Real Money, Real Experts

Where Finance Meets Humanity: Ann Lentell on Coaching, Community & Change

• AFCPE® • Season 6 • Episode 139

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Join us for an inspiring conversation with Ann Lentell, CFA, AFC®️, CFP®️ — a financial professional whose career bridges equity research, nonprofit leadership, and deeply human financial coaching.

Ann shares how a childhood curiosity about markets led to a lifelong passion for personal finance, and how a transformative college class sparked her commitment to helping families build savings and stability.

We dive into her decade at Compass Working Capital, where she scaled financial coaching programs for families in federally subsidized housing, and explore how culturally competent, client-centered coaching can shift lives.

Ann also reflects on her journey to the AFC®️, what drew her to AFCPE’s mission, and how raising the bar for financial education brings greater access and equity to communities nationwide. Plus, she gives us a look ahead at her vision as AFCPE’s incoming Board President.

This episode is filled with heart, strategy, and a powerful reminder that every financial story deserves dignity and high-quality guidance.

Show Notes:

03:31 – Get to know AFCPE's 2026 Board President, Ann Lentell

07:26 – What drew Ann to AFCPE

12:39 – Brandy reflects on Ann’s impact on the AFCPE board

12:58 – How nonprofits can raise financial education standards

13:37 – The role of credentials and combating misinformation online

17:11 – Why the AFC pathway matters

17:58 – Ann's 2 Cents


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Rachael DeLeon:

Welcome to Real Money Real Experts, where we bring you interviews with leading financial professionals, sharing their stories, their challenges, and their advice for helping people manage money in the real world. I'm your host, Rachel DeLeon, Executive Director of the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education, or AFCPE.

Dr. Brandy Baxter:

And I'm your co-host, Dr. Brandi Baxter, accredited financial counselor, AFCPE member, and your 2025 AFCPE Board President. On every episode, we take a deep dive into the topics and stories that you care about the most, helping clients, building community, and growing in your work and your career. Anne Lintell, CFA, AFC, and CFP, has nearly two decades of experience spanning nonprofit leadership, financial coaching, board service, and financial services. Anne first obtained her accredited financial counselor credential in 2018 and currently serves on the board of directors for AFCPE, representing the service industry, and is your incoming president for 2026. She has spent nearly a decade at a national nonprofit organization, Compass Working Capital, where she scaled and led an asset-building financial coaching program for families living in federally subsidized housing. In addition to her nonprofit work, Anne has worked extensively in the financial services industry, covering stocks in hedge funds, investment banking, and equity research firms, and currently works in equity research at Select Equity Group. Anne is passionate about savings and personal finance, and her volunteer experience includes VitaSite Tax Preparation in Chicago, IDA consulting for women recently released from prison in St. Louis, and educational development for orphans in Russia. She received a BA in social thought and analysis and Russian from Washington University in St. Louis. Welcome to the show, Ann.

Ann Lentell:

Wow, thank you, Brandy. That's quite an intro. It's great to be here.

Rachael DeLeon:

And before I jump into our conversation, I never realized that you had an undergrad degree in Russian. And I'm curious, do you still speak the language?

Ann Lentell:

I wish. You know, Rachel, I've learned as an adult that I have been blessed with many gifts, and foreign languages is not one of them. I you know, I had to work 10 times harder than the person next to me to get that degree. And the second I stopped using it, I've lost it. But it's kind of interesting because so growing up, I we didn't have a lot of foreign language classes in our school system. And I actually took Latin in high school, which was great, but you know, I can't go anywhere with that. So when I got to college, I said, you know, I really want to study a language that's so different that is gonna take me to a place where I'm gonna get culture shock and it's gonna have a different alphabet. And I was debating actually between Russian and Hindi and went with Russian because I was so curious about their history. So yeah, I know, I know a couple things, but yeah, I'm I'm more of a finance person I learned and less of a languagist person.

Rachael DeLeon:

So well, that that makes a good segue for us. And tell us a little bit about how you first got interested in personal finance. Was it something that happened in your childhood or along the way?

