Damian Alarcon
As Travis Credit Union's Director of Community Relations and President of the Travis Credit Union Foundation, Damian Alarcon, is engaged daily in strategically serving his team and TCU by aligning corporate responsibility to community-focused strategic wellness initiatives.
He is known to create effective relationships with external stakeholders, strategic partners, and cross-functional groups to build a more diverse pipeline and advance equity and inclusion at the Travis Credit Union.
Damian has devised and guided the development of an all-community outreach strategy, as well as strategic partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit organizations to expand the DEI strategy and plan to improve community relations. The outcomes of these efforts include financial education accessible to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or ethnic background.
Brian Best
As President and CEO of GTE Financial, Brian's approach to leadership is all about serving others and ensuring that people always come first. With the support and guidance of a seasoned Board of Directors and an invaluable Executive Management Team, Brian is focused on maximizing return on value to the GTE membership and local community. Through elevating the employee experience, members gain a caring financial advocate that ensures they earn more, save more, and live better. Additionally, GTE is focused on providing innovation through a service lens, ensuring the credit union stays relevant within an ever-changing industry permeated by new technology and sophisticated services.
Brian holds a B.S. in Marketing from Wright State University, as well as an M.A. in Business and Administration from Saint Leo University. He has also graduated from the RMA School of Commercial Underwriting and Portfolio Management and received his accreditation with Six Sigma as a master black belt.
John L. Bissell
In 2003, John joined the team at Greylock Federal, a $1.6 billion credit union headquartered in Western MA. He was named Greylock's CEO in 2015. Under his leadership, Greylock earned CDFI and Juntos Avanzamos certifications, and made deep investments in anti-racism and financial inclusion initiatives. Greylock is a proud partner with the African-American Credit Union Coalition, and John served on the steering committee that created AACUC's Cross-Cultural Exchange Program. John was elected to the AACUC Board in 2022.
John earned his BA from Amherst College and MBA from the University of Massachusetts. He graduated from the New England School for Financial Studies program at Babson College.
Linda Bodie
Linda Bodie is the CEO + Innovator at Element Federal Credit Union. She began her career with Element in 1998.
Linda serves on various local and national boards. She is a co-founder of CU Pride, the LGBTQ+ association for credit union professional. She is also a co-founder of CUWLA, the Credit Union Women's Leadership Alliance, which supports women CEOs of credit unions under $300 million in assets.
Terri R. Bradford
Terri R. Bradford is a research specialist in the Payments Strategies Division at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Among her responsibilities are monitoring and analyzing global payments system developments, authoring articles for the Payments System Research Briefing, and making presentations to internal and external audiences, especially related to alternative and emerging payment instruments. Ms. Bradford joined the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in 1989. Prior to joining the Payments System Research group in 2000, she held various positions in the Retail Payments, Payments System Support, Savings Bonds, and Automation departments of the Bank.
Markia Brown
Markia Brown is a Certified Financial Education InstructorSM and creative who teaches underbanked and underserved communities and college students how to achieve financial wellness and improve their quality of life.
With over 200,000 followers on TikTok, Markia demonstrates an ability to educate, inspire, and communicate with all ages, especially Millennials and Gen Z, through relatable and easily digestible user-generated financial literacy content. Due to her entertaining and relatable content, Markia was selected for TikTok's program for black creators, known as Black TikTok. Markia also recently graduated from WPP's 2022 NextGen Cohort. She has been featured on Yahoo! Finance, MoneyGeek, and Debt.com. She has also been featured multiple times this year on WJZY's Queen City News.
Teresa Bryce Bazemore
Teresa Bryce Bazemore has over 30 years' experience as a Senior Executive in the mortgage banking field including building both mortgage insurance and services businesses. Ms. Bazemore currently serves as the President and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. She previously served as the President of Radian Guaranty and prior to that the EVP, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Risk Officer at Radian Group.
Teresa received her B.A. from the University of Virginia and her J.D. from Columbia University.
Kenyahda Cahoon
Kenyahda Cahoon has over 23 years of experience in the financial services industry. After the mortgage meltdown in 2007, he entered the credit union industry at Justice Federal Credit Union as Regional Business Unit Manager. He continued his philosophy of teaching and coaching his team to have detailed conversations about the members' financial future and how they can regain their financial freedom.
After taking this same philosophy to four other credit unions where he was instrumental in major loan and membership growth as the VP of Operations, he became the President and CEO of Democracy Federal Credit Union in 2019.
Juan Fernandez Ceballos
Juan Fernandez Ceballos is the President/CEO of the Credit Union Association of New Mexico. Juan has served the credit union movement for twenty years. His work in credit unions began at an early age working as a credit union teller while pursuing his college degree. Prior to his work in New Mexico, Juan held positions leading the credit unions' community development efforts in New York.
Through his work, he has worked with credit unions to help them seize opportunities to serve unmet needs in their communities, help their members, and achieve sustainable growth. In New Mexico, Juan's team drafted and successfully passed legislative initiatives to reign in predatory lending and enable credit unions to reach emerging opportunities and communities.
Zach Christensen
Zach Christensen (he/him/his) is an executive leader with both strategic and technical skills. As a digital marketer, video and virtual engagement producer, and credit union fanatic, he has quickly shifted to a virtual environment ensuring execution of initiatives for both his organization and clients. He is the director of digital services and DEI at Mitchell Stankovic & Associates, driving change in leadership, DEI, and strategic planning in this new world.
Zach's volunteer work includes several advisory and leadership roles:
- Co-founder and director of CU Pride, the first and only industry-wide LGBTQ+ association for credit union professionals for education and engagement within the community;
- The World Council of Credit Unions premier programs;, Global Women's Leadership Network and World Young Credit Union Professionals; and
- a governing board member of the CU DEI Collective representing CU Pride.
He is also an advocate and strategic leader for the Underground, a network of industry thought leaders and strategic influencers.
