Thalia Anguiano (she/her) is a Credit Union Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisor with CUNA Mutual Group. In this role she is responsible for connecting with credit union leaders and staff to guide them through their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) learning journey. She leads workshops, individualized consulting, data support, strategy planning sessions, and most notably, facilitating CUNA Mutual’s unique Inclusion Institute. Thalia has over five years of experience in the learning and development, curriculum design and DEI space working with adult learners. She graduated from Drake University with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Law, Politics and Society. She earned a Master of Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs and a certificate in Institutional Research and Data Assessment from Kent State University.

Angela Appleby has over 22 years of information security, control, and IT audit experience in several industries, including technology, service, insurance, financial institutions, and healthcare. She has extensive experience in SOC reporting and built the Colorado SOC practice after time spent in the Big Four. Angela is also a member of the AICPA’s SOC Reporting Task Force. Most recently, she has been appointed to the AICPA’s Assurance Services Executive Committee (ASEC), a senior executive committee whose mission is to support the profession in serving the public interest by continuously anticipating, assessing, and addressing evolving market needs and demand for assurance and advisory solutions. Angela also has extensive experience in assessing technology risk and IT controls in support of compliance initiatives such as Sarbanes-Oxley, PCI, HIPAA, HITECH, ISO 27001, and NIST-800-53. She has a bachelor’s in business administration in Accounting and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame.

Steve Arbaugh is the Executive Vice President of Finance and Accounting and the Chief Financial Officer of the State Employees Credit Union of Maryland (SECU). Steve is a past Chairman of the CUNA Finance Council (2018-2020). He worked directly with the NCUA in restructuring the 5300 Call Report and the Financial Accounting Standards Board in the development of CECL standards and on assessing the potential impact on credit unions. He co-founded the Maryland/DC Credit Union Association CFO Roundtable which meets quarterly with CFOs from Maryland/DC and surrounding states to share ideas and discuss challenges in maintaining the safety and soundness of their respective financial institutions.

Steve was the Smart CEO Magazine CFO Executive Management Award winner in 2014. In 2019, he was awarded the Best in Finance CFO Award by the Baltimore Business Journal. In 2022, Steve was named the CUNA Finance Council Professional of the Year.

Amanda Bardonner has over 10 years of financial industry experience; having previously held several marketing and communications roles at two Midwest-based credit unions. As the Vice President of Strategic Accounts at LendKey, she is responsible for managing key client relationships and providing ongoing strategic support to ensure balance sheet performance and profitability. Amanda strives to be a servant leader; creating inclusive teams that feel empowered to achieve. She believes establishing authentic connections with colleagues and team members helps drive team retention and organizational success.

Catherine Berman is CEO and co-founder of CNote, an impact investment platform that helps large institutions, such as corporations, banks, and foundations move deposits and capital into community investments to address racial justice, climate change and other pressing social issues. She’s a three-time entrepreneur with experience building scalable businesses. Her last startup grew into a multi-million-dollar firm in less than four years. Prior to CNote, she worked as a managing director at Charles Schwab focused on new market segments and predictive analytics. At the vanguard of impact investing, Catherine has spoken at events hosted by Stanford, Oxford, Google, The Economist, SoCap, Coinbase, and others to challenge conventional thinking about money and meaning.

Maricela Castillo is a Research Consultant, Multicultural Business Strategy at CUNA Mutual Group. She was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI and graduated from UW-Whitewater with a BBA in Marketing. She has been involved with the credit union movement since 2017 as an intern with CUNA Mutual Group and started her full-time career in January 2020. As a young professional in the credit union movement, she is focusing on multicultural communities and how to make a brighter financial future more accessible for everyone. Her passion for research and creating a positive experience for multicultural communities is what drives her. Maricela received her Credit Union Development Educator designation in March 2022.

Willis Chang is the Digital Transformation Officer for Kinecta Federal Credit Union (Manhattan Beach, CA) reporting to the CIO, where he leads their Digital Transformation efforts and PMO office to execute strategy initiatives. He has served in many different roles over his 20-year career at Kinecta. Willis is also an active industry participant and is currently the Chair of the CUNA Technology Council Executive Committee.

As Chief Member Experience Officer at Orange County’s Credit Union, Amber Cisneros serves in a hybrid role of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer. She is best known for breaking down silos, removing bureaucracy to foster ideation, and leveraging data analytics and consumer insights to influence enterprise decision-making. Amber leads diverse teams, including Branches, Call Center, Loan Servicing, Community Development and Education, Member Operations, Member Experience, Digital Banking, Strategic Planning, Marketing, Product Development, and Membership/Business Development. She maintains strategic accountability for operations, growth, and strategic planning. 

