Speakers

Speakers

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Aurelio Arroyo
Executive President, Cooperativa Jesús Obrero
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.

Shalanda H. Baker
Deputy Director for Energy Justice, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, U.S. Department of Energy
Shalanda H. Baker is the Deputy Director for Energy Justice in the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity at the U.S. Department of Energy. Prior to her appointment, 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 (www.iejusa.org). Her recent 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.

Janis Bowdler
Counselor for Racial Equity, U.S. Department of the Treasury
Janis Bowdler is the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s first Counselor for Racial Equity. She has spent the last two decades advancing economic equity solutions for communities of color and breaking down the barriers that underpin the disparities in wealth and financial security by race and gender. Growing up in Northeast Ohio, she saw firsthand how neighborhood conditions impacted the life opportunities of her family and neighbors, often resulting in an uneven playing field that has left communities of color and our most vulnerable communities at a stark disadvantage. Drawing on her lived experience and two decades of working in coalition with Black, Latinx, and AAPI communities, Janis has dedicated her career to dismantling the structural and institutional racism that has allowed the racial wealth gap to persist and widen. Janis’ career has spanned local service, national advocacy, and international philanthropy.

Irving Bustillo

William J. Bynum
CEO, HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union and Hope Policy Institute)
Bill Bynum is CEO of HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union and Hope Policy Institute), a family of organizations that provide financial services; leverages private and public resources; engages in advocacy; and otherwise acts as a catalyst to mitigate the extent to which factors such as race, gender, birthplace and wealth limit one’s ability to prosper. Since 1994, HOPE has generated over $3 billion in financing that has benefitted more than two million people throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, while shaping policies and practices that have improved conditions in opportunity-starved communities nationwide. Bynum’s board service includes the Aspen Institute, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Prosperity Now, Black Vision Fund, and Mississippi Today.

Zach Christensen
Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Digital Services, Mitchell Stankovic & Associates
Zach Christensen (he/him/his) is an executive leader with both strategic and technical skills. As a digital marketer, video and virtual engagement producer and credit union fanatic, he has quickly shifted to a virtual environment ensuring execution of initiatives for both his organization and clients. He is the director of diversity, equity and inclusion & digital services at Mitchell Stankovic & Associates driving change in leadership, DEI and strategic planning in this new world. Zach’s volunteer work includes several advisory and leadership roles: Co-founder and director of CU Pride, the first and only industry-wide LGBTQ+ association for credit union professionals for education and engagement within the community. The World Council of Credit Unions premier programs, Global Women’s Leadership Network and World Young Credit Union Professionals.

Sue Cuevas
President/CEO, Nueva Esperanza Community CU
Sue Cuevas is the CEO for the first Latino Credit Union in Ohio. Nueva Esperanza CCU was a start-up credit union, chartered in 2010. Her passion and persistence in helping the Latino, immigrants and those often underserved and unbanked is what drives her to continuously share financial education and credit counseling within the community. From the beginning, Sue worked out of her car, attending every festival, church function, school program and community event sharing the “people helping people” philosophy. She has over 30 years of financial expertise working in the banking and financial industry. She has taught numerous classes on financial literacy, with a passion to help people understand finance and make savvy decisions. She has developed bilingual education programs, focusing on first-time homebuyers in NW Ohio.

Pablo DeFilippi
EVP, 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.

Deyanira Del Rio

Ann Fedorchak

Miriam Freeman

Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase

Miriam Freeman is passionate about financial health and inclusive fintech, which she brings to her role in JPMorgan Chase Global Philanthropy as part of the firmwide financial health strategy and $125MM philanthropic commitment. She has ten years of experience at the intersection of business and social impact, and 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.

 

Aziza Gary

Financial Wellness and Capabilities, MECU CU

Aziza Gary has been in the Financial Industry for over 25 Years. For the last 18 years she has been an employee of MECU Credit Union leading their Financial Wellness and Capabilities Area. Her passion for Financial Education/ Empowerment has encourage hundreds of MECU of Baltimore members to change their attitudes and behavior when it comes to their financial picture and work towards building generational wealth for their families. Originally from Philadelphia, Aziza has called Baltimore her home for over 20 years and looks forward to her organization continued efforts to encourage wealth building and inclusion in Baltimore City and its surrounding counties. Aziza received her B.A. in Business Admin from University of Phoenix, she also is nationally certified as a Financial Coach/Counselor and a Credit Union Development Educator.

