Expert Speakers

Timothy W. Adams is director of the Mid-Atlantic district at NeighborWorks America, which provides financial support, technical assistance, and training for community-based revitalization efforts. He manages the delivery of all NeighborWorks America resources, including expendable and capital grants, scholarships, and professional services, throughout six states and the District of Columbia.

Sarah Bauder is director of student financial aid at University of Maryland, College Park. She has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the Maryland Pathways Programs, which provides a debt-free education to disadvantaged students in need. Before this, Ms. Bauder managed a 100-million-dollar student loan program as associate director for operations and systems. 

Glinda Bridgforth, a leading financial expert who’s appeared on The Today Show and CNN, explores the emotional and cultural factors that block financial success. She brings over 30 years of experience to her consulting practice, Bridgforth Financial, specializing in a holistic approach to money management. The “Essence” bestselling author of Girl, Get Your Money Straight!, her latest book is Girl, Get Your Credit Straight! Ms. Bridgforth was one of the featured coaches on Oprah’s six-part series, “America’s Debt Diet.”

Diane Cipollone is an attorney and director of the Sustainable Homeownership Project at Civil Justice Inc. in Baltimore. Part of a statewide effort, SHP offers support to homeowners facing foreclosure as well as to qualified nonprofit agencies providing default and delinquency counseling to Maryland homeowners. SHP also helps current and future homeowners avoid predatory real estate and lending transactions.

Raymond Forgue, retired professor, department of family studies at the University of Kentucky, is co-author of Personal Finance, editions 1–9. This college-level textbook has been adopted by instructors at more than 300 U.S. colleges and universities. His most recent book, How to Care for Your Parents’ Money While Caring for Your Parents, covers the full range of financial activities that adult children may need to address as their parents age.

Sharon M. Speight Gibson is multicultural specialist at University of Georgia’s family and consumer sciences Cooperative Extension program. Her work focuses on new immigrant populations, cultural competency, and persistent poverty. She is a co-project leader and coordinator for the Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) state projects. Gibson has over 20 years experience in adult education and program development, addressing diversity and poverty issues.

Martha M. Hamilton, who has worked for The Washington Post since 1972, writes the "Financial Futures" column appearing each Sunday in the business section. Lately she’s written about the disadvantages of withdrawing money early from retirement accounts and dealing with the complexities of withdrawal after retirement. Ms. Hamilton’s past columns from the Post are available online.

Doug Hammond, a certified Fair Credit Reporting Act interviewer, is outreach programs director of Alliance Credit Counseling in Charlotte, North Carolina. The not-for-profit community service organization is involved in housing counseling, credit counseling and education, financial literacy campaigns, and pre-petition bankruptcy initiatives.

Jeanne M. Hogarth, Ph.D., is manager for the consumer education and research section at the Federal Reserve Board’s Division of Consumer and Community Affairs. She is the author of numerous scholarly research articles as well as consumer education resources on financial management. Her research and her consumer education programs have received awards for excellence.

Raul Medrano, a business development specialist at Montgomery County’s Department of Economic Development, worked previously as media and marketing consultant for his own firm, 4M Medrano, Minority Marketing, and Media, LLC. He has also worked as marketing director for EFE International News Agency, local sales manager for WZGS-Channel 64-Telemundo, and advertising director for “El Pregonero” Newspaper.

Bevin T. Murphy is an attorney for the division of financial practices at the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. During her tenure there, she worked in payment systems, mortgage lending, and the marketing and advertising of stored-value cards. Before joining the FTC, Ms. Murphy worked as an associate at an international law firm, where her practice focused on antitrust counseling and government investigations.

Sherrie L.W. Rhine, Ph.D., is community development expert of community affairs at the Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Her research interests include consumer access to financial services and credit, home ownership, asset accumulation and wealth building, community economic development, and financial education. Before joining the OCC, Ms. Rhine worked for 10 years in the Federal Reserve System as a senior economist in community affairs.

Sonya A. Smith-Valentine, a certified public accountant and lawyer, is owner of the Valentine Legal Group, LLC. Her practice is dedicated to protecting consumers in federal and state courts. Ms. Valentine has filed numerous successful consumer rights cases for unlawful activity against credit bureaus, credit card companies, banks, and collection agencies. She maintains an ongoing pro-bono legal-services commitment to consumer rights.

Elizabeth Warren is Leo Gottlieb Professor of Harvard Law School and coauthor of All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan. Her earlier book, The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke, has been cited by senators and presidential candidates. In addition to three leading casebooks, her earlier award-winning books include As We Forgive Our Debtors: Bankruptcy and Consumer Law in America, The Fragile Middle Class, and Business Bankruptcy.