Ann Lentell:

Yeah, kind of both. So a little bit in childhood, and then I had a big aha moment when I was in college. So my dad is actually a big influence in my life, and he was very interested in finance. And sometimes he would have the news on in the morning where all these little tickers and numbers and things were scrolling across the bottom. And I had so many questions about it. What what is that? What is this? What does all this stuff mean? Why are some green? Why are some red? What is all of this? So that was my first interest, my first exposure to a stock. And he taught me all about it. I was probably in the fourth grade. And he said, you know what, Ann, how about for Christmas this year? I'm gonna set aside a little bit of money for you. It was probably like $50 or something, and I'm gonna let you choose a stock and you, you know, we'll purchase it and you can see what happens to it. So this was, you know, maybe in the early 90s. So, and I was, you know, let's say 10 years old or something, and I said, okay, I'd rather have a pair of roller blades, but okay, we'll do this whole like letters and numbers thing that exists in some place I don't know about. And so I picked a stock and it was kind of interesting to learn about that. He also made us do our taxes by hand. So when I got my first part-time job and was filing my income taxes, I had uh everything, you know, pencil and paper, and we did everything. So that was kind of like my first introduction. And I think those were just maybe some basic skills he was trying to teach us. So fast forward to college, and that was the big aha moment for me. My senior year, I took a course, a personal finance course. It was offered by the business school for people who were in liberal arts. And wow, that class a hundred percent changed my life. I got there early every single time. I took furious notes, I read everything, and it it was just amazing to me. Things like the power of compounding returns, thinking about something like a 401k, understanding, you know, how a car payment works and thinking about things like amortization for a car versus a home and the different tax treatments and credit card debt and how that all works. And it was just a stunner for me. And I said, that's it, that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna dedicate my life to finance. So it was pretty, you know, pretty tricky for me because I had, you know, as you read in my bio, studied Russian and social thought and analysis. So I don't really have much of a finance background at that point. But for me, it was just it suited, I think, my skill sets around, I really liked math, I really liked putting things in their right place. So having equations and things was very satisfying, but also just really meaningful. So it wasn't just the numbers and the accumulation of money, but what it means to people. And it could really change your life. You know, thinking about if you had a health issue or if you wanted a safe or something, you had a goal for yourself or your family. So that was really what did it for me. And I said, you know what, this is the career I want to be in. I don't know what it's gonna look like yet, but this is it for me.

Dr. Brandy Baxter:

Such a beautiful story of how you came into the space of personal finance. Thank you for sharing that. But now I'm curious, how did you find AOCPE and what drew you to this mission that we have?

Ann Lentell:

My first job in finance, and probably the area that I have the most experience in is equity research. So doing research for for publicly traded companies. And I made a career change to a fantastic nonprofit organization called Compass Working Capital. And they bring financial coaching and asset building programs to families who are living in federally subsidized housing. And I worked there, I spent about 10 years there and was a financial coach, was my first job there. So I was working with and sitting across from individuals who live in what some might call section eight or public housing and supporting folks in in building savings, in you know, planning for their futures and navigating some of the financial challenges they may have. So I was sort of seeking out some sort of way to get a little bit more professional training and expertise around that. And so the pathway led me straight to AFCPE and preparing to become an accredited financial counselor. So to me, I like AFCPE and the work I was doing at Compass Working Capital were just hand in glove. They just really fit so well together. And there are so many overlaps between what Compass did and and the mission. So to me, what I appreciate about AFC PE is having really high standards. So there's no compromising in terms of the knowledge or the the subject matter, the skill, the integrity of the personal finance certification, but also keeping that with some of the softer skills of working one-on-one with people. So focusing on the hope, yeah, focusing on what what people are planning for, coming from that in a culturally proficient way. So for me, you know, the AFs is so the compass's mission is to envision a world where everyone has access to asset building. And that's very similar to AFCPE, which believes in a future where all people are empowered to achieve their financial goals and to have that lasting financial well-being and have that through the highest standards. So I began to prepare for the exam and took it and passed in 2018. And I had all my books and, you know, my pencil and paper and all that good stuff. But also just really appreciated the level, again, just the level of integrity and the standards around it. I also thought it was super fascinating because some of the other, you know, a lot of content around finance is oftentimes I found to be really complex. And therefore, that is used oftentimes towards individuals, maybe high net worth individuals or institutions who also have, you know, complex financial needs. But what about folks who are in the lower moderate income range and folks who just have everyday challenges? Those are also really complicated. And those are also, there's a lot of regulations and laws that are changing. I mean, look at some of the changes alone that have happened just in the student loan area just in the last, you know, five or six years, the the constant changes and needing to keep up with that. So to me, I think what I really appreciated is there was a level of, again, just a high standard that is maintained to have that knowledge, but at the same time making it really accessible to people who need that information. So I took the exam and I passed, yay, and then just became yay, that just became more involved in the organization and got to a point professionally where I was really ready to step up and do more to support some of the organizations that I care really passionately for. And so I raised my hand kind of sheepishly to serve on the board of directors. So this would have been, I think, in 2022, and was very honored to have been elected by the members to the board where I've been serving since. And it's just been phenomenal to have an even deeper appreciation for the work that goes on at this organization and across so many people, working with members who are volunteering on some of the task forces and preparing for symposium, which is always a fantastic event. So it's just been really great to get an even closer and more intimate look at how the organization works.