Victor Corro
Victor Miguel Corro is a senior executive with over 25 years of experience working in international and cross-cultural environments in the private and non-profit sectors. For nearly 4 years he has been at the helm of Coopera Consulting, a market analytics and cultural change consulting firm that engages organizations and prepares them to reach out and serve underserved market segments. Corro is co-founder and first Chair of the Credit Union DEI Collective, an expanding group within the credit union movement devoted to furthering DEI, a shared cooperative principle.
Victor is a first-generation immigrant to the U.S. and was born and raised in Panama. He came to study at the University of Wisconsin as a Fulbright Scholar. He has degrees in International Economics and Latin American Studies.
Chantalle Couba
Chantalle has over 20 years of experience in financial services and has worked extensively with clients in wealth, investment, and asset management and insurance.
Chantalle specializes in Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, Organizational Strategy, Talent Strategy, Employee Engagement, Leadership Development, Sales Force Effectiveness, and Culture Activation. Prior to Korn Ferry, Chantalle's professional experience includes leading advisory organizations, Bank of America and Barings, a subsidiary of Mass Mutual.
Chantalle holds a MS in Instructional Systems Design and a BA in English Literature from Florida State University. Chantalle is a Board of Directors member for INROADS and an Eisenhower Fellow.
Michelle Dearholt
Michelle is the Executive Vice President of Operations at Nusenda Credit Union, the largest credit union in New Mexico. She oversees the credit union's member experience channels, employee experience departments including leadership programs, and the project management department. She is also the executive sponsor for the organization's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program. She has more than 20 years' experience in organizational development working in various industries including fortune 500 companies.
Michelle's community involvement includes serving on the UNM Anderson Alumni Council, CNM Foundation Board, Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance, and Albuquerque Community Foundation Board of Trustees.
Pablo DeFilippi
Pablo DeFilippi leads Inclusiv's membership development and engagement strategies and manages Inclusiv/Network, a network of community development finance practitioners that provide valuable consulting services to CDCUs. Mr. DeFilippi has more than 20 years of experience in community finance, working with regulated financial institutions both in the domestic and international arena. Originally from Chile, DeFilippi came to the US in the early 90s and almost immediately became involved in credit unions.
After working at MCU, a large credit union serving New York City employees, he joined the Lower East Side People's FCU (LESPFCU) a credit union serving Hispanics and other underserved populations in the New York City area and acted as its CEO until early 2004. From then and until the end of 2005, Mr. DeFilippi managed the World Council of Credit Unions, Inc. (WOCCU)'s International Remittance Program (IRnet), a world-wide initiative to provide alternative remittance services to consumers both in the US and in recipient countries through the credit union system.
Luis G. Dopico, Ph.D.
Dr. Luis Dopico is the chief economist of CUCollaborate. Luis has over 20 years' experience researching credit unions and their historical and current call reports across a wide variety of topics including: financial sustainability, member-centric performance, asset growth drivers, capital requirements, and share insurance. In recent years, Luis has increased his focus in two areas. First, researching how credit unions can better serve minority communities. Second, how analyzing their AIRES files can help credit unions simultaneously better serve the credit needs of their whole communities, raise revenues with which to enhance other services, and further buttress their financial sustainability.
Dawn Dunkelberger
Dawn Dunkelberger is the Vice President of Financial Services at North Memorial FCU. She joined the credit union in 2005. She appreciates working in a smaller credit union since she is able to add value in a variety of areas from marketing and business development to human resources and IT. Dawn has been instrumental in several credit union-wide projects including the roll out and implementation of WINcentive prize link savings.
Martin Eakes
Martin Eakes co-founded Self-Help, a community development lender, in 1980. Self-Help has provided $10 billion in financing to more than 180,000 homebuyers, small businesses, and nonprofits. Self-Help reaches people who are underserved by conventional lenders—particularly persons of color, immigrants, women, rural residents, and low-wealth families. Martin helped establish in 2002 an affiliate of Self-Help, the Center for Responsible Lending, which battles predatory mortgage and payday lenders across the country and fights to protect homeownership and family wealth for working families.
Martin has been honored with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights' Hubert Humphrey Award, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's MacArthur Fellow Award, Ford Foundation's Visionary Award, the AARP Inspire Award, Credit Union National Association Wegner Award, National Consumer Law Center's Father Robert F Drinan Leadership Award, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation National Families Count Award.
Daryl Fairweather
Dr. Daryl Fairweather is the chief economist of Redfin. Her insights have been featured on 60 Minutes, CBS Evening News, The Today Show, as well as in the New York Times and Washington Post. Prior to joining Redfin she was a senior economist at Amazon working on problems related to employee engagement and managing a team of analysts. During the housing crisis, Daryl worked as a researcher at the Boston Fed studying why homeowners entered foreclosure. Daryl received her Bachelor's of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received her Ph.D. and Master's degrees in economics at the University of Chicago where she specialized in behavioral economics.
MK Falgout
As a Senior Associate on the Financial Services team at Financial Health Network, MK provides financial services clients with the tools and insights needed to improve consumer financial health. In her role, MK works with partners to develop and implement sustainable solutions that improve the financial health of their consumers and communities. She also provides compelling evidence that improving consumer financial health is a business imperative, equipping clients to make decisions that benefit their businesses and those they serve.
Prior to joining the Financial Health Network, MK served as a policy and research associate at the Center for American Progress. Before that, she was a financial coach and advocate at Community Empowerment Fund, working directly with underserved communities to help them navigate financial, housing, and employment systems.
MK earned her bachelor's degree in public policy from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Tom Ferree
As the Chairman and CEO, Mr. Ferree is responsible for the leadership of Connected Nation, a national non-profit enterprise, representing broadband and digital inclusion work in more than 30 states and U.S. territories. His passionate and effective leadership has resulted in a diverse portfolio of offerings and services, for both public and private organizations.
