Meet NerdWallet's Editorial Team
Our knowledgeable writers and editors help people lead richer lives by making complex financial decisions easier to understand.
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Who We Are
We are personal finance Nerds. We love to empower you to make smart money moves. We strive to offer financial guidance that makes sense no matter where you are in your financial journey. Our work is rooted in deep reporting, data-backed research and personal stories.
Where you can find us
Whether it’s on your favorite social media platform or your local media outlet, you can find NerdWallet’s financial guidance and news wherever you get information.
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We also deliver personal finance trends and insights to your inbox via our newsletters.
Vice President of Content
Hanah Cho
Hanah Cho led multiple NerdWallet teams focused on personal finance before being promoted to director and then vice president. She originally joined NerdWallet as a writer, covering small business. Before that, she covered business and startups at The Dallas Morning News, and previously was a business writer for The Baltimore Sun. She also was treasurer of the Texas Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association.
Editors
NerdWallet editors ensure high-quality content that helps all readers make financial decisions with confidence.
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT
Paul Soucy has led the Credit Cards content team at NerdWallet since 2015 and the Travel Rewards team since 2023. He was an editor with USA Today, The Des Moines Register and the Meredith/Better Homes and Gardens family of magazines for more than 20 years. He also built a successful freelance writing and editing practice with a focus on business and personal finance. He was editor of the USA Today Weekly International Edition for six years and received the highest award from ACES: The Society for Editing. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism and a Master of Business Administration.
HEAD OF CONTENT
Chris Hutchison helped build NerdWallet's editorial operation and has directed coverage across banking, investing, taxes and insurance. He now leads a team exploring new verticals. Before joining NerdWallet, he was an editor and programmer at ESPN and an editor at the San Jose Mercury News.
HEAD OF CONTENT
Tony Armstrong began his NerdWallet career as a writer and worked his way up to editor and then to head of content on the banking team. His work has been featured by the Los Angeles Times, Mashable, Money, Nasdaq.com, USA Today and VentureBeat. He has appeared on Minnesota Public Radio. Tony earned a bachelor's degree in English literature and creative writing from Macalester College.
HEAD OF CONTENT
Arielle O’Shea leads the investing and taxes team at NerdWallet. She has covered personal finance and investing for 15 years, previously as a researcher and reporter for leading personal finance journalist and author Jean Chatzky. Arielle has appeared as a financial expert on the "Today" show, NBC News and ABC's "World News Tonight," and has been quoted in national publications including The New York Times, MarketWatch and Bloomberg News.
HEAD OF CONTENT
Samantha Allen leads the insurance team at NerdWallet. Previously, she was the digital managing editor for the publications Financial Planning and On Wall Street. She attended Northwestern University's certified financial planner program and has been covering personal finance and wealth management for more than 10 years.
Head of Content
Kim Lowe leads NerdWallet's personal and student loans teams. She covers consumer borrowing, including topics like personal loans, student loans, buy now, pay later and cash advance apps. She joined NerdWallet in 2016 after 15 years at MSN.com, where she held various content roles including editor-in-chief of the health and food sections. Kim started her career as a writer for print and web publications that covered the mortgage, supermarket and restaurant industries. Kim earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Iowa and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington. She works from her home near Portland, Oregon.
Head of Content
Robert Beaupre leads the SMB team at NerdWallet. He has covered financial topics as an editor for more than a decade. Before joining NerdWallet, he served as senior editorial manager of QuinStreet's insurance sites and managing editor of Insure.com. In addition, he served as an online media manager for the University of Nevada, Reno.
Head of Content
Jeanette Margle leads the home loans content team at NerdWallet, where she has worked since 2019. Previously, she led NerdWallet's travel rewards content team and spent three years editing for Upgraded Points while self-employed as an editor and writing coach.Jeanette earned bachelor's degrees in journalism and Plan II Honors from the University of Texas at Austin and has a Master of Education from the University of Houston. A lifelong Texan, Jeanette grew up in a small town in the Hill Country and lives in the Houston area with her husband and daughters.
