Our mission:
The State Treasurer's Financial Education Division provides all Illinoisans with pertinent financial
education
and access to a broad variety of financial information to facilitate economic empowerment, wealth
accumulation and protection against consumer fraud and predatory lending practices. We accomplish our mission through conferences, workshops and online resources.
Our team:
While all team members are well versed on many aspects of Financial Education, each member is responsible for specific industries and geographic regions.
Kevin Smith
Director of Financial Education Prior to joining the State Treasurer's Office in 2008, Kevin Smith served for several years as the Chicago Branch Manager for Family Credit Counseling Service. He joined Family Credit after two years as an instructor and program director of an education program in California. Kevin also spent many years in the banking industry. His experience includes personal banking, collections, installment and real estate lending. Kevin is an accredited credit counselor through the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education. Kevin is a staunch consumer advocate and believes financial literacy is a foundational component to economic self-sufficiency and wealth accumulation.
Barbara Chalko
Manager of Financial Education Barbara is fluent in Polish and is a graduate of Chicago parochial schools and the University of Illinois in Chicago. She brings to her State Treasurer’s Office position 20 years of community outreach experience, including 11 years in a college environment. Barbara is passionate about working with young people, a result of her longtime involvement with scouting, and also enjoys speaking to senior groups. “The goal of our staff is to provide all Illinoisans with financial education and economic empowerment – to learn to make money, manage it well, and protect it – I want to ensure that we fulfill that mandate to the best of our ability.”
Sharon Garchitorena Senior Financial Education Coordinator Sharon utilizes her almost seven years of experience in the Treasurer’s Office to convey the ideas of sound monetary and fiscal responsibility to citizens all across the state. Reaching out to high school students and making a difference in how they view and work with their finances is close to Sharon’s heart, as are the Smart Women Smart Money conferences. “Being a part of the conferences from conception has been one of my greatest accomplishments in my life. I am thankful that I have been a part of something that has helped to influence and make a difference in people’s lives.”
Martha Rohlfing Financial Education Coordinator Martha’s professional background includes secondary and college education, nonprofit communications and public affairs, including 11 years at the Illinois Bankers Association. A member of the Treasurer’s Office staff since 2005, she is particularly interested in empowering women to manage their finances wisely as the foundation for achieving their personal and professional goals.
Kristen Zueck Financial Education Coordinator Kristen joined the Treasurer’s Office in 2005 and focuses her outreach in Central and Eastern Illinois. A former Illinois business owner and a member of the planning committee for Money Smart Week Illinois 2008, Kristen splits her time between the classroom and coordinating Smart Women Smart Money symposiums across the state. She says, “The most enjoyable part of my job is exploring and discovering the wealth of knowledge that the people of this great state have to offer. I take great pleasure in traveling to a new area and connecting with the people of the community who are interested in helping themselves and those around them to become more financially aware.”
Peter Gonzalez Financial Education Coordinator Peter comes to the office of the Illinois State Treasurer in 2008, as a bilingual financial education coordinator. He obtained his degree from the University of IL at Chicago in Business. Peter is passionate about sharing information with others, especially when it comes to providing insight on matters of personal finance. With over 3 years in the mortgage industry, Peter understands the importance of credit and the significant role it plays in all aspects of life. He also brings practical work experience from the retail, non-profit and other private sectors of business to enhance his expertise and promote financial literacy to Illinois communities.
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