Ever since I was growing up in Reno, Nevada, I’ve had an interest in financial topics. At the time it was not possible to study financial planning. In fact, I had no idea that financial planning and counseling, let alone financial therapy, existed as a possible career. After obtaining a business/economics degree and an M.B.A., it dawned on me that I would like to really help people with their money questions, concerns and dreams.

Before coming back to academia, I worked in the financial industry as a pensions and benefits administrator and as a registered investment advisor in an asset management firm. I was drawn back to the ivory halls by the chance to really think about how financial investments can make a difference in people’s lives. That’s one of the reasons I became the founding editor of the Journal of Personal Finance as well as the Journal of Financial Therapy.

Research can give us a great picture about how financial health can bring about real changes in people’s emotional and physical lives. I look forward to working with graduate students in our program because their research topics excite and challenge me. Not only do I help them as they prepare for their careers as financial planners, financial counselors and financial therapists, but I get to help them with their exciting and interesting topics.

My own research interests include financial risk-tolerance assessment, psychophysiological economics and financial planning help-seeking behavior. The majority of my work is focused on helping consumers and financial service professionals navigate the increasingly complex financial marketplace.

Learn more about John Grable.

John Grable, Ph.D., CFP®
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Housing Research Center
Athens, GA
Education: 
Ph.D., Virginia Tech