During 2019 and 2020, Mr. Ferree was a board member of the Federal Communication Commission's Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee. In addition, he was responsible for the oversight of the National Telecommunications Information and Administration's (NTIA) State Broadband Initiative (SBI), a five-year project portfolio of 12 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, involving professional relations management for more than 1,500 national and local broadband providers and more than 120,000 Community Anchor Institutions (e.g., schools, libraries, hospitals, first responders).
Thomas Foley
Trained as a tax lawyer and financial planner, Mr. Foley has more than 30 years' experience serving the disability community by working toward greater economic inclusion. As a person who is blind, Mr. Foley has been an advocate and dedicated his career to partnering with other thought leaders to address the complex drivers of economic inequality and create pathways to employment and financial security for the most vulnerable communities. In addition, he has been instrumental in developing and influencing federal and state legislation to encourage employment and increase participation of people with disabilities in employment and wealth-building programs. He is the author of EQUITY, the first asset building book for people with disabilities.
Mr. Foley has worked closely with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Department of Treasury, and multiple financial and Community Development institutions to design programs and provide technical assistance to better reach the disability community. Mr. Foley received his Master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley and earned a JD from Hastings College of the Law.
Charvi Gandotra
Charvi Gandotra is a Senior Strategy and Innovation Manager at Commonwealth where she concentrates on scaling inclusive and equitable savings and wealth building solutions and strategies, to support financially vulnerable consumers in the U.S.
Charvi started her career as a management consultant with McKinsey and Co. and has been working in the inclusive finance space for nearly a decade now.
Charvi received a Master's in Public Policy from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, India and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, India.
Giovanna Gonzalez
Giovanna Gonzalez is a Chicago-based TikTok influencer, financial educator, and future author.
In June 2021, she quit her corporate job in investment management to pursue her true passion – teaching financial literacy to young adults. She uses her TikTok platform to share relatable and jargon-free financial education & career advice to the First Gen and Latinx community. In April 2022, she was named 40 under 40 by the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement. Giovanna has been featured on The New York Times, Business Insider, and Fast Company.
Chairman Todd M. Harper
Todd M. Harper was nominated to serve on the NCUA Board on February 6, 2019. The U.S. Senate confirmed him on March 14, 2019, and he was sworn in as a member of the NCUA Board on April 8, 2019. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., designated him as the NCUA's twelfth Chairman on January 20, 2021.
As NCUA Board Chairman, Mr. Harper serves as a voting member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council and represents the NCUA on the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council and the Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee.
Prior to joining the NCUA Board, Mr. Harper served as director of the agency's Office of Public and Congressional Affairs and chief policy advisor to former Chairmen Debbie Matz and Rick Metsger. He is the first member of the NCUA's staff to become an NCUA Board Member and Chairman. Mr. Harper holds an undergraduate degree in business analysis from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business and a graduate degree in public policy from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.
Vice Chairman Kyle S. Hauptman
Kyle S. Hauptman was nominated to serve on the NCUA Board on June 15, 2020. The U.S. Senate confirmed him on December 2, 2020, and he was sworn in as a member of the NCUA Board on December 14, 2020. The NCUA Board approved his designation as Vice Chairman of the NCUA on December 18, 2020.
Prior to his joining the NCUA Board, Mr. Hauptman served as Senator Tom Cotton's (R-Arkansas) advisor on economic policy, as well as Staff Director of the Senate Banking Committee's Subcommittee on Economic Policy. Mr. Hauptman holds a Master's in Business Administration from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from University of California, Los Angeles.
Lynn Heckler
Lynn Heckler has served as PSCU's Executive Vice President and Chief Talent Officer since May 2011. In this role, she is responsible for advancing PSCU's strategic human resources initiatives, including diversity, equity and inclusion, talent acquisition, learning and organizational development, corporate insurance, facilities, and more.
Since joining PSCU in 2001, Lynn has created a culture of inclusion, leadership development, and engagement throughout the organization. She is a well-known thought leader on DEI and is a sought-after speaker within the credit union industry.
Ben Hering
Ben is the Director of Engagement for the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN). Ben guides MnCUN's efforts through facilitation of educational programming, product and service project management, and providing avenues for credit union collaboration. He is particularly passionate about leading CU Forward Day, a statewide effort by credit unions to spread kindness throughout Minnesota communities and beyond, and the WINcentive Savings Program, an innovative prize-linked savings account geared toward incentivizing consumers to establish and grow savings.
Natasha C. Hewlett
Natasha has over 12 years as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategist and educator for the Federal Government where over the years she has developed innovative and creative solutions to systematically shift the diversity paradigm across enterprises through educating and building partnerships. Natasha began her career in the Diversity space with Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division and has held positions as a Deputy Chief Diversity officer, a Diversity & Inclusion Program Manager, and a Strategic Adviser to federal leaders on Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity matters for over a decade.
Natasha is a recipient of the Department of Justice Leadership Executive Certification, she holds a degree in Business Management and Marketing from Sullivan University, and currently enrolled as a candidate for the Cornell University's Diversity and Inclusion Certification Program. Her passion derives from her son and her desire to pave a better future for the next generation of women and minorities through removing systemic barriers in the workforce and financial industry.
Board Member Rodney E. Hood
President Donald J. Trump nominated Rodney E. Hood for the NCUA Board on January 19, 2019. The U.S. Senate confirmed him on March 14, 2019, and he was sworn in as the eleventh NCUA Chairman on April 8, 2019. Mr. Hood served as the NCUA's Chairman until January 25, 2021.
As a Board Member, Mr. Hood serves as the NCUA's representative on the Board of Directors of NeighborWorks America, one of the nation's leading affordable housing and community development organizations.
