Tricia Ackerman, BSACS

CFO, Neighbors United Federal Credit Union

Tricia is the Chief Financial Officer at Neighbors United FCU. She has worked in every area and level of the credit union during her 25-years at Neighbors United; predominately in the areas of Compliance, Finance, IT, and Risk Management. This includes serving 16 years as the credit union’s Compliance Expert. Tricia has been certified as a Credit Union Compliance Expert, and Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Specialist. Additionally, Trica has volunteered on numerous non-profit boards and advisory councils. When she is not working or volunteering, Tricia enjoys travelling in the Caribbean, spending time in nature, and adding to her Lego collection.

Eddie Alicea Sáez

Executive President, Cooperativa La Sagrada Familia

Mr. Eddie Alicea joined the Sagrada Familia Savings and Credit Cooperative as manager of the Computing Center in 1989, turning it into a high-tech institution. Mr. Alicea was promoted to CEO in 2012 and since then the cooperative has doubled its assets and significantly increased its membership. In addition, the cooperative became the first institution certified by the Fund of Financial Institutions for Community Development to access federal and private funds to assist in the reconstruction of Puerto Rico after Hurricane María and achieve community reinvestment through all the island.

Mr. Alicea has been recognized for his impact in the community and in the cooperative sector. In 2014, he received an honorable mention for Community Development from the Monsignor Antulio Parrilla Bonilla Award from the League of Cooperatives of Puerto Rico for adopting and developing social responsibility practices in school cooperatives. Later, in 2016, he won the Award for Cooperative Social Responsibility of Monsignor Antulio Parrilla for promoting artisan workshops in the community. In 2018 the Senate of Puerto Rico recognized his contributions to the cooperative sector. In 2019 The Chamber of Commerce of Puerto Rico bestowed Alicea Sáez with their highest honor: The Zenit Award in the Cooperative Sector. Also, in 2019 received the international award for social responsibility "Business Management Awards" on behalf the Sagrada Familia Savings and Credit Cooperative.

Mr. Alicea was president of the board of directors of the Puerto Rico Cooperative Executives Association since 2018 thru 2021. In September 2019 was elected to Inclusiv Board of Directors. He ended his services at Inclusiv Board of Directors in 2021.

Mr. Alicea has been a member of the Advisory Board to Popular Community Capital, LLC (“PCC”) since 2021.

Mr. Alicea Sáez has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Information Systems from the University of Puerto Rico.  In addition, he completed studies at the Cooperativism Institute of Puerto Rico of the UPR.

Neda Arabshahi

SVP, Inclusiv Center for Resiliency and Clean Energy

Neda Arabshahi is Senior Vice President of the Inclusiv Center for Resiliency and Clean Energy. In this capacity, she is working to build a network of credit unions committed to designing and scaling solutions to climate change, with a goal of promoting affordable and sustainable energy for all people. Neda has over 17 years experience in the clean energy and sustainability space. Most recently she served as Chief Operating Officer at the energy startups Radiator Labs and BlocPower, where she helped to create financing and access to clean energy and energy efficiency retrofits for low- and moderate-income building owners. Prior to those roles, she led the energy program at the Clinton Global Initiative, partnering with public and private sector members to build commitments to low carbon energy solutions, including developing resilient electricity grids and solar workforce redevelopment. Neda holds dual MBA and Master of Environmental Science degrees from Yale University, where her research focused on the economic development benefits of renewable energy projects in low-income communities.

Aurelio Arroyo González

Executive President, Cooperativa Jesús Obrero (Guaynabo, PR)

Session: Building an Equitable and Resilient Future

Mr. Arroyo has a BA in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus; completed all required courses for a master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus; and has an MBA in Finance from the Interamerican University, Metropolitan Campus.

In 2005, Mr. Arroyo became an administrative staff member of Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito Jesús Obrero in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. He started as a compliance and BSA officer; was promoted to Administration VP in 2006, and was named Executive President in 2009.

Mr. Arroyo, in recent years, has served as a presenter for various audiences both in Puerto Rico and in the United States on renewable energy financing models, the development of community renewable energy microgrids, and the participation and the relevance of cooperatives in the community development. Also, Mr. Arroyo has been an active collaborator for different organizations such as Inclusiv, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Ministry of the Dominican Republic, United Nations Employees Federal Credit Union, and others.

Karla Bachmann

Social Impact Leader

Karla Bachmann has spent the last 20 years of her life working towards social equity, economic inclusion and racial justice for new immigrant and disproportionately under-resourced communities. Using a Human-Centered approach, she leads the development and implementation of transformative programs and services that promote financial opportunity and asset building. She is a firm believer in a family-centric and holistic approach of service delivery that promotes building social capital and integrates financial, education and health services for participants to achieve resiliency and financial wellness.

The Honorable Shalanda H. Baker

Director of the Office of Energy Justice and Equity, and Secretarial Advisor on Equity, and Chief Diversity Officer at the U.S. Department of Energy

Session: Building an Equitable and Resilient Future

The Honorable Shalanda H. Baker is the Director of the Office of Energy Justice and Equity at the U.S. Department of Energy, and Secretarial Advisor on Equity. She also serves as Chief Diversity Officer for the agency. Prior to her Senate confirmation, she joined the Biden-Harris Administration on Day One to serve as the Nation’s first-ever Deputy Director for Energy Justice. She is the architect of the historic Justice40 Initiative; racial justice and equity action plan; energy justice policy framework; and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts at the Department of Energy.  

Before joining the Biden-Harris Administration, she was a Professor of Law, Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University. She has spent over a decade conducting research on the equity dimensions of the global transition away from fossil fuel energy to cleaner energy resources. She is the author of over a dozen articles, book chapters, and essays on renewable energy law, energy justice, energy policy, and renewable energy development. In 2016, she received a Fulbright-Garcia-Robles research fellowship to study climate change, energy policy, and indigenous rights in Mexico.

She is the Co-Founder and former Co-Director of the Initiative for Energy Justice, an organization committed to providing technical law and policy support to communities on the frontlines of climate change. Her book, Revolutionary Power: An Activist’s Guide to the Energy Transition (Island Press 2021), argues that the technical terrain of energy policy should be the next domain to advance civil rights.

She received her BS from the United States Air Force Academy and JD from Northeastern University School of Law. She obtained her LLM while serving as a William H. Hastie Fellow at the University of Wisconsin School of Law. 

Seth Brickman

CEO, QCash Financial

Seth is an innovative leader with a successful track record of leading teams and building software products customers love to use and transforming businesses through data-based decision making and conversion rate optimization. Working for Amazon, Microsoft, and Carnival Corporation, he has seen many successes and has consistently grown customer satisfaction/engagement, revenue, and EBITA. As a veteran of the US Navy and MBA Adjunct Professor, Seth gets to interact with future leaders regularly and grow his knowledge base.

Throughout his career, Seth has built a solid track record of creating user-centric products solving a company’s most complex technical issues. Whether it was engagement strategies (personalization and gamification) and execution for Alexa, apps for Microsoft’s Fortune 50 customers, new platform solutions for Amazon, or PaaS products for Goldman Sachs, he has consistently solved actual pain points for consumers.

As a co-founder of a successful health-tech start-up, Seth knows how to start from nothing and grow a company and as CEO of QCash Financial, take over the reins of a company and increase the growth trajectory. Being a former nuclear engineer (US Navy) and adjunct professor, Seth is known for making the complex simple and helping people understand the most technical issues. He has spoken at many industry events both as a primary speaker and as a panelist and is part of the Filene Think Tank. Under Seth’s leadership, QCash Financial is now helping millions of credit union members through a life event.

William J. (Bill) Bynum

CEO, HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union and Hope Policy Institute)

Bill Bynum is the founding CEO of HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union and Hope Policy Institute), a family of organizations dedicated to strengthening the financial health and wealth of people in under resourced communities across the Deep South. Since 1994, HOPE has generated nearly $4 billion in financing that has benefitted more than 2.6 million people throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, while shaping policies and practices that have improved conditions in opportunity deserts nationwide. Bill began his professional career in North Carolina by helping to establish Self-Help, a pioneer in the development finance industry, and later built nationally recognized programs at the NC Rural Economic Development Center.

A member of the U.S. Academy of Arts & Sciences, alumnus of the Henry Crown Fellowship, Emerson Collective Dial Fellowship and Salzburg Global Fellowship, Bynum serves on the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta - New Orleans branch, Aspen Institute, NAACP Legal & Education Defense Fund, Black Vision Fund, Deep South Today, Churchill Capital IV, on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, and as an advisor to Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo and E Pluribus Unum.

Bill is a recipient of the Myrlie & Medgar Evers Voices of Courage & Justice Award, John W. Gardner Leadership Award, Heinz Award, McNulty Prize and University of North Carolina Distinguished Alumnus Award, he previously chaired the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Consumer Advisory Board, Treasury Department Community Development Advisory Board, served as a member of the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition Team, the U.S. Partnership on Mobility from Poverty, and as a Towsley Policymaker in Residence at the University of Michigan Gerald Ford School of Public Policy.

Ahmed Campbell

Director of Lending Development, Inclusiv

Ahmed Campbell is Inclusiv's Director of Lending Development. With more than 30 years in the Credit Union industry, Ahmed served as a Business Development Consultant supporting Inclusiv’s Capital and Mortgage teams. He is responsible for driving the growth of CDFI community development lending business lines and supporting the capacity of members to build and grow their operations through secondary capital and mortgage secondary marketing. Prior to joining Inclusiv, he served as Chief Credit Officer at the Municipal Credit Union (NY) where he led the Consumer Loan, Real Estate, Credit Card, and Collection operations.  Ahmed holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Berkeley College.

Marlene Cintron

Regional Administrator - Region 2, United States Small Business Administration (SBA)

As Region II Administrator, Marlene Cintron oversees the SBA programs, offices, and operations in the SBA’s Atlantic region, serving New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Ms. Cintron’s region supports over three million small businesses in four main areas: financing, education and training, government contracting, and providing a voice in public policy matters. In the last fiscal year, SBA provided over $2.4 billion dollars in below market rate loans and over 12 billion dollars in federal contracts to small businesses in her region.

Ms. Cintron received her bachelor’s degree from SUNY College at Old Westbury, her Master’s degree in Education Administration from Fordham University and her Juris Doctorate from the Georgetown School of Law.