Head of Content
Karen Gaudette Brewer leads the Core Personal Finance team at NerdWallet. Previously, she guided students and their families through the ins and outs of paying for college and managing student debt on the Higher Education team. She joined NerdWallet with 20 years of experience working in newsrooms and leading editorial teams, most recently as executive editor of HealthCentral. She launched her journalism career with The Associated Press and later worked for The (Riverside) Press-Enterprise, The Seattle Times, PCC Community Markets and Allrecipes.com. She is a graduate of the 2022 Poynter Institute Leadership Academy for Women in Media. Her writing has been honored by the Society for Features Journalism and the Society of Professional Journalists. In addition, she’s the author of two books about the Pacific Northwest.
SENIOR EDITOR & CONTENT STRATEGIST
Rick VanderKnyff leads the team responsible for expanding NerdWallet content to additional topics within personal finance. Previously, he has worked as a channel manager at MSN.com, as a web manager at University of California San Diego, and as a copy editor and staff writer at the Los Angeles Times. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications and a Master of Arts in anthropology.
SENIOR EDITOR & CONTENT STRATEGIST
Mary Flory leads NerdWallet's growing team of assigning editors at large. Before joining NerdWallet's content team, she had spent more than 12 years developing content strategies, managing newsrooms and mentoring writers and editors. Her previous experience includes being an executive editor at the American Marketing Association and an editor at news and feature syndicate Content That Works.
Senior Editor & Content Strategist
Amanda is a longtime personal finance editor. She provides content-strategy and leadership support across NerdWallet's verticals. She previously led the international expansion content team (UK, Canada and Australia), and helped lead the mortgages and small-business teams before that. Prior to her time at NerdWallet, Amanda spent 10 years as a content and communications manager in the mortgages and real estate industry. Before that, she was a copy editor for the Contra Costa Times. She has a master’s degree in journalism and is a Dow Jones News Fund alum.
Managing Editor
Claire Tsosie is a managing editor for the travel rewards team at NerdWallet. Her areas of expertise include research and strategy. She’s edited articles on a variety of topics, including business software, Medicare and home improvement. Previously, she was a credit cards writer at NerdWallet for over five years. Her work was featured by Forbes, USA Today and The Associated Press. She's been a speaker at both CardCon (2017, 2018) and FinCon (2019).
Managing Editor
Courtney Neidel is a managing editor for the core personal finance team at NerdWallet. She joined NerdWallet in 2014 and spent six years writing about shopping, budgeting and money-saving strategies before being promoted to editor. Courtney has been interviewed as a retail authority by "Good Morning America," Cheddar and CBSN. Her prior experience includes freelance writing for California newspapers.
Managing Editor
Kenley Young directs daily credit cards coverage for NerdWallet. Previously, he was a homepage editor and digital content producer for Fox Sports, and before that a front page editor for Yahoo. He has decades of experience in digital and print media, including stints as a copy desk chief, a wire editor and a metro editor for the McClatchy newspaper chain.
Managing Editor
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog.
Managing Editor
Lisa Green was an insurance writer at NerdWallet before being promoted to editor. Previously, she spent more than 20 years as an editor at The Tennessean in Nashville, where she was part of a 2011 Pulitzer Prize finalist team. Her work has won awards from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, Investigative Reporters and Editors, and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Managing Editor
Chris Davis is a managing editor on the investing team. As a writer, he covered the stock market, investing strategies and investment accounts, and as a spokesperson, he appeared on NBC Bay Area and was quoted in Forbes, Apartment Therapy, Martha Stewart and Lifewire, among others. His work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, MSN, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Newsday and TheStreet. Previously, he was the content manager for the luxury property management service InvitedHome and the section editor for the legal and finance desk of international marketing agency Brafton. He is based in Longmont, Colorado.
Managing Editor
Athena Cocoves joined NerdWallet's international expansion team in 2020 and has focused her efforts on content strategy and planning in the United Kingdom and Canada. Before that, she was the managing editor of publications at Adams Street Publishing Co., where she edited arts and entertainment magazines. Athena is a three-time winner of the Press Club of Toledo's Touchstone Award for Excellence in Journalism.
