them what they’d been told was the most important class they’ll ever take? That was downright terrifying.

I was an impostor. I initially chose the wrong major in college and arguably wasted thousands in tuition. I maxed out my first credit card...three times. I racked up more parking ticket fines than I would have paid for a campus parking pass. Customer service at my bank knew me by name, which was understandable given how many times I called them to ask if I could get overdraft fees reversed. Who was I to tell these students what to do with their money?

So I led with that. I turned out my pockets and laid bare my financial soul to a room full of 17 year-olds. I told them the stories of my pitfalls, which eventually allowed me to tell the story of how I changed the awful habits and behaviors that led to them. After weeks of being a punching bag, it felt good to teach a unit on credit scores and “accidentally” click into a free credit score website with a shiny number that started with an eight right at the top. It turned out that showing students their teacher was irresponsible enough to make some pretty big mistakes and smart enough to know what to do about it was a good move. I became relatable. From that point on, this was an active class fueled by students who wanted to know things about the life ahead of them. 

That’s when I knew I loved teaching Personal Finance. I really believe that, for many students, this is the most important course they’ll ever take. This means, for many teachers, this is the most important class they’ll ever teach. It’s hard to put into words how excited I am to be at NGPF helping teachers prepare those students to be financially successful.

See you all in NGPF Academy!

About the Author

Ryan Wood

Ryan is the Partnerships and Adoption Manager for Next Gen Personal Finance’s midwest region. He brings his experience as a former teacher, curriculum designer, and sales and marketing professional to state organizations and school districts in supporting the implementation of their personal financial education efforts. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and earned his teaching credential from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. He proudly taught at two rural high schools in Wisconsin before transitioning to curriculum design at NGPF, and is now excited to be on the front lines in delivering the best possible financial education in the midwest. He and his wife have three beautiful daughters, each of which inspire him to share the impact of being sound financial stewards both at home and as lifelong learners.