Darian Cobb

Community Impact Manager, Local Government FCU & Civic FCU

Darian Cobb is the Community Impact Manager at Local Government FCU & Civic FCU. She is responsible for leveraging data and analytics to enhance the Credit Union's overall impact efforts as they correlate to members, communities, local government entities, and strategic partners. She leads efforts in identifying and continuously improving the Credit Union's understanding of and ability to measure the social and environmental impact of products and services, Foundation activities, Values and Sustainability initiatives, and other areas of impact. Darian is responsible for monitoring CDFI and Secondary Capital-related target market lending, external reporting, and certifications.

She holds a Master's in Public Affairs (MPA) with a concentration in Community and Economic Development and a BS in Political Science & International and Global Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Darian is also a Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE).

Miguel A. Colón Roble

CEO, Coop Rodriguez Hidalgo

Miguel A. Colón Robles is the accomplished CEO of Coop Rodriguez Hidalgo (CRH) in Coamo, Puerto Rico, with a robust 18-year tenure in the Credit Union Industry. A distinguished leader, Miguel not only steers CRH's strategic direction but also shapes the industry landscape as a member of the Board of Directors of COSSEC, the State Regulator of Cooperativas in Puerto Rico. As a Certified Public Accountant, Miguel brings a unique blend of financial acumen and visionary leadership to CRH. Under his guidance, CRH has not only flourished but has also pioneered a robust Commercial Program that offers a comprehensive suite of financial products designed to support the diverse needs of Small Businesses across the island. He strongly believes that empowering the community through financial education will ensure that individuals and businesses alike are equipped with the knowledge and tools to achieve long-term financial stability and prosperity.

Nilbia Coyote

Executive Director, New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE)

Nilbia Coyote is the Executive Director of New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE). New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE) is an organization dedicated to inspiring, organizing, and empowering immigrant workers. NICE organizes immigrant workers' individual and collective social, economic, and political power to seek justice in life and at work. Our innovative approach combines a robust workforce development program, building professional careers with empowering training & government certifications, with life-supportive services. Nilbia is a community builder, advocate, and organizer for immigrant communities. Nilbia Coyote is an immigrant from Mexico. Prior been the Executive Director of NICE, she worked as NICE Training & Education Director, where she built the department and infrastructure that allow immigrant workers in NYC to obtain KYR and technical skills training - like OSHA/SST and other certifications in the trades, cleaning, and service industries. These life-changing trainings - have empowered and changed the lives of thousands of immigrant workers that live and contribute to the NYC economy.

Before coming to NICE, Nilbia Coyote held different functions at Qualitas of Life, a non-profit focused on providing economic empowerment to the immigrant community. In addition, she worked as a Community Organizing Coordinator at the Consulate General of Mexico in NYC. In that role, Coyote empowered the Mexican Community to organize and engage with government agencies and other community groups across the city.

Nilbia Coyote has more than 18 years in public service with community organizations and government institutions in Mexico and NYC. Her experience focuses on building immigrant workers' individual and collective power by recognizing their humanity, organizing with them through community education, and enabling them to contribute to their communities while becoming self-sufficient.

Katherine de la Cruz-Mongeon 

Vice President of Marketing & Public Relations, Banco Cooperativo of Puerto Rico

She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialization in Accounting from the University of Puerto Rico, marking the foundation of a distinguished career spanning over 25 years within the cooperative movement in Puerto Rico. 

Her professional career began as an examiner at what is now recognized as the Puerto Rico Cooperative Insurance and Supervision Corporation (COSSEC). Transitioning through pivotal roles, she ascended to the positions of Comptroller and President within local credit unions, showcasing her expertise in financial management and strategic leadership. 

Seven years ago, she was invited to join the Banco Cooperativo of Puerto Rico team as Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, contributing her insights to elevate the institution's visibility and engagement within the cooperative movement, especially the financial sector. 

Among her notable achievements, De la Cruz has been instrumental during the implementation process of innovative products within cooperatives, such as credit and debit cards, mobile app for credit cards, among others. Her dedication to professional development led her to attain a certification as a Project Manager three years ago, enabling her to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams at the Bank and spearhead projects involving renowned brands like Mastercard and Visa. 

Beyond her corporate endeavors, she has actively contributed to various cooperative organizations, including the Asociación de Ejecutivos de Cooperativas and Circuito Cooperativo, among others, where she has held diverse leadership positions on the Board of Directors. 

Pablo DeFilippi

Executive Vice President, Inclusiv Network, Inclusiv

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.

Mr. DeFilippi holds a B.A. in Social Studies from Universidad de Chile, as well as a Professional Accounting Certificates from Baruch College and New York University. He has a Masters of Business Administration from Pace University, and is a graduate of CUNA’s Management School and NCUF’s Social Impact Management Institute. He is also a Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) and a UK Credit Union Development Educator.

Carla Decker

President & CEO, SkyPoint Federal Credit Union

Carla Decker is President & CEO of SkyPoint Federal Credit Union, a community development financial institution (CDFI) with over USD $200M in assets serving low- and moderate-income families in the Washington, DC metro area.

Carla previously served as Chief Operating Officer of the IDB Global Federal Credit Union, a $780 million co-op owned by over 10,000 staff of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). For two decades preceding that post, she served as President & Chief Executive Officer of DC Federal Credit Union

An avid cooperator and advocate, she has served in numerous local and national Credit Union association boards.

Carla is the immediate Past Chair of the Board of the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA/CLUSA).  She represents NCBA/CLUSA, and the U.S. cooperative movement, to Cooperatives of the Americas.

Carla is originally from Perú. Her immigrant experience informs and energizes her Credit Union’s initiatives to address and advocate for the financial inclusion and the well-being of the local Hispanic community. In 2019 and 2020, she was named to the list of the 100 Most Influential People to the Hispanic Community by “El Tiempo Latino” – the principal Spanish-language news publication in DC’s metropolitan area.

Judy DeLucca

President & CEO, New Orleans Firemen's Federal Credit Union

For more than forty years, Judy DeLucca has served as the President and CEO of New Orleans Firemen’s Federal Credit Union, guiding the institution towards its current status as an innovative Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Under her leadership, the credit union has flourished, boasting assets exceeding $265 million and catering to the financial needs of over 30,000 members.

Throughout her tenure, Judy has successfully navigated the credit union through various challenges, including regulatory changes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and numerous natural disasters. Despite these obstacles, she has remained steadfast in her commitment to serving the community.

As the region served by Firemen’s Federal faces increasing activity related to climate change, Judy and her team have continuously sought out innovative approaches to uphold the credit union mission of people helping all people.

Alane R. Dent

Vice President, Corporate & Legislative Affairs, TruStage

Alane Dent is a nationally recognized advocate with over twenty years of experience spearheading legislative and communication strategies on behalf of consumers and the financial services industry. 

Mrs. Dent currently serves as Vice-President, Corporate & Legislative Affairs, at TruStage, a financial services company that provides product and service solutions to credit unions and retail customers.  She advocates before federal and state legislatures, regulatory authorities, trade associations, and stakeholder coalitions on behalf of the credit union and life insurance industries to benefit consumers. 

Mrs. Dent previously founded and led Dent Strategies, a boutique government relations firm specializing in federal and state advocacy. Prior to founding Dent Strategies, Mrs. Dent served as the Senior Vice-President for Federal Relations at the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI).  

In her early career, Mrs. Dent worked for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) and served as Legislative Counsel to former U.S. Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND). 

Mrs. Dent earned a B.A. in Political Science from Howard University and a J.D. from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. She is a graduate of the Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) program.

Keisha Deonarine  

Director, Center for Opportunity, Race and Justice, NAACP

Session: Putting It All Together: Credit Unions Building an Inclusive, Equitable and Green Economy

Keisha Deonarine is the Director of Opportunity, Race, and Justice at the NAACP, focusing on advancing the progress of Black and Brown people in the inclusive economy space. Her leadership was instrumental in securing millions of dollars in grants and capital for marginalized communities, and she champions capital in marginalized communities at a national level. She has a successful consulting practice with a remarkable philanthropic track record and has earned numerous accolades for her work. These include being named the ABFE Connecting Leaders Fellowship Program Class of 2020, Forty Under 40 by Business First in 2021, Leadership Louisville Bingham Fellows Class of 2021, Today's Women DE&I Leader in 2022, and Most Admired Women Equity Champion Nominee in 2022. Her achievements demonstrate her commitment and hard work to impact society positively. 

Michelle Dickens

Program Manager for the Office of Certification Policy and Evaluation, Community Development Financial Institutions(CDFI) Fund

Michelle Dickens is Program Manager for the Office of Certification Policy and Evaluation at the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund). As Program Manager, Michelle provides oversight of all Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Certification and Community Development Entity (CDE) Certification and related activities that support the associated CDFI Fund Programs.

Prior to joining the CDFI Fund, Michelle’s career focused on local and national non-profit administration and management in the areas of community and economic development. She served as Program Manager for the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development, Community Investment Tax Credit Program. Additionally, Michelle has provided program oversight at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, Family League of Baltimore City, National Association of Workforce Boards, and Maryland Employment & Training Institute.

Michelle earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New York at Albany.

Nancy Eiden

Financial Advisor

Founder, First Step Alliance

Nancy is a results-driven leader with over 25 years of executive-level experience in global financial institutions. Her diverse background includes wealth management, operations, marketing, and regulatory compliance. Among her many career accomplishments, Nancy was CEO of the investment and insurance CUSOs of Affinity FCU and CEO and board member of a $4 billion bank-owned broker-dealer.

For several years, Nancy has focused on initiatives that advance financial inclusion for underserved communities. In 2020, she founded First Step Alliance, a non-profit helping justice-involved individuals achieve sustainable financial independence. She recently formed an organizing group to start a new credit union for this community. Nancy is also a certified mentor with SCORE, the nation's largest volunteer network of small business mentors, and a board member with Farm Sahel, a non-profit working to improve gender equity and food security in Africa.

Nancy is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Laurie Fielder

VP-Green Lending, VSECU, a division of New England Federal Credit Union 

Laurie joined VSECU in 2013, when the newly established VGreen financing program, with a $2.5M portfolio, was just beginning to gain traction in Vermont’s energy efficiency and renewable energy finance marketplace. Now more than $140M, the green loan portfolio differentiates this Vermont-based credit union as a leader in clean energy finance.