Managing Editor
Pamela de la Fuente leads NerdWallet's consumer credit and debt team. Previously, she led taxes and retirement coverage at NerdWallet. She has been a writer and editor for more than 20 years. Pamela joined NerdWallet after working at companies including Hallmark Cards, Sprint Corp. and The Kansas City Star. She is a thought leader in content diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and finds ways to make every piece of content conversational and accessible to all. She is a graduate of the Maynard Institute's Maynard 200 program, and was a presenter at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in 2023. She is a two-time winner of the Kansas City Association of Black Journalists' President's Award.
Managing Editor
Sally Lauckner joined NerdWallet with more than 10 years of experience in digital media. Most recently, she was the editorial director at Fundera, where she led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Columbia University and a master's degree in journalism from New York University.
Managing Editor
Johanna Arnone helps lead coverage of homeownership and mortgages at NerdWallet. She has more than 15 years' experience in editorial roles, including six years at the helm of Muse, an award-winning science and tech magazine for young readers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Canada's McGill University and a Master of Fine Arts in writing for children and young adults. Johanna has also completed coursework in Boston University’s Financial Planning Certificate program. She is based in New Hampshire.
Managing Editor
Katia Iervasi is a managing editor at NerdWallet. An insurance authority, she previously spent over six years covering insurance topics as a writer, where she loved untangling complicated topics and answering readers’ burning money questions. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication and has studied writing, fact-checking and editing with Poynter. Her writing and analysis has been featured in The Washington Post, Forbes, Yahoo, Entrepreneur, Best Company and FT Advisor. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Katia currently lives in New York City.
Managing Editor
Holly Carey joined NerdWallet in 2021 as an editor on the team responsible for expanding content to additional topics within personal finance. She currently leads the Health Insurance team. Previously, Holly wrote and edited content and developed digital media strategies as a public affairs officer for the U.S. Navy. She is based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Mary Washington and a master’s degree in journalism from Norfolk State University.
Managing Editor
Julie Myhre-Nunes leads the Home Services team, covering home improvement, home warranties, home security, solar and moving. She has over a decade of experience in personal finance. Before joining NerdWallet, she led editorial teams at Red Ventures and several startups. Her personal finance insights have been featured in Forbes, The Boston Globe and CNBC, while her writing has appeared in USA Today, Business Insider, Wired Insights and more.
Editor & Content Strategist
Laura McMullen assigns and edits personal loans content. She was previously a senior writer at NerdWallet and covered saving, making and budgeting money; she also contributed to the "Millennial Money" column for The Associated Press. Before joining NerdWallet in 2015, Laura worked for U.S. News & World Report, where she wrote and edited content related to careers, wellness and education and also contributed to the company's rankings projects. Before working at U.S. News & World Report, Laura interned at Vice Media and studied journalism, history and Arabic at Ohio University. Laura lives in Washington, D.C. Twitter: @lauraemcmullen.
Editor & Content Strategist
Tina Orem is an editor at NerdWallet. Prior to becoming an editor, she covered small business and taxes at NerdWallet. She has been a financial writer and editor for over 15 years, and she has a degree in finance, as well as a master's degree in journalism and a Master of Business Administration. Previously, she was a financial analyst and director of finance for several public and private companies. Tina's work has appeared in a variety of local and national media outlets.
Editor & Content Strategist
Meghan Coyle has been writing about travel since 2018. She covers travel industry news, airline and hotel loyalty programs, and how to travel on points. Her work has previously appeared in The Washington Post, NPR, PRX, KPCC, KCRW and YR Media. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California with a degree in journalism.
Editor & Content Strategist
Caitlin Constantine is an editor at NerdWallet, focusing on homeowners and renters insurance. Previously, she was the deputy managing editor at The Penny Hoarder. Her experience also includes a decade as a digital producer for a 24/7 news station based in the Tampa Bay area. She holds a degree in journalism and media studies from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.
Editor & Content Strategist
Dawnielle Robinson-Walker spent 16 years as a college English instructor, teaching creative writing and African-American literature before she began writing and editing for various companies and online publications. Prior to joining NerdWallet, she was an editor at Hallmark Cards and a contributing writer at Forbes Health.
