Inclusiv Proudly Announces the 2026 Annie Vamper Helping Hands Awardees!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY (April 9, 2026) – Inclusiv is delighted to announce Shayna L. Ferguson, Manager of Lakota Federal Credit Union, and Winona Nava, Retired President/CEO of Guadalupe Credit Union, as the 2026 Annie Vamper Helping Hands Award honorees. Both Shayna and Winona are true heroes of the Community Development Credit Union (CDCU) movement for their leadership and steadfast dedication to making a positive impact on their communities.
The Annie Vamper Helping Hands Award is Inclusiv’s highest honor awarded to individuals who make extraordinary contributions to advancing the mission and work of CDCUs. The award was created in 1993 in honor of Annie Vamper, a tireless advocate who dedicated herself to improving people’s lives through credit unions.
About the Awardees
Shayna L. Ferguson, Manager of Lakota Federal Credit Union
Shayna L. Ferguson, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, is the Manager of Lakota Federal Credit Union, the only federally insured financial institution located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Kyle, South Dakota. When LFCU’s doors opened in 2012, Shayna was the first Member Service Representative, later becoming its Manager in 2016. Most recently, the NCUA approved LFCU’s expansion into Pine Ridge’s sister reservation the Rosebud Indian Reservation which is home to the Sicangu Lakota. Shayna’s main goal is to provide outreach to the Oglala and Rosebud Sioux Tribes to utilize the products and services tailored to our communities. She also aims to bring awareness to the possibilities of homeownership on the Reservation. Empowering dreams, enriching community is LFCU’s motto and Shayna is a firm supporter of seeing her Native family’s financial success.
On Lakota FCU’s mission, Shayna shares: “Lakota FCU has always believed in standing up for the people who too often go unnoticed and overlooked. We serve some of the poorest counties in the United States but what we see is not poverty, but resilience, strength, and communities full of potential. We are committed to reaching the people who often fall through the cracks of traditional financial systems. The families, workers, and communities who are unbanked or underbanked deserve access to a financial institution that understands them, respects them, and truly has their well-being in mind. That is why we were founded on a simple but powerful principle: People helping people. At Lakota FCU, that principle is not just a slogan, it is our purpose.”
Winona Nava, Retired President/CEO of Guadalupe Credit Union
Winona Nava’s 45-year career in credit unions in Santa Fe, NM started as a Collection Officer at State Employees Credit Union, completing Western CUNA Management School on a full scholarship, and moving up to Executive Vice-President of the $33 million SECU over a 12-year period. She then achieved her dream of becoming President/CEO of Guadalupe Credit Union, accepting the role when the credit union was $10 million in assets and in conservatorship by the State of New Mexico. In 2020, Winona took on the challenge of better serving the credit union’s new local immigrant population and became a board member of National Association of Latino Credit Unions & Professionals (NLCUP). Under her leadership, Guadalupe grew to over $260 million in assets, enacted full time financial coaches in branches, assisted other credit unions to follow their lead, and worked with the CU Association of NM to lobby and achieve a state interest rate cap.
Winona proudly recounts a story that shows the true impact of the work of credit unions: “The financial empowerment stories shared by staff show us how important Community Development Credit Unions are in providing much-needed relief to members of our communities struggling with financial security who often resort to predatory lenders. For example, a grandfather was referred to GCU from the “Grandparents Raising Grandchildren” program from a TV ad and took a loan out on his car for just $8,500. His payments were as much as his rent and he feared the only options for him and his granddaughter were to either live in the apartment or the car. Thanks to GCU, he was able to refinance and keep both, saving over $34,000 in interest. Real stories like this have convinced our state legislature to drop the maximum APR in New Mexico from 175% down to 36% closing down the majority of predatory lenders in the state and making those left less predatory.”
“I am so excited to honor two very deserving veteran CDCU leaders who embody the legacy of Annie Vamper through their service to the Hispanic and Native communities, Like Annie Vamper, Shayna and Winona have committed their lives to helping their communities become financially empowered through credit unions. We can't wait to celebrate them at our annual conference.” —Cathie Mahon, President/CEO, Inclusiv
You can meet the awardees at the Inclusiv Conference 2026 Annie Vamper Luncheon on Thursday, May 14th. This year’s conference theme is Standing Strong, Building Forward, which reflects our movement’s unwavering commitment to financial inclusion. When faced with challenges, community development credit unions remain focused on building a financial system that works for everyone. From advancing homeownership and small business opportunity to spurring clean energy adoption, our movement is building stronger communities. For more information about this year’s conference, click here.
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