Karen Richel

• Foundational finance (spending plans, credit, debt management)
• Behavioral finance
• Financial therapy
• Inmates, financial education and reduced recidivism
• Youth financial education
• Senior financial education

• Prelude to an estate plan: helping older individuals simplify their lives before meeting with professionals. Journal of Extension.
  Richel, K. 2017. Simulating money management and life skills with prison populations. Journal of Extension, Volume 55, Number 1, Ideas at Work, 1IAW4. https://www.joe.org/joe/2017february/iw4.php.
• Richel, K. 2013. Introducing inmates to Extension through financial education and experiential learning tools. Journal of Extension, Volume 51, Number 3, Ideas at Work, 3IAW5. https://www.joe.org/joe/2013june/iw5.php.

Impact statements

• Participants save money and gain better mental health with a 52-week challenge
• That's Life simulation goes big to address need of financial education in high schools
• "Fun'ancial events wow students, teachers and parents
• Our Financial Conference... the flip-side — its impact on small financial businesses
• Planting the Vandal seed through financial education in elementary schools
• College students learn to be “debt-free” with Ossie’s student success scavenger hunt

Karen Richel is an associate professor and Extension educator in family and consumer sciences for Latah County and is the family finance educator in the 10 north Idaho counties. Providing the communities that she serves with research-based information, Karen specializes in providing basic financial education for every age and socioeconomic group including low-income families, soon-to-be-released prisoners and students. She offers classes, workshops and simulations on topics ranging from goal setting and tracking expenses to retirement and end-of-life planning. In addition, she is an accredited financial counselor and a certified money coach. These designations allow her to provide free, one-on-one counseling sessions to help community members build strong financial foundations and secure balanced financial lives.

• 2023 National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences Distinguished Service Award – Regional and National Award Winner, 2023
• Community Champions Award for Smart Women, Smart Money Conference, KTVB Television and Idaho Central Credit Union, 2015
• Supporting Tourism and Recreation (STAR) Award, Moscow Chamber of Commerce Palouse Marketing Committee for initiating the first annual Idaho Smart Women, Smart Money Conference in Moscow, 2015
• Early Career Service Award, Epsilon Sigma Phi Theta Chapter, 2012