IMPORTANT NOTICE:  This web site will be unavailable beginning at 9:30am on Friday, May 23 and continuing into the Memorial Day weekend as we relocate our data center.	Contact Us

News Release

Contact: Public Relations Coordinator
(800) 342-9835, ext. 8130

LaVigna-Wixted Panelist at NY Financial Literacy Forum

(April 18 - Albany, NY) – Diane LaVigna-Wixted, executive director of the New York Credit Union Foundation, was one of a number of leading experts on financial education who participated in a forum on how to better educate students about finances and their futures.

"Many people have never had the education they need to manage their money," said LaVigna-Wixted during her presentation. "The results are all around us: spiraling levels of credit card debt and bankruptcy, an unsustainable personal savings rate, and the current mortgage crisis, to name just a few examples. For this reason, I believe that financial education should be taught in the schools, practiced at home and reinforced by credit unions in keeping with their ‘people helping people’ philosophy."

The NY Financial Literacy Forum was the lead-in event for the National Urban Alliance’s "Believe to Achieve" conference held recently in Albany, NY, and attended by 2,000 leading educators and teachers. A panel of speakers advised and informed attending educators on what New York government entities and private sector organizations are doing to advance the teaching of financial literacy to students within the state.

The panel also provided an overview of pending New York legislation intended to enhance the current financial literacy knowledge of New York students.

Assemblyman Harvey Weinstein (D-Long Island), a former teacher and a member of the Assembly Education Committee, opened the event. Dan Iannicola, Jr. Esq., deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Financial Education, gave the keynote address.

Impromptu appearances at the event were made by Assemblymen Darryl C. Towns (D-Metropolitan) and Robert Reilly (D-Capital), also an Education Committee member. Each took to the podium to offer their views on how essential financial literacy is in today’s world. A legislative resolution in recognition of April 2008 as Financial Literacy Month was presented on behalf of the state Senate.

The NY Financial Literacy Forum was presented by the Your World, Your Money Financial Education Program, National Urban Alliance for Effective Education, New York Credit Union Foundation and TeachingFinancialEducation.com.

Participating panelists, in addition to LaVigna-Wixted, included: Dr. Eric Cooper, president, National Urban Alliance for Effective Education; Dr. Gerald Lauber, COO, National Urban Alliance for Effective Education; Richard C. Iannuzzi, president, New York State United Teachers; Dr. Eva Joseph, superintendent, Albany City Schools; Dr. Tom Rogers, executive director, New York State Council of School Superintendents; and Jeff Shade, teacher, Your World Your Money.

The New York Credit Union Foundation serves those who help improve the financial literacy and independence of New Yorkers. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.nycuf.org. 

Diane LaVigna-Wixted, executive director, New York Credit Union Foundation with Dan Iannicola, Jr., Esq., deputy assistant secretary, U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Financial Education, at the New York Financial Literacy Forum in Albany, NY.