Jim Craven is Vice President & Senior Consultant with McQueen Financial Advisors. As a seasoned professional with more than 30 years of experience, Jim is known for his deep knowledge of financial modeling, regulatory guidance and challenges facing our industry. In his current role, Jim is part of a team responsible for the company’s continuous improvement and expansion efforts. He is a regular conference speaker on a variety of topics and writes monthly industry-specific commentary. Also, Jim consults with clients on risk mitigation strategies, valuations, policy development, ALM validations, and regulatory topics. In his previous role at McQueen, Jim developed several models which monitor interest rate risk, establish value, calculate CECL allowance, and monitor investment holdings.

Sam Das is Managing Director of CMFG Ventures, the venture capital arm of CUNA Mutual Group. Since joining, he has focused on sourcing, investing, and advising early-stage fintech and insurtech startups. Sam is also the Vice President of Corporate Development at CUNA Mutual Group, evaluating and executing a broad range of strategic transactions for the organization. He joined CUNA Mutual Group in 2017. Prior to joining CUNA Mutual Group, Sam was the founder and CEO of a fintech startup and served as an investment banker at firms including Houlihan Lokey and Fox-Pitt, Kelton. He has completed mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, and capital raising transactions valued at more than $10 billion involving companies like Principal Financial, AIG, MasterCard, Security Benefit and Lehman Brothers. Das graduated from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics.

Ian Dunn is an experienced product manager on the Portfolio Analytics team. He earned his MBA
from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and holds an undergraduate degree in
Engineering. Ian is also a graduate of the Pacific Coast Graduate School of Banking. He has
spoken at several conferences, covering such topics as Fair Lending, Loan Portfolio Analytics,
Expected Loss Modeling, Stress Testing, and many others.

With almost 20 years of experience building hybrid and fully distributed organizations, Laurel Farrer is an internationally renowned thought leader on the topic of remote work and virtual organizational development. Her specialty is leveraging workplace flexibility to create legacy impact in corporate and socioeconomic operations. In addition to being a Forbes Next 1000 winner, her work has also been featured in Inc, NPR, BBC, Fast Company, the New York Times, and Harvard Business Review.

Laura Fielding works for UnitedOne Credit Union as its Chief Human Resources Officer. She has over 30 years of experience in human resources and organizational development including previously serving as Vice President of Organizational Engagement and Chief Administrative Officer at Holy Family Memorial.

Laura earned a Bachelor of Science degree in public administration and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and obtained a Master of Science degree in management and organizational behavior from Silver Lake College. She also earned Fellow status with the American College of Healthcare Executives and received a Senior Certified Professional designation with the Society of Human Resources Management. Laura has provided numerous local, state, and national presentations on culture & engagement, employee and leadership talent development, change management, organizational development, and more.

Brett Fisher has been in the credit union industry for 12 years, with five years spent as an examiner and the remainder on the "good" side within Finance. Brett currently serves as the SVP Finance for Skyla Credit Union, a $1.4bn in assets credit union serving over 104,000 members.

Kat Fox stumbled into a career in credit unions in her early adulthood, and through her 13 years across many different roles in the credit union, she fell in love with the movement. While serving as AltaOne Federal Credit Union's Financial Reporting Manager, she has developed strong relationships with regulators and has worked to increase efficiencies and transparency in the standard of work and communication within her organization and the movement. Kat is a member of CUNA's Finance Council Conference Committee and devotes her time to community service work through VITA, her local Volunteer Income Tax Association. 

Tim Gardner is the Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer of CDC Federal Credit Union in Atlanta, Georgia with over $400M in assets and approximately 20,000 members. He oversees the investment portfolio, accounting, operations, lending, branches, marketing, and the member contact center.

Justin Glazman is a Shareholder at Doeren Mayhew in the firm’s Financial Institutions Group. Nearly 20 years of experience in auditing credit unions and credit union service organizations (CUSOs) drives his ability to assist clients with their risk-based assurance needs. Well abreast of every aspect of completing successful audit, Supervisory Committee audit and agreed upon procedure engagements, Justin leads and mentors audit staff, ensuring unparalleled risk management services are delivered to clients.

Billy Guthrie is a Managing Director at Darling Consulting Group, working directly with financial institution executives to validate and better understand key deposit behaviors utilized in risk models. In addition to supporting core deposit study analyses, he also educates DCG’s client base on utilizing data analytics to support strategic deposit decisions through Deposits360°®, DCG’s proprietary tool. Billy began his career with DCG in 2008 as a financial analyst. He is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a degree in finance and management.

