Helene Raynaud Named New President of Guidewell Financial Solutions
Baltimore, Maryland (PRWEB) January 20, 2016 -- The New Year brings new leadership for Guidewell Financial Solutions(a.k.a. Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Maryland and Delaware, Inc.). The Board of Directors has selected Helene Raynaud to serve as the national nonprofit’s President and CEO. Raynaud succeeds Jim Godfrey, who announced his retirement after 20 years of service. Raynaud began her new appointment on January 4 and is currently working with her staff to develop a strategic plan for 2016.
She says, “I look forward to building a strong team. Collaboration is an important key to preserving core capabilities, developing new partnerships and initiatives, and raising awareness about the important work we do.”
Raynaud brings a unique blend of skills and experience to her new position. For the past 10 years, she has worked for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), one of the largest membership organizations in the financial education sector. She has held key positions, including serving as the agency’s Chief Operating Officer in the past two years.
During her tenure at the NFCC, she was instrumental in the development of the NFCC housing counseling program during the Financial Crisis and introduced a series of highly successful financial education initiatives, all of which resulted in generating over $80 million in funding for NFCC member agencies.
She says, “My work at the NFCC has given me an understanding of the challenges and complexities that financial counseling agencies face in today’s environment. The many innovative projects and best practices I’ve seen will help us design and refine our efforts.”
Prior to her time at NFCC, Raynaud worked for seven years at Fannie Mae, where she oversaw the development and day-to-day operations of a series of tools and technology solution designed for nonprofit counseling agencies.
A native of Metz, France, she has a Master of Arts in International Affairs from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques and an M.A. in Social Sciences from the University of Sussex, UK. She is also the mother of two young children.
Raynaud joins Guidewell Financial Solutions at a pivotal time: known as Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Maryland and Delaware for many years, the agency rebranded this past April as Guidewell Financial Solutions. It will celebrate its 50th anniversary in March. Since 1966, the nonprofit’s services have grown and evolved to meet changing consumer needs. The agency continues to focus on the local communities it serves but now also provides personal finance and housing counseling and education, financial coaching, and bankruptcy counseling and education to clients through the nation.
Raynaud is excited to be leading Guidewell Financial Solutions into the next decade. She says, “My goal is for everyday people to consider us their go-to resource. We can help them learn to budget and save, get out of debt, prepare to buy a home, or reach other economic goals. We have the tools and resources to help them become financially empowered and secure.”
To learn more about Guidewell Financial Solutions’ services and programs, visit their website or call 1-800-642-2227 to set up an appointment for financial or housing counseling or financial coaching.
***
Guidewell Financial Solutions (also known as Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Maryland and Delaware) is an accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency that helps stabilize communities by creating hope and promoting economic self-sufficiency to individuals and families through financial education and counseling. Maryland License #14-01 / Delaware License #07-01
Nancy Stark, Guidewell Financial Solutions, http://www.guidewellfs.org, +1 410-357-0614, [email protected]
Share this article