Through many collaborations and partnerships with installers, contractors, and stakeholders, Laurie explores ways to offer financing options that maximize energy savings for borrowers. Laurie’s past work experience includes the weatherization program at Capstone Community Action and a successful solar company headquartered in Vermont.

Laurie is a board member for Renewable Energy Vermont (REV) and serves on committees of Vermont organizations focusing on energy and environment.   

Michele Franqui Baquero

Executive President, CamuyCoop (Camuy, PR)

Session: Building a Cooperative Economy

Michele Franqui Baquero has a Master's Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management and Strategic Leadership. Her extensive knowledge of the Cooperative Principles is sustained with more than 33 years of training and experience in the Puerto Rican Cooperative Movement. She began working at the Camuy Savings and Credit Cooperative in 1987. Her dedication to work and excellence in her duties have allowed her to always reach higher-responsibility positions. She has performed in functions such as: Teller, Head Teller Supervisor, Loan Analyst, Loan Analyst Supervisor, Administrative Officer and Vice President. Her dominance in English and Spanish; companionship and affable treatment with employees, administration and members, make her highly suitable to lead the institution's growth. In recognition of these attributes and the Board of Directors' commitment and loyalty to CamuyCoop, she was chosen by unanimous vote to become the Executive President and she has held the role since November 1, 1998.

Since taking on this position, the institution has made significant gains in virtually all areas of development. This is evidenced by the Financial Audit Reports of the independent auditors and by the Corporation for the Supervision and Insurance of Cooperatives of Puerto Rico, COSSEC, which awarded the Recognition of Administrative Excellence to CamuyCoop, for excellent management on eight occasions. From 2008 to 2010, Michele belonged to the Advisory Committee of the Corporation for the Supervision and Insurance of Cooperatives of Puerto Rico. Michele excelled as President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Cooperative Executives of Puerto Rico, where she advocated development and benefit alternatives for the Puerto Rican Cooperative Movement.

Currently, Michele is a member of the Board of Banco Cooperativo of Puerto Rico, where she began as the President of the Audit Committee. She is also President of the Board of Directors of the Technology Cooperative, USICOOP, and formed part of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, being the President of the Chamber Cooperatives Committee.

Miriam Freeman

Vice President, Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Miriam Freeman has over a decade of experience at the intersection of industry, policy, and social impact, with a passion for financial health, fintech, and inclusive economic development. She currently manages a portfolio of nearly $20MM in philanthropic investment as part of JPMorgan Chase’s (JPMC) firmwide financial health strategy, which has improved the lives of more than 50MM consumers since 2019. Prior to JPMC, she has held roles in financial inclusion advisory, corporate affairs, and executive education (in Santiago, Chile). She holds a Master of International Business from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and a Bachelor’s degree in international affairs from The George Washington University.

Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, Ph.D.

Author of Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice (2014)

U.S. Cooperative Hall of Fame inductee (2016)

Professor of Community Justice and Social Economic Development, in the Department of Africana Studies, John Jay College, City University of NY

Session: Building a Cooperative Economy

Dr. Gordon-Nembhard is an internationally recognized and widely published political economist specializing in cooperative economics, community economic development and community-based asset building, racial wealth inequality, solidarity economics, Black Political Economy, and community-based approaches to justice. She is co-editor, for example, with Ngina Chiteji of Wealth Accumulation and Communities of Color (University of Michigan Press 2006).

Recipient of numerous awards in social economics and cooperative studies, she is a member of the Cooperative Economics Council of NCBA/CLUSA; the International Co-operative Alliance Committee on Co-operative Research; a Faculty Fellow and Mentor with the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations; an affiliate scholar with the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (University of Saskatchewan, Canada); and guest lecturer with the International Centre for Co-operative Management, Sobey School of Business, St. Mary’s University (Halifax, NS, Canada). Gordon-Nembhard is also a past board member of the Association of Cooperative Educators; a past fellow with the Center on Race and Wealth at Howard University; and a member and past president of the National Economic Association.

She is the proud mother of Stephen and Susan, and the grandmother of Stephon, Hugo, Ismaél and Gisèle Nembhard.

Jessica Grostic

President/CEO, Copper Basin Federal Credit Union

Jessica Grostic, President/CEO of Copper Basin Federal Credit Union, leads a thriving CDFI and community-chartered cooperative financial institution that has been serving people since 1965. With $57 million in assets and 5700 members, Copper Basin FCU boasts a robust lending presence, prioritizing service for individuals with diverse credit histories.

Having started as a drive-thru teller, Jessica has experience in all areas of the credit union.  She spent 15 of the past 22 years in lending and was promoted to President/CEO in 2020.  She is a CUDE graduate of the best class ever – February 2024 - and is a 2024 graduate of Cuna Management School.  She has a Bachelor's in Business Administration from Western Governors University.  She serves as secretary on the Tennessee Credit Union League board of directors and on the engagement committee of the Credit Union Women’s Leadership Alliance (CUWLA).  Jessica has a passion for carrying out the credit union mission of people helping people and is rooted firmly in the credit union's mission – “In Our Community, For Our Community.”

Eric Hangen

Senior Research Fellow, Carsey School Center for Impact Finance, University of New Hampshire

Eric Hangen is a Senior Research Fellow at the Carsey School Center for Impact Finance at the University of New Hampshire, where he studies climate finance in low-income communities.  Eric also is the Principal of I Squared Community Development Consulting, a national, boutique consulting practice focused on social impact finance.  Clients have included the Urban Institute, LISC, NeighborWorks America, the Center for Housing Policy, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and over 100 other community development organizations across the United States. Eric has worked in community development for over 25 years.  He has a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies from Brown University.  He is a member of the Environmental Finance Advisory Board at the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Hector Hidalgo

Relationship Manager/Project Manager, Pathways to Financial Empowerment, Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union

Hector Hidalgo leads the Pathways to Financial Empowerment experience for credit unions, their financial coaches, and their members.

Honed by his experience as a financial coach at Neighborhood Trust, Hector’s passion for helping clients to take ownership of their financial lives is contagious. Over the past decade, Hector has paired that passion with a deep understanding of how personal financial coaching, data, and technology can be combined to strengthen the financial health of clients, credit unions, and communities as a whole.

A father of two, Hector spends most of his free time pretty much doing whatever 5-year-old daughter Camila wants to do and soon 8-month-old Marcelo. Hector was born and raised in Washington Heights, NY and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Lehman College.

Lynne Hoey

CIO, Kataly Foundation

As the Kataly Foundation’s Chief Investment Officer, Lynne leads the Foundation’s community investment strategy under the Restorative Economics framework. Lynne also incorporates her deep experience in the integrated capital approach to work with Kataly’s grantee and investee partners to ensure the needs of their organization are at the center of the work.

Lynne brings more than fifteen years of experience working in the fields of accounting, banking and impact investing. In her previous role as the Managing Director of the Olamina Fund and Head of Lending at Candide Group, she launched, with community feedback, the Olamina Fund, which focuses on funding organizations that have faced systemic racism and intentional extraction of resources. Olamina is also a place to train BIPOC fund managers to lead impact investing.

Prior to her work at Olamina, Lynne was the Senior Director of Credit at RSF Social Finance, one of the oldest impact funds in the country. In her role at RSF Social Finance, she helped launch the Women’s Capital Collaborative, a $2M integrated capital fund committed to funding women of color-led enterprises. She doubled the size of the loan portfolio and co-managed a team of 13 people. She was part of the DEI committee and made specific recommendations on how to address internalized white supremacist structures to match its external funding commitments. Lynne is a Chartered Accountant and has an MBA in Corporate Finance.

James Hunter

Chief Diversity Officer, New Orleans Firemen’s Federal Credit Union

James Hunter directs the cultural diversity and community inclusion efforts for New Orleans Firemen’s Federal Credit Union. As a certified credit union manager, financial counselor, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mastermind, he actively partners with management and leadership to embed DEI and the credit union difference into every strategic initiative. As the executive director of The Faith Fund, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, Hunter is committed to serving the underserved by providing unique products and services designed to help people break the financial wealth divide. In previous roles Hunter has served as the Chief Lending Officer for Alternatives Federal Credit Union. Furthermore, he was Senior Vice President for Mortgage Lending at HOPE, where he provided leadership and direct oversight to HOPE’s mortgage division and strategic initiatives. During his tenure, mortgage lending increased by 117 percent, generating more than $50 million in loans across the Deep South, one of the most impoverished regions of the nation. Hunter holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Communication and Human Relations from Western Illinois University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Webster University. He is a member of Habitat for Humanity and Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program.

Jeff Ivey

President and CEO, River City Federal Credit Union

Jeff Ivey is President and CEO of River City Federal Credit Union, a CDFI, MDI and Juntos Avanzamos credit union located in San Antonio, Texas. Founded in 1935, the credit union serves members and businesses in Bexar County.

Ivey has over 38 years in the financial industry, working at large regional and small community banks, as well as a large credit union prior to joining River City in 2018. He is a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace University and received his MBA from the University of Washington.

Under Ivey’s leadership, River City has increased membership by 22% and has been successful with CDFI grants, totaling over $3 million between FA and RRP grants. In January 2023, River City closed on a $14 million ECIP transaction, furthering the commitment the credit union has made to reducing the number of financially underserved households and small businesses in San Antonio.

He and wife Janice are court appointed child advocates with CASA of Central Texas in New Braunfels, working with children that are under Child Protective Services custody due to abuse and neglect. Jeff serves on the Board of Directors for Inclusiv as well as their Government Affairs, Audit, and Small Business Committees, and recently completed his term on the CFPB Credit Union Advisory Council. He is also serves on the United Way’s Partners for Community Change, the Asset Funder’s Network in San Antonio and the San Antonio YWCA’s Wage Equity panel.

Blanche L. Jackson

CEO, Stepping Stones Community Federal Credit Union

Blanche L. Jackson is currently the CEO of Stepping Stones Community Federal Credit Union, with the primary responsibility of overseeing the day-to-day operations and implementing products and services that are needed to provide financial stability in the city of Wilmington.

She has been the mentor of Stepping Stones since 2009 and instrumental in its chartering in 2011. She was the Executive Vice President of the Delaware State Police Federal Credit Union (DSPFCU), where she was employed for 20 years.