Dr. Brandy Baxter:

Yeah, and it's been great having you on the board, Anna. And I appreciate now knowing your background and and your analytical mind, the value that you have brought to the board and just helping us think through and process next steps so that we can continue forwarding the mission of AFCPE.

Rachael DeLeon:

Likewise. Thank you, Brandy. And having worked so many years with Compass Working Capital, and you mentioned a little bit that, you know, there's a lot of alignment in our missions and our visions, and we're really focused here at AFCPE and how do we make high-quality financial education accessible and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to meet with that level of professional? I'm curious, what would you say to other nonprofit organizations that might be interested in raising the standards within their communities? What are some opportunities that you see just break down some of those barriers to access?

Ann Lentell:

Yeah, absolutely. I think it just begins with an intro conversation with AFCPE because there are so many ways that the organization can support with that. And I'll say, you know, when I was first studying for the exam and preparing for my own certification, of course, we had the internet and all kinds of social media. But I think since that time, it has only accelerated and individuals can find, and you can't see me because it's a podcast, but I'm using air quotes here, financial advice, you know, on the internet, on TikTok and all kinds of other stuff. There's influencers and that kind of thing. And I think that's really, you know, it can be a positive where that and you know things are accessible to folks. I I think that's really great. But at the same time, if an individual is consuming this content, they really need to know who is producing it and what standards they're upholding, what credentials they have, what background they have. And so I, you know, I think that's an area where ASCPE, a role that the organization really plays, because there are some, you know, recommendations or some things out there that maybe aren't in alignment with what we would say are the quality standards. So I think that is really important. So I think for other organizations that are working with families, with individuals on their personal finances, it's you really want to make sure that your team is giving information and finding and providing financial education that is number one, accurate, number two, really client-centered, you know, and number three is a lot, you know, is credentialed and it has some certain standard behind it. To me, it's kind of like the medical profession. I can go online and kind of self-diagnose whatever, you know, symptoms I have, but you really want to go see a doctor, you know, you really want to go see someone who's a professional. So the same thing is is here as well. And I think the AFCP has really taken steps to make that pathway to getting that credential more accessible than ever. We've recently upgraded to an a digital online learning system. So back in my day, you know, I had all these textbooks and little stinky notes and highlighters, and I like made my own flashcards, you know, all that stuff. But now it's really dynamic, it's interactive. You can get analytics to uh help understand what your challenge areas are, where your strong areas are, where you need to spend more time. So it couldn't be easier, I think, than it has been. And also that additional support if you need, you know, an instructor-led training, or so many different features to it. So that's new for us. And I'm really excited to see where that heads and where that goes in the future. But, you know, if you're an organization and you have people on your team who are in roles where they're providing that financial advice and education to a client, you know, reach out to the AFC PE. Look, we could have conversations about partnerships or ways to provide that readiness and that training to sit for the AFC exam to ensure that your team is upholding those standards and and has the credentials to stand behind as they're working with individuals and families.

Dr. Brandy Baxter:

I totally agree with you, Anne, and I appreciate that you did, you know, share the value of an AFC because I think sometimes our listeners maybe are already AFCs or maybe they're holding other credentials, but just thinking about the pathways and how easy it is to become an AFC. Sometimes Rachel and I forget to talk about that. So I'm glad that you mentioned it. But when you were talking about your time at Compass, it became very obvious that it was a meaningful experience for you. And especially when you talked about working with clients, do you have a moment or a story that kind of comes to mind when you think about the impact of having a skilled financial coach working with a family who's having a complex situation in their everyday life? Does anything come to mind for you?

Ann Lentell:

