Redefining Wealth with Values and Inclusion

Michelle Wilson, CSRIC™, AIF™, AFC™, of Athens Impact Socially Responsible Investments

Combining her passion for activism with her financial planning experience, Michelle Wilson, CSRIC^™, AIF^™, AFC^™, has carved a meaningful path in the industry and within NAPFA to share her commitment with others. As a co-founder of the NAPFA PRIDE affinity group and a member of NAPFA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee, Michelle helps raise awareness to create a more inclusive financial planning community. She frequently speaks at conferences and workshops, sharing insights into planning for the LGBTQ+ community and fostering DEI in the profession. A member of the LGBTQ+ and kink communities, Michelle draws on her personal experience to empower others. Through her training, she helps planners better understand and serve diverse clients and families so everyone can access thoughtful, tailored guidance. 

Drawn initially to NAPFA through her XYPN membership, Michelle has since embraced the many opportunities NAPFA provides. From networking and continued learning to offering group rates on insurance for her firm, she finds significant value in the organization's resources. Michelle encourages others to dive into areas that interest them within the vast range of options available at NAPFA and to connect with and uplift others. “Peer learning can be very rewarding,” she says.   

Helping Clients Invest with Their Values

With over 25 years of experience, Michelle is a financial planner, Fee-Only fiduciary, and founder of Athens Impact Socially Responsible Investments, based in Athens, Ohio. “When I found socially responsible investments, I realized I could do something that matters and makes a difference in the world,” she says. Specializing in sustainable, socially responsible investing, Michelle helps clients align their money with their values by building customized portfolios through direct indexing. As one of the few Chartered Socially Responsible Investment Counselor^® certification holders in Ohio and West Virginia, Michelle helps clients make meaningful, values-driven investments.

For Michelle and her clients, wealth isn’t about having a lot of money. “For me, peace in retirement means being surrounded by nature, community, and the people you love,” she explains. “Money is simply a tool to help us accomplish the things we find important.” Her clients share her perspective, with many seeking ways to transition from a busy, capitalistic lifestyle to a simpler life while leaving a legacy to the organizations they care about. As Michelle affectionately says, “These are my people.”

With a gift for connecting and educating others, Michelle’s unique approach involves placing her clients’ core beliefs at the center of the financial planning process—a strategy that authentically attracts new clients, often through referrals or networking. “The best type of marketing is meeting people at local events or when clients come to me because someone else I work with tells them about me,” she says. “I love that about my business.” Look for Michelle at upcoming NAPFA events to learn more about reaching and serving LGBTQ+ clients and advancing DEI initiatives.

Connect with Michelle:
https://www.instagram.com/athensimpact/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/athens-impact-socially-responsible-investments/
https://www.facebook.com/athensimpact/
https://x.com/athensimpact