At DSPFCU, she managed the day-to-day operations and was responsible for the areas of lending, operations, information technology, human resources, and compliance.

She is a Certified Credit Union Executive through CUES and a certified credit union compliance officer with the National Association of Federal Credit Unions. She holds a degree in finance. 

Joanna Jackson

Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor, Development Educator

Joanna Jackson is a Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor, Development Educator, and trailblazer in the solar lending space, dedicated to forging strong partnerships and helping to educate on the options and importance. 

Joanna is also passionate about finding clean energy resources for low-to-moderate income families. In addition, Joanna likes to put her high-energy to use by volunteering in her community including work with first responders, children, and various charities.  

Jami Jennings

Vice President Digital Product Management & Member Experience, VisiFI

Jami Jennings is the VP of Product Management & Member Experience at VisiFI, a technology company that works alongside credit unions to help them accomplish their mission of providing financial solutions to their members and communities.   She believes in the credit union mission and has been a visionary and advocate for over 20 years.  She began as an advisor for Wells Fargo Financial and later joined VisiFI where she worked with credit unions and cross-functional teams to create and develop technology solutions to help credit unions succeed.  She has led and motivated many teams to design and develop their award-winning Digital Banking application.  She is a keynote speaker and a regular contributor to credit union industry publications and leads a monthly podcast (VisiFI T.I.P.P.S) where she speaks to CU leaders, researchers and fintech’s about what is impacting credit unions today and how we can learn together.

Joanna Jackson

CEO & Co-Founder, Posh

Karan Kashyap is Posh's Chief Executive Officer and co-founder. Prior to founding Posh in 2018, Karan earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from MIT focusing on computer science & artificial intelligence, where he was named a Siebel Scholar for his research work. As CEO, he has helped lead Posh to 50+ credit union and bank clients across the country, an employee count of over 100 team members, over $36M in investments raised to-date, and industry coverage by brands such as Gartner, Forbes, and VentureBeat. Karan was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 list for 2023 as well as to the Forbes Technology Council.

Kristi Kenworthy

Managing Director, Dora Financial

As Managing Director of Dora Financial, Kristi Kenworthy brings a wealth of expertise cultivated through years of dedicated service in the Credit Union industry. With a proven track record of spearheading groundbreaking initiatives, she consistently delivers innovative, custom digital applications, setting Credit Union industry standards and driving organizational success. Kristi is deeply committed to the transformative power of cooperative banking. She continuously seeks to elevate organizational standards while staying true to the founding principles of inclusivity and community empowerment. Her leadership is guided by respect for the Credit Union ethos, ensuring that every decision is aligned with members' collective well-being.

Cathi Kim

Director, Inclusiv/Captial

Cathi Kim is Director of Inclusiv/Capital. Cathi's work at Inclusiv is focused on connecting CDCUs to capital to strengthen their double bottom line of financial growth and community impact. Her role includes leading underwriting, market analysis and strategy development, advising on credit union regulations, business planning, and impact design to help credit unions strengthen their double bottom line of financial growth and community impact. Prior to her work at Inclusiv, Cathi worked on housing and immigrant rights campaigns and complex civil litigations.

Brian Knight

President & CEO, NASCUS

Session: Regulatory Perspectives on Building an Inclusive Financial System

Brian Knight was appointed President and CEO on January 1, 2022. He joined NASCUS in 1998 and had served as NASCUS’ general counsel since 2007. In 2014, Mr. Knight was also named executive vice president. In addition to managing NASCUS’ legal affairs, Mr. Knight oversaw NASCUS’ legislative and regulatory analysis, policy development, advocacy, and compliance guidance. He also oversaw NASCUS’ professional development department and Accreditation and State Programs department. 

With an extensive background in both legislative and regulatory analyses and a comprehensive knowledge of the state and federal credit union regulatory system, Mr. Knight represents NASCUS speaking at seminars, trade association meetings, and conferences. Mr. Knight has testified before numerous state legislatures on behalf of state regulatory agencies and participated in industry strategic planning sessions. 

In 2005, Mr. Knight developed a Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering compliance conference for examiners and credit unions. Held in partnership with CUNA, the conference today remains the largest credit union specific BSA training in the country. 

Mr. Knight earned his law degree from the College of William and Mary school of law. Prior, he earned a B.A. in history and political science from Hope College. Mr. Knight is a member of the American Bar Association and the District of Columbia Bar. 

Hope Knight

President, CEO and Commissioner, Empire State Development

Hope Knight is the President, CEO and Commissioner of Empire State Development, New York State’s economic development agency. She was nominated to the position by Governor Kathy Hochul in October 2021, and confirmed by the New York State Senate in May 2022.

At ESD, Commissioner Knight is dedicated to policies that advance sustainable and inclusive economic growth. She has been instrumental in the creation of the state’s Office of Strategic Workforce Development, which will focus on improving New York's workforce development programs and practices to better align with the needs and priorities of today's employers. Ms. Knight has also focused efforts on supporting New York State’s small businesses, ensuring that they have the resources needed to grow and thrive, and growing the state’s Minority- and Women-Owned Business community.

Prior to her appointment, Commissioner Knight served as President & CEO of Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, one of the nation’s first community development corporations. In that capacity, she advanced economic growth, community-building, and sustainable real estate development that has immeasurably revitalized and strengthened the Southeast Queens region. Additionally, from 2015 to 2021 she was a Commissioner on the New York City Planning Commission.

Commissioner Knight was Chief Operating Officer of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, overseeing more than $150 million in investments and leveraging over $1 billion in private capital. She also served as a Vice President at Morgan Stanley in domestic and international capacities. Earlier in her career, Ms. Knight worked at Accenture and in New York City government. She holds a BA from Marymount Manhattan College and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business of the University of Chicago.

Kelly Lay

Director of the Office of Examination and Insurance, National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)

Kelly Lay is the NCUA’s Director of the Office of Examination and Insurance. In this role, Ms. Lay oversees the NCUA’s examination and supervision program, which ensures the safety and soundness of the credit unions system and manages risk to the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund.

Before becoming the Director of the Office of Examination and Insurance, Ms. Lay served as the Director of the Office of Business Innovation and the NCUA’s Chief Data Officer. She was also instrumental in guiding the development of the NCUA’s new examination system, the Modern Examination & Risk Identification Tool or MERIT.

Ms. Lay previously served as the Associate Regional Director of Programs in the former-Region II office from 2010–2016. She has also worked in the former-Region V office as the Director of Supervision from 2006–2009 and as the Director of Insurance when the office first opened in 2004. Additionally, she held various positions in the former-Chicago region, including examiner, Supervision Analyst, and Director of Supervision.

Ms. Lay began her career with NCUA in 1996 after graduating from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. She earned her Certified Public Accountant certificate in Illinois in 2002.

Dan Letendre

Managing Director, CDFI Lending & Investing, Bank of America

Dan Letendre is Bank of America’s CDFI Lending & Investing Executive, responsible for a portfolio of approximately $2 billion of loans and investments to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs). CDFIs work to expand economic opportunity in low-income communities by providing financial and technical assistance to support equitable and sustainable community development. They finance affordable housing, small businesses, and community facilities providing health care, education, childcare and other needed social services.

Prior to this role, Mr. Letendre was Managing Director of Merrill Lynch Community Development Company (MLCDC), a subsidiary of Merrill Lynch that provided capital, liquidity, and technical assistance to underserved communities. He also managed MLCDC’s New Markets Tax Credit Program and focused on expanding the firm’s socially responsible investment products focused on the community development sector.

Mr. Letendre was previously Vice President at JPMorgan Chase, where he managed the bank’s lending and investing activities with CDFIs. He also managed JPMorgan Chase’s portfolio of community development venture capital investments and its New Markets Tax Credit Program.

Prior to his work with the bank’s community development division, Mr. Letendre worked within Chase’s Financial Institutions Group, which provides lending and advisory services to banks, thrifts, and credit unions.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Letendre was a management consultant with Booz Allen & Hamilton in their Financial Institutions Practice and a research analyst with Paine Webber, focusing on financial institutions in developing countries.

Mark Levine

Manhattan Borough President

Mark Levine is the Manhattan Borough President, serving since January 2022. Previously, he was the Council Member for the 7th District representing West Harlem/Hamilton Heights, Morningside Heights, and parts of the Upper West Side and Washington Heights.

In his eight years in the City Council, Mark was a leading voice in for tenants rights, public health, and equity in our schools, transit, parks, and housing. As chair of the City Council Health Committee, Mark rose to national prominence as a leader in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to his work in the Council, Mark founded a community credit union in Washington Heights, and he began his career as a bilingual math and science teacher at a middle school in the South Bronx.

Linda Levy

Retired CEO, Lower East Side People’s FCU (LESPFCU)

Linda Levy, retired CEO, Lower East Side People’s FCU (LESPFCU), has been involved in the credit union movement, and specifically the LESPFCU since 1986.  She currently serves on its Board of Directors, and is Executive Consultant to the credit union. In that capacity she represents the credit union in a variety of city-wide coalitions, including Public Bank NYC and the NYS Equity Agenda.  In addition, Ms. Levy consults with groups across the country who are trying to receive a credit union charter, as well as with credit unions that are seeking to become more mission focused.  She also serves on the Board of Directors of the New Economy Project.  Ms. Levy resides in New York City.

Stan Lyzak

Cyber Security Advisor, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

Stan Lyzak is a Cyber Security Advisor for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

He has worked for 30 years in IT and cybersecurity for small, medium, and global organizations, being involved as a technician, architect, consultant, and in leadership roles building and managing teams. His broad experience in every major industry includes those such as: local, state, federal government, energy, tech, finance, telecom, healthcare, pharma, tech, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, construction, and education.

His experience includes being the incident commander for
many security events over his career from simple phishing attacks, malware outbreaks and insider threats to multiple state‐actor sponsored breaches. He also has performed many risk and compliance assessments against common regulatory, legal and privacy requirements.

Cathie Mahon

President/CEO, Inclusiv

Putting It All Together: Credit Unions Building an Inclusive, Equitable and Green Economy

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.

