Financial Education Revolution, with Brenda Campbell

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Brenda Campbell. Imagine receiving a hysterical phone call from your college-bound daughter: five small purchases under $5 each have just triggered $195 in overdraft fees—$39 per transaction for what seemed like innocent mistakes. For Brenda, this became an opportunity to calmly help her daughter learn an invaluable financial lesson. Brenda takes us from her childhood in a family of seven where mac and cheese was stretched into soup to feed everyone, through her journey as the first in her family to attend college, to becoming Wisconsin’s leading advocate for teen financial literacy. Her story reveals how well-timed money conversations paired with financial literacy can transform someone’s entire financial future.

Brenda Campbell is the President and CEO of SecureFutures, a nonprofit she has led since its inception in 2006. Under her leadership, the organization has grown into a leading force for teen financial empowerment, impacting more than 126,000 teens and young adults through innovative programs and community partnerships. Brenda drives SecureFutures’ strategic vision while overseeing daily operations, program development, board engagement, and fundraising. She also serves as the organization’s spokesperson, sharing her insights widely as a writer and speaker.

With a professional background spanning financial education, workforce development, and child welfare, Brenda brings decades of experience in program design, management, and evaluation. She was appointed to the Governor’s Council on Financial Literacy and Capability in 2021 and currently serves as Chairperson. A passionate advocate for women in leadership, she also serves on the boards of Milwaukee Women Inc. and TEMPO Milwaukee. Brenda was named a Milwaukee Business Journal Woman of Influence in 2010 and received the Governor’s Financial Literacy Award in 2017.