Meet our authors

Alexa Serrano Cruz, CAMS, Senior Editor, Personal Finance

Alexa Serrano Cruz, CAMS, Senior Editor, Personal Finance

Alexa Serrano Cruz is a senior editor at Finder, specializing in banking. As a personal finance expert, she helps Americans make informed decisions about their finances. Her expertise includes savings, budgeting, kids' banking, and more. Prior to joining Finder, Alexa worked as an editor in Miami and New York. Alexa is a certified anti-money laundering specialist and her personal finance expertise has earned recognition from reputable publications such as Nasdaq, Best Company, U.S. News & World Report, MSN, Yahoo, and Valuewalk. Alexa has also made notable appearances on platforms such as Winnie Sun TV, money podcasts like LifeBlood, and broadcast news publications like Fox News and NBC News. Alexa also served as an editor for ACAMS Today, a prominent publication dedicated to anti-financial crime detection and counter-terrorist financing.

It's never too late to start building healthy financial habits and start saving. When building a savings plan, there's no amount that's too small to save. And remember: Don't focus on how much you think you should save, but rather on what you can save.

Matt Miczulski, Editor, Investments

Matt Miczulski, Editor, Investments

Matt Miczulski is an investments editor at Finder. With over 450 bylines, Matt dissects and reviews brokers and investing platforms to expose perks and pain points, explores investment products and concepts and covers market news, making investing more accessible and helping readers to make informed financial decisions. Before joining Finder in 2021, Matt covered everything from finance news and banking to debt and travel for FinanceBuzz. His expertise and analysis on investing and other financial topics has been featured on CBS, MSN, Best Company and Consolidated Credit, among others. Matt holds a BA in history from William Paterson University.

Whatever the amount, putting the money you save to work in reliable investments is critical for building wealth and an important component of any financial plan. At Finder, I'm in the unique position to help readers better understand their options for achieving their investment goals — and it's a job I take seriously and do with pride.

Richard Laycock, Senior content marketing manager & insights editor

Richard Laycock, Senior content marketing manager & insights editor

Richard Laycock is Finder’s NYC-based senior content marketing manager & insights editor, spending the last decade data diving, writing and editing articles about all things personal finance. His musings can be found across the web including on NASDAQ, MoneyMag, Yahoo Finance and Travel Weekly. Richard studied Media at Macquarie University, including a semester abroad at The Missouri School of Journalism (MIZZOU).

Data is a compelling storyteller.

Holly Jennings, Editor

Holly Jennings, Editor

Holly Jennings is an editor and updates writer at Finder, working with writers across all niches to deliver quality content to readers. She’s edited hundreds of financial articles ranging from credit cards to investments. With empathy at heart, she especially enjoys content that breaks down complex financial situations into easy-to-understand information. Prior to her role at Finder, she collaborated with dozens of small businesses to maximize the reach and impact of their blog posts, website copy and other content. In her spare time, she is an award-winning author for Penguin Random House, writing about virtual reality worlds, magical girls and lasers that go pew-pew.

Working at Finder has been the best experience, because the staff here is truly passionate about what they do — helping you to make better financial decisions.

Bethany Hickey, Writer, Banking and Loans

Bethany Hickey, Writer, Banking and Loans

Bethany Hickey is a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto. Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt. Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others. Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine.

I'm a firm believer that most of the world's problems can be solved with education.

Frank Corva, Writer

Frank Corva, Writer

Frank Corva is a cryptocurrency writer and analyst for digital assets at Finder. Frank has turned his hobby of studying and writing about crypto into a career with a mission of educating the world about this burgeoning sector of finance. He worked in Ghana and Venezuela before earning a degree in applied linguistics at Teachers College, Columbia University. He also taught writing and entertainment business courses in Japan and worked with UNICEF in Namibia before returning to the US to teach at universities in New York City. Earlier in his career, he spent years working as a publicist and graphic designer for record labels like Warner Music Group and Triple Crown Records. During that time, he was also a music journalist whose writing and photography was in published in Alternative Press, Spin and other outlets.

Life is what you make of it.

Kat Aoki, Writer

Kat Aoki, Writer

Kat Aoki is a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in consumer and business lending. She’s written thousands of articles to help consumers make better decisions on their home loans, bank accounts, credit cards, cryptocurrency and more. Kat is well versed in working with leading brands in the real estate, mortgage and personal finance industries, and her expertise has been featured on Forbes Advisor, Lifewire and financial comparison sites like iSelect and realestate.com.au. She holds a BS in business administration from California State University, Sacramento and enjoys hiking and yoga in her spare time.

I aim to provide honest, unbiased reviews of various financial companies and their products so readers can make more informed decisions with their hard-earned money.

Lacey Stark, Writer

Lacey Stark, Writer

Lacey Stark is a freelance personal finance writer for Finder, specializing in banking, loans, investing, estate planning, and more. She has 20 years of experience writing and editing for magazines, newspapers, and online publications. A word nerd from childhood, Lacey officially got her start reporting on live sporting events and moved on to cover topics such as construction, technology, and travel before finding her niche in personal finance. Originally from New England, she received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver and completed a postgraduate journalism program at Metropolitan State University also in Denver. She currently lives in Chicagoland with her dog Chunk and likes to read and play golf.

Always do your research before committing to a plan of action. And take a walk with your dog every day.