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). NYC’s OFE was the first local government initiative in the nation with a mission aimed expressly at helping to educate, empower and protect low income residents to help them make the most of their financial resources. Mahon was a co-founder of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Coalition and Fund and remains an active Board member.  Mahon has worked as a consultant on issues of community development, financial empowerment and asset building.  She was the founding coordinator of the Asset Funders Network and served as a lead researcher for the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program. She learned about credit unions and CDFIs first as an intern at Self Help Credit Union and then as a Program Officer and then Director of Policy and Program Development at Inclusiv. She has served on the Boards of the Lower East Side People’s FCU and Transfiguration Parish FCU. Ms. Mahon earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Duke University in Durham, NC and a Master’s of City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Jessica Maldonado

Vice President of Public Affairs, PolicyWorks

Jessica leads the public relations division at PolicyWorks, a multi-client firm based in Iowa. Understanding the intersection of public relations and advocacy, she has nearly two decades of experience in strategic messaging, media relations, digital strategy, grassroots communication and more.    

Unique in her role, Jessica has extensive experience working with both the credit union movement and the renewable energy industry with national clients like The Nature Conservancy, the Energy Foundation, the Land & Liberty Coalition, the Conservative Energy Network and many more. She understands the messaging needed to gain support of clean energy from all types of audiences, and has worked directly with consumers on solar education and knows firsthand the barriers consumers face when finding trusted clean energy lenders.                       

​

Prior to joining PolicyWorks, Jessica spent nine years in the chamber and economic development world. Jessica graduated from Truman State University, with a BA in Communication–Journalism and a minor in Spanish.

Melissa Marquez

CEO, Genesee Co-op Federal Credit Union

Melissa Marquez has worked in the field of grassroots cooperative economics for her entire career. She is currently CEO of Genesee Co-op Federal Credit Union in Rochester, NY, a 42-year-old CDCU and CDFI with $40 million in assets and 4,200 members. She has been working at Genesee Co-op for 20 years. Prior to that she worked for 8 years at a newly chartered CDCU, Progressive Neighborhood FCU. Melissa also served on the Board of Directors of Genesee Co-op for 11 years from 1989 to 2000 and has been a proud member of the credit union since 1985. Melissa is also on the steering committees of the NYS Community Equity Agenda Coalition and Rochester Public Banking Coalition. In addition to being a co-founder of the Greater Rochester Community Reinvestment Coalition, she has served on the boards of Inclusiv, the Institute for Community Economics, Abundance Cooperative Market and City Roots Community Land Trust.

Chriselle Martinez

CDFI Program Director, Inclusiv

Chriselle Martinez, PhD is the CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) Program Director. Chriselle brings an extensive background in community development with a central focus on credit union community and partnership development. Chriselle centers her work, in the Inclusiv value “financial inclusion and empowerment is a fundamental right.” She values authentic relationship building and views credit unions as a key stakeholder in equitable community development. Chriselle has a doctorate degree from The University of New Mexico located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is a 2020-2021 Fulcrum Fellow with the Center for Community Investment at the Lincoln Land Institute. Prior to entering the financial industry, Chriselle had a ten-year career resource building, bridging access points and program development for first-generation and BIPOC college students in higher education.

Executive President, Puerto Rico Federal Credit Union

Natasha McAdoo

Program Officer (ACCESS Coordinator), NCUA

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 Credit Union Management School.

Elizabeth McCluskey

Director, TruStage Ventures

Elizabeth McCluskey is a Director at TruStage Ventures, the venture capital arm of TruStage. She leads the Discovery Fund, which invests in early-stage fintech companies led by underrepresented founders. She supports a portfolio of over 20 companies across financial wellness, lending, and banking technology, and works to build partnerships between fintechs and the credit union ecosystem. Prior to joining TruStage, Elizabeth was a Principal at Impact Engine, where she helped launch the women-led investment firm’s first venture capital fund.  At Impact Engine, she invested in early-stage companies in economic empowerment, environmental sustainability, and health equity. Elizabeth began her career at UBS in investment banking and wealth management. She graduated cum laude from Harvard College with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, and received an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.  She is also a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

Shannon McKay

Program Manager and Research Analyst, Financial Strategies and Research Unit, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund

Shannon McKay is currently the Program Manager and Research Analyst in the Financial Strategies and Research Unit at the CDFI Fund. She has been with the CDFI Fund since 2019 where her portfolio has included managing the data collection, cleaning and report development of the Fund's Annual Certification and Data Collection (ACR) report, as well as supporting other research initiatives.

Prior to joining the CDFI Fund, Shannon was the Research Manager in the Community Development department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Her research work there included small business lending, foreclosures, neighborhood stabilization, homelessness as well as workforce development and worker displacement. Shannon holds a Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Planning from MIT, a M.S. in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, and a B.A. in Economics from Vassar College.

Mike Mercer

President/CEO, COOPR8 Consulting, LLC

Mike Mercer has dedicated his career to advancing the capabilities of American credit unions in fulfilment of their mission to improve the financial well-being of people. He has become a champion for the cooperative business model, regarding it as the best foundation for delivering value fairly to the members.

Over his career, Mike served on many regional and national credit union/co-op support organizations. Among them, he served on the AACUL, CUNA and NCB boards, holding chairmanship roles on each. He served on numerous other boards and committees throughout his career. In addition, he organized an international partnership with credit unions in Poland, which was formalized in 1995. Another partnership with credit unions in the UK was established in recent years.

Mike has been recognized for his work with many awards of appreciation. Among them are the credit union system’s highest recognition, the Herb Wegner lifetime achievement award. In addition, Mike was inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame. For his work in Poland, he was recognized with the Knights Cross, the highest governmental award to non-Polish citizens.

Jeff Merkowitz

Senior Advisor, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund

Jeff Merkowitz is Senior Advisor at the CDFI Fund and brings over three decades of both policy and direct, on the ground experience in the areas of housing finance and community development.  He previously served as Director of Operations and Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, where he crafted the Senator’s policy responses to both the foreclosure crisis and the longstanding shortage of affordable housing in California.  Prior to that, as the Chief Financial Officer for Opportunity Fund, a certified CDFI, he created the financial infrastructure to manage the organization’s affordable housing development, small business, and New Markets Tax Credit loan programs.  Additionally, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica, organizing local women’s groups to start up small businesses and providing assistance to rural communities with small development projects.  He is a graduate of Princeton University and earned an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Mabel Jiménez Miranda

President of the Public Corporation for the Supervision and Insurance of Cooperatives of Puerto Rico (COSSEC)

Session: Regulatory Perspectives on Building an Inclusive Financial System

Mabel Jiménez Miranda was appointed as the Executive President of the Public Corporation for the Supervision and Insurance of Cooperatives of Puerto Rico (COSSEC) on July 30, 2021. She is the second woman to lead Puerto Rico's cooperative regulator and deposit insurer. Mabel joined the government in 1995 while pursuing her bachelor's degree at the university. She worked as the Purchasing Manager for the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico in 2005 and then served as the Transportation Office Director and Executive Assistant for the same institution. Mabel also worked as the Deputy Administrator in the Vocational Rehabilitation Administration. 

Mabel has served at the Corporation for the Supervision and Insurance of Cooperatives of Puerto Rico for fourteen years, and during this tenure, she has gained extensive experience in legal, compliance, investigations, financial management, and administration of cooperative institutions in Puerto Rico.  

She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialization in Accounting from the Metropolitan University of Puerto Rico and a master’s degree in finance from the Inter-American University, Metropolitan Campus. In 2015, she also became a Certified Internal Control Auditor (CICA). 

Mabel believes that effective communication is crucial in achieving favorable operational and financial results for both the Corporation and the Puerto Rico cooperative system. This approach, implemented under the COSSEC Contigo program, has yielded positive results. Since her appointment, Puerto Rico’s financial cooperative system has shown remarkable growth and improvements in all financial indicators, including membership, assets, portfolio, and communities served.  

Alfonsina Morel

Vice President of Lending, North Jersey Federal Credit Union

Alfonsina Morel is the Vice President of Lending at North Jersey Federal Credit Union. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the management, daily operations, and administration of the Lending department, which includes commercial and  consumer lending.

As a leader in the lending department, Alfonsina strives to provide the best experience for both members and employees by maintaining thorough product knowledge. She works closely with the President/CEO Richard Garcia, Director of Business Development Dhana Reynoso Miele, and Compliance team  to implement programs that will enhance the growth of the North Jersey Federal  Credit Union.

Prior to her current role, Alfonsina served as the Commercial Lending Manager at the Lower East Side Peoples Federal Credit Union. During her 15-year tenure, she led the Small Business loan program, including SBA and HDFC Commercial Lending. Her journey at LESPFCU began when she was 21 years old.  It was during this time that she was inspired by former CEO Pablo Defilippi to continue her life of serving the underserved banking community.  Alfonsina spent a total of 25 years at LESPFCU, under the direction & leadership of  Linda Levy, Aissatou Fall, and Joy Cousminer, who provided her with the necessary tools for personal and professional growth.

Alfonsina holds a BA Degree in Criminal Justice Management with a minor in Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She is also a graduate of the CUNA Management School class of 2013.

Ronald Newman

Senior Advisor, Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Program Office, U.S. Department of the Treasury

Ronald Newman serves as Senior Advisor in the Treasury Department’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Program Office. In that role, he contributes to the issuance of IRA tax-related guidance, works with the IRS to establish user-friendly resources for tax credit claimants, and engages in stakeholder outreach to inform Treasury’s work and educate the public about IRA benefits. His current priorities include varied efforts to increase awareness, understanding and uptake of IRA tax credits, especially by consumers/households.

Ronald has previously served as National Political Director at the ACLU and Director of Human Rights and Refugee Protection on the White House National Security Council. He has served in the Legal Adviser’s Office at the State Department and worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs & Co. Ronald is a graduate of Morehouse College and holds a J.D. from Yale Law School. He is based in Washington, D.C.

Bob Mundy

Director of Inclusiv/Mortgage, Inclusiv

Bob is the Director of Inclusiv/Mortgage having previously served as Inclusiv's Underwriting Consultant. He brings over 20 years of real estate experience as a loan specialist, processor and underwriter in both New York City and Los Angeles. Bob also co-founded The Mortgage Department, LLC which processed and underwrote all loans for various credit unions, including Actor’s Federal Credit Union, New York Times Federal Credit Union, NBC (NY) Employees Federal Credit Union, New York University Federal Credit Union and Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union. Bob has considerable non-traditional lending expertise holding both a BA and BS from SUNY Fredonia and is a licensed real estate salesperson in the State of New York.