Editor & Content Strategist
Cecilia Clark is an editor for Insurance and a NerdWallet authority on student finance. Her work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, The New York Times and MarketWatch. She worked through college and took advantage of the U.S. Army's College Loan Repayment Program for undergraduate school and used the Army Tuition Assistance Program and GI Bill to pay for graduate school.
Editor & Content Strategist
Sabrina Parys is an editor on the taxes and investing team at NerdWallet, where she manages and writes content on personal income taxes. Her previous experience includes five years as a copy editor and associate editor in academic and educational publishing. She is based in Brooklyn, New York.
Editor & Content Strategist
Ruth Sarreal is an editor covering consumer banking topics at NerdWallet. She has over a decade of experience writing and editing for consumer websites. She previously edited content on personal finance topics at GOBankingRates. Her work has been featured by Nasdaq, MSN, TheStreet and Yahoo Finance.
Editor & Content Strategist
Caitlin Mims is an editor covering credit cards and travel rewards. Before joining NerdWallet, she was an editor at CreditCards.com and Bankrate. Caitlin has written about personal finance for nine years and has also covered credit scores, retirement planning and the financial challenges women face.
Editor & Content Strategist
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor on the small-business team. She has more than a decade of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and tutor. Karrin is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Editor & Content Strategist
Pat Howard is an editor and content strategist at NerdWallet, focused on data-driven insurance content. As a licensed property and casualty insurance expert in New York state, Pat combines deep industry knowledge with over 10 years of writing and editing experience to help translate complex insurance topics into clear, actionable guidance for consumers. Before joining NerdWallet, Pat was a managing editor at Policygenius, where he built their home insurance content program and authored pricing reports cited by national media. Pat received his bachelor’s degree in journalism with a concentration in international reporting from Michigan State University. His work has appeared in The New York Times, MarketWatch, Fox Business, and other reputable outlets.
Content Management Specialist
Bella Avila is a content management specialist on the investing and taxes team at NerdWallet. Previously, she was a copy editing intern at NerdWallet through the Dow Jones News Fund internship program. Bella graduated from The University of Oklahoma with a bachelor's degree in journalism. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Economist
As NerdWallet’s Senior Economist and Spokesperson, Elizabeth Renter spends her time analyzing economic trends and data to help people make more informed decisions about their personal finances. Her work has been cited by The New York Times, The Washington Post, the "Today" show, CNBC and elsewhere. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2014, she was a freelance journalist. She received a Masters of Science in Finance and Economics from West Texas A&M University, and focused her elective coursework on macroeconomics and analytics. When she’s not at work, Elizabeth enjoys college football, old houses, traveling to old cities and powerlifting. She is based in Durham, North Carolina. Twitter: @elizabethrenter.
Writers
NerdWallet’s writers and spokespeople use skills and expertise from diverse career backgrounds to break down complex money topics.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Spencer Tierney is a consumer banking writer at NerdWallet. He has covered personal finance since 2013, with a focus on certificates of deposit and other banking-related topics. His work has been featured by The Washington Post, USA Today, The Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times, among others. He is based in Oakland, California.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Erin El Issa is a data studies writer who joined NerdWallet in 2014. She covers a variety of topics, including credit cards, travel, investing, banking and student loans. Erin earned her bachelor's degree in accounting and worked as a tax accountant before creating data-driven content. In her spare time, Erin reads voraciously and tries in vain to keep up with her energetic toddler.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Anna Helhoski is a senior writer covering economic news and trends in consumer finance at NerdWallet. She cohosts and produces Money News segments of NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast. She is also an authority on student loans. She joined NerdWallet in 2014. Her work has been syndicated in news outlets nationwide including The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA Today. She previously covered local news in the New York metro area for the Daily Voice and New York state politics for The Legislative Gazette. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Purchase College, State University of New York.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Margarette Burnette is a savings expert who has been writing about bank accounts since before the Great Recession. Her work has been featured in The Associated Press, USA Today and other major newspapers. Before joining NerdWallet, Margarette was a freelance journalist with bylines in magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Black Enterprise and Parenting. She has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Twitter: @margarette.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Kelsey Sheehy is a NerdWallet authority on small business. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today and The Associated Press, where she writes a column about millennials and money. Kelsey has appeared on the "Today" show, NBC News and "ABC World News Tonight" and has been quoted by the Los Angeles Times, CNBC and MarketWatch, among other publications. Twitter: @KelseyLSheehy.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Melissa Lambarena is a personal finance writer who joined NerdWallet in 2016. Her prior experience includes nine years as a content creator for several publications and websites. Her work has been featured by The Associated Press, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, USA Today and Yahoo Finance, among others. Melissa has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Twitter: @LissaLambarena.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Lauren Schwahn is a personal finance writer who covers budgeting, saving and making money. She joined NerdWallet in 2016, originally writing product reviews and other shopping content, including holiday shopping reports. Lauren's work has been featured by USA Today, The Associated Press, The Washington Post and more. She has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Twitter: @lauren_schwahn.
