Feature Interview: Brandy Hoang | Pluto Money x Cal

This week, we‘re excited to feature Brandy Hoang, our Partnership Development Team Lead at Pluto Money x Cal! She shares all about her motivations for joining Pluto Money and how important financial wellness is to her and others. Check out the rest of our interview with her below!

Name and Position in Organization

Brandy Hoang, Partnership Development Team Lead

What’s your role at Pluto Money?

I lead the marketing team at Pluto Money x Cal to promote financial literacy on campus and raise awareness for Pluto Money’s free financial wellness app through strategic partnerships with student organizations and campus events.

School / Major:

UC Berkeley / Sociology and Business

What are you currently saving for?

Building up my emergency fund and saving for an electric scooter

What’s your go-to Pluto challenge?

Spend less on food and drinks

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

This past summer, I climbed to the top of Mount Fuji!

What activities are you involved with at school?

I’m involved in a few financial literacy spaces at Berkeley, leading the outreach committee for FLEJCON (Financial Literacy and Economic Justice Conference) and working as a financial peer educator at Bears For Financial Success, a program run through the financial aid office. I’m also a caseworker in Suitcase Clinic, an organization providing services to Berkeley’s houseless population.

Why did you decide to join the Pluto Moneyteam?

In my time at Cal and as a financial peer educator, I’ve interacted with so many students who want to learn more about managing their personal finances but find most traditional methods inaccessible. Pluto Money’s specific orientation to college students makes it easier for young people to take control of their own financial management and wellness!

What does financial literacy & capability mean to you? Why is it important?

Financial literacy and capability is about empowering people to be able to independently manage their money and make important financial decisions in life. Many young people are never taught about personal finances, and in a society driven by money, it’s incredibly important to have financial skills and knowledge to succeed.

What does social impact mean to you / How do you want to change the world? Is there a reason you’re particularly passionate about it?

To me, social impact is about effecting some kind of change that makes life a little better for people, and in turn society as a whole. I want to find ways to support and grow along with those in underserved populations, whether it be in basic needs, health, education — areas to which many people lack access. In a world that often feels competitive, I feel it’s more important to support other humans and bring all of society to a better standard of living.

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