Doug O’Brien

President & CEO, National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA)

Session: The Power of Cooperative Partnership

Doug O'Brien works with the cooperative community, both domestically and internationally, to deepen their impact and influence. NCBA is the primary voice for cooperatives in the United States for using the cooperative business model to empower people in their businesses and communities. Doug has been with NCBA since 2016 and became president and CEO in January 2018.

Before coming to NCBA CLUSA, Doug led the work of the White House Rural Council and served in top positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Doug has also worked in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House and for two Governors. O'Brien's experience in academia includes teaching and writing at the University of Arkansas and Drake University Law School.

O’Brien was raised on a diversified farm in Dubuque County, Iowa, and holds degrees from Loras College (Dubuque, Iowa), the University of Iowa Law School, and the University of Arkansas Masters in Agricultural and Food Law Program. O’Brien lives in Takoma Park, Maryland, with his wife, Alisa and three children. He enjoys biking, travel, his memberships in a number of consumer co-ops and credit unions.

Amanda Obando Arias, MBA, CISA

Program Coordinator, Financial Technology and Access Division, Office of the Executive Director (OED), National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)

Amanda O. Arias is a Program Coordinator for the Financial Technology and Access Division in the Office of the Executive Director (OED), at the National Credit Union Administration. In this role, she seeks to increase financial inclusion by analyzing trends in the credit union industry relating to the use and implementation of technology and exploring solutions and guidance for the challenges identified.

During her 14 years with NCUA, she has served as a Principal Examiner in the field, piloted new programs and participated on multiple working groups and special projects. She obtained her Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) designation and specialized in Information Systems and Technology. She serves as president for NCUA’s CULTURA (Hispanic/Latino) Employee Resource Group and is a member of NCUA’s Council for Diversity and Inclusion.

Amanda is a New Orleans, Louisiana native - where she currently resides with her husband and three children.  In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with family.

Amy Olson

AVP of Mortgage Lending, Unitus Community Credit Union

Amy Olson has been in the Mortgage Finance industry for 32 years. She is the AVP of Mortgage Lending for Unitus Community Credit Union, an Oregon-based credit union with over 100K members. She’s been with Unitus for 10 years, overseeing Mortgage Operations, Sales, and Secondary Market. She’s been on numerous panels, discussing the importance of home ownership in our communities, home affordability, and ITIN lending. She’s also testified at the State Legislative Assembly, supporting Bills to provide funding assistance for underserved applicants.   

She’s active in several professional organizations, including the Oregon Mortgage Banker Association and the Credit Union Real Estate Network.  

Amy’s passionate about the community. She organizes quarterly give-back activities with her staff; from boxing meals to making blankets for local children’s hospitals.  

Other joys in her life are spending time with her 6 grandchildren and awaiting the arrival of #7 this summer.

Carlos Ortiz

Executive President, BoniCoop

Carlos Ortiz has dedicated his life to serving the members of his cooperativa, BoniCoop, where he has been the Executive President since 2004, holding various positions for 36 years. He is a member of the Board of Directors of ASEC, an organization that brings together the executive presidents of cooperativas in Puerto Rico. Carlos currently serves as its board president, having previously held the position for four years.  Additionally, he is the Vice President of Circuito Cooperativo Board, the only CUSO (Credit Union Service Organization) in Puerto Rico, which promotes shared branch services for more than 60 cooperativas, among other initiatives. Carlos has also been a member of the Board of the Credit Union Commission of the Puerto Rico League of Cooperativas.

As a highly recognized cooperative leader, Carlos has mentored several cooperativas throughout his career. He has actively participated in various initiatives benefiting cooperativas, including advocating for regulatory changes and convening cooperativas leaders during negotiations related to Puerto Rico government bonds, among other endeavors.

Carlos studied at the University of Puerto Rico, Humacao campus, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting. He also pursued postgraduate studies at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, completing a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance.

Tanya Otsuka

Board Member, National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)

Tanya F. Otsuka was nominated by the President to serve on the NCUA Board on September 21, 2023. The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed her by voice vote on December 20, 2023, and she was sworn in as a member of the NCUA Board on January 8, 2024.

Prior to joining the NCUA Board, Tanya served as Senior Counsel for the majority staff of the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee under Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH), where she has handled the Committee’s work on banking and credit union issues since March 2020. In 2019, she also served on the Committee staff through the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University’s Capitol Hill Fellowship Program, on detail from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Prior to her time with the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Otsuka was a staff attorney and counsel at FDIC where she worked on a broad range of banking issues. She began her career at the FDIC as a law clerk in 2010 and an Honors Attorney in 2011.

Otsuka earned her J.D. from Boston College Law School and B.A. with distinction from the University of Virginia.

Kendah Parris

Member Solutions Manager, New York University Federal Credit Union

Kendah Parris, a native New Yorker, is the Member Solutions Manager of New York University Federal Credit Union. Kendah entered the Credit Union space in 2017 as a Member Experience Representative, and quickly earned positions as Loan Officer and Member Experience Manager. In her current role, Kendah focuses on compliance and marketing for her small credit union, but like many others with smaller teams, Kendah has a hand in other areas at NYU FCU.

Luis Pastor

Representative, Latino Community Credit Union

Luis Pastor is the representative of Latino Community Credit Union (LCCU). He is the former President/CEO of LCCU.  He was asked to become president of the CDCU in 2000 after serving as a volunteer. Under Luis’ leadership, LCCU developed a uniquely tailored, full range of bilingual financial products and services to help its members enter the financial mainstream and thrive fiscally. Today, LCCU is an international model for inclusion and immigrant empowerment. The credit union has grown to manage $720 million in assets and serves approximately 110,000 members, providing more than $1.3B in loans with an enviable 99.2% repayment rate.

Leigh Phillips

President and CEO, Saverlife

Tina Poole Johnson

Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Center for Impact Finance, Carsey School, University of New Hampshire

Through research, applied policy, thought leadership, convenings, capacity building, and collaborations, Tina works to ensure that all communities are socially, economically, and environmentally safe and healthy with the capacity to survive, adapt, and thrive no matter what kinds of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience and where all people − especially communities of color, Native Nations, and those that are under-resourced − are able to reach their full potential, supported by equal access to responsible capital. Tina has almost 30 years’ experience in affordable housing and community development, with over 15 years in community development finance and 10 years in energy finance. Tina has worked at the national level including stints at LISC, NeighborWorks America, and Opportunity Finance Network. Further, she has hands-on experience as a commercial lender at Self-Help and project manager at several affordable housing developers. Tina has a JD from the University of Chicago Law School and a BA from Yale University.

Pravina Raghavan

Director, CDFI Fund

Prior to joining the CDFI Fund in March 2024, Ms. Raghavan served as Director of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology; Executive Vice President, Division of Small Business and Technology Development for Empire State Development, New York State Economic Development Agency; Deputy Associate Administrator of Investment and Innovation at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA); District Director for SBA’s New York District Office; and Senior Adviser to former Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce H. Andrews.

In private industry, she was a vice president with MTV and BET Networks; a founder and owner of a global strategic advisory firm; Business Development Director for Misys PLC; an associate at Broadview International; and she worked at AT&T in several finance and management roles. She has an MBA in finance from Seton Hall University, and a BS degree in finance from Pennsylvania State University.

Terry Ratigan

Senior Consultant, Inclusiv

Principal and CEO of TMR & Associates, LLC

Terry Ratigan is the Principal and CEO of TMR & Associates, LLC and serves as a Senior Consultant for Inclusiv.  Mr. Ratigan is a leading analyst of credit union performance, impact and financial inclusion in low-income and underserved communities. In 2010 he developed a statistical methodology to evaluate credit union activities in CDFI Target Markets and eligibility for CDFI certification, which has been continuously updated to reflect more dimensions of credit union performance and impact.  His rigorous methodology has been used for hundreds of credit union certifications and recertifications to date and provided the foundation for Inclusiv’s Data Analytics Platform that has processed, analyzed and produced detailed transaction-level reports on more than 4 million credit union loans worth more than $90 billion in just its first three years. In 2013 he developed the Capacity and Community Development Index to help credit unions increase their impact through the targeted expansion of products and services that are highly valued in low-income and emerging markets. In 2020 he developed the Financial Inclusion Ratio, the first institution-level measure of financial inclusion for credit unions.  As principal author for a number of Inclusiv’s official comment letters to the CDFI Fund, he has spurred significant changes in policies and procedures, such as increased access to Technical Assistance grants for small credit unions achieved by raising the asset limit for applicants from $10 million to $100 million.  Recent publications include CDFI Certification:  A Building Block for Credit Union Growth, Performance Profiles and Prospects for CDFI Credit Unions (CUNA, 2014); Partnerships for Financial Capability; Diagnostic Frameworks for Financial Institutions and Partners, (CFSI & NFCDCU, 2015); and, Inclusive Finance:  Financial Performance and Economic Impact of Community Development Credit Unions (Inclusiv, 2018, 2020).  From 2008 to 2012 he managed the national HUD Housing Counseling Program for Credit Unions.  Mr. Ratigan previously worked internationally as a senior manager for CARE in Bangladesh and Mozambique and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from the University of Virginia and Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University.

Isaac Roldan

President/CEO, Roldans Asset Recovery

Isaac Roldan is the President/CEO of Roldans Asset Recovery Services, specializing in providing tailored in-house collections consulting services including direct management of lending portfolios, training collections teams, creation of collections policies and procedures and implementing creative strategies to maximize recoveries while ensuring low delinquency rates. With over 20 years experience in consumer and commercial collections both locally and nationally, Isaac has worked accounts commencing day one of delinquency through charge off and the placement/execution of judgments. His approach is to understand the challenges of your customers/members and construct personalized solutions that meet their specific needs. This requires creativity, offering tailored payment plans, negotiating settlements and convincing your customers/members to place your financial institution as their priority of payment. Isaac provides insights on identifying scenarios which require collateral repossession/resale, placement of judgments before other creditors do so and recognizing potential bankruptcy filings. Isaac also provides training for phases of the lending process which can ensure healthy delinquency including underwriting, lending and service who can all play a role in minimizing risk. He has a great deal of experience leading teams in Credit Card, Mortgage, Business and Personal loan collection, establishing innovative strategies with a focus on providing excellent customer service while ensuring a healthy loan portfolio.

