We're here to help you master the rules of credit.

For more than 25 years, Ricki has been designing and implementing programs to help Americans improve their finances. Before founding Working Credit, Ricki served as the Director of Economic Opportunities for the Chicago office of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in Chicago. At LISC, she created the organization’s first network of Financial Opportunity Centers—a model LISC replicated in 13 U.S. cities, and for which LISC received a federal Social Innovation Fund award in 2010. Ricki also developed Twin Accounts, a credit building and savings product featured in The New York Times Magazine and Telemundo Nacional in 2014. Before joining LISC, she developed neighborhood-focused employment initiatives for the Comprehensive Community Revitalization Program (CCRP) in the South Bronx. Ricki also worked for Chicago’s Business and Professional People for the Public Interest (BPI), assisting residents from the Henry Horner public housing development to pursue community revitalization initiatives. She holds a Masters in Public Policy from Columbia University in New York.

Sarah joined Working Credit in August 2021. As Co-CEO, she focuses on organizational growth and development—helping Working Credit meet its mission by strengthening internal systems and identifying opportunities to scale our credit building services to those who will most benefit from them. Prior to joining Working Credit, Sarah was the Chief Operating and Strategy Officer at Credit Builders Alliance, a national nonprofit network of hundreds of organizations that serves as a bridge between its member organizations and the credit bureaus. Before that, she was Executive Director of Innovative Changes, one of the few CDFI nonprofit loan funds in the country dedicated specifically to consumer lending, financial education, and credit building as a responsible alternative to payday lenders. Sarah has over a two decades of experience in nonprofit and public sector organizations with missions to help create systemic change. She has managed numerous programs with sizeable budgets and staff and has worked in diverse and challenging contexts, including post-war Bosnia. Sarah has a Master's Degree in Public Administration, a J.D. from the University of Texas, and is a member of the Oregon State Bar.

With over a decade of experience helping individuals, families, and organizations to understand credit building as asset building, Kristin keeps our programs up-to-date and running smoothly. Previously, she worked at Justine PETERSEN, a CDFI and microlender in St. Louis, where she ran a national secured credit card and small dollar loan program. Kristin was the lead credit building trainer for the “Asset Building through Credit” Pilot Program—a FIELD project through the Aspen Institute, as well as the Chicago Credit Building Coalition and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation's network of Financial Opportunity Centers—during which she trained more than 100 non-profit organizations. Kristin was part of the inaugural class of Emerging Leaders in Microenterprise (ELM2), an Aspen Institute FIELD program in 2013 and spent six years as a board member of Credit Builders Alliance in Washington, D.C. She currently serves on the board of June Jessee Memorial Foundation. Kristin has her Master of Social Work from Saint Louis University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas.

Susan Simon is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Working Credit NFP where she developed the workshop you will see today. Since the organization's inception, Susan has been committed to the goal of communicating the importance and promise of credit building so that it is an easily understood concept and accessible strategy for all. Susan has an extensive background in Human Resource that spans 25 years at Harvard University as Senior Consultant in charge of training.  She holds a master’s in education from Wheelock College in Boston, is an adjunct professor at Lesley University, and currently sits on the board of Harvard University Employees Credit Union.

Niki began partnering with Working Credit in 2015 when she joined as a part-time contractor. Shortly after, she graduated as a full-time team member when she saw the impact credit building had on people's finances and how it can provide new options and possibilities for individuals and their families. In her additional role as Operations Manager, Niki does the behind-the-scenes work of keeping the elements of the organization in order, strategizes improvements to internal processes, and advises on organizational development issues critical to carrying out Working Credit's mission. When she's not working with others to achieve their goals, she's probably attempting a DIY home project, learning more about urban forests and agriculture, or eating Raisinets and watching horror movies

Derison joined Working Credit in January 2022, bringing over ten years of experience in direct service, program management, program design, and organizational capacity building. He was formerly at Phipps Neighborhoods, a multi-service organization that serves over 12,000 individuals in the South Bronx, where he led the integration of financial services across education and workforce programs to promote economic mobility. He serves on the Board of Directors for Credit Builders Alliance, a national non-profit agency that helps organizations move people from poverty to prosperity through credit building. Derison has trained financial coaches, counselors and program managers in delivering financial development strategies. His other passions are his Christian faith, his family, serving his community and the never-ending (but enjoyable) search for the best pizza.

Jim Schebek joined Working Credit in September 2018. Before Working Credit, Jim worked at one of the nation's leaders in credit building, Justine PETERSEN, for six years. There, Jim assisted hundreds of clients in building their credit and buying a home. In 2018, the Illinois Housing and Development Authority awarded Jim the Housing Counselor of the Year award. Besides counseling clients, Jim was one of the lead credit building trainers for Justine PETERSEN's Credit as an Asset Training. He trained dozens of organizations across the country on credit building best practices. Jim also provides training to organizations new to credit reporting as part of Credit Builder Alliance's Rapid Response Team. Jim graduated from Saint Louis University with his Bachelor's and Master's degree in Social Work.

Rachel has always been passionate about helping others reach their goals.  So when the opportunity to help people realize their financial goals came along, she knew it was a perfect fit. Rachel graduated Magna Cum Laude from Webster University's School of Business with a Bachelor's in Nonprofit Leadership and Community Relations.   Being a lifelong learner, Rachel enjoys keeping up with the latest advancements in finance and credit-building so that she can pass along leading-edge information and resources to her clients.  When she's not working, she enjoys writing, dancing, and hanging out with her dogs, Pixie and Nino.

Ramiro Flores joined Working Credit in April 2021. Before Working Credit, Ramiro worked at Housing Choices, a non-profit in Northern California as a housing counselor helping his clients obtain and retain Housing Choice Vouchers, which determine eligibility for subsidized housing. He also worked with clients to apply, qualify and move into affordable housing. Ramiro received his Bachelor's degree from the University of California Santa Cruz in 2017 and is a first-generation university graduate from a low-income, undocumented, and immigrant family. After graduation, Ramiro served as an Undergraduate Educational Opportunity Advisor, providing various academic and personal support to improve first-generation college students' retention and academic success from low-income and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition, he served as the Respondent Support Services Coordinator assisting students engaged in the Title IX conduct process to understand and engage with the process in an equal and equitable manner.