Following a long and successful career as Chief Economist and Chief Policy Officer of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in Washington DC, Bill Hampel is now an economic consultant specializing in explaining trends in the economy and financial institutions to business leaders. Bill is an expert on the economy and credit union issues and has been regularly interviewed by the media for stories appearing on major national television, radio, and print outlets. He has also testified before Congress about a number of key credit union issues. Bill has served on several financial institution boards, currently serving on the board of Premier America Credit Union. Hampel holds a doctorate in economics from Iowa State University. 

Heather Hinchley is a Senior Solutions Engineer supporting the Financial Institutions vertical at Syntellis Performance Solutions. She is responsible for presenting the Axiom Financial Institutions Suite to prospective clients and working with Product Development for continuous software improvement. Since joining the firm in 2015 Heather has filled multiple roles in Professional Services and Sales leading to her current position as Senior Solutions Engineer. With more than 15 years of banking experience prior to joining Syntellis, she has a broad background in financial planning and analysis-related responsibilities. Heather held multiple titles working with regional banks in the Pacific Northwest. Her industry experience includes indirect lending, board reporting, expense analysis, organizational profitability, loan loss provision, funds transfer pricing, and budgeting. She also has deep knowledge of incentive and commission compensation planning, data compilation, and reporting.

Bud Hollenkamp is a member of the Financial Services Practice and leader of the Colorado-Utah practice unit financial services team. He provides external and internal audit and consulting services for credit unions, single and multibank holding companies, individual chartered banks, and other financial service entities ranging in asset size from startup organizations and/or de novo banks to multibillion-dollar SEC and non-SEC institutions.

Bud’s more than 22 years of experience includes assisting clients with the implementation of new FASB regulatory guidance and issuances and changes in reporting requirements. In addition, he performs assurance services for SEC reporting entities, including SOX-404. His experience includes consulting on; implementation of Interagency Policy Statement on the ALLL and the new CECL standard, merger and acquisitions, and internal control design/best practices. He is active in various state and national banking associations and has participated in several presentations on accounting issues related to compensation plans, TDRs, and CECL.

Scott Hood is a Strategy, Risk, and Assurance Partner with Rochdale. He specializes in helping credit unions implement and improve their Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) processes. He has worked with the boards and management of credit unions of all sizes in identifying risk management objectives, determining risk appetite, implementing the organization structures to support ERM, tailoring ERM processes, identifying and assessing exposures, developing reporting, and taking actions to mitigate and capitalize on significant risk exposures and opportunities.

Scott also serves on the Farmers Insurance Board of Governors and Audit Committee. Prior to joining the Rochdale in 2008, Scott held senior positions with EY, Swiss Re, and his own consulting firm. In addition to asset/liability and risk management, his background includes treasury management, financial operations, systems development and implementation, and consulting on a wide variety of financial and process improvement initiatives.

Paul Jockisch has over 14 years of experience in finance and leadership. He has been with Stanford FCU since 2012 and has served as Chief Financial Officer since 2020. Paul is an alum of Santa Clara University, Moss Adams, Western Governors University, and Filene Research Institute’s i3 program. He leads the accounting, finance, treasury, payments, wealth management, risk, and compliance divisions of the credit union.

Paul is passionate about improving the financial lives of Stanford FCU members. In his tenure the credit union has partnered with a slate of fintechs, eliminated fees, created wholesale new deposit, card, and loan products. Paul is always looking for ways to give more value, both in technology as well as in-your-wallet dollars back to the membership. 

Rob Johnson, President and one of five c. myers owners, has been instrumental in delivering on the vision of enabling leadership teams to have relevant and reliable financial decision-information at their fingertips, so that they can accelerate their strategic impact in providing value to their markets. Clients find the speed of the decision-information, whether at the enterprise level or drilling into what is driving profitability at a category level, combined with Rob’s quick mind and critical thinking, to be invaluable.

When working with clients, Rob digs into their data and business intelligence to help them find opportunities for sustainable revenue streams and to reposition their business models so that the organization can continue to offer compelling value propositions to their target markets.

In his role as a senior facilitator, Patrick Jordan is responsible for drawing on his
leadership experience, business knowledge, and Disney Institute insights to understand client objectives and better align learning solutions. He facilitates the delivery of business programs individually and as a team. Prior to joining Disney Institute, Patrick worked as a coordinator of training, recreation, and learning and development, where he helped in the
onboarding process for recreation cast at the Walt Disney World® Resort. He partnered with labor operations and scheduling to create tiered training experiences and worked closely with local leaders to ensure smooth transitions for transferring cast members. Before Disney, Pat worked as a healthcare executive and clinician at a large, privately held healthcare network.

