Jodi Okun Expertise: College Financial Aid Title: Founder of College Financial Aid Advisors Education: University of Redlands Location: Orange County, California Highlights Founded a financial aid advisory business where she helps thousands of families navigate the financial aid process Author of "Secrets of a Financial Aid Pro"Has served as a financial aid adviser to several colleges, including Occidental College Named one of the “Top 30 Social Influencers in Personal Finance & Wealth" by the Huffington Post Experience Jodi Okun has shared her financial aid expertise as an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and financial adviser over the course of 10 years. As the founder of College Financial Aid Advisors, she helps thousands of families navigate the college financial aid process, covering everything from financial aid from grants to student loans. Before opening her company, Jodi served as a financial aid consultant at Occidental College, UC San Diego Extension, and Pitzer College. She was also a brand ambassador for Discover Student Loans.Okun is the host of #CollegeCash—a Twitter chat devoted to connecting college-bound families with higher education professionals. She has been featured in the Huffington Post, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. Okun is also a member of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Advisors, California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Western Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, and Western Association of College Admission Counseling. Education Jodi Okun has a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Redlands. About The Balance The Balance, a Dotdash Meredith brand, makes money easy to understand. We give people tools they need to not only make smart financial decisions but also prepare for the experiences they will have along the way. Our team of expert writers and editors have extensive qualifications in the topics they cover, and many of them have MBAs, PhDs, CFPs, and other advanced degrees and professional certifications. We require our writers to use primary sources in their articles, which are also approved by our Financial Review Board and fact-checked. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.