NGPF offers 12 Certification Courses, our most in-depth professional development option. In the 2025-26 NGPF Academy year, 134 educators completed their 12th course—a commitment of 120 hours spent becoming more confident, qualified, and ready for their classroom. See who we're celebrating this year. 

About Certification Courses

NGPF offers both live virtual and self-paced Certification Courses focused on a single personal finance topic. Educators strengthen their content knowledge with nine hours of instruction and are assessed through an hour-long exam. The topics of these courses include Investing, Insurance, Behavioral Economics, Taxes, and more.

You become an NGPF Distinguished Educator when you complete and pass six Certification Courses. All of these educators went the extra mile to double that. 

The NGPF Academy recognizes and rewards educators who participate in NGPF professional development. Teachers earn achievements as their credit hours accumulate.

You are automatically enrolled in the NGPF Academy when you participate in any of our PD offerings.

Congratulations to the 134 teachers who passed their 12th NGPF Certification in the 25-26 Academy Year:

Aaron Banta Durango HS (NV)
Ainoha Hogan-Jimenez San Ysidro High (CA)
Alex Bouwman Academy at Palumbo (PA)
Amalia Fernandez Fremont Academy of Engineering and Design (CA)
Amanda Savidge East Career and Technical Academy HS (NV)
Amy Webb Kettering Fairmont High School (OH)
Andrea Moore Westerville-North High School (OH)
Angela Bartlett Nashua High School South (NH)
Angela Curry Virtual Learning Academy (E) (NH)
Angela Snakenberg Hillcrest Academy (IA)
Ann Kidwell Hedgesville High School (WV)
April Riley Charles W Baker High School (NY)
Ariette Escobar Stroudsburg HS (PA)
Ashley Morgenthal Homeschool
Brenda Savic Hamilton High (WI)
Brian Campbell Wellesley Middle (MA)
Brian Petula State Correctional Institution at Dallas (PA)
Brian Zimdars Middleton High (WI)
Briana Franklin Crispus Attucks High School (IN)
Bridget Munday St Henry District High School (KY)
Brooke Damonte Alder Grove Charter School 2 (CA)
Carey Barzeski McDowell HS (PA)
Carol Wolgamot Great Bridge High (VA)
Carolyn Cooper Company (Company)
Carrie Pedersen Washington Virtual Academy Omak High School (WA)
Caryn Peterson Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical (MA)
Casey Hammond Metro Early College High School (OH)
Chad Lower Laurel Springs School (CA)
Christopher Pierro Scarsdale Middle School (NY)
Claire Romzek Lied STEM Academy MS (NV)
Courtney Beavan DOE Virtual Learning Classroom (NY)
Courtney Kronk-Love Pine-Richland HS (PA)
Crystal Banks Abbeville High (SC)
Dan Lawrence Henry J Kaiser High School (HI)
Dave White Evit - Chaparral High School (AZ)
David Ohara Piedra Vista High (NM)
Doreen Vogel Woodmont High (SC)
Dr. Valerie Jackson Beaufort High (SC)
El Pernell G W Carver High School (LA)
Elena Casaus East High School (CO)
Elizabeth Mendoza Raymondville Options Academic Academy (TX)
Eric Cortes Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School (NY)
Erick Ekker Miller Bob MS (NV)
Erika Fries Bradford Area HS (PA)
Ferrin Bujan Institute for Health Professions at Cambria Heights (NY)
Gregory Springer Mercy Preparatory Academy (TX)
Heather Menzel South Brunswick High (NC)
Heidi Arbuckle Lied STEM Academy MS (NV)
Jamal Bermudez Townsend Harris High School (NY)
James Childree Polk State College Collegiate High School (FL)
James Geibel Justice High (VA)
Jason Gervais Los Altos High (CA)
Jean Smith Focus Beyond (MN)
Jeff Allen Bullard High (CA)
Jennifer Compher Hagerty High School (FL)