Senior Writer & Spokesperson
Kimberly Palmer is a personal finance expert at NerdWallet. She has been featured on the "Today" show and in The New York Times. She is the author of three books about money: "Smart Mom, Rich Mom," "The Economy of You" and “Generation Earn.” Previously, she was a money editor at U.S. News & World Report and AARP. Kimberly's work also appears on NerdWallet Canada. Twitter: @KimberlyPalmer.
Senior Writer & Spokesperson
Sara Rathner is a credit cards and travel expert at NerdWallet. She's appeared on the "Today" show, "NBC Nightly News" and CNBC's "Nightly Business Report" and has been quoted in The New York Times, Yahoo Finance, Time, Reuters, NBC News, Business Insider and MarketWatch. Before joining NerdWallet, Sara worked at The Motley Fool for nearly 10 years. She also worked as a freelance personal finance writer and paraplanner and has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Twitter: @sarakrathner.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Alana Benson is an investing writer who joined NerdWallet in 2019. Since then, she has written extensively about socially responsible and ESG investing, financial advice and beginner investing topics. Previously, she wrote two books on identity theft and several young adult nonfiction titles. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, MSN, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch and others.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Sarah Schlichter is a NerdWallet authority on homeowners, renters and pet insurance. Prior to joining NerdWallet, she spent more than 15 years in digital media as a writer, editor and spokesperson. Sarah enjoys delving into complicated topics and helping readers understand the ins and outs of their insurance coverage. She lives in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
Randa Kriss is a small-business writer who joined NerdWallet in 2020. She previously worked as a writer at Fundera, covering a wide variety of small-business topics including banking and loan products. Her work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Nasdaq, among others. Randa earned a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish at Iona College.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Chanelle Bessette is a personal finance writer at NerdWallet covering banking. She previously worked at Fortune, Forbes and the Reno Gazette-Journal. She is also a spokesperson for the banking team, and her expertise has appeared in The New York Times, Vox and Apartment Therapy.
Lead Writer & Spokesperson
Kate Wood is a mortgages and student loans writer and spokesperson who joined NerdWallet in 2019. With an educational background in sociology, Kate feels strongly about issues like inequality in homeownership and higher education, and relishes any opportunity to demystify government programs. Prior to joining NerdWallet, she wrote about home remodeling, decor and maintenance for This Old House magazine.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Georgia Rose is a lead writer on the international team at NerdWallet. Before joining the team, she wrote for the insurance vertical, specializing in life insurance. Throughout her career, Georgia has written on a variety of subjects, including personal finance, government policy, science and technology. She enjoys researching complex topics and distilling the information for her readers.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Funto Omojola started writing for NerdWallet in 2020. Before joining NerdWallet, she covered personal finance-related topics for financial websites and organizations and has over five years of experience writing about money. Her writing has been featured in MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance, Realtor.com, New York Post, and Nasdaq, among others. Funto earned a bachelor's degree in global and international studies and an MFA from Bard College. She is based in Brooklyn, New York.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Jackie Veling covers personal loans for NerdWallet. Her work has been featured in The Associated Press, MarketWatch, MSN, Nasdaq.com and Yahoo Finance. Prior to that, she ran a freelance writing and editing business, where she partnered with a wide range of clients, including U.S. Bank and Under Armour. She graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Lead Writer & Spokesperson
Sally French is a travel rewards expert who joined NerdWallet in 2020. She previously wrote about travel and credit cards for The New York Times and its sibling site, Wirecutter. She also has worked for MarketWatch and The Orange County Register. She loves fitness, and her travels have included cycling up the coastline of Vietnam and over the sea ice in the Arctic Circle. Sally studied journalism at the University of Missouri. Twitter: @SAFmedia.
