Rick McClanahan has been working in the financial sector for over 20 years, helping clients protect their assets and invest wisely. A successful financial consultant, speaker, coach, and entrepreneur, he founded his holistic financial services practice, Legacy First Financial Group LLC, in 2007 and is also the founder and CEO of the American Financial Education Alliance (AFEA), an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization specializing in teaching financial education in libraries, businesses, and over 200 universities nationwide.

Rick’s success in his financial practice and non-profit organization led to an overwhelming desire to educate financial professionals about the new DOL fiduciary rule and what it now means to be a true fiduciary. In early 2017, he founded the National Association of Certified Financial Fiduciaries (NACFF®) and created the Certified Financial Fiduciary® designation to accomplish this goal.

Rick is an in-demand conference speaker and instructor of multiple topics, including comprehensive fiduciary training; understanding fiduciary laws; the DOL fiduciary rule; financial management; retirement income planning; Social Security and Medicare training; employee and workplace training; wealth management strategies; and more. His workshops, classes, and seminars are in constant demand due to his devotion to his craft, his passion for helping people improve their lifestyles, and his expertise in insurance, finance, tax, and estate planning issues.

Rick served eight years on three different ships in the United States Navy and is a proud veteran of Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Jenny was born in Burbank, California, and has called Charlotte, NC home since the age of six.

Jenny has an extensive background of almost 30 years in customer service. Her experience in many different fields has produced an impressive portfolio of skills and abilities that she brings to NACFF. She spent 12 years in the automotive industry and almost 10 years as a medical device sales rep for area hospitals.

She also spent time studying business and psychology, which she incorporates into her customer service background.  

Jenny strives to build trust and strong long-term relationships with her clients and business partners. Building and maintaining those relationships is something that comes naturally to her.

Michele specializes in academic, legal, and other nonfiction writing of all types, including persuasive writing (e.g. marketing documents), where clarity and argument quality are essential, and legal writing, which demands high levels of precision and persuasiveness. She also designs, conducts, and analyzes original research-and-design courses to meet clients' educational needs.

Certifications

Mensa High IQ Society Award – 2012

Education

University of California, Berkeley BA, English

Portland State University MA, Linguistics/English language instruction ¬– 2005

University of Washington Ph.D., Communication – 2010 

(New York) has more than 10 years of experience in the Financial Services industry, Dan currently holds a Series 7 and Series 63 Licenses along with a Life, Accident & Health Insurance License. Dan has built his practice relying on the teachings of financial guru Dave Ramsey. He believes that navigating through the information that is constantly given to you through TV, Radio and Internet can be a daunting task. Dan's experience is that by managing your emotions and not making the wrong decision at the wrong time you have a greater chance of success.

Dan focuses on treating people with integrity and always making sure that he thinks of his clients' needs first. By using questioning strategies and having the heart of a teacher, Dan has a keen knack for helping people get answers to their questions so that they can make sure they are making the right decisions. If you are having questions about financial planning then Dan is your man. He will help you determine your goals and what is the best way for you to meet those goals.

Monica Occhetti, CAE, ICE-CCP, began her career in association management in 2015 and has served various sectors, such as healthcare and construction. She joined the NACFF team as  Director of Certification in late 2024 and also supports the Ohio Society of Association Professionals as their Member Relations and Programming Coordinator. 

Passionate about professional development, she earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE) certification in 2023, and the Institute for Credentialing Excellence's Certified Credentialing Professional (ICE-CCP) designation in 2024. 

In her spare time, she enjoys helping out with the family greenhouse business in Cleveland, Ohio, exploring the Metroparks, and playing guitar for her cats.

Chairperson: Angus Blackwood, Certified Financial Fiduciary® (California, Securities Registration) is President and Founding Advisor of WhiteSpace Financial. After 14 years working as a Wall Street investment advisor, he started WhiteSpace Financial in 2009 to deliver customized, personal attention and service beyond what banks and large Wall Street firms are structured to deliver.

(Texas, Securities Registration) is President of Personal Money Planning. She is a Financial Advisor with almost 30 years of experience delivering financial/investment advisory services.

(Florida, Non-registered) a Florida Office Administrator for Venable LLP. 

Scott Nolen, Certified Financial Fiduciary® (Missouri, Securities Registration) brings nearly 30 years of experience as a Financial Planner to the Committee. At the Chamberlin Group in St. Louis, MO he focuses mainly on Retirement and Income Planning. He is a seasoned financial educator, and he has delivered thousands of educational workshops all over the country. He continues to bring his passion for developing retirement and income plans utilizing the Fiduciary Standard to American families.

Melissa George, Certified Financial Fiduciary® (Georgia, Securities Registration) founded InvestHER Fiduciary Solutions, LLC in 2006, a State Registered Investment Advisory firm. Melissa has worked extensively with families, small-business owners, and city/county government entities with specialized services in developing bulletproof retirement income plans, and business cost-containment strategies.

Katie brings a diverse background in client relations, content creation, and marketing to her role as Chief of Staff at NACFF. A graduate of Winthrop University with a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Marketing Communication and an alumna of Winthrop’s Honors College, she has nearly a decade of experience in customer engagement and strategic communication.

Her career has spanned various industries, allowing her to develop expertise in customer engagement, digital and print content design, and operational support. Before joining NACFF, she contributed her skills to various organizations, from designing materials for a wildlife rehabilitation center to managing social media and marketing strategies at Winthrop University’s Center for Career & Civic Engagement.

Her customer service background includes roles as a client relationship specialist in the tax industry and five years of management experience in the retail industry. As Chief of Staff at NACFF, Katie plays a pivotal role in supporting executive operations, coordinating initiatives, and enhancing organizational efficiency.