There's so many, and you're right. That experience, that time in my life, was so profound and so meaningful, and it probably affected me more than it uh I did on any, you know, client I worked with because I I think I got so much out of it. But there are so many stories and so many things that come to mind. And, you know, I'll maybe share one instance in particular, which is, you know, I didn't grow up in subsidized housing. I didn't, you know, receive any government assistance growing up. I went to college. I, you know, I'm a white woman. I have all these other, you know, uh kind of parts about my my background. And I remember one instance sitting across from a woman who had her sh her, you know, arms crossed and kind of looked at me. And I think I think she literally said to me, like, what are you, what do you know about my life? What are you gonna do to help me? What do you know about anything? And I said, You're right. I don't know what it's like to be you. I don't know about your life, but I'm here to be a partner to you on this financial journey. So what is uh, you know, what is uh a challenge or what's the thing that is most pressing to you right now? And so she had shared something about her student loans. And she said, and I said, Oh, have you heard about the public service loan forgiveness program? And she said, Well, I'm not eligible for that. We had someone at work tell us that we're not eligible for it. She worked in a public, she worked in public school. So I knew for a fact that wasn't true. And I said, Oh, can I can I show you something? So I just let's just go to the Department of Ed website, let me show you this works, or let me show you the fact. And that was a real game changer where she said, Oh, you know, maybe maybe this lady can help help me. Maybe this is a maybe this financial coaching can work out. And I think it's just not, you know, I think just not having any assumptions about other people or just trying to be, you know, open is is always, I think, a great approach for a financial coach to take. But I say that because I would actually tie that back to all of us. I mean, Rachel, Brandy, me, we all have different backgrounds. We all grew up in completely different circumstances and scenarios. And same with every single member. There were some members out there listening to this, people in our community who might say, oh, that might sound similar to my background. And some who might say, that's completely different from anything I ever experienced. You know, my dad never taught me about stocks or, you know, made me do my taxes or whatever. And yet we all arrived at the same destination, which is AFCPE. So that says something, which is about what brings us together, what meaning and purpose we find in this work. Some of us are in academia, some of us are practitioners, so on and so forth. You know, we're all here because we all really care about this and we are interested in the standards and the accessibility that AFCPE promotes. So I think for me, that's what I love about being in this community. There's so many different people. Just like I loved working one-on-one with clients, so many different people, so many different experiences and backgrounds. And yet we all are arriving, you know, at the same place. So for me, I think that's what I love about this organization, this community.

Rachael DeLeon:

Really powerful, and I think that brings a lot of people to our organization. I couldn't have said it better myself. You know, I think we're so diverse and just like the clients we serve, we all have different journeys, but we're all really focused towards the same vision. You know, we want to ensure that everyone has access and opportunity to recognize their own goals and dreams. And so really well said. And as we look to the year ahead, you know, you're stepping into the role of board president at AFCPE. And I'm curious, what excites you most about the future, not only of the organization, but the financial counseling field as a whole?

Ann Lentell:

Well, first of all, I've big shoes to fill from Brandy here. So I've learned I've learned so much from her and from pre from presidents, you know, previous to Brandy as well. And it's an honor, honestly, and a privilege, I think, to have been elected by my fellow board members to serve in this position. It's one I take seriously, and one I I hope I am able to discharge and do well. You know, as I kind of look back, I think this last year we did a lot of work. So this is kind of 2024, early 25. We really did a lot of work kind of strengthening some of the foundational components of the organization. Some folks listening to this podcast may remember some of the bylaws work that we did last year. So I feel like we really did a lot of work to ensure that that could last a long time and have a longer shelf life. So that allows us to kind of move up uh the, you know, the building blocks and add kind of another block to that. And this year, that was, as I mentioned, moving to the online learning platform for for folks who are preparing for the AFC exam. And so that was a big, a big lift and a big transition. So I think heading into 2026, it's about adding a block on top of that, which is really optimizing that. How do we learn from it? How do we get folks to enroll? You know, some people who sign up for the AFC exam, maybe they're getting stuck and they haven't sat for the exam, or maybe they aren't able to complete the exam. How can we use this to reach out to them, engage them, and support them in that preparation journey and kind of get them across a finish line and also make it more accessible to more people in more places? So for me, I think that's kind of where I see the real building blocks and the progression of the last couple of years. And I'm super excited about that. I mean, there's so much opportunity. It like I said, it's new for the organization. So there's so many things we're gonna learn from that. We'll pivot, you know, we'll optimize and so that we can have better execution. But I think it's super exciting and really looking forward to being a part of that.

Dr. Brandy Baxter:

Yay! I'm excited too, and super excited about all of the upcoming changes and just learning more about how the online system is just gonna make becoming an AFC even more accessible for more people. And as we think about financial professionals, what do you think sets AFCs apart from other financial professionals?