Mr. Hood was previously nominated to the NCUA Board by former President George W. Bush and served from November 2005 until August 2009. During his first term on the Board, he was appointed Vice Chairman. Immediately prior to rejoining the NCUA Board in 2019, Mr. Hood served as a corporate responsibility manager for JPMorgan Chase, managing national partnerships with non-profit organizations, financial regulators, and community stakeholders to promote financial inclusion and shared prosperity in underserved communities throughout the United States.
Scott Hunt
Scott Hunt was appointed Director of the Office of National Examinations and Supervision effective January 1, 2013. Prior to the establishment of ONES, Mr. Hunt was appointed as the Director of the then-Office of Corporate Credit Unions on September 24, 2009, after serving as Acting Director and Special Assistant to the Acting Director during the first eight months of 2009.
Mr. Hunt initially joined the NCUA as an examiner in Washington, D.C. in 1989. He subsequently held the positions of Supervision Analyst, Director of Insurance, and Associate Regional Director of Operations in the then-Region II. In the NCUA's headquarters office, Mr. Hunt served as a Senior Investment Officer in the Office of Capital Markets and Planning before returning to then-Region II as the Associate Regional Director of Programs in January 2005.
Mr. Hunt holds an accounting degree from Penn State University and an MBA from George Mason University in Virginia. He is a CPA and CFA charter holder.
Blanche L. Jackson, CCE, NCCO
Blanche L. Jackson is currently the CEO of Stepping Stones Community Federal Credit Union with the primary responsibility of overseeing the strategic operations and implementing products and services that are needed to provide financial stability in the city of Wilmington, Delaware. She was instrumental in the credit union becoming a CDFI as well as a PPP lender. In 2009, she began her relationship with Stepping Stones as a volunteer and mentor and was instrumental in its chartering in 2011. She was the Executive Vice President of the Delaware State Police Federal Credit Union where she was employed for 20 years.
Julienne Joseph
Julienne Joseph is the Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Single Family Housing, where she oversees the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) insurance-in-force portfolio of more than eight million loans with an unpaid principal balance of more than $1.2 trillion. In this role, which she assumed in June 2021, Julienne manages all aspects of FHA's single family housing operations including origination and servicing policy, information technology strategy, quality control and lender enforcement, and institutional risk management.
Julienne has nearly 20 years of housing, borrower outreach, and mortgage industry experience. Prior to assuming her current role, she was most recently the Associate Director of Government Housing Programs and Member Engagement at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).
Miranda Kennedy
Miranda Kennedy worked for the National Disability Institute (NDI) from 2006 to 2018, Ms. Kennedy served as Director of Training and Technical Assistance for the U.S. Department of Labor's Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative and Disability Employment Initiative (DEI). In 2018, Ms. Kennedy became Director of NDI's ABLE National Resource Center (ABLE NRC), where she and her team of ABLE experts work with the country's most influential national disability organizations along with an advisory group of ABLE account owners and family members to advance the design, use and build public awareness of the benefits of ABLE accounts in helping meet the financial needs and achieve the life goals of millions of individuals with disabilities and their families.
Christie Kimbell
Christie Kimbell leads Filene's marketing strategy, account management, events and communities (i3 and Cooperative Trust). She is driving the Filene brand experience across stakeholder groups and providing proven solutions to increase financial wellness across our members organizations.
With 18 years of marketing leadership and 12 years in business development, Christie stands firmly behind the importance that experience plays a critical role in building lasting relationships.
Jeanne Kucey
Jeanne has served as CEO of JetStream Federal Credit Union for the past 13 years. JetStream is a low income CDFI and MDI operating in Miami-Dade County and Puerto Rico. She has a strong record of volunteer participation in both charitable organizations and non-profit boards. She is a certified financial counselor and embraces the important role credit unions play in advancing the financial success of their members.
Elizabeth Kwok
Elizabeth is an Assistant Director in the Division of Litigation Technology & Analysis for the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission, where she oversees the eDiscovery unit, as well as supervises honors paralegals and summer law clerks. She was previously a senior investigator in the Division of Financial Practices where she investigated suspected violations of consumer protection laws, including matters relating to financial technologies, short-term lending, debt collection, and debt-relief products. Elizabeth has expertise in fraud investigations involving new and emerging technologies, having worked on the FTC's first cryptocurrency-related and crowdfunding cases.
Andrew Leventis
Dr. Leventis has been NCUA's chief economist since late 2018. In that role, he oversees the monitoring of economic developments and assesses evolving risks faced by credit unions and the Share Insurance Fund. His office evaluates a wide array of industry and macroeconomic data to determine whether key sectors of the economy are exhibiting problematic trends for credit unions.
Prior to joining NCUA, Andy was the deputy chief economist at the Federal Housing Finance Agency. He oversaw the production of the agency's House Price index and played a leadership role in modeling mortgage risk, assessing the GSEs' secondary mortgage market pricing, and establishing the GSEs' conforming loan limit.
Andy received a Ph.D. in Economics from Princeton University and holds a B.A. in Quantitative Economics from Stanford University.
Vivian Li
Vivian Li is the Quantitative Analytics Director on the Fair Lending Analytics team in Freddie Mac's Single-Family Modeling, Econometrics, Data Science and Analytics (MEDA) division. She is responsible for conducting fair lending statistical analysis of Freddie Mac models and systems that have consumer impact. Ms. Li joined Freddie Mac in 2009. Prior to Freddie Mac, she worked for Deloitte and delivered consulting services to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) by providing financial analysis and business information system support during bank mergers and acquisitions.
Cathie Mahon
Cathie Mahon has led Inclusiv since 2012 overseeing a period of dramatic growth and expansion of the organization and network. She is committed to the Inclusiv mission of promoting financial inclusion and building more inclusive economies through community owned and controlled financial institutions.