Michaeljohn Green

Vice President and Director of Community Development, Dade County FCU

Michaeljohn Green currently serves as a Vice President, at the Dade County Federal Credit Union. He studied Management information Systems and Economics at Harris Stowe State University, he proceeded to work in grass roots organizing with Acorn but later found a home working for one the nation’s top CDFI's in Justine Petersen. His success and passion for finance lead him to jobs at Bank of America, JPMorgan, Well Fargo and The Bank of Montreal. While working with the Private Wealth Team at The Bank of Montreal managing over a half a billion dollars with not one black or brown client, creating wealth in minority communities has now become his calling. With that passion working with a Miami based Community Development Corporation and managing the CDFI seemed to be a natural fit. As fund Manager and CEO of the Community Fund of North Miami Dade, Mj started a small business lending program focused on minority entrepreneurs.

Amanda Habansky
President/CEO, Peoples Advantage FCU
Amanda has been in the credit union industry for more than ten years and currently serves as President/CEO at Peoples Advantage Federal Credit Union. Amanda led the Credit Unions initiative of obtaining CDFI certification in 2018 and oversees the CDFI initiatives of delivering financial products and services to low-to-moderate income members of the community. Amanda and her team have created a unique suite of products and services that help members of modest means meet big financial goals! Amanda attended Virginia Commonwealth University and is active in the Virginia Credit Union League’s (VACUL) Emerging Professionals group where she served as chairman from 2018-2019. She also serves on the Virginia CDFI Coalition Board of Directors. She leads credit union advocacy work serving on the State-Wide Advocacy Council for VACUL.

Todd Harper
Chairman, National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)
Todd M. Harper was nominated to serve on the NCUA Board on February 6, 2019. The U.S. Senate confirmed him on March 14, 2019, and he was sworn in as a member of the NCUA Board on April 8, 2019. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., designated him as the NCUA’s twelfth Chairman on January 20, 2021. As NCUA Board Chairman, Mr. Harper serves as a voting member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council and represents the NCUA on the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council and the Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee. Prior to joining the NCUA Board, Mr. Harper served as director of the agency’s Office of Public and Congressional Affairs and chief policy advisor to former Chairmen Debbie Matz and Rick Metsger. He is the first member of the NCUA’s staff to become an NCUA Board Member and Chairman.

John Haslam
Head of Member Engagement, The Association of British Credit Unions Ltd (ABCUL)
John is Head of Member Engagement for The Association of British Credit Unions Ltd (ABCUL), the largest credit union trade association in Great Britain. His career to date has led him to not-for-profit organisations and the credit union movement in particular, and he is passionate about great services and products being delivered for the benefit they provide, not the profit. A current pre-occupation, driven by the move to digital interaction largely as a result of the pandemic, is how credit unions can continue to identify and support vulnerable members when the traditional methods of customer service are changing. He’s really excited to be returning to the Inclusiv Conference after a fantastic experience in LA in 2019, and looks forward to meeting old friends and making new ones.

John Holt

Hank Hubbard

Shasta Leininger

Vice President of Member Operations, OnPath FCU

Shasta Leininger is the Vice President of Member Operations at OnPath Federal Credit Union, a CDFI credit union that serves over 64,000 members in the Greater New Orleans area. With over 15 years of experience in the credit union industry, she has worked in various departments including marketing, business development, card services, payments, call center, financial counseling, community development, and advocacy. Her education includes an MBA from Louisiana State University at Shreveport and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Shasta understands the vital role of Inclusiv within the CDFI industry. She has served on the Inclusiv Board of Directors since 2017 and is current Chair of the Governance Committee. Locally, Shasta is the Board President for Community Christian Concern, a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a mission of providing compassion, guidance, and necessities to those in crisis.

Cathie Mahon

President/CEO, Inclusiv

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.