Dhara Singh, Writer

Dhara Singh, Writer

Dhara Singh is a freelance personal finance writer at Finder specializing in loans. Formerly she was a top 10 journalist at Yahoo Finance with more than 38+ million content views where she covered retirement and mortgages. She has also written for Bankrate, and CNET and continues to write for a variety of outlets, such as Investopedia and Worth magazine. Her articles focus on equipping readers with the right information and data so they can make the most informed decisions related to their finances. Dhara previously worked as an insights analyst for Finder’s PR team, where she started the Deadliest Cities to Drive series in 2018, connecting interesting data analysis to a suite of car insurance products. When she’s not writing, Dhara coaches small business owners through her Stories to Sales programs and empowers them to use their life experiences to help other people. She has also self-published a poetry book on Amazon called Tell her She’s Lovely. Dhara holds a B.S. in Finance and Supply Chain Management from Rutgers University and a M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University.

I believe in empowering tomorrow's generation by giving them access to financial education today and breaking through complicated jargon. Everyone should have access to personal finance knowledge that helps them build a better life for generations to come regardless of their cultural, ethnic, religious or socio-economic background.

Javier Simon, Writer

Javier Simon, Writer

Javier Simon is a freelance finance writer at Finder and a certified educator in personal finance (CEPF). He’s featured on NerdWallet, Bankrate, Yahoo Finance and Fox Business, where he’s shared his expertise on personal finance topics, such as investing, retirement planning, taxes, budgeting and savings. He has also covered breaking news, such as student loan forgiveness initiatives, the housing market and inflation’s impact on consumers’ wallets. His passion is turning complex financial concepts into actionable content that can help people improve their financial lives. Javier holds a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism from SUNY Plattsburgh.

Achieving financial wellness can be a challenging goal. But it can be done with the right knowledge and discipline.

Kimberly Ellis, Writer

Kimberly Ellis, Writer

Kimberly Ellis is a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in banking and financial literacy. After teaching in public and private schools, Kimberly zeroed in on personal financial education to help families and kids develop lifelong money skills. She hails from New York City, graduating summa cum laude from Queens College with a BA in elementary education and mathematics, as well as a New York State teaching certificate. She’s also an aspiring polyglot, always in a book and forever on the hunt for the perfect classic red lipstick.

We strive to arm consumers with real knowledge so that they can make powerful, educated decisions about their finances. I love being part of a team that's committed to thorough investigation and unbiased reporting — because we're shoppers too.

Cassidy Horton, Writer

Cassidy Horton, Writer

Cassidy Horton is a freelance personal finance copywriter and past contributing writer for Finder. Her writing and banking expertise have been featured in Forbes Advisor, Money, The Balance, Money Under 30, Insure.com, and other top digital publishers. She holds a BS in public relations and an MBA from Georgia Southern University.

The best bank accounts have low fees, high APYs and the tools you need to stay in control of your money.

Michael Bowley, Head of Publishing

Michael Bowley, Head of Publishing

Michael Bowley is the Head of Publishing at Finder, boasting a remarkable six-year journey at the forefront of digital content. First starting at Finder as an Assistant Publisher, he swiftly became the Publisher of Finder's shopping niche where he created gift guides and provided savvy shopping insights, helping readers save money and find the best deals. Before taking on the role of SEO Manager, he served as the Publishing Innovations Manager where he helped develop new products and services. His experience in SEO management led him to steer Finder's content strategy, driving remarkable organic growth. Today, as the Head of Publishing, Michael curates dynamic content, empowering users to make informed financial decisions.

If you're gonna buy it, buy the best version of it.

Gabrielle Pastorek, Publisher, Banking

Gabrielle Pastorek, Publisher, Banking

Gabrielle Pastorek is an SEO strategist and publisher at Finder, specializing in banking. She's written more than 800 articles on the site and is a quoted expert in Best Company, HuffPost, Reader's Digest, MSN and MarketWatch. She's secured interviews with key stakeholders in the consumer insights industry, including a senior director at the National Retail Federation. Gabrielle has edited several creative manuscripts and holds an MFA from the University of Pittsburgh and BAs in English and French from Ohio University.

Making financial decisions is a task on its own. I love that I can find ways to make it easier for readers to find what they're looking for quickly, and present our top-quality content in a way that's easy to navigate, so you can spend less time researching and more time living life!

Mike Rheaume, Publisher, Loans

Mike Rheaume, Publisher, Loans

Mike Rheaume is the publisher for loans, helping readers get the best deals on borrowing for major life events, debt consolidation and other needs, as well as protecting their assets and providing for their families. He previously worked in travel, helping to provide expert tips that can be seen on sites such as Cheapism and Nomad Paradise. Before Finder, Mike owned and operated online wedding photographer directory SnapKnot. Originally from the Boston suburbs, Mike now enjoys sunny, snowless winters in San Diego. Mike is passionate about personal finance, travel, and Boston sports.

Finder sifts through all the good (and bad) out there and brings you the best options to fit your situation and needs. I believe we are able to help readers do more with their hard-earned money. Let us do the time-consuming research and analysis for you.

Laura Adams, Money Expert and Spokesperson

Laura Adams, Money Expert and Spokesperson

Laura Adams is a money expert and spokesperson for Finder. She's one of the nation’s leading personal finance and business authorities. As an award-winning author and host of the top-rated Money Girl podcast since 2008, millions of readers, listeners, and loyal fans benefit from her practical advice. Laura is a trusted source for media and has been featured on most major news outlets, including ABC, Bloomberg, CBS, Consumer Reports, Forbes, Fortune, FOX, Money, MSN, NBC, NPR, NY Times, USA Today, US News, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and more. She received an MBA from the University of Florida and lives in Vero Beach, Florida. Her mission is to empower consumers to live healthy and rich lives by making the most of what they have, planning for the future, and making smart money decisions every day.

My mission is to empower consumers to live healthy and rich lives by making the most of what they have, planning for the future, and making smart money decisions every day.