Over my 10+ years working at NGPF, I have been lucky enough to write a few personal blog posts about growing up alongside this organization and the world of personal finance. Today, on my last day, I am writing one final note, with gratitude and a full heart.

I started working at NGPF as a sophomore in high school.

At the time, the organization was only a couple of months old and there were just a handful of teachers using the NGPF curriculum. There was only one full-time employee, Andrew, working alongside co-founders Tim and Jessica.

Today, there are over 120,000 teacher accounts, and I have had the privilege of working with so many incredible teammates along the way.

In those early days, it felt like I knew every teacher using NGPF by name.

Amanda Volz, the very first teacher to create an NGPF account, is now on the team. I still remember meeting Tony Montgomery in person before he retired. To me, it felt like meeting a celebrity.

We only offered a few Virtual PDs back then (called “webinars” at the time), and we sent out every certificate by hand. I remember typing out Amy McCabe’s name often because she was always near the top of the attendance list.

Even now, I recognize many of your names. Just a few weeks ago at a conference, I saw a teacher’s name tag and thought, “Oh, he comes to PD a lot.”

That connection to the teacher community has always meant so much to me.

It is special knowing some of you have watched me grow up.

I am grateful to educators like Kerri Herrild, who have commented on how much I have changed over the years. That kind of long-standing connection is rare and something I will always cherish.

Most of you probably got to know me through our support inbox.

Much of my work has been behind-the-scenes.

A couple of years ago, Tim asked me what motivates me to respond to teacher emails. The honest answer I gave him is that I was not always the easiest student growing up, and I know I gave my teachers a hard time. So every response I have sent has felt like a small way to pay back the debt I owe.

Supporting you, the educators who make a difference every day, has been one of the most meaningful parts of my journey.

As I move on, I will always be NGPF’s biggest fan.

I truly hope our paths cross again someday. Thank you for everything you do for your students, your schools, and your communities. And thank you for letting me be a small part of your world these past 10 years.

With heartfelt thanks,
Ren Makino

About the Author

Ren Makino

Ren started interning at NGPF in 2014, and worked part-time through high school and college. With his knowledge growing alongside NGPF, he joined the team to work full-time after graduating from college in 2020. He is also the producer of the NGPF podcast. During his free time, he likes to try out coffees from different roasters across the world.

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