Ms. Mahon previously served as Deputy Commissioner at the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs where she started and led New York City's Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE). She was the founding coordinator of the Asset Funders Network and previously worked as a lead researcher for the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program. She has been engaged with credit unions for more than 25 years first as an intern at Self Help Credit Union and then as a Program Officer and then Director of Policy at the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions.
She has served on the Boards of the Lower East Side People's FCU and Transfiguration Parish FCU. She is a member of the Board of Trustees at the New York Foundation and a Board Member for the Center for NYC Neighborhoods and the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. Ms. Mahon earned a Bachelor's Degree from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and a Master's of City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Natasha McAdoo
Natasha McAdoo is the Program Officer and technical authority for NCUA's Advancing Communities through Credit, Education, Stability and Support (ACCESS) initiative, where she connects leaders across the NCUA to refresh and modernize regulations, policies, and programs in support of greater financial inclusion within the agency and the credit union system.
She first joined the NCUA as the Financial Literacy and Outreach Specialist in the Office of Consumer Financial Protection. She previously worked at the Cornerstone Credit Union League, where she was appointed the first REAL Solutions Director in Texas, a nationwide program through the National Credit Union Foundation to help credit unions better reach the unbanked and underserved market and expand youth and adult financial education.
Natasha holds a bachelor's degree from The University of Houston and is a graduate of Southwest CUNA Management School.
Sue McCue, CUDE
Sue McCue is the Managing Director of Credit Union House and works with credit union executives, association leaders, and lawmakers alike. As a steward of the credit union movement's permanent home in Washington, DC, Sue ensures Credit Union House is a prominent fixture of the Capitol Hill community. Not only is Credit Union House a place where credit union history is preserved and the credit union movement is celebrated, it is also a unique events venue, where the client's vision becomes an exceptional experience. Sue is also heavily engaged in fundraising for Credit Union House as well as running its day-to-day operations and developing its overarching strategy. With more than 15 years of experience in the movement, Sue passionately believes in the power credit unions have to change lives and to improve their members' financial well-being. She serves on the America's Credit Union Museum board of directors and is the American Association of Credit Union Leagues' (AACUL) representative on the Credit Union DEI Collective's governing body.
Onjil McEachin
Onjil McEachin is the Director for the Division of Consumer Affairs within the Office of Consumer Financial Protection at NCUA. In this role, Ms. McEachin oversees NCUA's financial literacy and outreach initiatives, as well as the NCUA's Consumer Assistance Center, which responds to inquiries about federal consumer financial protection laws and addresses consumer complaints involving credit unions. Prior to joining NCUA, Ms. McEachin served as the Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Litigation at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Ms. McEachin has also served as a Trial Attorney in the Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at the U.S. Department of Justice where she received four distinguished honors from the Attorney General during her tenure. Ms. McEachin earned her J.D. from Howard University School of Law and a B.A. from the University of California, San Diego.
Scott McFarland
Scott has been the CEO of Honor Credit Union since 2008 and has been working in the credit union industry since 1989 after his mom got him a job as a floating teller while in college at a local branch in his hometown. Scott's years of experience at credit unions, ranging from $15 Million to $1.5 Billion provides him with unique perspectives on all areas of the credit union mission. His commitment to the philosophy of credit unions is not just spoken but demonstrated in the work he does each day with his team, members, communities, and the movement.
Since joining the Honor Credit Union team as CEO, the organization has seen strong and steady growth even during challenging economic times. Scott credits the growth in the organization to a focus on the member, investment in the communities Honor serves, a progressive and supportive Board of Directors, and the committed and hardworking people that make up Team Honor!
Cleve Mesidor
Cleve Mesidor is the Executive Director of Blockchain Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit leading an industry-wide crypto education campaign. Previously, she was a Public Policy Advisor to the Blockchain Association. Additionally, Cleve is a Mayoral appointee to the DC Innovation and Technology Inclusion Council.
A web3 expert working in crypto for about six years, she has been profiled on CNBC, ABC, NPR, NY Times, Washington Post, Politico, TIME.
A Washington insider, she served in the Obama Administration and as a senior staffer in Congress. As a Presidential Appointee, she was Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration, where she advanced White House economic programs and national public-private partnerships to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. Her acumen in policy stems from her tenure on Capitol Hill as Communications Director for U.S. Representatives Betty McCollum and Barbara Lee, coordinating with Congressional leadership to launch major legislative initiatives.
Cleve is author of "THE CLEVOLUTION: My Quest for Justice in Politics & Crypto." She is a reputable and respected industry leader, as well as, a regular SXSW speaker and headliner at national blockchain conferences. She earned a Master of Arts degree from Howard University and started her career in broadcasting at CNN's Washington Bureau.
Cristina Miranda
Cristina Miranda is a Senior Project Manager and Consumer Education Specialist at the Federal Trade Commission's Division of Consumer and Business Education. She creates, implements, and evaluates public marketing and communications campaigns to help consumers detect and avoid fraud and scams in the marketplace. She is also part of the FTC's Latino outreach team emphasizing consumer education for the Spanish-speaking population in the U.S. and conducts interviews with Spanish-language media. Prior to the FTC, Cristina worked as a Director of Communications at a financial services company. She also has extensive public relations, advertising agency, and publishing experience.
Viki Nahrwold
Viki is Associate Director in the NCUA Office of Examination and Insurance. With over 25 years in the credit union industry, she has performed a variety of specialized and leadership roles within the NCUA and a federal credit union. Viki has been repeatedly recognized for her exceptional leadership and performance including Specialized Examiner and Supervisor "of the year" awards. She is a life-long learner completing numerous educational, developmental, and certification programs throughout her career. Viki is an advocate who actively champions empowerment and employee engagement through volunteer and committee work, internal agency programs, and mentorship.
