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Meet the Team
Tracy Frizzell
Executive Director
Tracy Frizzell is the Executive Director of the Economic Awareness Council (EAC). The EAC is an Illinois non-profit organization that provides statewide financial education programs with attendance of over 20,000 individuals in typical years. The EAC also produces financial education materials that reach an additional 18,000 individuals each year.
Frizzell chairs the Young Illinois Saves coalition which includes over 50 Illinois organizations committed to increasing youth saving and financial literacy. Through Saves, over 57,000 youth across IL have made a pledge to save monthly, with total pledges amounting to over $10,000,000 annually. The EAC also helped launch Saves programs at all University of Illinois campuses. The EAC leads the One Summer Chicago Banking Coalition and was recently selected to lead Bank On Chicago. Through these initiatives, over 25,000 youth have received their pay through banking & direct deposit. Frizzell serves on the Bank On Illinois Committee and has previously served on the Illinois Jumpstart Financial Education Board and the Illinois State Board of Saving Institutions. Frizzell has also served on the America Saves Advisory Committee, the Bank On Chicago Steering Committee, the Chicago Public Schools Financial Education Partner Committee, the Chicago FACED (Financial Capability for Individuals with Disabilities) Committee, and the Army One Source Financial Literacy Commission (representing IL).
Under Frizzell’s guidance, the EAC has also led a statewide financial capability initiative for youth in care in partnership with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) since 2014. This initiative has provided training to over 500 DCFS or DCFS affiliate staff who work with youth in care. Through this initiative, over 1,800 youth in the care of DCFS have successfully completed this 8-12 hour curriculum. The EAC has also provided online financial education content and consultation to youth initiatives in Miami, Jacksonville, Gainesville, FL; Madison & Milwaukee, WI; and Minneapolis, MN. Over 2,000 youth in these cities have utilized EAC online financial education resources.
Under Ms. Frizzell’s leadership, the EAC’s work has been highlighted in research in the journal Child Welfare, in the national Jumpstart Financial Education Coalition’s quarterly journal, in reports from the CFE Fund, and in a special report from CFED and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The EAC has also been featured in a round table forum on Youth Employment and Financial Capability with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in Washington DC, a round table for the CFPB, RTI and the Administration of Children and Families, in a national webinar with the Department of Labor and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and through a visit from the President’s Advisory Council for Financial Capability.
Ms. Frizzell has provided financial education programs to thousands of youth and families, primarily in low-income communities, and has presented at numerous state and regional financial education training conferences including the National Association for Workforce Development Conference, Illinois Asset Building Group’s Illinois Annual Conference, the University of Illinois at Chicago Financial Literacy Conference, Champaign County Financial Literacy Summit, American Saver Education Council/Consumer Federation of America National Saving Forum, Association for Financial Counseling Planning and Education Conference, and National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators Conference. Frizzell and the EAC have been featured in numerous local media including: the Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, CBS news, WGN news, Fox news, ABC news, Chicago Parent Magazine, Hinsdale Living and more and was selected as one of the ‘Best Under 40’ awards for Suburban Life news.
Tracy Frizzell is the Executive Director of the Economic Awareness Council (EAC). The EAC is an Illinois non-profit organization that provides statewide financial education programs with attendance of over 20,000 individuals in typical years. The EAC also produces financial education materials that reach an additional 18,000 individuals each year.
Frizzell chairs the Young Illinois Saves coalition which includes over 50 Illinois organizations committed to increasing youth saving and financial literacy. Through Saves, over 57,000 youth across IL have made a pledge to save monthly, with total pledges amounting to over $10,000,000 annually. The EAC also helped launch Saves programs at all University of Illinois campuses. The EAC leads the One Summer Chicago Banking Coalition and was recently selected to lead Bank On Chicago. Through these initiatives, over 25,000 youth have received their pay through banking & direct deposit. Frizzell serves on the Bank On Illinois Committee and has previously served on the Illinois Jumpstart Financial Education Board and the Illinois State Board of Saving Institutions. Frizzell has also served on the America Saves Advisory Committee, the Bank On Chicago Steering Committee, the Chicago Public Schools Financial Education Partner Committee, the Chicago FACED (Financial Capability for Individuals with Disabilities) Committee, and the Army One Source Financial Literacy Commission (representing IL).
