Meet the Prudent Kids Team

Nils Goldschmidt is a licensed teacher in the state of Nevada and an entrepreneur interested in fostering financial responsibility and prudence among our nation's youth. He is the founder of Prudent Kids, a licensed teacher in the state of Nevada, and the author of "Young Money - A Teen's Guide to Avoiding Financial Hangovers." Nils holds a Bachelor's degree in Hotel Administration and a Master's  in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has lived in various countries and is fluent in both English and Spanish. Prior to dedicating himself to educating our nation's youth, Nils served as a consultant for Dentimagen Dental Clinics, Ferromat Bolts & Screws, Exportadora de Frutas S.A., and Antumalal Farms. He has also worked as a manager for Tripres.com and The Mirage Hotel Casino. Nils considers financial education as his passion and is very excited at the opportunity to guide our local community towards financial success from an early age.

Richard C. Forman is a multi-talented, dynamic individual with extensive skills in customer relations and sales. Born in Cleveland, Ohio he graduated from Ohio State University and relocated to Texas to work in the garment industry. He started Rick Forman and Assoc. that was a manufacturers representative for some popular ladies clothing lines such as, Leslie Fay, Pendleton, and Platinum. He made a tremendous impact in this line of work and was able to become semi-retired in 1998. Rick came out of retirement in 2000 when he relocated to Las Vegas to assist his lifelong friend Alan Waxler and becoming the VP of National Sales & Marketing for the Alan Waxler Group, LLC. Rick has an impassioned desire to contribute to his community and donates his time to working with Athletes Against Drugs, a Steadman Graham Organization.  He counsels deserving student athletes helping them plan for the future by finding the right match for colleges to keep their dreams alive.

Denis Khantimirov is a multifaceted individual; he is the founder of The OilManLLC., and an active player in Las Vegas' hospitality industry. An avid world-traveler, Denis has lived in various countries and speaks English, Russian, and basic French. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the North Osetin State University (Russia), a Post-Graduate degree in Hotel Management from the IHTTI School of Hotel Management (Switzerland), and a Master's  in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Denis actively supports our local community and is a passionate fan of UNLV's Rebels . He understands the importance of promoting financial literacy within our youth, and is thankful for the opportunity to share the worldly knowledge he has gained with the younger members of our society.

Joe Gormley has been proud a resident of the Las Vegas valley for over 20 years. He is currently pursuing his Master's in Business Administration degree at UNLV with a concentration in Finance. Joe plans to continue into a PhD Program in order to become an instructor at the collegiate level. Throughout his time in Las Vegas he has owned JJ's "World Famous" Italian Ices, Moose's Beach House Bar & Grill, and currently JJ's Snack Shacks, operating all of the concessions for the City of Henderson's Parks Department. Joe is also a scuba instructor in his spare time. He has been fiscally responsible since his first job as a paperboy at age 9 in Coventry, Rhode Island. "I have always put away a portion of my weekly pay ever since I was a kid, and I have never spent more than I could afford." Joe sees Prudent Kids as a great opportuntity to share his experiences, knowledge, and ideas to help direct today's youth towards a safe and healthy financial future.

Mariya Fedorchenko has dedicated her efforts to bettering Las Vegas youth for years. Her knowledge of Las Vegas culture and the educational needs of kids come from growing up in Southern Nevada. Mariya has worked closely with organizations such as FEAT (Families for Effective Autism Treatment of Southern Nevada) and Young Life Las Vegas as a volunteer and as an educator. This experience has provided a strong understanding of the financial education that kids urgently need. Mariya earned  her Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Master’s in Business Administration degree, also with an emphasis in Finance, both from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has applied her education to multiple industries in the Las Vegas Valley, primarily contracting and retail. Mariya's dedication to Clark County’s youth continues with her ongoing participation in the Prudent Kids Youth Financial Literacy program.weekly pay ever since I was a kid, and I have never spent more than I could afford." Joe sees Prudent Kids as a great opportuntity to share his experiences, knowledge, and ideas to help direct today's youth towards a safe and healthy financial future.

Lindsey Patrick is currently pursing both a Master’s in Business Administration degree and a Master’s of Science in Hotel Administration degree at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She works for UNLV as a Graduate Assistant for the Nevada Small Business Development Center (NSBDC) in the communications and training department. Lindsey’s previous work experience includes retail and hotel management and she was previously employed at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Prior to living in Las Vegas, Lindsey worked in apparel manufacturing and marketing in South Carolina. She received her Bachelor's of Science degree from the University of South Carolina in both International Business and Marketing. Lindsey has previously worked with organizations such as America Reads and Junior Achievement, where she taught students the importance of reading and continuing their education. Lindsey considers Prudent Kids an excellent opportunity to help teenagers develop their financial knowledge and make wise decisions in the future.

Victoria Spotts has been an instructor with Prudent Kids since the organization began operating. She jumped at the opportunity to mentor our local youth as finance is not only her full-time job, but her passion. Victoria possesses a Bachelor's degree in Finance and a Master's in Business Administration degree with an Entrepreneurship concentration; both from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She currently works as an internal auditor for MGM Mirage performing financial, operational, compliance, and Sarbanes Oxley audits. Victoria is eager to share her financial knowledge through Prudent Kids' hands-on approach, and is committed to fostering wise decision-making to help local teens avoid economic jeopardy.

