Attendees will learn a framework for approaching every financial decision objectively and learn financial terms to increase their knowledge and understanding so they may feel more empowered.
Details
Date: RESCHEDULED to Thursday, May 30, 2024
Time: 7 - 9 pm, please arrive by 7 pm
Location: Jewish Community Alliance (JCA), 1342 Congress St., Portland, ME, parking on premises
Fee: $75* per person for a tutorial with two financial advisors, a financial booklet developed for this event, small bites, and drinks.
*As we develop different types of events, we are working on prices to make these events sustainable. If cost is a factor, we want to help. For each event, we set aside tickets for this purpose. Please email us at hello@heldportland.com.
Cancellation policy: All sales are final and non-refundable. However, your tickets are transferable to an individual. If transferred to someone, please email us their name and email address at hello@heldportland.com.
What to expect
Each held gathering will have a different format based on the intended outcome. At the heart of each gathering is human connection. Our goals are always twofold: to spark meaningful connections that ultimately foster a deeply rooted community and for each attendee to leave feeling empowered around a specific topic. For our second gathering, the topic is personal finance. We hope everyone leaves more motivated and confident in their financial decision-making and connected to the group. The format will be:
Remarks and group dance - Once you’ve grabbed your name tag and a bite to eat, we’ll provide an overview of held’s mission and the JCA’s community and its support of displaced people. The following fifteen minutes will be spent with dance instructor Maggy Bassingthwaite, who will choreograph a group dance. They say that synchronized movements create a sense of connectedness. This portion of the night is meant for us to laugh, have fun, and loosen up before delving into some financial topics.
Sit-down financial tutorial - For the first part of the financial tutorial, we will open it up to the group to share their most embarrassing financial mistakes without any judgment towards their younger selves. Research says that we're more motivated to learn from our mistakes when we take accountability for our mistakes. Tenaya and Mary Beth will then hand off the discussion to two financial advisors, Michelle Santiago and Molly Reinfried. For the rest of the evening, Michelle and Molly will lead an engaging tutorial around the basics of personal finance. Their teachings will focus on:
Memorable framework to approach financial situations
Easy steps to build wealth
Terminology and overview of the financial landscape
At the end of the session, all attendees will take home a financial booklet that was designed for the night’s event.
Post-tutorial feedback - We’ll ask each person to fill out a brief survey for feedback. Those of you who want to stay and mingle are more than welcome to do so.
Instructors’ backgrounds
Maggy Bassingthwaite was born and raised in Gorham, Maine. She spent fifteen years competitively dancing at her local dance studio. From jazz, ballet, tap, and hip hop, she fell in love with all dance genres and spent her weekends traveling throughout New England to compete and take classes from esteemed dancers and choreographers.
Maggy graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of New England and went on to train as a Pilates instructor and now teaches mat and reformer Pilates at Salud in Portland, Maine. Reflecting on the feeling of togetherness and empowerment dance brought her over the years, Maggy’s teachings incorporate the value of movement and connection through community.
Michelle R. Santiago, Esq., CFP®, is HM Payson's Chief Trust Administrative Officer. Michelle grew up in central Maine and earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Maine Orono. She later earned her J.D. at the University of Maine School of Law.
In her current role at HM Payson, Michelle works directly with clients and their families on various trust, estate, and financial planning matters and oversees the administration of trusts. She values the opportunity to work with multi-generational families as a part of their broader teams, collaborating closely with clients’ estate planning attorneys, CPAs, and other key advisors.
Michelle believes financial literacy allows women to be independent by building their confidence to take on new challenges and providing them with more flexibility in their personal lives.
Molly C. Reinfried, CFP®, is a Portfolio Manager, Financial Planning Group Chair, and HM Payson board of directors member. Molly grew up in the Hudson Valley area of New York and entered the financial field after completing her undergraduate degree at Providence College and pursuing her CFP® studies at Boston University.
Molly’s responsibilities at HM Payson include working closely with clients to understand what's important to them, coordinating with the HM Payson team and outside advisors, overseeing financial planning to ensure a comprehensive approach, and contributing to strategic planning and leadership within the firm.
Her passion for the work is driven by intellectual stimulation and the ability to build meaningful client relationships. She excels at simplifying financial concepts and enjoys empowering women to make informed decisions, take practical steps toward their goals, and achieve true financial security.