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FINRA Foundation and AFCPE® Present the 2025 FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellows

Fellowship Program Provides Military Spouses with Best-in-Class Financial Counseling Training and Enriching Career Opportunities

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The FINRA Investor Education Foundation (FINRA Foundation) and the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®) are excited to announce the 2025 cohort of the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship. This year, 30 military spouses will take steps toward achieving their Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) designation, setting the foundation for meaningful careers in financial counseling.

Since 2006, the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship has successfully prepared over 700 military spouses to obtain their AFC certification while building a thriving global network of more financially confident and empowered military families.

Heather Walrath, an AFC and prior Fellowship recipient, offered her insights on what the opportunity has meant to her and her clients: “The AFC has been crucial in my ability to really empower military families. There are a lot of people operating in this space without the proper training. Having the AFC credential shows my clients that I am committed to continual learning to better support their unique needs. The designation is also very recognized within the DOD community. As an AFC, I've really valued the networking and being part of a community that wants to uplift - not only financial counseling professionals - but also the people we serve.”

By equipping military spouses with the expertise required for flexible, rewarding careers in financial counseling, the Fellowship strengthens financial security and enhances overall readiness across military communities.

"Our Military Spouse Fellows continue to demonstrate the profound impact that targeted financial education can have on military families," said Gerri Walsh, President of the FINRA Foundation. "As this program enters its 20th year, we've seen how empowering military spouses with professional skills creates a multiplier effect—strengthening both their own career prospects and the financial resilience of the entire military community."

“This year marks the 20th anniversary of the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship,” said Rachael DeLeon, Executive Director of AFCPE. “Our latest class joins a passionate and supportive community that is dedicated to improving the financial well-being of military service members and their families. To date, FINRA Fellows have served more than 280,000 individuals, positively impacting military communities across the United States and around the world.”

The FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship is open to qualifying spouses of active-duty or retired Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard, and Army or Air National Guard or reserve component service members, as well as spouses of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Professionals. For more information and to sign up for program updates, visit https://www.afcpe.org/education/finra-foundation-fellowship/.

About the FINRA Investor Education Foundation

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation supports innovative research and educational projects that empower Americans with the knowledge, skills and tools to make sound financial decisions throughout their lives. For more information about FINRA Foundation research and education initiatives, visit www.finrafoundation.org.

About FINRA

FINRA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to investor protection and market integrity. FINRA regulates one critical part of the securities industry—member brokerage firms doing business in the United States. FINRA, overseen by the SEC, writes rules, examines for and enforces compliance with FINRA rules and federal securities laws, registers broker-dealer personnel and offers them education and training, and informs the investing public. In addition, FINRA provides surveillance and other regulatory services for equities and options markets, as well as trade reporting and other industry utilities. FINRA also administers a dispute resolution forum for investors and brokerage firms and their registered employees. For more information, visit www.finra.org.

About AFCPE®

The Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®) is dedicated to certifying, training, and supporting financial professionals to serve as qualified motivators of change for individuals pursuing their life goals, regardless of their financial history. The Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) credential is accredited by The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), and nationally recognized by the Department of Defense and the CFPB. Please visit www.afcpe.org.

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