Under Frizzell’s guidance, the EAC has also led a statewide financial capability initiative for youth in care in partnership with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) since 2014. This initiative has provided training to over 500 DCFS or DCFS affiliate staff who work with youth in care. Through this initiative, over 1,800 youth in the care of DCFS have successfully completed this 8-12 hour curriculum. The EAC has also provided online financial education content and consultation to youth initiatives in Miami, Jacksonville, Gainesville, FL; Madison & Milwaukee, WI; and Minneapolis, MN. Over 2,000 youth in these cities have utilized EAC online financial education resources.
Under Ms. Frizzell’s leadership, the EAC’s work has been highlighted in research in the journal Child Welfare, in the national Jumpstart Financial Education Coalition’s quarterly journal, in reports from the CFE Fund, and in a special report from CFED and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The EAC has also been featured in a round table forum on Youth Employment and Financial Capability with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in Washington DC, a round table for the CFPB, RTI and the Administration of Children and Families, in a national webinar with the Department of Labor and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and through a visit from the President’s Advisory Council for Financial Capability.
Ms. Frizzell has provided financial education programs to thousands of youth and families, primarily in low-income communities, and has presented at numerous state and regional financial education training conferences including the National Association for Workforce Development Conference, Illinois Asset Building Group’s Illinois Annual Conference, the University of Illinois at Chicago Financial Literacy Conference, Champaign County Financial Literacy Summit, American Saver Education Council/Consumer Federation of America National Saving Forum, Association for Financial Counseling Planning and Education Conference, and National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators Conference. Frizzell and the EAC have been featured in numerous local media including: the Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, CBS news, WGN news, Fox news, ABC news, Chicago Parent Magazine, Hinsdale Living and more and was selected as one of the ‘Best Under 40’ awards for Suburban Life news.
Kristi Knapp
Operations and Events Manager
Kristi Knapp has been the Events Manager for the Economic Awareness Council (EAC) for over 10 years, adding Operation Management in 2020. Kristi is responsible for planning and executing all EAC events associated with our partners and various affiliated programs, such as DCFS, CPS, America Saves, Young Illinois Saves, One Summer Chicago, Bank On and On the Money. She creates content for our various newsletters, oversees our scholarship program, and recruits our volunteers. Kristi also handles several financial and administrative roles within the EAC. Kristi received her BA in Communications from Indiana University. Prior to joining the EAC, she worked in television and then in private corporate event planning. She has also been involved in various charities such as Children’s Home & Aid, Junior Women’s League, Candor Health, and Make-A-Wish in addition to serving on the board of various school committees and local non-profits.
Kristi Knapp has been the Events Manager for the Economic Awareness Council (EAC) for over 10 years, adding Operation Management in 2020. Kristi is responsible for planning and executing all EAC events associated with our partners and various affiliated programs, such as DCFS, CPS, America Saves, Young Illinois Saves, One Summer Chicago, Bank On and On the Money. She creates content for our various newsletters, oversees our scholarship program, and recruits our volunteers. Kristi also handles several financial and administrative roles within the EAC. Kristi received her BA in Communications from Indiana University. Prior to joining the EAC, she worked in television and then in private corporate event planning. She has also been involved in various charities such as Children’s Home & Aid, Junior Women’s League, Candor Health, and Make-A-Wish in addition to serving on the board of various school committees and local non-profits.
Ivon Guzman
Teen & Young Adult Program Director
Ivon Guzman, is a first-generation college student. She is part of the graduating class of 2020 of Dominican University. She double majored in business administration and international business with a minor in Spanish. Ivon is currently the Teen and Young Adult Program Director at the Economic Awareness Council. Within her role she has the responsibility of overseeing several intern programs including EAC’s One Summer program, a program she is a former intern of, where she supervises and trains a group of 20 interns on financial literacy topics with the goal of having them assist in facilitating hybrid presentations given to other OSC youth ages 14-24. She supervises interns, in both the summer and school year On the Money program, in the development of writing a business/finance related article that get published in the On the Money magazine. Moreover, throughout the school year she has taken the lead role of managing the Get Real financial literacy program offered to several high schools. She is delighted to continue to help more families including adults get banked and help interns reinforce their professional development skills.