Ann Lentell:

That's a great question. I mean, first of all, I think the credentialing, and then I think also, you know, again, just having that standard. And I would say the second thing is really just the subject matter. Again, it's it's more accessible and some of it is complex. So as you all know, you know, military family is a big constituency that we serve. And so some of the financial needs there are really unique. Disability community, same thing. Some of the circumstances there are really unique and changing all the time. You know, we I was just in a meeting yesterday for our business development committee meeting, and we were talking about some of the changes in the tax laws and how does that change for folks who are thinking about their charitable giving. So it's a lot to kind of keep up with. So AFCP has often has webinars very, very often, and other communities and ways for folks to engage and keep up with with some of the changing landscapes. So to me, I think the vast majority of folks in America are thinking about their budgets. You know, costs of living is going up, healthcare costs are rising and have been rising, inflation is high, you know, the certain parts of the economy, job security has been a little bit trickier for folks. So definitely budgeting and cash flow are on their minds, thinking about college affordability, planning for retirement. All these things are really critical to folks. And finding someone who has that expertise and can break it down for them is really important. And so for me, that's an accredited financial counselor. That's an AFC. That's someone who really has that education and that training to be able to break those topics down for folks who are seeking that information.

Rachael DeLeon:

You have provided so much wisdom today. And I also just want to thank you over the last few years serving on our board, you continue to provide so much wisdom to me and I know to those around you. But at the end of every episode, we like our guests to share a little bit of additional wisdom with our listeners, and we call that our our bank of knowledge. And so if you had two cents that you would want to add to the AFCPE bank of wisdom for our listeners, what would it be?

Ann Lentell:

This is both professional and personal, which is be curious. So whether you're working on an interesting financial challenge or whether you're working with a client or a colleague or someone else in your life, be curious. Try to understand who they are, try to understand, you know, what they're trying to say, not what they're saying, but what they're trying to say, what they're trying to get across. Because I think, you know, it's important that we just approach one another with openness and try to seek that understanding. So just as I was sharing that experience with the client, you know, just having that openness. And she maybe wasn't ready to work with me and she felt a lot of apprehension. That was okay. I didn't push that or try to convince her otherwise. I just said, okay, that, you know, what tell me more about yourself. Tell me more about what brought you here and what you're curious, you know, what are the issues you want to talk about, or what are the things that you're hoping to seek some information on. And just having that curiosity and that openness. Again, whether it's about a client or about a financial problem is just a really good way to start and end.

Dr. Brandy Baxter:

And thank you so much for all the great information you've shared and just giving our listeners an opportunity to get to know you. That's what we love about our show, real money, real experts. It's not just about the numbers all the time, it's about the people and the stories that make them unique. So, how can our listeners catch up with you or find you online? Where's the best place for them to connect?

Ann Lentell:

Famously, not on social media, so, but I am on LinkedIn, which is like the one and only place. So, yeah, definitely reach out to me there. And then if you're a member of AFC PE, you can find me in our member directory and look forward to hearing from folks. There are ideas for the organization and so many folks that I got to see at Symposium and throughout the year. So that's where you can find me.

Rachael DeLeon:

Thanks, Ann. Really appreciate you coming on today.

Ann Lentell:

Thanks, Rachel.

Rachael DeLeon:

Thanks, Brandy.

Dr. Brandy Baxter:

All righty, Rachel. Yet another excellent interview with a guest who I have to admit, and surprised me with this secret experience in Russia. And talking about that. And I just loved how she shared the story of her father taking the time to nurture her interest in stocks. And I'm not sure if I would have been ready for my dad to teach me how to prepare my own taxes by hand, but that just goes to show you that even in those early years, the things that we expose our kids to and even our clients' exposure can make a lasting impact.

Rachael DeLeon:

Absolutely. Actually, that story for me sort of reminded me how important personal finance is in schools, you know, and there's a lot of work being done at the state level because, you know, everybody has a different background and upbringing. And Anne very fortunately had a father who saw that as a value to set her up for the future. But most of us don't learn about taxes until we're kind of feet to the fire. Where do we even begin? And so what a wonderful opportunity Anne was given. And how do we as financial professionals, you know, continue to advocate for that in different ways? So yeah, Brandy, I couldn't agree more. It's always special to talk to the incoming president as we're going into the new year. And I just feel very thankful to have two really strong women, you and Anne, having led the organization over the last year. And as you pass the baton into the new year, we have just really great leadership and strategic vision for the organization as we embark on a new strategic planning year in 2026.

Dr. Brandy Baxter:

Well, thank you for the compliment. And I definitely look forward to serving with Anne and even under her leadership because I think she just what we learned about her today, she is definitely bringing a keen, analytical, and strategic mind to the board presidency.

Rachael DeLeon:

The opinions of our podcast guests are their own, which means that their stories, views, or lived experiences may differ from yours or mine. However, the one thing you will always find on this show is a common thread. Our guests about helping people with their money to improve their lives. And they believe in upholding high standards for the clients and the communities that they serve. We encourage you to tune in to Real Money Real Experts with open curiosity. Why? Because it's oftentimes in the conversations where viewpoints or stories differ from our own that we learn the most.