Winona Nava
Winona Nava is President/CEO of Guadalupe Credit Union (GCU). Guadalupe Credit Union has grown from $10 million to $267 million with over 25,000 members under her leadership. Since 2000 Guadalupe Credit Union's focus has been on serving the unbanked and underserved providing financial empowerment in Northern New Mexico. As a result, GCU became a Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), a low-income depository institution, and a minority deposit institution. Guadalupe Credit provides developmental services to 7 counties in Northern NM meeting the financial needs of those living within those counties including recent immigrants and Native Americans. The credit union provides many developmental services including free one-on-one financial coaching, financial education, asset building depository accounts, second chance checking accounts, and affordable alternatives to predatory lending and check cashing. Winona speaks on this work nationally and has inspired many other credit unions to follow GCU's lead in serving these populations, including ITIN lending. She serves on the Board of the Network of Latino Credit Union's and Professionals, the Board of the Credit Union Women's Leadership Alliance (CUWLA), and the Credit Union Association of NM Board. Winona also served on the CUNA Board and is past Chair of the National Credit Union Foundation.
Lilly Newfarmer
Lily currently serves as President and CEO of Tarrant County's Credit Union, a community-based credit union in Fort Worth, Texas, and has spent her entire career serving in the credit union industry.
She graduated from the University of Madrid, Spain in 1985 with a B.A. Degree in Business/Finance and obtained her Credit Union Development Educator designation in 2008. A 1999 graduate of Southwest CUNA Management School (SCMS), Lily has been part of the SCMS faculty for over 20 years.
She is a founding member and Chair of the Credit Union Women's Leadership Alliance (CUWLA).
Pamela Owens
Pamela Owens has over 20 years of experience supporting community development credit unions' delivery of products and services to underserved communities. Ms. Owens has accomplished this with special attention to innovative product development, training, and technical assistance. Since joining Inclusiv, a major focus of her work has been capacity building for small and faith-based credit unions. Her first assignment with Inclusiv, the CDCU Institute, successfully graduated eleven classes and trained more than three hundred credit union professionals.
Ms. Owens is also responsible for developing the African American Credit Union Initiative (AACUI), which focuses on supporting legacy MDI credit unions as they look towards sustainability and growth through membership expansion and building efficiencies through technology. Ms. Owens currently serves as Senior Vice President, People and Organizational Development, and heads the human resources department for Inclusiv. Also in her purview are Inclusiv's professional development and diversity, equity, and inclusion work for staff and members.
Jim Park
Since March 2009, Jim has served as the executive director of the Appraisal Subcommittee. He is the senior staff person responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Agency including, development and implementation of ASC policies, program and budget oversight, and development of recommendations for the ASC members. He also represents the ASC before state and federal regulatory and legislative officials, and various appraisal industry groups. Jim is a Certified General Appraiser in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He started his appraisal career in 1986 performing both residential and commercial appraisals. Since that time, he has held various senior-level positions within the appraisal, mortgage lending, and banking industries.
Luis Pastor
Luis Pastor first joined Latino Community Credit Union in 2000, just weeks after its founding. Since its founding, LCCU has received more than 30 awards for its impact in the fields of community and economic development, social justice, and immigrant integration, including the National Credit Union Foundation's Herb Wegner Memorial Award. In 2015, in recognition of his exceptional leadership skills, Luis was selected by Credit Union Times readers as one of the 64 most influential leaders in the credit union movement for the past 25 years. He is widely recognized as an expert in the field of social economic development and has been invited to share his knowledge and experience with communities across the world.
Today, Latino Community Credit Union serves as a model for inclusion and continues to advance its mission of providing ethical financial products and education to empower communities throughout North Carolina. With its fully bilingual and multicultural body of employees, LCCU is uniquely equipped to integrate immigrants and other marginalized individuals into the mainstream financial system, granting them access to financial and economic opportunities that are largely unavailable elsewhere.
Brenton Peck
As Director of Financial Services Solutions, Brenton works with financial services and technology clients to develop effective strategies for improving consumer financial health. Brenton is responsible for all aspects of project management, including in-depth research, team member coaching, and collaboration with other stakeholders. Previous initiatives include advising Bank of America on its SafeBalance banking product, leading the Financial Health Network's student debt work, and developing and executing the organization's credit union engagement strategy.
A certified Project Management Professional, Brenton holds a Master's in Business Administration from Aurora University and a bachelor's degree from Illinois State University.
Miguel A. Polanco
Miguel A. Polanco serves as the NCUA's Director of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion. As Director, Mr. Polanco oversees the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 to develop and promote standards for workforce diversity, supplier diversity, and equal employment opportunity and assess the diversity policies and practices throughout the credit union industry.
Mr. Polanco was named Deputy Director for the NCUA's Office of Minority and Women Inclusion in 2018. He joined the NCUA in 2011, managing the agency's supplier diversity program. He previously worked for the Small Business Administration under the 8(a) program, overseeing a portfolio of more than 50 participating small businesses.
A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mr. Polanco served in uniform as a U.S. Army intelligence officer. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, as well as the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
Chuck Purvis
Chuck Purvis is the President and CEO of Coastal Credit Union, was co-inventor of the personal teller machine, and oversaw Coastal using the technology to implement 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. teller hours, seven days a week. Coastal later became the first financial institution in the world to rely 100% on video tellers for branch transactions.
Purvis, who has a 40-plus-year career in credit unions, has also held positions at U.S. Central CU and the North Carolina CU League. In 2011, Purvis was instrumental in the formation of the Coastal Credit Union Foundation. He also led to the creation of a new digital services platform that was spun off as Constellation Digital Partners in 2017, the credit union added.
Becky Reed
Becky Reed is the CEO of Lone Star Credit Union in Dallas, Texas. Becky has more than two decades of experience leading multiple areas in credit unions including retail operations, lending, back office operations and IT. She has led game changing service improvements through the use of technology which landed Lone Star Credit Union the CUNA Technology Council Award for Excellence in Technology in 2019. Becky was also featured on the cover of CU Magazine in the Summer 2020 edition. Continuing to blaze a trail, Lone Star Credit Union launched the first Non-Custodial Crypto Exchange for credit union members in August 2022. In addition, LSCU is piloting the use of Digital ID for onboarding while working with NCUA for clarifying guidance.
