Ashley Rutland and Tiffany Pearson-Kilgore are the Co-CEOs of Planned to A.T., a nonprofit organization that curates interactive game-style workshops to teach financial literacy and life skills to students and student-athletes from diverse backgrounds. They are both former classroom teachers and have 16 years of combined educational experience that ranges from Title I public schools to private schools, and elementary through the high school levels.
Ashley and Tiffany took the leap of faith to launch Planned to A.T. after recognizing a deficit amongst their young African-American male students, in particular, who often desire to become professional athletes but lack the knowledge they need to navigate in that world financially. They realized that nearly all of their students no matter what grade level had no idea of how the lack of good money management skills can negatively impact their world in general. This sparked an interest in developing fun yet impactful workshops that expose students to the fundamental basics of managing their finances. Planned to A.T. was born with a primary focus on programming for students at colleges, universities, educational institutions, and youth organizations.
Planned to A.T. is driven by the understanding that financial knowledge is power and can lead to creating a framework for a successful livelihood! They provide students with a simple toolkit designed to not just help them successfully navigate their current financial circumstances but to ultimately help them build a framework that carries into adulthood. So although they start by meeting students where they are, their focus is for them to start thinking in terms of improving their current financial status to the point that this thinking translates into an interest in building generational wealth. It’s all about money management. This, of course, can have a positive impact on not just them and their families but can contribute to the overall health of their communities. The belief that their work could create a positive impact of that magnitude is what motivates Ashley and Tiffany the most!
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