Neale S. Godfrey

Neale S. Godfrey is an acknowledged expert on family and children’s finances with a robust career spanning over five decades. She broke new ground as one of the first female executives at The Chase Manhattan Bank in 1972. Godfrey later assumed the role of president at The First Women’s Bank and was the founder of The First Children’s Bank.

In 1989, Godfrey established the Children’s Financial Network, Inc., to impart financial literacy to children and their parents. She has authored 17 books, including the #1 New York Times Best Seller "Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Financially Responsible Children," and the recent "Be Money Smart in Tough Times: For Parents and Grandparents." Her publications focus on a range of topics from basic money management to the interplay between economics and ecology as seen in "ECO-Effect™: The Greening of Money."

Godfrey is also an experienced educational program developer. Her work includes the innovative LIFE, INC: The Ultimate Career Guide for Young People, which has reached over one million middle and high school students, and Money Town, a CD-ROM designed to educate children from Pre-K through high school. She currently serves as an Innovation Fellow and Executive in Residence at the Columbia Graduate School of Business, indicating her ongoing commitment to educational advancement.

Beyond her writing and educational endeavors, Godfrey has made significant contributions through her roles on various boards and task forces. She has been a member of the White House and Governor’s Task Forces and has held positions on the Board of Directors for UNICEF and UNWomen. Currently, she is on the Board of Advisors for DriveWealth, LLC, and Greenlight Financial Technology, Inc. As a recognized authority in her field, Godfrey has made numerous appearances on major television programs, including multiple features on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where she was lauded for her expertise.

Godfrey’s influence extends internationally as she is a sought-after speaker on global stages and contributes regularly as a personal finance expert to Forbes.com and Kiplinger. Her dedication to fostering financial resilience in future generations remains the core of her professional mission.