YVONNE ALLMOND

For 30-plus years, Yvonne Allmond has taught free financial literacy classes — so long, in fact, that she typed some of her original class notes on a typewriter. While much has changed in that time, the basics haven’t, nor the need to help people navigate issues such as taking out loans, financing a business or obtaining a mortgage.

These courses often leave a lasting impression on attendees. “People recognize me in the grocery store,” she says. “One woman came up to me and said, ‘I have my house because of you!’”

It was because of a job in college that Allmond changed her major from pre-med to finance. While proofreading banking rules and regulations for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), Allmond realized she lacked basic financial knowledge and knew she wasn’t alone. “Financial health is as important as your blood pressure,” she says. “Most of us didn’t talk about money growing up.”

In her educational outreach role, Allmond has prioritized minority professionals, women-owned businesses and religious nonprofits because people in these communities often don’t feel confident going into a bank for help and are often targets for scams. In her wide range of civic involvement, Allmond is likewise focused on broadening access — for example, she serves on the board of the Virginia Opera, which is on a mission to bring a new generation to the opera. 

“Giving back,” she says, “is very important if you’ve been privileged enough to be exposed to things that others have not.”

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