Finfluencers: Hype, Help, or Hazard
Finfluencers: Hype, Help, or Hazard
Financial advice is no longer confined to boardrooms and bank branches — it now lives on reels, livestreams, and trending feeds. Finfluencers are reshaping how people learn about investing, wealth-building, and financial freedom, often reaching millions in seconds. But as influence grows, so do questions around credibility, accountability, and risk. Join us as we explore whether finfluencers are empowering investors with access and insight, or fueling hype that could do more harm than good.
Panelists
Moderator
Donna Lowry is an award-winning journalist who combines a passion for storytelling and a desire to empower others with communication and critical thinking skills surrounding political, educational, and financial issues.
Through her firm, Donna Lowry Communications, she provides consulting, writing, and producing services for educational, media, professional, and business outlets.
Donna serves as host/producer for several programs, including Lawmakers on Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Donna is an eight-time Emmy award winner, a three-time national Gabriel Award recipient, and has garnered honors from countless organizations, including the National Association of Black Journalists, Atlanta Association of Black Journalists, Georgia Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists, Georgia Association of Educators (GAE), and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE).
Her media peers inducted Donna into the prestigious NATAS Southeast Silver Circle to recognize her lasting contributions to the broadcast industry.
Donna has a master's in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Bachelor's in Mass Communications and Administration and Management from Chatham University.
Her professional affiliations include the Atlanta Press Club, the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the Southeastern Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS SE).
In her 15th year as a Girl Scout Leader, Donna has led girls ranging in age from kindergarten through 12th grade. Her community service affiliations also include Magnolia (GA) Chapter of Links, Inc., and Nu Lambda Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Donna and her husband, Army Major (Ret) Bennet W. Reid, Jr., are the parents of three daughters.
Portfolio Manager with WDS Investment Management and Host of The Plain Bagel
Richard Coffin, CFA, CFP, is a registered portfolio manager known by many for his role hosting the finance YouTube series The Plain Bagel, one of Canada's largest finance and economics-focused channels with over 1 million subscribers. As a registered advisor operating in the "finfluencer" landscape, Richard is known for breaking down complex financial concepts and debunking investing misinformation prevalent on social media, with a number of videos aiming to shed light on the wild west of online finance content.