Some of the most important lessons I’ve learned about financial security came from my grandfather, Bob. He grew up during the Great

Depression, served in WWII, and built a life defined by resilience and hard-won dignity, living independently well into his 80s—sharp-witted, suspenders and all. Growing up, I was lucky enough to spend Saturday mornings listening to his stories and even luckier to realize, much later, what they really taught me: how financial security shapes everything from the lives we lead to what we pass on—stories included.

When I was the ripe age of 6, Bob decided it was high time for me to learn about having “respect for money,” as he put it. He told me about growing up in 1920s Chicago, watching his Gatsby-esque parents live it up—until, that is, it all came crashing down. (Cue: Black Monday.) They lost nearly everything, enough that they couldn’t afford to send Bob to college … but not so much that they couldn’t afford their annual country club dues.

What struck me then, and still does, is that he never seemed bitter. He picked himself up, used the GI bill to go to college, and lived life on his own terms. No country clubs, but he put five kids through school, and he was fiercely proud of that because he knew he’d given them something he never had: a stronger starting point.    

That belief—that financial security is foundational to a life well-lived—has driven my career. Over the past decade at BlackRock, I focused on building retirement solutions to help more people achieve long-term financial well-being. Just as I’d listened to my grandfather’s stories, I now listened closely to clients, to industry partners, and to colleagues who became mentors and friends, teaching me how to turn listening into insights and insights into action. I cannot thank them enough.

Along the way, one of those industry partners was the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program. Their work challenged me to listen differently and to ask different questions, not just about what works, but also who it works for and how we can do better.

So when I say I’m a long-time listener, first-time caller, it’s because this feels like the moment I’ve been building toward for a long time. Now, I’m deeply honored to step into it as the new lead of Aspen FSP’s Retirement Savings Initiative.

I can’t wait to get to work. And I can’t wait to keep listening, because the future of retirement depends on the stories we hear and what we choose to do with them.