What if asking three honest questions could completely shift women's relationship with money? Despite years covering Wall Street and knowing the ABC's of investing, Alison wasn't applying it in her own life. She let her husband handle their finances, a decision she now calls one of her biggest mistakes. In her talk, Alison bridges the gap between financial literacy and personal transformation. She speaks not only as a journalist with decades of experience, but as someone who lived the disconnect, who looked successful on the outside while quietly giving away her power. Too often, conversations about women and money focus on tactics, budgeting, investing, and earning more. While those matters are important, they can miss the deeper reasons many women stay financially disengaged: emotional conditioning, inherited beliefs, and shame. Alison’s talk does not offer a checklist; it offers a mirror. Through three simple but courageous questions, she helps women see what holds them back and begin reclaiming voice, agency, and self-worth.

Alison Kosik is a Journalist, Author, and Certified Financial Educator Instructor (CFEI). Her book, What’s Up With Women And Money? How To Do All The Financial Stuff You’ve Been Avoiding, was released in March 2025. She is currently a Freelance General Assignment Reporter and Anchor for ABC News, following 15 years at CNN as a Business Correspondent and Anchor. Recognized globally as a face of Wall Street, much of her reporting took place on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. She has covered historic financial events including the 2007 financial crisis, the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and market turmoil during the coronavirus pandemic; interviewed leaders from Warren Buffett to Hillary Clinton; and reported on landmark IPOs such as Facebook, Twitter, and Alibaba. Her honors include a Scripps Howard New Media Fellowship from Columbia University, a Florida AP Award, and a fellowship from the International Radio and Television Society.