Jo Ellen enjoys working in financial services and cherishes the relationships she has built with clients. She became a partner (2005) and then principal owner of Balanced Financial Planning, Inc. in 2022. Prior to joining Balanced Financial Planning (BFP), Jo Ellen served as a financial planner with Garrett Financial Planning and was a Vice President of Secondary Marketing with First Mortgage Investment Company.  She has also worked in various capacities within the mortgage and student loan industries.

Jo Ellen has worked primarily with families while focusing on the planning needs of women who are single, widowed or divorced. She believes that financial planning isn't just about optimizing dollars through compounding but also about giving yourself permission to use your resources to have a happy and meaningful life.

She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Kansas and completed graduate course work geared toward an M.B.A. in Finance through the University of Missouri in Kansas City. She is a member of both the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA).

Jo Ellen completed the two-year training and testing program designed by the College for Financial Planning in Denver, Colorado. She received authorization to utilize the CFP® mark of distinction after receiving her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification from the CFP® Board of Standards in 2001.  In 2018 she earned the RICP® designation from The American College of Financial Services.  The Retirement Income Certified Professional® focuses on a comprehensive, systematic approach to building efficient retirement income plans.

Jo Ellen resides in the Kansas City metro area and was a past board member for her children’s school Parent Teacher Association (PTA). She loves spending time with her husband and two grown children but her favorite activity is spending the weekend hiking with her dogs.

_{Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.}