Ivon Guzman, is a first-generation college student. She is part of the graduating class of 2020 of Dominican University. She double majored in business administration and international business with a minor in Spanish. Ivon is currently the Teen and Young Adult Program Director at the Economic Awareness Council. Within her role she has the responsibility of overseeing several intern programs including EAC’s One Summer program, a program she is a former intern of, where she supervises and trains a group of 20 interns on financial literacy topics with the goal of having them assist in facilitating hybrid presentations given to other OSC youth ages 14-24. She supervises interns, in both the summer and school year On the Money program, in the development of writing a business/finance related article that get published in the On the Money magazine. Moreover, throughout the school year she has taken the lead role of managing the Get Real financial literacy program offered to several high schools. She is delighted to continue to help more families including adults get banked and help interns reinforce their professional development skills.
Lisa Kramer
Technology Director
Lisa Kramer has been the Technology Director for the Economic Awareness Council (EAC) for over 7 years.
Lisa is responsible for developing and maintaining all the EAC websites. She created getbankedchicago.com, futurefinanceready.org and futurefinanceprep.com. She also works on other various technological projects for the EAC.
Lisa got her BS in Industrial and Systems Engineering from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining the EAC, she worked in systems consulting and real estate sales. She was the president of the Hinsdale Swim Club and has also been involved in various charities such as Children’s Home & Aid and the Infant Welfare Society in addition to serving on the board of various school committees and local non-profits.
Lisa Kramer has been the Technology Director for the Economic Awareness Council (EAC) for over 7 years.
Lisa is responsible for developing and maintaining all the EAC websites. She created getbankedchicago.com, futurefinanceready.org and futurefinanceprep.com. She also works on other various technological projects for the EAC.
Lisa got her BS in Industrial and Systems Engineering from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining the EAC, she worked in systems consulting and real estate sales. She was the president of the Hinsdale Swim Club and has also been involved in various charities such as Children’s Home & Aid and the Infant Welfare Society in addition to serving on the board of various school committees and local non-profits.
Moises Sanchez
Fin Educator & Bank On Asst Manager
Moises Sanchez is a 2022 graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he majored in Consumer Economics and Finance while actively participating in various clubs and activities. Before becoming a Financial Educator and the Bank On Assistant Manager, Moises completed an internship with the EAC's One Summer Chicago Program. This program focused on providing financial literacy presentations to youth and assisting various organizations in Chicago to help young people open bank accounts.
During his time in the program, Moises served as the team lead for two summers, overseeing a group of five other interns. He was responsible for preparing them to deliver financial literacy education to young people. Now in his third year with the EAC, Moises is eager to continue providing financial literacy education to college and high school students, while also helping more families gain access to banking services.
Moises Sanchez is a 2022 graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he majored in Consumer Economics and Finance while actively participating in various clubs and activities. Before becoming a Financial Educator and the Bank On Assistant Manager, Moises completed an internship with the EAC's One Summer Chicago Program. This program focused on providing financial literacy presentations to youth and assisting various organizations in Chicago to help young people open bank accounts.
During his time in the program, Moises served as the team lead for two summers, overseeing a group of five other interns. He was responsible for preparing them to deliver financial literacy education to young people. Now in his third year with the EAC, Moises is eager to continue providing financial literacy education to college and high school students, while also helping more families gain access to banking services.
Christi Wright
Christi Wright is a dedicated finance professional with over six years of combined experience across the financial services and consulting industries. She graduated from DePaul University with a degree in Finance and passed the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) exam, further expanding her expertise in personal finance.
Christi's passion for financial education and community service is reflected in her long-standing relationship with the Economic Awareness Council, where she first began as an intern and has continued to serve in various capacities over the years, including her current role on the Associate Board. She is also a proud alum of Chicago Scholars, where she contributes as a member of the Investment Subcommittee.
In addition to her community involvement, Christi is a member of Forbes BLK, a network of Black professionals, leaders, and entrepreneurs driving culture and change. Her professional experience includes working in wealth management, banking, and volunteering with the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, providing free tax services to underserved communities.
Christi is committed to empowering individuals and communities to achieve financial independence, promote financial literacy, and build generational wealth.
Christi's passion for financial education and community service is reflected in her long-standing relationship with the Economic Awareness Council, where she first began as an intern and has continued to serve in various capacities over the years, including her current role on the Associate Board. She is also a proud alum of Chicago Scholars, where she contributes as a member of the Investment Subcommittee.
In addition to her community involvement, Christi is a member of Forbes BLK, a network of Black professionals, leaders, and entrepreneurs driving culture and change. Her professional experience includes working in wealth management, banking, and volunteering with the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, providing free tax services to underserved communities.
Christi is committed to empowering individuals and communities to achieve financial independence, promote financial literacy, and build generational wealth.
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