James Hourie has been with Prudent Kids since we first came up with the idea to foster financial responsibility in America's youth. James possesses a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Master's in Business Administration degree with a concentration in Finance, both from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has gained substantial business and financial experience in his career by working for Nevada Energy in both the Risk Control and Financial Strategies departments. James has also worked for the Bureau of Reclamation, Progressive Insurance, and Lake Mead Fire Management. The passion he shows for coaching students and being a community leader stems from his experience growing up in Southern Nevada. James tells us he has seen too many of his childhood friends struggle with debt, and has made it a priority to make a difference in our community - before it's too late.

Mide Damole is a young professional employed in the Information Technology and Healthcare industry. Mide possesses a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Nevada, Reno and also holds a Master’s in Business Administration degree with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Mide is excited about sharing his financial expertise and the valuable information he has gained by growing up exposed to different world cultures. One aspect he finds common to all cultures is that “money makes the world go round.” Mide believes that teenagers need to have positive role models in all aspects of their lives in order to attain unimaginable success combined with a grounded life. Mide is actively involved with our community and donates his spare time as a volunteer youth soccer coach. He has learned how to better utilize his social skills to impact financial and educational decision-making through experiences he's had as a Network Administrator at the Siena Hotel Spa & Casino and as a Reporting Specialist with Elekta Inc.

Frank Toddre II, Esq. currently works as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Jennifer Togliatti. He earned his Juris Doctorate and MBA from UNLV, and is a member of the Nevada State Bar and the American Bar Association. Frank attended the University of San Diego, where he majored in Political Science & History and started the University's Model United Nations team, club, and class. Frank's recent teaching experience includes teaching English in Japan, teaching Family Law and Divorce classes for Legal Aid of Southern Nevada, and teaching Immigration Law at Immigration Fairs. Previously, Frank has externed for the US Attorney's Office, the UNLV Legal Education Clinic, and worked in conjunction with the Clark County Department of Family & Child Protective Services. Frank considers financial literacy and financial prudence to be a neccesity in today's world. Frank will be teaching about the legal ramifications of financial blunders at an early age and how to prevent such mistakes.

Elliot Cole is an economics mastermind who has dedicated his entire career to studying and analyzing the endless market forces that drive today's society. He possesses a Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management with a minor in Economics from the University of Nevada, Reno, and is currently pursuing a Master's in Business Administration degree with a concentration in New Venture from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Elliot's vast career experience includes various positions with Chrysler, Renowed Regional Medical Center, and Acciona Solar Power. Throughout his diverse career, Elliot has realized that early financial education is directly related to an individual's success later in life. Elliot tells us - "It is critical to start saving for retirement as early as possible. No matter what some people may say, financial literacy is crucial to achieve financial success in life. Exceptions? Sure, there may a couple here and there - but that's all they are, exceptions; exceptions that prove the rule."

Valerie Avery is a 'rare' Las Vegas native, who brings a unique local perspective to our program. She has been active in the Las Vegas community and its educational system for several years. She has worked in education as an AVID Tutor and Mentor for the Clark County School District and as a Writing Consultant for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Writing Center, and as a Volunteer Reader at local elementary schools. She has also worked as a Human Resources Manager, as well as managed several businesses throughout the Las Vegas and Summerlin areas. In addition, as a McNair Scholar, UNLV Chapter, she has done extensive research and co-authored and published two articles for their monthly publication. Valerie has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and Human Resources with a minor in Economics, and an MBA in Marketing, both of which, she received from UNLV. As a proud member of the Las Vegas community, Valerie is pleased to continue her work in educating the youth of today through her involvement with Prudent Kids.

Rohan Nagarkar is a marketing expert interested in businesses that support the local community and operate with an environmental sustainability conscience. He is a firm believer that there is a tremendous benefit in teaching frugality to our nation's youth and giving them the right incentives to live within their means. Rohan possesses a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is currently working as an independent consultant for green technology firms, providing them with valuable market research. In the past, he has worked as a security analyst for UNLV and as a manager in the screw compressor industry. Teaching has always been a passion for Rohan and he enjoys working with kids. He is eager to help our local youth figure out the relative aspects of the value of money throughout this seminar.

Paul Della Vecchia is a seasoned financial analyst and consultor with more than 15 years of experience with several corporations, both domestic and international. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and a Master's in Business Administration, both from the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina). Paul's exceptional career includes serving as a senior financial analyst for Wave House Entertainment (San Diego, CA), as a financial analysis manager for The Tom Hom Group (San Diego, CA), and as a senior financial analyst for the Bank of Galicia (Buenos Aires, Argentina), among many other positions in the challenging financial industry. He masters both English and Spanish, and has taught financial subjects in corporate seminars and university courses. Throughout the years, Paul has discovered that his utmost passion lies in teaching finance. Paul sees Prudent Kids as a remarkable opportunity to make a lasting and positive impact on child's life.