Disrupting
With
Intention

Dana L. Wilson is the Founder and CEO of CHIP (Changing How Individuals Prosper)—an award-winning fintech marketplace on a mission to democratize access to financial guidance. CHIP connects individuals, entrepreneurs, and communities with vetted financial professionals, centering equity, transparency, and trust in every interaction. Dana built CHIP to solve a problem she witnessed firsthand: too many people, particularly in communities of color, navigating major financial decisions without the right support. She’s changing that.

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With more than 15 years across major financial institutions and independent advisory firms, Dana brings rare fluency in both the business of finance and the lived experience of those it has historically left behind. Her work sits squarely at the intersection of finance, technology, and culture—dismantling barriers that have long kept communities of color from accessing coordinated, high-quality financial support. Under her leadership, CHIP is growing into a movement: advancing financial literacy, expanding professional access, and building the infrastructure for generational wealth.

 

Dana’s work has earned recognition across fintech, financial services, and beyond. She has been named a “See It, Be It” Role Model by Investment News, a “One to Watch in Fintech” by Money20/20, and a recipient of multiple ThinkAdvisor awards for thought leadership and diversity. She was a 2023 Investment News Women to Watch finalist and the 2025 recipient of the Lola M. Parker Outstanding Woman of the Year Award. Most recently, she was recognized by her alma mater with the 2026 Diversity Leadership Award from Penn State University, and a Trailblazer Award from Black Women in Media for her contributions to equity-driven leadership and representation.

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A proud graduate of North Carolina Central University (BBA, Marketing) and Penn State University’s Smeal College of Business (MBA, Strategic Leadership & Innovation), Dana’s career spans SunTrust, Merrill Lynch, State Farm, her own independent advisory practice, and most recently Manhattan Wealth Management in New York City—where she helped individuals and families align financial strategy with life goals. Each chapter deepened her conviction that the financial services industry needed to be rebuilt with inclusion at its foundation.

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Beyond the boardroom, Dana is a sought-after speaker, educator, and startup mentor. She has served as a Startup Coach for Apps Without Code, helping emerging founders sharpen their strategy, marketing, and execution of growth. As host of The Equity Blueprint Podcast, she keeps the conversation going by challenging assumptions about wealth, identity, access, and power.

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Dana’s north star is simple: financial knowledge, opportunity, and visibility should not be privileges—they should be expectations. She is building the platform, the community, and the movement to make that real.

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Outside of work, Dana is a marathoner, lifelong reader, proud pet parent, and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., whose leadership is grounded in service, discipline, and community.