Pat has a master’s degree in speech-language pathology and audiology from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in speech communication - interpersonal communications and public address from Valdosta University.

Joe is a Managing Director at Darling Consulting Group, where he works directly with senior management teams on building customized balance sheet strategies to improve earnings and manage risk. Joe strives to be an expert in overall Asset Liability Management and educates ALCOs in the inevitable balance of financial performance and regulatory appeasement. Joe speaks at numerous industry associations reaching thousands of bankers every year. He is an expert at helping bring clarity to the complex and delivers a high level of energy to his ALM presentations.

Joe has been with DCG since 2005, where he has benefited from working with nearly a thousand ALCOs throughout the country on ALM and strategic initiatives. He lives in Boxford, MA with his wife and two daughters and has been an active member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Joe is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a degree in finance.

Tom Kuslikis is the Chief Financial Officer at UMCU. During his almost decade at the University of Michigan Credit Union, he has also had the role of Vice President of Internal Audit and Compliance. Tom is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Credit Union Investment Professional. He presides on several boards and committees and currently serves as Secretary for the Metro West Chapter of Credit Unions for the Michigan Credit Union League, member of the Credit Union National Association’s Finance Member Resources Committee, the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions’ (NAFCU) Legislative and CFO Steering Committees, and treasurer of Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan. Tom holds both a Bachelor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Aquinas College and the University of Michigan.

For 13 years, Stephen LaBarbera has provided audit and consulting services to credit unions and credit union service organizations. Leveraging his knowledge and experience gained from leading opinion audits, accounting implementation projects and internal audits, he serves as a year-round trusted advisor for many credit unions. Well-adept to successfully meet the specific needs of each client, he works alongside financial institutions throughout the entire engagement process, proactively addressing concerns, offering recommendations, and executing a detailed and efficient engagement. Stephen is often called on for his expertise by national, regional, and local technical and industry-related associations. He has become a recognized speaker and author on a variety of credit union related topics. Stephen is a leader in Doeren Mayhew’s internal education programs, including the firm’s Audit and Accounting Committee, and provides educational training to clients and colleagues on a wide range of accounting and auditing topics.

Ed Lis is the CFO of First Choice Financial FCU, a Finance Council executive committee member, chair of the Member Resource Committee, 2019 Top Contributor Award recipient, member of the Engagement Committee and served as a mentor for the CUNA Councils Mentor Program.

McQueen Financial Advisors, Inc. was founded by Charley in 1999 to provide specialized investment and consulting services to financial institutions. Today, his company advises clients throughout the United States and manages investment portfolios with a combined value in excess of $12.5 billion. With over 25 years of experience, Charley oversees McQueen Financial Advisors core services of Investment Portfolio Management, Asset/Liability Management, and Valuations & Advisory Services. A frequent speaker at financial institution conferences, Charley has provided board of director’s education and training on a variety of topics. Additionally, he regularly provides training for bank and credit union examiners and certified public accountants.

Charley is a graduate of Western Michigan University, with a BBA in Management.

Amy McGraw is Marketing VP and CXO for Tropical Financial Credit Union. She has been highly successful in developing innovative marketing plans and using data and AI to develop personalized omnichannel experiences for consumers in the S. Florida market. She has been a leader in the credit union profession for nearly 20 years, contributing to the betterment of the industry as a whole.

Tanya Medgaarden is a principal in the financial institutions group of CLA, specializing in credit unions. Her experience includes audit and supervisory/audit committee agreed-upon procedures engagements, GAAP and GAAS issues related to credit unions, supervisory/audit committee issues, ACH audits, review and evaluation of internal audit functions and tax returns and issues for credit unions. Tanya also coordinates ongoing technical updates to our audit binder and financial statement templates. She has made numerous presentations to credit union boards, supervisory/audit committees, and management on a variety of accounting and credit union issues.

Bryan Mogensen has worked on audit and consulting engagements throughout his 27 years of public accounting. He has devoted the last 30 years specifically to credit union industry clientele. Bryan serves as the leader of CLA’s Western region credit union and credit union employee benefit plan audit practices. His background includes overseeing and managing audits of credit unions, credit union service organizations, profit sharing plans, 401(k) plans, defined benefit plans, employee, and group health plans. He also oversees the credit union internal audit and consulting services practice in the West.

