My Journey to Becoming the Director of Training at BALANCE

I grew up in the Great Lakes region, in the small town of Hillsdale, Michigan. You’ll find my hometown if you raise your hand and point to the bottom of the middle of your palm. Like many families in the Midwest, we lived frugally, growing our food, and preparing for the long winters by cutting and stocking up on firewood.
As a young adult, I moved to California in search of new opportunities. I found the California dream: blue skies, year-round sunshine, and the chance to wear flip-flops all year! With affordable college tuition and a wide range of job options, I dove into the workforce.
My Beginnings In Lending And Real Estate
My career in lending and real estate was a journey of discovery. I found immense joy in helping people achieve the American dream of homeownership. It was a fulfilling experience, but it also had its challenges. There was a problematic side—informing people they didn’t qualify for a mortgage and watching many pursue risky loans that could harm them financially. This realization fueled my determination to make a difference.
My pivot to affordable housing was a turning point. I found my niche and embarked on a project that would test my skills and determination. The first project involved a community of forty-two affordable homes with over 1,000 applicants. As I sifted through credit reports and applications, I was struck by how many people weren’t financially prepared to buy a home. Most had high debt and low credit scores despite the lower cost of the homes and reduced down payment requirements. Over the next two years, my team and I worked tirelessly, offering homebuyer education and financial counseling to help these applicants get on track. Our persistence and dedication paid off, as we successfully counseled forty-two buyers to close on their homes, and many others went on and purchased a home in the future.
What I learned during this time was invaluable: people needed more than a mortgage—they needed financial education. Many lacked the basics of how to build credit, manage debt, and save for a rainy day. I realized my true passion was teaching and coaching, not mortgage origination or real estate sales.
From Lending To Nonprofit Work
After raising concerns about high-cost mortgage products, my manager told me, “Denise, you care too much.” He was right, so I left the lending world and transitioned into nonprofit work. I joined the housing counseling agency I had partnered with for education and counseling.
Eventually, I made my way back to my home state of Michigan to lead a housing counseling agency myself. Under my leadership, we became one of the top five counseling agencies out of eighty agencies in the state. It was an incredible experience to make such a meaningful impact on my community.
Today, I am proud to be part of BALANCE, a prominent, nationwide nonprofit specializing in financial wellness. During my career, I’ve had the opportunity to deliver over 1,000 homebuyer education courses and hundreds of others on all topics related to financial well-being. I’ve built teams that support financial education and counseling. As Director of Training at BALANCE, I’m committed to lifelong learning—for myself, the teams I lead, and the clients we serve. Whether training our internal staff or delivering educational workshops to our partners, I strive to create engaging, practical experiences that empower people to take control of their financial futures. I don’t know where my professional journey will take me next, but one thing is certain: I’ll be teaching, coaching, and empowering others through education for as long as I can. The passion for making a difference never fades.
If you’re ready to make an impact on those you serve, BALANCE is here to help. Whether you’re looking to enhance your client’s financial wellness through our counseling, coaching, or educational services, BALANCE offers the expertise and resources to support your goals. Contact us today to learn how we can partner together to create lasting financial success for your community.