Robin Romano

CEO, MariSol FCU

Session: The Power of Cooperative Partnership

Robin Romano has been Chief Executive Officer for MariSol Federal Credit Union, a CDFI in Phoenix Arizona for 20 years. She is proud to work every day on financial empowerment and inclusion for MariSol’s members as well as serving the community needs of the low-income and disenfranchised markets of metropolitan Phoenix. Creating unique products and services for members that are often overlooked in the banking community is what puts a smile on her face.

Previously she served as a Principal Examiner for the National Credit Union Administration for over 7 years – a great learning experience that has helped her navigate many regulatory roadblocks. She has also served as Chair of the Credit Union Advisory Committee for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Past board service includes Inclusiv, Turn A New Leaf – Tripartite Board for Mesa, AZ, and the Arizona Credit Union League. She is active in her community and currently serves as a Board member of the Local First Arizona Foundation and Advisory Committee Director for the Phoenix Community Development & Investment Corporation, CDE.

Clifford Rosenthal

Retired President/CEO, National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions (Inclusiv)

Session: Building a Cooperative Economy

Clifford Rosenthal has spent his career promoting financial equity and inclusion in the nation’s most overlooked and underserved communities. Growing up amidst transformative campaigns for social justice in the 1960s, Cliff began his cooperative journey by organizing and managing food cooperatives in New York City and Connecticut. Cliff joined the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions (the Federation) as a volunteer until he was hired as staff. In 1983, sustained by his conviction that community development credit unions (CDCUs) were important and must be preserved, he once again took on a volunteer role as the Federation’s Executive Director. In partnership with Annie Vamper, the pair rebuilt the Federation into a catalyst for transformative change. Understanding the critical role capital plays in low-income communities and CDCUs, Cliff pursued a two-pronged strategy to capitalize CDCUs by creating new channels to mobilize private investments and by expanding sources of public financing. This eventually led to the birth of the CDFI Fund in 1994.

Cliff retired from the Federation in 2012, renamed Inclusiv in 2019, to join the federal government as the first head of the Office of Financial Empowerment within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He has since retired from that position and published Democratizing Finance: Origins of the Community Development Financial Institutions Movement.  

Peter Rubenstein

VP of Technology, Innovation & Analytics, Inclusiv

Peter Rubenstein is Inclusiv’s Vice President of Technology, Innovation & Analytics. In this role, Peter leads strategy development and execution of Inclusiv’s technology and data analytics initiatives which leverage technology and impact data to expand financial inclusion in underserved communities. Peter joined Inclusiv in 2020 after spending 10+ years creating, marketing and operating, through a nationwide network of mission-aligned organizations, innovative online services that helped millions of financially vulnerable families and individuals achieve financial stability and significantly improve their financial health. Prior to his work in the financial health space, Peter held leadership roles in the public, nonprofit and private sectors focusing on technology, sales, marketing and public policy. He holds a BA in Public Policy Studies and Political Science from Syracuse University and a Master of Public Administration from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service.

Rafael “Ray” Salaberrios

Senior Vice President for Capital Access, Division of Small Business and Technology, Empire State Development

Rafael “Ray” Salaberrios serves as the Senior Vice President for Capital Access within ESD’s Division of Small Business and Technology. In this role, Ray spearheads the development and execution of diverse business initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth in underserved communities across New York State.

Ray holds direct oversight over several key programs, including the $501 million State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). SSBCI is a federal program aimed at supporting small businesses by providing funding to state-level programs that offer loans, loan guarantees, and other forms of credit support. NYS has utilized SSBCI to enhance access to capital for small businesses and startups, particularly those in underserved communities or industries.

Ray managed the implementation of the $800 million New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program. This initiative was established to bolster support for small businesses facing limited access to resources during the pandemic. Additionally, Ray manages other capital programs exceeding $800 million, dedicated to enhancing access to affordable capital for small business owners in New York State.

Ambassador Ricardo Santana Velázquez

Head of the Mexican consulate in Oxnard

Ambassador Ricardo Santana Velázquez is an experienced Mexican diplomat with 43 years of work in the Mexican Foreign Service.  Currently holding the position of Consul of Mexico in Oxnard, California, he has exhibited leadership across six consulates along the United States-Mexico border, including Laredo, Del Rio (twice), Eagle Pass in Texas, and Nogales and Douglas in Arizona, in addition to his current role in Oxnard.

Throughout his career, he has represented Mexico in Embassies and Consulates worldwide, participating in over 50 international meetings covering a diverse range of topics, from integration projects to political affairs and disaster relief efforts. As part of his consular responsibilities, Ambassador Santana has orchestrated community outreach initiatives focusing on health, education, finance, sports, and the integration of indigenous communities. He has also spearheaded efforts to provide protection and legal assistance to Mexican nationals on issues such as immigration, repatriation, human rights, agricultural worker support, and jail visits.

Beyond these responsibilities, he supervises Consulate administration, ensuring the safekeeping of essential documents like passports and birth certificates, as well as managing the material and human resources necessary to address the needs of the Mexican community abroad.

Diane Sandoval-Griego

Chief of Financial Empowerment, Guadalupe Credit Union (GCU)

Diane Sandoval-Griego is the Chief of Financial Empowerment at Guadalupe Credit Union, (GCU).  She is very passionate about serving communities in her home state of New Mexico, also known as the Land of Enchantment.  GCU’s reach covers seven counties and strives to provide access to fair financial services to the unbanked and the underbanked. Diane implemented the Financial Coaching department at GCU, providing financial solutions to community members and GCU employees.  Diane serves as a board member for Inclusiv representing district 4.  She also serves on the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute Board of Directors supporting a microloan program to assist small farming establishments expand their businesses in rural communities. Diane believes in the power of credit unions and the value they provide to promote overall community health.

Eben Shaeffer

CFO, Inclusiv

Eben Sheaffer is Inclusiv’s Chief Financial Officer.  From 2010 to 2013 Eben served as the President of Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union, a $9 million full-service credit union and Inclusiv member located in New York, NY.  Eben also serves as the Board Treasurer for the Lower East Side People's Federal Credit Union.  Eben began his career in the investment industry in 1999.

He has worked as a Quantitative Analyst at Aurarian Capital Management, as a Financial Modeling Consultant for Thomson Financial, and as the technical lead for a Risk Management group at Brown Brothers Harriman.  Eben holds a BA summa cum laude from the University of Massachusetts and a Master's of Science in Finance from Boston College.  He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Certified Financial Risk Manager.

Ogie Sheehy

Founder and CEO, ViClarity

Ogie Sheehy is the founder and CEO of ViClarity, a company that provides Governance, Risk and Compliance solutions to Financial Services and Healthcare Organizations globally.

Ogie graduated with a primary Degree in Applied Physics and Electronics and embarked on a multinational career spanning over 15 years in companies such as HP, IBM and Dell.

In 2008, Ogie resigned from corporate life as Director of IT at Dell and set up ViClarity. Ogie has led ViClarity for over fifteen years and under his guidance the company has successfully implemented Compliance and Risk Management solutions into Credit Unions not only in Ireland but all over the world. ViClarity works with some of the largest global organizations in financial services, healthcare and public bodies and is now a global brand with clients in the USA, Australia, Canada, Ireland & the UK.

Martha Sigal

Deputy Director for Policy and Programs, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund

Marcia Sigal is the Deputy Director for Policy and Programs for the CDFI Fund, where she oversees the efforts of all of the CDFI Fund's award programs in support of the CDFI Fund's strategic vision. She previously served as the Program Manager of the CDFI Fund’s Capital Magnet Fund. Ms. Sigal is an expert who has worked in roles in the private non-profit section and in government. She has designed and launched new and innovated national community development and affordable housing policies and programs that have provided more than $50 billion to help distressed communities.

Ed Sivak

Chief Policy and Communications Officer for Hope Credit Union

Ed Sivak is the Chief Policy and Communications Officer for Hope Credit Union (HOPE). As a member of HOPE’s executive team, Sivak leads the teams that drive the organization’s policy and advocacy agenda; and its communications with members, community partners, investors, media and other stakeholders. Since 2016, Sivak has been an active member of the Inclusiv Government Affairs Committee, and has been a presenter at several Inclusiv conferences, on topics such as Advocacy, Communications and Impact.  He served as part of the leadership team in support of the recent Juntos Avanzamos designation of HOPE’s branches in Arkansas and Tennessee. 

During his 19 year career with HOPE, Sivak has provided testimony numerous times to state and federal policymakers on issues affecting low-income residents, and represented credit unions as an advisor to the Federal Reserve Board, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He led the development of HOPE’s systems to track the effectiveness of HOPE’s service to formerly unbanked members, its Borrow and Save program, its mortgage lending program to women and African American borrowers, and gains associated with HOPE’s small business lending. These systems have been leveraged to attract millions in investment and secondary capital for the credit union from banks, foundations and public sources. As a member of the Inclusiv Board, Sivak will draw on this experience to increase access to capital for community development credit unions and leverage the power of Inclusiv’s collective voice and expertise. 

Sivak holds graduate degrees in public policy and administration from Jackson State University and Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University.

Maurice Smith

Retired CEO, Local Government Federal Credit Union and Civic Federal Credit Union

Maurice Smith is the retired CEO of Local Government Federal Credit Union and Civic FCU. Both are financial cooperatives serving the financial needs of North Carolina local governments. Today, Smith practices law and advises clients whose causes intrigues him.

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. Smith is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, the District of Columbia and before the United States Supreme Court.

Smith is a self-proclaimed cooperative nerd. He believes that a business model that empowers its members to engage in democratic, self-help, classless principles is superior to other business types. As a fan of community development credit union ideals, Smith is avid about his beliefs.

Yusi Turell

Director of Training, Center for Impact Finance (CIF), Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire

Yusi Turell is director of training at the Center for Impact Finance (CIF) at the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy. CIF offers applied trainings in community development finance and partners with Inclusiv in the UNH-Inclusiv Solar and Green Lending Professional Training Series. CIF also conducts original applied research, develops initiatives, designs programs, and implements financing products, projects, and policies that address societal challenges.