Maria J. Martinez
President/CEO, Border FCU
Maria J. Martinez is the President/CEO of Border Federal Credit Union (Border FCU), a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), headquartered in Del Rio, TX, with over $200 million in assets and serving over 25,000 members. Maria has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting am is a proud Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE). Her passion is making positive connections and being of service to others. Under Martinez's leadership, BFCU expanded its field of membership from 3 to 13 Texas counties; obtained the Community Development Financial Institution Certification (CDFI) for BFCU; implemented a free home/financial counseling program, offers free income tax preparation to low income tax payers through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Elissa McCarter-LaBorde

Erin O'Hern

Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, ViClarity

Erin O’Hern is the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at ViClarity, working with partners across the country to support their governance and compliance needs. Erin has more than a decade of experience working on federal and state compliance issues. She is dedicated to ensuring credit unions can navigate the regulatory system while reaching all members, especially those in underserved communities. Erin has trained credit union and examination staff across the country on key compliance issues and is a contributor to industry publications on emerging issues. Before joining ViClarity, Erin worked as a staff attorney for a Legal Aid organization handling a variety of civil law matters including consumer protection cases. She received her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law.

Bryant Ottaviano

Founder, Pivot Lending Group

Bryant Ottaviano founded Pivot Lending Group in October 2002 with a clear desire to create a better mortgage company — one that knows every customer is important and not just a number. For more than 30 years, Bryant has been putting his theory to test, and as a result he has developed a loyal customer base that rivals those of some of the largest financial institutions. Pivot Lending Group services more than $500 million in loans every month and originated almost one billion dollars in first mortgage volume in 2021. Whether working with credit unions, banks, developers, realtors or homeowners, Bryant’s main objective is to ensure the right product at a competitive price. When Bryant isn’t searching for the right products at a competitive price, he enjoys being outnumbered by his three lady loves: wife Ashley and twin daughters, Elodie and Finley.

Luis Pastor
President and CEO, Latino Community CU
Luis Pastor first joined Latino Community Credit Union in the year 2000 just weeks after its founding. He started working at the credit union as a volunteer, and soon thereafter the board of directors decided to bring him on as the Credit Union’s first President and CEO. Under Luis’s leadership, LCCU has seen its membership grow to more than 90,000 members, provided more than $900 million in community development financing, and accumulated more than $550 million in assets. Since its founding, LCCU has received more than 30 awards for its impact.

Miguel A. Polanco
Director, National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Office of Minority and Women Inclusion
Miguel A. Polanco is currently the Director at the National Credit Union Administration Office of Minority and Women Inclusion. Previously, Miguel served as the office’s deputy director. Before serving in that capacity, Miguel managed the agency’s supplier diversity program since August 2011. Previous to arriving at the NCUA, Miguel served his country as a Military Intelligence officer in the U.S. Army. Afterwards, he worked in corporate finance with General Motors in New York, followed by work in investment banking at Citibank Puerto Rico. In 2010, he started working for the Small Business Administration under the 8(a) program, followed by his current work with NCUA. Miguel is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and a graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Jose Julian Ramirez Ruiz

Terry Ratigan

Terry Ratigan serves Inclusiv as a Senior Consultant and is a leading analyst of credit union performance and impact 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 that has been used for hundreds of credit union certifications to date. An adapted version of this methodology served as the basis for the 2011 revision of the NCUA Final Rule on Low-Income Designation and CDFI Fund guidance on target market analysis. 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. From 2008 to 2012 he managed the national HUD Housing Counseling Program for Credit Unions.

Sid Ratkiewicz

Behavioral Researcher in the Common Cents Lab, Center for Advanced Hindsight

Sid graduated from Indiana University South Bend with a B.A. in Psychology and now works at the Center for Advanced Hindsight as a behavioral researcher in the Common Cents Lab. They work with credit unions and other financial institutions to design and test interventions to increase financial health.

Robin Romano
CEO, MariSol FCU
Robin Romano has been Chief Executive Officer for MariSol Federal Credit Union, a CDFI in Phoenix Arizona for over 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 and Chair of the Credit Union Advisory Committee for the CFPB.

