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Meet Melody!

Coming up from modest means, I was fortunate to be able to see my family's transition from low to middle-income. My family’s financial background provided me with strong saving and budgeting skills, but still I had less exposure to other financial topics like investing or insurance. It was my personal desire to accumulate wealth that drove me to a career in finance. Still, after working in several facets of the finance industry, I realized that people are ill-prepared to enter adulthood and manage their finances. I then decided to take a preventative educational approach, through the founding of a nonprofit, to engage the community in financial education.

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Experience &
Education

2011-Present

North Starr Consulting

Managing Director

2013-Present

Portland State University

Adjunct Professor

2023-Present

2005-2022

Financial Beginnings

Founder and CEO

Advise nonprofit, for-profit, and governmental entities. Projects include strategic planning, fundraising, program development, and financial systems. 

Develop content and teach in several different modalities including, traditional in-person, online, and virtual. Courses taught include: 

  • 200 Level Personal Finance

  • 300 Level Business Finance

Advise on Investopedia's financial literacy strategy. Review for accuracy and provide updates on content to the editorial team.

Founded and grew from a small local direct-service nonprofit to a nationally recognized organization with local affiliates.  

Ed.D

Doctorate in Educational Leadership

MBA

Masters of
Business Administration:
Finance and Public Administration

BS

Bachelors of Science:
Business Administration:
Finance

RECOGNITION

40 UNDER 40

Portland Business Journal

2020

INAGURAL
FINANCIAL EDUCATION
CHAMPION

Oregon Bankers Association

2018

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR
OF THE YEAR

Portland State University

School of Business Administration

2016

DREAM ACHIEVER

State Farm

and

WME's Live Together

2016

CONTACT ME

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© 2023 Melody Bell

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