We recruit from outside of the financial industry to bring fresh ideas and and a “Beginner’s Mind” to an industry desperately in need of rethinking. We look for transferrable skills like high emotional intelligence, creativity, an eye for analysis, and a commitment to justice. This allows us to approach the work with intention while setting aside bias.
The multi-talented Modernist team comes from a range of backgrounds and brings experience in engineering, non-profits, glass blowing, welding, hospitality, alternative transportation, and even a stint at the United Nations!
Learn more and sign up for hiring updates here.
josh cole
operations ASSOCIATE & assistant to the ceo
Josh describes himself as: Empathetic, Resourceful, Patient
Favorite song about money: “Money” by Pink Floyd
Favorite line of the Modernist manifesto: We are advancing a new money consciousness – one borne of gratitude, plenty, generosity, and a deep-felt understanding of enough.
🎺 Toot Your Horn: “I’m proud of launching and scaling a non-profit before joining Modernist.”
chloë miller
design & marketing
Chloë describes herself as: Empathetic, Creative, Communicative
Favorite song about money: “No Money” by Wild Ones
Favorite line of the Modernist manifesto: We say yes to a self-aware and integrative relationship with money—one that nourishes all areas of life and our collective well-being.
🎺 Toot Your Horn: “I’m proud of helping mission-driven businesses grow so that they can do more good in the world!”
ALEJANDRA GONZALES
CLIENT EXPERIENCE ASSOCIATE
Alejandra describes herself as: Curious, Calm, Confident
Favorite song about money: “Rich Friends” by Portugal the Man
Favorite line of the Modernist manifesto: We steadfastly believe that we can live in abundance when we understand our money stories.
🎺 Toot Your Horn: “In a previous role, I’m proud of holding space for many voices in decision-making.”
BERNARD TAN
CLIENT EXPERIENCE ASSOCIATE
Bernard describes himself as: Empathetic, Practical, Reliable
Favorite song about money: “I Need a Dollar” by Aloe Blacc
Favorite line of the Modernist manifesto: We believe in plenty. We believe in enough.
🎺 Toot Your Horn: “In a previous role, I’m proud of being a dependable resource for my team and clients; and building relationships that lasts beyond my tenure.”
Katia alisa brahy
Director of Client Experience
Katia describes herself as: Purposeful, Curious, Innovative
Favorite song about money: “Red Money” by David Bowie
Favorite line of the Modernist manifesto: We are driven by a vision of financial empowerment that serves people who value creativity and learning, visionaries of every gender and heritage, those who are compassionate and kind.
🎺 Toot Your Horn: “In a previous role, I’m proud of creating structures that brought thousands of people together, and made it possible for three continents to work as one team.”
LEADERSHIP
GEORGIA LEE HUSSEY
founder and ceo
she/her/they
Georgia describes herself as: Ready to laugh, Visually hungry, Inspired by beauty
Favorite song about money: “How Much A Dollar Cost” on Kendrick Lamar’s genius album To Pimp a Butterfly
Favorite line of the Modernist manifesto: We know that our greatest wealth is our personal relationships.
🎺 Toot Your Horn: “I’m proud of a performance art piece I created with a collaborator in 2002, where we made a rubbing the length of the Broadway Bridge, then folded it into a two-foot tall book. The pages looked like a map of star constellations.”
A NOTE FROM GEORGIA:
I built Modernist Financial on a foundation of creativity and collaboration, as a place where progressive people can learn to structure their wealth around their values. Modernist is a home for our staff, our clients and our community — it affords us the freedom to think bigger, smarter, and more colorfully; to feel ease and support; to enjoy beauty and creativity in the service of our greater community.
I believe that relationships are our greatest wealth. I am committed to a partnership-based approach, one in which we are always learning from each other. I come alive when my clients fully express their financial goals and become energized to fulfill them.
My undergraduate education in sculpture and writing at Sarah Lawrence College taught me to think in a non-hierarchical and cross-disciplinary manner, skills I carry into my work with clients and in the community. In 2010, I decided that my vocation lay outside my studio and went on to earn an Executive Certificate in Financial Planning as well as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation.
At Modernist, we believe that aligning our wealth with our progressive values is essential to the greater good of the community. I use my personal resources to #FundMyHeroes, including: Write Around Portland, Southern Poverty Law Center, Oregon Cultural Trust, OPB and the Women’s Foundation of Oregon, among others. I focus my volunteer time as a member of the Money Quotient National Advisory Board, OCF’s Metro Portland Leadership Council, and the board of Oregon Humanities. Modernist also became a Work for Art business in the fall of 2015 and a Certified B Corp in 2017.
Though I was born in the South, grew up in the Midwest, was educated and lived in New York City, Portland is my chosen home. I am inspired by the vibrant creative communities that thrive here, including craft, design, urban planning, food and literature. I love walking, cycling or sketching around this fantastic city with my partner, while living and working in Portland’s beautiful downtown.
Check out my talk, Discovering Our Money Stories at 2018 Woman Up! presented by Portland Monthly [click above for 3:00 Highlights]
View full talk here.
Interested in hiring me to speak at your event? Learn more here.