Jennifer Rigano Medford High (MA)
Jennifer Sharp The Villages High School (FL)
Jenny Lausier Madawaska Middle/High School (ME)
Jeremy Bryson Laurel Highlands SHS (PA)
Jessica Miller Seckinger High School (GA)
Jill Taylor Lowell High (MA)
Jim McKowen Hopatcong High School (NJ)
Jim Naab Dublin Scioto High School (OH)
Jiyoung Song Andover High (MA)
Joanna Binette Marshfield High (MA)
John Raby Thornton Academy (ME)
Josh Bessert Freeport High School (IL)
Josue Mallari- Sonido Sunrise Mountain HS (NV)
Joy Bridges Trenton Middle (MO)
Kaley Newcomer Hackett Catholic Prep (MI)
Karen Kennedy-Evans MCF-Red Wing Maginnis High School (MN)
Kathie LaManna North Kingstown Sr. High (RI)
Kathleen Sorenson Manson High School (WA)
Kathryn Saeli Desert Shadows Middle School (AZ)
Kathy Thompson St Pius X High School (MO)
Kathy White Dutchess Boces (NY)
Katrina McDowell High Plains Technology Center (OK)
Kaylee Roether Dwight Common School (IL)
Kevin Snider Centennial HS (NV)
Khaleisheia Jones Redwood Continuation High (CA)
Kimberly Devoll Tri-Valley High School (OH)
Kimberly Mattoon Taylor High School (MI)
Krista Taulker Eastland Career Center (OH)
Lacey Mogan Hinsdale High School (MT)
Laura Andriola St Francis Prep (NY)
Laura Simpson Highland High School (NY)
Lauren Woodcock Manchester Essex Regional High School (MA)
Linda Ta Yonemoto Certified Financial Education Instructor (NV)
Lisa Andresen West High (WI)
Lisa Jones Glencoe High School (OR)
Lisa Tapella Lasalle Springs Middle (MO)
Lori Manship Christoval HS (TX)
Maggie Margrey Indian River High School (NY)
Mark Carlson Armada High School (MI)
Mason Renfer Chaparral High School (AZ)
Matthew Falbo Bloomingdale High School (FL)
Megan Sullivan Central High School (ND)
Melissa Malcolm Wellsville High (KS)
Michael Gibbons The Foundation for Teaching Economics (ID)
Michael Kuennen Findlay Clifford O MS (NV)
Michael Lanstrum Cuyahoga Community College (OH)
Michael Pincus Scarsdale Middle School (NY)
Michael Twigg Kennard-Dale HS (PA)
Michael Wehn Millbrook High (NC)
Miche Franken Middle College at Gtcc-High Point (NC)
Michele Davis Angola High School (IN)
Michelle Cheasty-Christ South Harrison High School (WV)
Michelle Ramthun Buena Vista University (IA)
Micki Garnes Kilgore Gifted Center (VA)
Molly Allison Grapevine Middle (TX)
Monica Cummings Goshen High School (IN)
Nat Ellis Klamath Union High School (OR)
Paul Engram Harriman Programs (NY)
Phoebe Price Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning (CA)
Raquel Aguilar Desert Oasis High (Continuation) (CA)
Ray Snyder Dover High School (NJ)
Raymond Bradshaw Brooklyn Technical High School (NY)
Rebecca Myers Warwick SHS (PA)
Robert Szukala Western International High School (MI)
Salah Borji New Century School (MN)
Samantha Hutton Thomas Dale High (VA)
Sanjib Saha Nonprofit Employee
Sara Kraus West Holt High School (NE)
Sarah Turner Texas Tech University K-12 (TTU K-12) (TX)
Shalee Schmutzler Northeast Wisconsin School of Innovation (WI)
Shanna Phillips PREP Classes (TX)
Sheila Kroseberg Waupaca High (WI)
Shianyisimi Ogede Hillside High (NC)
Stephanie Phelix Belle Forest Community School (TN)
Steven Buford Del Sol Academy of Performing Arts HS (NV)
Tammy Alford Quitman High School (MS)
Valerie Silver Downtown Doral Charter Upper School (FL)
Walt Petig Exeter High School (NH)
Yolanda Rothfuss Valley High School (UT)

About the Author

Hannah Rael

As NGPF's Marketing Communications Manager, Hannah (she/her) helps spread the word about NGPF's mission to improve the financial lives of the next generation of Americans.

More posts by Hannah