Prior to joining UNH in 2011, Yusi worked as a national program director for Citizen Schools and as a consultant at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young’s Center for Business Innovation. Yusi holds a B.S.E. in Civil Engineering and Operations Research from Princeton University and an M.Phil. in Technology and Innovation Management from the University of Sussex, U.K. through a Marshall scholarship. She is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of New Hampshire with research in social innovation, public policy, and institutional entrepreneurship. Yusi lives in Durham, New Hampshire, with her family.

Nicole Valentin-Smith

Vice President, Strategic Client Engagement, Fiserv

Nicole Valentin-Smith is Vice President, Strategic Client Engagement with Fiserv, a global leader in payments and financial technology.

In Fiserv’s Corporate Social Responsibility business unit, Nicole leads the creation and execution of strategies and programs that strengthen overall relationships with Minority Depository Institution and Community Development Financial Institution clients to maximize market competitiveness and increase consumer access in underserved, low-to-moderate-income, and communities of color. Nicole has been with Fiserv since 2018 and prior to her current role, she was Vice President, Digital Lending and Origination, responsible for growing client revenue and expanding opportunities in the mortgage and consumer solution verticals.

Nicole brings to her role at Fiserv, extensive and relevant experience in Senior Leadership with both banks and credit unions and has a successful track record in building and evolving consultative sales cultures, driving client engagement and service excellence.

Nicole initially transitioned her knowledge of the industry to the technology segment of financial services at Mortgage Cadence, an Accenture Company, where she served as Vice President, Lending Solutions, accountable for go-to-market strategies and revenue growth. Prior to Mortgage Cadence, Nicole was the Chief Sales Officer and Senior Vice President Lending at Xceed Financial.

Nicole is passionate about building partnerships and working collaboratively to support mission driven organizations focused on creating economic inclusion and opportunity in the communities they serve.

Rick Van Luvender

Senior Vice President, Head of Cyber Security Client Trust & International Cyber Security Services, Fiserv

Rick Van Luvender currently serves as Senior Vice President Head of Cyber Security Client Trust & International Cyber Security Services at Fiserv. Leading the Global Cyber Outreach, and Regional Cyber Security teams in APAC, EMEA and LATAM.

Van Luvender is the chair of the American Transaction Processor Coalition’s Cyber Council.

Previously Rick was on the Board of Directors of FS-ISAC; represented First Data on the Federal Reserve Secure Payment Task Force. Served as chair of the Payment Processor Information Sharing Council (PPISC) a forum for sharing information about fraud, threats, vulnerabilities, and risk mitigation in the payments industry.

Prior to Fiserv, Rick severed in a variety of roles at First Data, co-founder of the Infosec Incident Response Center, Head of Incident Response, Head of the Security Monitoring Center (a precursor to the modern Security Operations Center).

Rick served in the United States Marine Corps from March of 1989 to March of 1993 as a Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defense Specialist. Van Luvender served in Operation Desert Storm with Marine Medium-lift Helicopter Squadron 265 as part of the Air Combat Element of the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade.

René A. Vargas Martínez

Director, Puerto Rico Network, Inclusiv

René A. Vargas Martínez is Inclusiv's Director, Puerto Network. He was previously a Senior Program Officer at Inclusiv. René is tasked with advancing financial inclusion for Hispanic and immigrant communities by overseeing the engagement and expansion of a national network of credit unions serving these communities. He also oversees an initiative to build a network of credit unions and cooperativas serving underserved communities in Puerto Rico, supporting their efforts to advance the island’s recovery efforts.

René has extensive credit union experience at the member level. Prior to joining Inclusiv, René worked at Pentagon Federal Credit Union in Puerto Rico as a Support Representative, engaging members to solve complex financial, and service issues. He has also held similar roles as a Member Services Representative, and Consumer Loan Officer at American Airlines Federal Credit Union.

During his tenure in UPR's Law School, he served in the University of Puerto Rico’s Board of Trustees as a Board Member from 2011 to 2012, and held other high profile student leadership positions, where he advocated for lower tuition rates to increase undergraduate access to students from the middle class and underserved communities.

René holds a B.A. in History from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. He also holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law.

René was admitted to the practice of law at the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 2014.

Christopher Weaver

Executive Director, Economic Opportunity Coalition (EOC) Secretariat, The Rockefeller Foundation

Christopher Weaver joined The Rockefeller Foundation on July 18, 2023, as the Executive Director of the Economic Opportunity Coalition (EOC) Secretariat, where he is responsible for leading a historic public, private collaboration to catalyze and align public and private investments to address economic disparities and accelerate economic opportunities in underserved communities across the United States. The EOC enables the Foundation to collaborate with corporations and government to make investments that focus on the racial wealth gap and access to capital for all Americans.

Christopher most recently served as a Senior Fellow for U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA), where he led the Senator’s legislative efforts related to community development financial institutions and minority depository institutions. Prior to the Senate, he was Director of the Office of Community Economic Development at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In this role, Mr. Weaver provided policy advice on issues related to small business, affordable housing, and community development and managed the Emergency Capital Investment Program, where he made a $9-billion investment in community lenders and minority depository institutions. In 2022, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen presented Mr. Weaver with the Salmon Chase award for innovative and decisive service to the Department. His nearly two decades of public service also includes serving as Senior Advisor to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator and Assistant Attorney General in D.C. Office of the Attorney General, among other roles.

Mr. Weaver holds a Bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University College of Business, Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law, and Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Carl Windom

Former Interim CEO, Credit Union of Atlanta (CUA)

Carl Windom is a prominent financial expert with a 30-year tenure in the credit union and banking sectors, boasting an extensive background in financial counseling, education, and business consulting. As a retired NCUA examiner, former credit union executive, and U.S. Navy Veteran, Windom has notably impacted financial literacy and offered his expertise to credit unions, non-profits, small businesses, and individuals throughout the US and the Caribbean. He is an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) and Financial Fitness Coach (FFC®) and has served as a personal financial counselor for the Department of Defense. He founded Windom Wisdom LLC to support credit union development, financial literacy, and small business consulting. His educational credentials include a BBA in Accounting from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, and leadership programs completed at LSU Banking School, USDA Executive Leadership program, and Southern New Hampshire University Solar Lending Professional, underscoring his commitment to lifelong learning and community service.

Rick Van Luvender

SVP Head of Cyber Security Client Trust & International Cyber Security Services, Fiserv

Rick Van Luvender currently serves as Senior Vice President Head of Cyber Security Client Trust & International Cyber Security Services at Fiserv. Leading the Global Cyber Outreach, and Regional Cyber Security teams in APAC, EMEA and LATAM. 

Van Luvender is the chair of the American Transaction Processor Coalition’s Cyber Council.  

Previously Rick was on the Board of Directors of FS-ISAC; represented First Data on the Federal Reserve Secure Payment Task Force. Served as chair of the Payment Processor Information Sharing Council (PPISC) a forum for sharing information about fraud, threats, vulnerabilities, and risk mitigation in the payments industry. 

Prior to Fiserv, Rick severed in a variety of roles at First Data, co-founder of the Infosec Incident Response Center, Head of Incident Response, Head of the Security Monitoring Center (a precursor to the modern Security Operations Center). 

Rick served in the United States Marine Corps from March of 1989 to March of 1993 as a Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defense Specialist. Van Luvender served in Operation Desert Storm with Marine Medium-lift Helicopter Squadron 265 as part of the Air Combat Element of the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade.

Murray Williams

President & CEO, Iowa Credit Union League (ICUL)

Murray Williams serves as the President & CEO of the Iowa Credit Union League (ICUL) and its holding company, AMC. He has been involved with the credit union movement for 28 years. In his current roles, Murray provides strategic leadership, governance oversight and drives innovation for AMC’s family of companies, boards and executive teams. Murray also serves as board chair for each of AMC’s operating companies:  ViClarity, Coopera, PolicyWorks and First Community Trust. At the national level, he is vice chair of the World Affairs Committee for America’s Credit Unions and sits on the SHAZAM board. Murray previously served on the CUNA Strategic Services board, along with other industry and community leadership roles. He has been inducted into the International Executive Volunteer Corps for the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and is a recipient of the Leadership and Support Award by the Network of Latino Credit Unions and Professionals (NLCUP).

Terrance Williams

CEO, TruStage

As the ninth president and CEO of TruStage™, Terrance continues to build on the company’s nearly 90-year history as an influential leader for credit unions and the broader financial and insurance industries. With experience in insurance innovation and digital strategy, he’s moving the company’s vision forward, ensuring brighter financial futures are accessible to everyone. Prior to assuming his new role at TruStage, Terrance held leadership positions at Allstate and Nationwide. He has been recognized by Forbes as one of “The World’s Most Influential CMOs” in 2017 and 2018, and by Savoy Magazine as one of the most influential Black corporate directors in 2021. A believer in philanthropic efforts for the betterment of communities, he serves on many non-profit boards, including Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Urban League. Terrance earned his bachelor’s degree in risk management and insurance from the University of South Carolina, where he is involved as a mentor and an advisory board member for the university’s Risk and Uncertainty Management Center at the Darla Moore School of Business. Terrance enjoys music, travel, cars, sports and spending time with family.

Carl Windom

Retired NCUA examiner, former credit union executive

Carl Windom is a prominent financial expert with a 30-year tenure in the credit union and banking sectors, boasting an extensive background in financial counseling, education, and business consulting.

As a retired NCUA examiner, former credit union executive, and U.S. Navy Veteran, Windom has notably impacted financial literacy and offered his expertise to credit unions, non-profits, small businesses, and individuals throughout the US and the Caribbean. He is an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) and Financial Fitness Coach (FFC®) and has served as a personal financial counselor for the Department of Defense.

He founded Windom Wisdom LLC to support credit union development, financial literacy, and small business consulting. His educational credentials include a BBA in Accounting from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, and leadership programs completed at LSU Banking School, USDA Executive Leadership program, and Southern New Hampshire University Solar Lending Professional, underscoring his commitment to lifelong learning and community service.

Brice Yocum

CEO, Tucoemas Federal Credit Union

Brice Yocum is the CEO of Tucoemas Federal Credit Union, a CDFI and Juntos Avanzamos cooperative finance institution serving people of modest means for over 75 years. Brice has spent more than a decade serving the diverse communities of central California, focusing on education, inclusion, and resiliency. He believes in the power of creating aligned cultures and clear missions. He’s proud to be a graduate from the school of single-parenting, government support programs, and public education. He believes his life has been a testament to the Tucoemas motto: “Rising together, anything is possible.”