Lead Writer & Spokesperson
Kate Ashford is a writer and spokesperson for NerdWallet. She is a certified senior advisor (CSA)® and has more than 20 years of experience writing about personal finance. Previously, she was a freelance writer for both consumer and business publications, and her work has been published by the BBC, Forbes, Money, AARP, LearnVest and Parents, among others. She has a degree from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. Kate has appeared as a Medicare expert on the PennyWise podcast by Lee Enterprises, and she's been quoted in national publications including Healthline, Real Simple and SingleCare. She is based in New York.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her work has been featured by The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq and Entrepreneur, among others. She earned a bachelor’s degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan. Outside of work, Hillary enjoys long backpacking trips and surfing in Lake Michigan.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Rosalie Murphy is a small-business writer at NerdWallet. Her work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Entrepreneur and elsewhere. Previously, as a local news reporter, Rosalie won awards from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing and the National Association of Real Estate Editors. She studied journalism at the University of Southern California.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Taylor Getler is a home and mortgages writer for NerdWallet. Her work has been featured in outlets such as MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance, MSN and Nasdaq. Taylor is enthusiastic about financial literacy and helping consumers make smart, informed choices with their money.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Shannon Bradley covers auto loans for NerdWallet. She spent more than 30 years in banking as a writer, creating educational content to help individuals and businesses with financial decision-making. Shannon has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern Indiana. She has two married (and financially independent) sons, a granddaughter with a 529 savings account and two rescue dogs with no financial concerns.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Whitney Vandiver writes for NerdWallet about ways readers can get the most out of their Social Security benefits. She previously wrote in the oil and gas industry, where she was published in national journals and international magazines. Whitney became a writer out of enjoyment and finds stories that highlight or help the LGBTQ+ community the most rewarding to craft. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, walking with her Irish wolfhound and spending time with her husband and son. She is based in Houston.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Amanda Barroso, Ph.D., is a writer and content strategist helping consumers navigate budgeting, credit building and credit scoring. Before joining NerdWallet, Amanda wrote about demographic trends at the Pew Research Center and got her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University.
Her work has been featured by the Associated Press, Washington Post and Yahoo Finance.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Kurt Woock started writing for NerdWallet in 2021. Prior to joining NerdWallet, Kurt taught people about retirement planning as an educator and writer, and before that he spent five years as an editor for the Colorado Legislature. Kurt earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Alex Rosenberg is a NerdWallet writer focusing on Medicare and information technology. He has more than 10 years of experience researching and writing about health care, insurance, technology, data privacy and public policy. His research has supported lawmakers in the Wisconsin State Legislature as well as health systems and national health authorities in the U.S. and more than 10 other countries. He is based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Dalia Ramirez writes about estate planning for NerdWallet. She has a Bachelor of Arts in science and technology studies and critical theory from Wesleyan University. Her work has appeared in publications including The Washington Post, Bloomberg and The Associated Press. She is based in New York City.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Tommy Tindall is a lead writer and content strategist covering how to make money — and how to keep it. He’s recorded and written about his experience testing popular gig jobs like driving for Uber, delivering with DoorDash and full-service shopping for Instacart. He loves making an extra buck, but laments the hours of awkward silence he endured as an Uber driver (never again). Cool kids might call him a content creator because he makes YouTube videos for the NerdWallet channel and app, but he himself is no longer very cool. Ask him about budgeting apps — he's tried most of them, but still prefers a good ole Google sheet to track spending. Then be sure to smash that “like” and “subscribe” button. Before NerdWallet, Tommy held decidedly more boring jobs at Fannie Mae and Booz Allen Hamilton. Today, he feels super privileged to write for you, the consumer.