Linda Rossi

Angela Russell
Chief Diversity Officer and VP of the CUNA Mutual Foundation, CUNA Mutual Group
Angela Russell is the Chief Diversity Officer and is the Vice President of the CUNA Mutual Foundation at CUNA Mutual Group. In these roles, Angela provides strategic enterprise-wide leadership to ensure that CUNA Mutual’s commitment to DEI is reflected in the workplace, community partnerhips and marketplace in our products, processes and services. In 2021, Ms. Russell was the recipient of the inaugural DEI Trailblazer Award from the African American Credit Union Coalition. In 2018, Ms. Russell was named as one of the nation’s most powerful diversity executives by Black Enterprise magazine. Ms. Russell has 20 years of professional experience. Prior to joining CUNA Mutual she worked in various roles in public health including serving as a Health Equity Coordinator for Public Health Madison Dane County.

Diane Sandoval-Griego

Renee Sattiewhite
President and CEO, African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC)
Renée Sattiewhite is the President and CEO of the African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) and is responsible for the execution of the strategic vision of the Board of Directors. With over 30 years in the world of finance, she started her career as a teller trainee for City National Bank in Beverly Hills, California. She quickly moved up the ranks with various positions including bank officer. She has been associated with credit unions for over 25 years and was the first Internship Program Director for the AACUC. Renée’s background is in training and marketing, specializing in customer service, effective communication, board development, team building and strategic planning. Renée is a certified diversity professional, a credit union development educator, motivational speaker, an executive coach, mentoring trainer and assists organizations with marketing campaigns.

Alejandra Seluja

Michelle Thornhill

Director of U.S. Community Relations, Community and Investing and Development, Citi

Michelle Thornhill is the Director of U.S. Community Relations in Citi’s Community and Investing and Development function. In this role, she oversees engagement with local community leaders and organizations in markets across the country to create more inclusive and prosperous neighborhoods as well as Citi’s employee giving and volunteerism efforts. An active community leader, Thornhill is co-founder of the Thornhill Rites of Passage Foundation and currently serves on the board of trustees for Charlotte Latin School, CALIBR and the American Bankers Association Foundation. Michelle brings more than 20 years of experience leading strategic initiatives that drive business and societal impact.  Thornhill received a bachelor’s of science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a master’s of science degree in Administration from Central Michigan University, and a master’s of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School.

Scott Toler

President/CEO, Credit Union Mortgage Association (CUMA)

Scott Toler brings 34 years of mortgage experience to the credit union industry. Mr. Toler began his career as a mortgage loan officer at a local Washington, D.C. area savings and loan and then later moved to the banking side of the industry managing mortgage offices for small local banks, and then eventually to large regional banks, namely First Union and Wachovia where he served as Vice President and Regional Mortgage Sales Manager. Since 2003 Mr. Toler has served as President/CEO of Credit Union Mortgage Association, a mortgage CUSO now serving more than 120 credit unions locally and nationwide. His dedication to the industry over the years includes his current service on the Board of Directors for CU Title Insurance Company, and the Advisory Board for RateReset Corporation. He is a former director of CU Strategic Services, LLC (a commercial lending CUSO), and former Chairman of CU Realty Services of VA/MD/DC, LLC.

Paul Woodruff
Vice President – Community Development, St. Louis Community CU
Paul Woodruff serves as the Vice President of Community Development for St. Louis Community Credit Union (SLCCU). In this capacity, he is responsible for managing strategic initiatives which fund, support, and advance interventions designed to decrease racial and economic inequity throughout the St. Louis region. Paul began his career in 2009 as a teller at SLCCU and has subsequently worked in a variety of roles advancing community development finance objectives for the institution. In 2013, he moved into his current role as the Vice President of Community Development and as the Executive Director of SLCCU’s sister nonprofit, Prosperity Connection. In April of 2021 he left his post at Prosperity Connection to focus his efforts on credit union priorities. Prior to joining SLCCU, Paul received his Master’s in Public Administration from St. Louis University, where his research focused on credit union alternatives to payday loans.

Brice Yocum