Krystle Calles is a program coordinator with the Take Charge America Institute for Consumer Financial Education and Research within the Norton School. For the past three years, Krystle has supervised and trained undergraduate student workers to deliver personal finance workshops to middle and high school students through the Take Charge Cats program. She also coordinates an annual case competition event for high school students in the Greater Tucson area called the Arizona Financial Face-off. She prides herself on her professional development opportunities she provides the students as well as fostering a supportive team culture. As one of her nominators put it, “Krystle has made a major impact on the college student workers. We agree that our Monday meetings are something we all look forward to. Krystle brings a perfect balance of self-care and teamwork to our meetings, and we’ve all made amazing connections as a team despite the digital setting because of the pandemic.” A Take Charge Cat said of her, “Krystle is a beacon of light in the Take Charge Cats program and her community.”
Krystle has a B.A. in Communication from the University of Arizona in 2006. She has worked in Higher Education for over 11 years. Her previous experience included working with at-risk youth as a teacher, being a life skills coach for foster kids, and volunteering for the Money Matters Program through Charles Schwab. She is an avid believer in educating students of all ages with essential life skills such as: emotional intelligence, financial applications, career exploration, healthy relationships, interpersonal communication skills, and nutritional health. Another nominator wrote of Krystle, “I feel very grateful that I have had the pleasure of a perfect first boss, and how impactful this experience has been to me, especially during a pandemic. I believe Krystle deserves this award because she is someone who inspires, brings out the best in us, is hard working and makes work fun.”