Becky is the co-founder of the Credit Union Service Organization, PureIT CUSO and serves as its Board Chairman. She is on the board of NACUSO, is the co-founder of the Corelation South East Users Group and serves on the Advisory Board for Corelation, Inc, BankSocial and Bankjoy. She also serves her local community by serving as the Treasurer for Ferguson Road Initiative in Far East Dallas. She also serves as the President of BlockAdvocates, a non-profit dedicated to Crypto education for Credit Unions. Helping credit unions collaborate and support each other is her passion.
In addition to her credit union expertise, Becky is a management coach, mentor, consultant, and published author. Becky graduated Summa Cum Laude from Concordia University in Austin, Texas with a Bachelor's Degree in Business.
Richard R. Romero
To Richard Romero, it's all about personal prosperity. Over the several stops of his professional career – which started as a part-time teller while attending college – Richard came to realize that the best thing a financial institution could do is to help its customers achieve financial success.
Richard says the best part of his job, at the $1 billion Seattle Credit Union, is providing financial services to everyone, especially those who may have been underserved by financial institutions or abused by alternative financial service providers. He's proud he's built a staff that agrees. From his perspective, leading Seattle Credit Union allows him to pay back his own success to the members and the community at large, as CEO and the boards of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, the YWCA of King and Snohomish Counties, Inclusiv – an industry organization focused on community development credit unions, and CUES – Credit Union Executive Society.
Angela Russell
Angela Russell is the Chief Diversity Officer and is the Vice President of the CUNA Mutual Foundation at CUNA Mutual Group. In these roles, Angela provides strategic enterprise-wide leadership to ensure that CUNA Mutual's commitment to DEI is reflected in the workplace, community partnerships and marketplace in our products, processes, and services.
She holds a Master of Science in Population Health from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Beloit College. In 2021, Angela was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science degree from Beloit College.
Samira Salem, Ph.D., CUDE
Samira has over 20 years of experience in international economic development, community development, policy research, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. She joined the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in 2018 as a Senior Policy Analyst in the Research and Policy Analysis division. In 2020 she was promoted to Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at CUNA. Before joining CUNA, she worked for Forward Community Investments (FCI), a Madison-based community development financial institution (CDFI) focused on supporting initiatives that address racial and economic inequities. Earlier, Samira worked at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington D.C. where she was a Senior Trade Analyst for Labor and studied the impact of globalization on U.S. labor market outcomes. Prior to that, she had an eight-year tenure at Washington-based DAI where she was an international economic development specialist. Samira earned her Ph.D. in Political Economy and Public Policy and her M.A. in Economics from the University of Southern California.
Francis Santana
Francis Santana is the Senior Vice President of Retail Operations at Neighborhood Credit Union, overseeing Retail Branches, Business Development, and the Call Center. With over 25 years of credit union experience, she is a financial literacy advocate who has worked extensively with various community non-profits and churches.
Her commitment to helping people while enhancing the member experience fuels a passion for learning at all levels. She is a member of the CUNA Operations/Member Experience Council and the National Association of Latino Credit Unions & Professionals. Francis received her Certified Credit Union Executive designation in 2008 and currently serves on the executive boards for the Dallas Chapter of Credit Unions and Neighborhood Credit Union Foundation.
Jennifer Santos Esperanza, Ph.D.
Dr. Jennifer Esperanza is Senior Director of Organizational Culture and Strategy at Coopera Consulting—a full-service consulting firm for the credit union industry. She is a trained cultural anthropologist with two decades of research and teaching experience on economics, culture, and consumerism.
Before joining Coopera in 2021, Jennifer spent 17 years in academia—teaching courses in cultural anthropology, sociolinguistics, immigration and consumer culture. She holds a bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Linguistics, and a Master of Arts and Ph.D. degree in Anthropology. Her doctoral research involved fieldwork with cooperatives in Southeast Asia, shortly after the financial crisis in the late 1990s.
Renee Sattiewhite
Renee Sattiewhite is the President/CEO of the African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC). Renee brought both her unique vitality and a forward-looking vision in order to create one of the most dynamic organizations in the credit union movement. Her high energy, high expectations and high touch approach for leading the organization has created a momentum for growth and change and directs a strong commitment towards eradicating racism. Today, AACUC is the leading voice on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Credit Union Movement thanks to Renee. She has successfully propelled the organization forward to offer a credible voice that addressed today's dialogue on race, equity, and inclusion for all.
In 2020, after the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and with the growing visibility of the Black Lives Matter movement, this momentum galvanized the country against racial injustice. Renee became one of the most notable catalysts, encouraging the credit union industry to become more aware of the urgent need for change toward true racial equality and economic justice, and launched the Commitment to Change: Credit Unions Unite Against Racism initiative. As a direct result of Renee's leadership AACUC received the 2022 Anchor Award from the National Credit Union Foundation which is the equivalent to the Nobel Peace Prize of the credit union movement.
In September 2022, Renee was inducted to the America's Credit Union Museum newest exhibit "Credit Union Women Making History....Herstory" Hall of Fame.
Larry D. Sewell
Larry D. Sewell recently retired from Together Credit Union where he served as Vice-President of Corporate Partnerships & Advocacy. He was active in the Credit Union industry for more than 25 years, previously holding positions as the Vice-President of Training & Development as well as the Vice-President of Corporate Culture & Talent, all with Together Credit Union. Prior to joining Together Credit Union, Larry was a Commissioned Officer in the United States Air Force. He retired from the Air Force with the rank of Major after serving for 17 years.
