From policymakers and financial institutions and nonprofits and researchers, improving financial health for all requires collaboration from stakeholders across the financial system.

For the past two decades, the Financial Health Network has served as a launchpad for many champions who have continued to shape our movement in new sectors. Their accomplishments are a testament to our diverse and passionate team – each contributing their unique perspective to create a more inclusive financial future.

In the latest installment of our Alumni Spotlight series, two former staffers share how they’re applying lessons from the Financial Health Network in their new industries to help people take control of their financial lives. And if you missed it, be sure to read our prior Alumni Spotlight featuring Thea and Kimberly.

Years at the Financial Health Network: 2018-2022
Previous Roles at the Financial Health Network: Director, Workplace Financial Health
Current Role: Lead Product Manager, Core Services (Money Movement) at Spruce

Then
The Financial Health Network’s FinHealth Score® marked a turning point in financial health measurement, giving organizations a way to distill their customers’ and employees’ complex financial lives into an easy-to-understand data point. Alejandra Ruales was instrumental in driving the adoption of measurement through the Financial Health Leaders program during her time at the organization. 

When she began leading the program, there were only a handful of companies testing the newly released FinHealth Score. By the time she left, that number had grown to over 50 organizations that had embraced financial health measurement as a core practice – including some companies going beyond the Score to test advanced measurement techniques.

“Building the [Financial Health Leaders] program created an important momentum, interest, and desire to explore ways to measure beyond survey instruments and start using transactional data,” Alejandra recalls.  

Defining moments from Alejandra’s tenure at the Financial Health Network include speaking about financial health measurement at the Singapore FinTech festival and collaborating with global financial health leaders as part of the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development. There, she was struck by the depth of engagement from financial institutions and government agencies around the world. 

“I could not stop thinking how far the financial health measurement movement had gone and the key role that the Financial Health Network played to pave the way for many U.S-based financial institutions,” she recalls.

Now
Alejandra currently works at H&R Block on its mobile banking app, Spruce. As the Lead Product Manager for Core Services, she focuses on money movement features, working with an engineering team to develop user-friendly, reliable solutions for customers.

Her new role has allowed her to put into practice the financial health principles she helped numerous fintechs, financial institutions, and benefit providers implement while at the Financial Health Network. Coming from an organization like the Financial Health Network has solidified her commitment to creating solutions that empower customers to take control of their money.

“Designing features that have financial health at the front and center of the product and allow [customers] to move their money in an easy and secure way when they need it is a must for me,” she says.

Years at the Financial Health Network: 2018-2023
Previous Roles at the Financial Health Network: Senior Director, FSP
Current Role: Director, Community Development at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Then
During her nearly 5-year tenure at the Financial Health Network, Chandni Ohri worked not only to shine a light on the financial needs of Americans, but also to catalyze solutions to meet those needs head-on. 

One memorable project was the Hawaii Financial Health Pulse® research report, which used the Financial Health Network’s measurement framework to reveal the distinct challenges faced by residents of the state.  

“We added several questions unique to the context in Hawaii, especially how people rely on family and friends for housing, childcare, transportation, and other needs, to demonstrate their financial challenges,” Chandni says. 

Chandni also had the opportunity to support BlackRock’s Emergency Savings Initiative. The collaborative effort brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including financial institutions, fintechs, retirement providers, and employers, to test and scale innovative solutions for building emergency savings. 

When asked about her best memories at the Financial Health Network, Chandni fondly recalls the All-Staff meetings, which showcased the organization’s vibrant culture. 

“The team is so much fun, full of ideas and idealism,” she shares. 

Now
In her current role as Director of Community Development at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Chandni continues to champion financial health. 

As part of the Community Affairs team, she fosters partnerships between banks and communities to promote safe and sound community development financing and ensure fair access to banking for consumers, small businesses, and underserved populations. Chandni spends her days developing publications on community development issues and programs, engaging with banks on their community development investments and CRA activities, and providing input on new policies that impact consumers.

Chandni’s passion for advancing financial health at the OCC stems from her time and knowledge gained at the Financial Health Network. 

“The research [I undertook] helped me develop a deeper understanding of the range of financial challenges experienced by people in America,” she says.

Presently, she is leading OCC’s Financial Health Vital Signs initiative, which focuses on monitoring the financial health of consumers and communities and assessing the financial health impacts of particular products and services. 

“This way, banks can learn about their customers’ challenges and offer products and services to positively impact their financial health,” she explains.