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Benjamin Din is a lead travel writer at NerdWallet. He previously was a technology reporter at Politico, where he authored a daily newsletter covering tech and telecom policy. Benjamin loves to travel — both for work and for fun. He’s reported from three continents and visited more than 40 countries. He has written for The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle and The (Johannesburg) Star, as well as covered two Olympics with NBC Sports. His goal is to visit a new country and a new state each year.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Taryn Phaneuf is a writer at NerdWallet. She previously worked as a data reporter and researcher for the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. She has reported on education, public policy and other topics for local news outlets in Minnesota, Washington and Kentucky. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Jae Bratton is a writer for the credit cards team. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from Wake Forest University and a master’s degree in English from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Before writing for NerdWallet, Jae spent 13 years teaching English and journalism. Her writing has been published in newspapers, blogs and an academic journal.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Sam Taube writes about investing for NerdWallet. He has covered investing and financial news since earning his economics degree from the University of Maryland in 2016. Sam has previously written for Investopedia, Benzinga, Seeking Alpha, Wealth Daily and Investment U, and has worked as an editor for Investment U, Wealth Daily and Haven Investment Letter. He is based in Brooklyn, New York. Twitter: @samuel_taube.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Abby Badach Doyle is a home and mortgages writer for NerdWallet. She is passionate about helping consumers understand the homebuying process and feel confident about their finances. Her work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post and others. Abby resides in Pittsburgh, a city known for its neighborly spirit and vibrant communities.
LEAD WRITER & Content Strategist
Craig Joseph is a NerdWallet credit cards and travel rewards expert. He has degrees in geology from West Virginia University and oceanography from Oregon State University and has published in academic journals, newspapers and blogs. Craig is passionate about personal finance and wants to enhance the financial literacy of everyone he meets. He'll probably also try to convince you why rocks are cool.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Drew Gula is a NerdWallet authority on auto insurance. He previously worked as the senior content editor at Soundstripe and as the senior writer in Liberty University's marketing department. Drew is also a published author. He is based in Nashville, Tenn.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Ryan Brady is a lead writer at NerdWallet and authority on small-business lending and insurance. Ryan enjoys simplifying complex finance topics to help small-business owners make smarter financial decisions. His work has appeared in TechCrunch, MarketWatch, Yahoo, Nasdaq and more. Before joining NerdWallet, Ryan was a senior writer and principal researcher at Gartner. He is based in Fort Myers, Florida.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
June Sham is a lead writer on NerdWallet's investing and taxes team covering retirement and personal finance. Previously, she was an insurance writer for Bankrate specializing in home, auto and life insurance. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in creative writing at the University of California, Riverside.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Nicole Dow is a lead writer and content strategist on NerdWallet’s personal lending team. She specializes in guiding borrowers through the ins and outs of getting and managing a personal loan. Nicole has been writing about personal finance since 2017. Her work has been featured in The Penny Hoarder and Yahoo Finance. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Hampton University and is based in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Andrew has spent his career advising readers about insurance. He has written extensively about auto, home, life and disability insurance, and he holds his property & casualty license in New York. Before NerdWallet, Andrew covered insurance for LendingTree and Policygenius.
Andrew has been quoted as an insurance authority in such publications as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, among others. He has also appeared in interviews for NPR’s Marketplace and various local NBC, ABC, Fox and CBS affiliates. He is based in New York City.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Kaz Weida is a writer and content strategist specializing in insurance. Before joining NerdWallet, she was a freelance journalist for over a decade with a focus on personal finance, politics and technology. Her work has appeared in CNET, Popular Mechanics, Yahoo Finance, Consumer Affairs, DAME Magazine and The Penny Hoarder. As a former teacher, Kaz enjoys educating consumers about complicated topics like insurance to encourage healthier financial decisions. She lives in northern Vermont.