Larry is the Immediate Past Chair of the African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) Board of Directors, and he currently serves on the CUNA Advocacy Committee. Larry obtained his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Samford University, Birmingham, AL and two Master's degrees from the University of Arkansas (Business Management) and Webster University – St. Louis (Information Management).
Tawanda Sibanda
Tawanda is a leader of Leap by McKinsey, the firm's business-building capability, working primarily with established organizations in the banking, insurance, and payment sectors in North America to help them create and scale new businesses. He also leads our fintech work as part of Fuel, a McKinsey company to help start-ups and their investors, helping drive growth for early-stage companies. In his work with established organizations, Tawanda helps banks, insurance, and payment companies launch new digital greenfield businesses, while helping them structure and deliver digital transformations of their core business.
Julie Siwicki
Julie Siwicki is an adviser to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's community and economic development team. She specializes in qualitative research design and execution, with an interest in understanding the links between household finance, community, and economic mobility. Before joining the Atlanta Fed, she launched the Consumer Insights Collaborative, a research initiative at the Aspen Institute's Financial Security Program. Previously, she helped lead the U.S. Financial Diaries project which collected and analyzed detailed economic data from 235 families across the country. Julie has also worked at microfinance organizations in both the United States and Mali, helping to develop their infrastructures. She holds a bachelor's degree in economics and development from Brown University and a master's degree in public policy and administration from New York University.
Josh Sledge
As Senior Director, Josh leads Filene's Incubation department, which tests innovative solutions with the potential to help credit unions grow and increase financial well-being. With over a decade of experience in cross-sector innovation, he collaborates with credit unions and other industry stakeholders on live pilot tests to identify and scale products, strategies, and technology that make a difference for credit unions and their communities.
Josh holds a master's degree in liberal studies from Northwestern University and a bachelor's degree in business administration from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
Lynette Smith
Lynette Smith is a Lead Consultant with Quantum Governance, L3C--- a limited-liability, low-profit consulting group dedicated to the public good. They work exclusively with credit union and nonprofit Boards and C-suite-level executives to develop exceptional leadership.
Lynette is a renowned credit union leader and was recognized by NAFCU (National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions) in 2011 receiving its CEO of the Year Award. She recently retired as the President/CEO of TruEnergy Federal Credit Union in the Washington D.C. Metro area. Prior to serving as CEO of TruEnergy, she enjoyed a long career at Treasury Department Federal Credit Union where she served for 19 years as the Vice President/ Finance and Administration, Vice President/ CFO, Vice President/COO and Acting CEO. Lynette is a 25+ year CUES member and in March of 2021, she was inducted into the African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) Hall of Fame. Lynette currently serves on the Board of the AACUC and has also served as Chairman of that Board.
Maurice R. Smith
Maurice Smith is the CEO of Local Government Federal Credit Union and Civic FCU. Both are financial cooperatives serving the financial needs of employees, appointed officials, elected officeholders, and volunteers of local governments in North Carolina. Smith began his career in financial services as a loan officer for State Employees' Credit Union. Smith served in several capacities including vice-president/city executive and vice-president of marketing/training. Smith joined LGFCU in 1992 as the Executive Vice-President and was promoted to President in 1999 and later CEO. Civic was chartered in 2017. Smith received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and earned a Juris Doctorate from the NC Central University School of Law.
Brandi Stankovic
Dr. Brandi Stankovic is a trusted advisor and strategic planning facilitator who guides CEOs and Boards on risk appetite, organizational health, profitability, and growth. Dr. Stankovic is the coauthor of The Strategic MVP, a book of 52 growth and leadership tools and the host of the energizing podcast, The Strategic Hotbox, designed to help executives reach their greatest potential. Brandi's work on intellectual capital is published in textbooks and utilized by business schools globally.
Dr. Stankovic is a director and cofounder of CU Pride, an industry organization serving LGBTQ+ community and allies. Dr. Stankovic volunteers for the World Young Credit Union Professionals Affiliates Council and the Global Women's Leadership Network, World Council of Credit Unions, helping advance young executives and women in leadership across the globe. Dr. Stankovic's work in diversity spans nearly 15 years developing Hispanic outreach programs, global networking initiatives, and helping credit unions maximize talent and growth strategies.
Steven Stapp
Steve joined Unitus Community Credit Union as President/CEO in September 2016. Steve is responsible for guiding strategic leadership for the credit union by partnering with the Board of Directors, Leadership team, and staff in establishing long-range goals and strategic initiatives that provide superior member value.
Additionally, Steve is the immediate past Board Chairman of the World Council of Credit Unions, which is the leading international credit union trade association and development arm for credit union systems in developing nations. Steve continues to be active in developing credit unions throughout the world as a Board member of the Worldwide Foundation. He also serves on the Governmental Affairs Committee of the Northwest Credit Union Association and the Board of Currence, which provides Visa debit/credit transaction services.
Shameka Sutton
Shameka Sutton began her career as an attorney with a non-profit organization, representing victims of housing discrimination in Boston, Massachusetts. Subsequently, she advised foreign banking organizations on Basel II & III standards and the application of Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act regarding the Volcker Rule and SIFI designation.
After moving to Washington D.C., Shameka assumed banking/consumer compliance roles in private and government organizations. Currently, Shameka serves as a special advisor to the Executive Director, exercising influence and development of agency- wide policies and program development.
Shameka obtained a bachelor's degree in Finance from Missouri Western State University. She pursued and completed a juris doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and LL.M in Banking and Financial Law from Boston University School of Law.
Moriah Taylor
Moriah is a Data Analyst with CUCollaborate. She has researched many topics including grants, CDFI certifications, and the career paths of credit union CEOs. Through her ability to create compelling data visualizations and intuitive analyses, she hopes to show the credit union industry all the insights that data has to offer. Moriah is a graduate of Duke University with a degree in statistical science and a passion for all things data.