Hello! I’m Bronwen Raff, an Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC) and founder of Her Financial Cents. Money was never something I knew much about, had very much of, or made peace with. It made me anxious, fearful, and panicked most days. But I changed that, and I know you can too!

I grew up in rural Idaho in a family that believed in hard work and making the most of what we had. My dad held the same engineering job for 30 years, and my mom, an Australian immigrant, worked seven days a week so my brother and I could dream bigger than our zip code. I didn’t have anyone in my family who knew how to “minimize tax burdens”, invest in “diverse portfolios”, or give advice on how to “max out our Roth IRAs. My family and I did our best to figure it out. By 14, I had my first job waitressing at a bakery, by 16 I was helping my parents file their taxes, and by 17, I was hustling at two summer jobs to be able to cover my college living expenses. While I didn’t really get how money worked yet, I knew how stressful it could be without it and wanted financial security long before I could name it.

After college, I joined the Peace Corps and worked alongside women in Latin America who were building small businesses, managing their growing families, and finding creative ways to make limited resources stretch. That experience changed how I thought about money and community. It showed me that financial confidence is not about having more, it is about feeling capable with what you have.

When I returned to the USA three years later, I found my way into social impact technology, helping build tools at Meta and Chime that made financial wellness more accessible, including credit improvement tools, creating savings programs, and building educational platforms. I loved the work, but what I loved most were the people. I enjoyed supporting teammates through job changes, negotiating pay conversations, and navigating the moments that come with growth. My experience as both a manager in a high stress corporate environment coupled with a deep passion for financial wellness and helping others, led me toward financial counseling.

I am based in Boston (well, Somerville, if you know, you know), working with individuals and couples, especially women+, to build confidence, clarity, and a sense of calm around money. My approach blends practical tools with empathy and an understanding that our relationship with money is deeply personal. Thank you for trusting me with two of your most valuable resources - money and time!