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
Elizabeth Aldrich is a writer at NerdWallet specializing in Medicare. She has been a financial journalist for 10 years, and her work has appeared in Forbes, Business Insider, CBS News, Bankrate, USA Today, CFP Board and Yahoo Finance. Prior to NerdWallet, she was a banking editor with expertise in Federal Reserve policy and produced studies that were cited by First Financial Bank and researchers at University of Chicago Law School and USC Gould School of Law. Elizabeth holds degrees in economics and philosophy from the University of Oregon. She is based in Portland, Oregon.
Multimedia
The multimedia content creators translate complex personal finance topics into conversational and engaging videos, podcasts and social media posts.
Head of Content
Hilary Giorgi leads the multimedia team at NerdWallet. She has built and led multimedia and content teams for more than 10 years. Prior to joining NerdWallet, Hilary was a senior editor for the New York Yankees, where she launched the team’s first-ever in-house podcast. She joined media startup Mission.org in 2019 as a producer, eventually becoming VP of Production. Hilary has led the launch of and executive produced more than 20 podcasts, including building out social and YouTube channels for each.
Senior Producer
Sean Pyles, CFP®, is host of NerdWallet's "Smart Money" podcast. In his role as host of Smart Money, Sean helps consumers navigate challenging financial topics so they can get what they want from their money and their life. Sean's written work has appeared in USA Today, The New York Times and elsewhere. When he's not podcasting about personal finance, Sean can be found tending to his garden and taking his dog for walks around beautiful Portland, Oregon.
Lead Producer
Elizabeth Ayoola is a Lead Multimedia Producer and Co-Host of the "Smart Money" podcast. Before delving into the podcast world, Elizabeth acquired over ten years of experience as a writer, and seven were spent covering personal finance topics. Her journey to finance writing started with a goal to learn as much as she could about how to attain financial freedom and share information with others about how to do it, too. This led her to Debt.com, where she covered topics relating to mortgages, debt and credit. Her articles have appeared on platforms like Washington Post, The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Yahoo, Essence, The Knot, PopSugar and Parents.com. Elizabeth has also done extensive spokesperson work and appeared on multiple renowned national networks like Good Morning America, ABC, NBC, and Fox to discuss money.
Lead Multimedia Producer
Taylor Mitchell is a Lead Multimedia Producer on NerdWallet’s multimedia team, where she creates social-first video content and leads product integration strategy across platforms. Since joining NerdWallet in 2024, she’s focused on making the company’s tools and resources more accessible and engaging through content on Instagram, TikTok and beyond.
Taylor brings proven success in the social space, averaging over 30 million views per year and building a combined audience of +600,000 followers on her personal channels. Her content spans personal finance, lifestyle, productivity, and mindfulness — all aimed at helping people live more intentionally and feel confident in their decisions.
Before content, Taylor spent over a decade in hospitality — from server to executive chef — across everything from mom-and-pop cafés to five-star hotels. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her son, two dogs, and tortoise.
Editor & Content Strategist
Tess Vigeland is an award-winning radio journalist and producer. At NerdWallet she is an Editor & Content Strategist for the Smart Money Podcast. She has worked for NPR, University of Chicago, The Wall Street Journal and elsewhere.
Editor & Content Strategist
Jackie is an editor and content strategist at Nerdwallet. Jackie is an Atlanta native and proud graduate of Howard University with a deep background in media and content. She spent seven years at Sirius XM producing and planning for the urban music department, then led R&B programming at Youtube Music, where she launched the flagship Highline playlist. Most recently, Jackie was a content manager at Amazon, where she developed the Rotation slate of DJ Mode stations, producing weekly shows and interviews.
Content Coordinator
Jessica Cano
Jessica Cano is the coordinator for the team. She manages team communications and meetings, maintains internal resources, promotes morale and connection across the distributed team and provides direct administrative support to the vice president of content. She previously worked at Twitter supporting the diversity and inclusion team.
What shapes our coverage?
As we work to provide clarity for all of life’s financial decisions, our team is committed to editorial independence. We've outlined the principles and practices that guide our sourcing, reporting, writing and editing.