Gavin Montgomery joined ALM First Financial Advisors in 2020. As a director for the firm, he assists financial institutions in building high-performing and efficient balance sheets. Gavin develops holistic partnerships with clients, interpreting full balance sheet risk analytics and risk positioning to determine the best opportunities for each institution to achieve their financial goals. Supported by our experienced team, he provides advice and insights on loan pricing, loan transactions, investment portfolio management, funding strategies, hedging and more. Gavin also coordinates internal collaboration to deliver analytics and timely reporting to assist clients throughout the entire process from strategy development through implementation and post-execution analysis.

Gavin holds an Executive MBA from IE Business School in Spain as well as a BS in Actuarial Science.

Lindsey Myhre is an accomplished business leader and financial expert who has made significant contributions to STCU in Liberty Lake, WA. With her extensive experience in financial management, budgeting, risk management, human resources, and strategic planning, she has played an instrumental role in the growth and success of STCU, which has become a $5.6 billion-dollar credit union and a leading financial institution in the Pacific Northwest. Beyond her work at STCU, Lindsey is deeply committed to serving her community. Through her involvement with organizations like the University District Development Association, Spokane Valley Partners, and the East Valley Booster Club, she has helped drive economic growth and development, provided essential services to low-income families, and supported the academic and athletic achievements of local students. Lindsey's dedication to education is evident in her own academic accomplishments.

Mira Ness has the honor of serving as a CEO of New York University Federal Credit Union for 17 years, during which time we have seen tremendous growth and success. When she first started at NYUFCU in 2006, the credit union was struggling with negative income and had only $7mln in assets. Today their assets have since grown to $73mln. The return on assets (ROA) as of 12/31/2022 was an impressive 3.74%. In addition to Mira’s experience at NYUFCU, she is also a Certified Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) and has volunteered her time to assist Ukrainian Credit Unions in creating successful agricultural loans for small farms. Mira has also served as a member of the CUNA Small Credit Union Committee in 2017 and 2018, as well as CUNA’s Advisory Committee in 2017 and 2018.

Bill Partin founded the Leadership Bet, LLC in 2020. As the Founder and Chief Encouragement Officer, his passion for developing leaders and creating high performing servant leadership focused teams have been his top business priorities. Bill recently retired from Sharonview FCU after serving as the President and CEO from 2013-2022. During his tenure, Sharonview was named the best credit union in South Carolina by Forbes in 2018. Sharonview was recognized as a Top Workplace in Charlotte, NC in 2021 and 2022 and was also awarded a Top Workplace in the US in 2022. Prior to joining Sharonview, Bill was the Chief Member Services Officer of Partners FCU, and he has spent over 42 years in the financial services industry. 

Amy Phillips is CFO of On Tap Credit Union in Golden, Colorado. As holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst designation, she came to credit unions from a background of investment middle- and back-office, derivatives hedging, treasury, and ALM modeling, analysis, and consulting. Amy holds a bachelor's and master’s degree in finance from the University of Colorado.

Dr. Lindsey Piegza is the Chief Economist for Stifel Financial. She specializes in the research and analysis of economic trends and activity, world economies, financial markets, and monetary and fiscal policies. Prior to her role with Stifel, Lindsey was the Senior Economist for an investment bank in New York City for eight years consulting clients in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. A highly sought-after speaker across national and international forums, she is often quoted in the business press. Lindsey is a regular guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN, and Fox Business, as well as national radio and other business news outlets. Piegza is also a monthly op-ed contributor for The Hill. In addition to her role with Stifel, she is an instructor at the Pacific Coast Banking School, a member of the Chicago Federal Reserve Advisory Committee, SIFMA Economic Advisory Roundtable Chair and a well-respected author.

Dean Rohne has more than 25 years of experience providing audit, internal audit, and consulting services to credit union and credit union related organizations. He has provided consulting services in the areas of business lending, bond claim preparation, product costing and profitability, and asset/liability management. He also has experience related to credit union 990 tax issues as well as unrelated business income tax issues. Dean has also worked as an internal auditor at IBM Mid America Employees Federal Credit Union. Dean has worked with a number of large credit unions on strategic issues such as board governance and enterprise risk management, as well as the role of internal audit and risk management, regulatory issues, and many accounting related topics.

Frank Santucci has more than 35 years of experience working with credit unions nationwide on balance sheet management issues and regulatory challenges. As the principal author of the Credit Union ALM model used by Stifel Nicolaus and its Balance Sheet Management Services, he has in-depth knowledge and insight on effective balance sheet and risk management strategies. Frank is a frequent speaker at regional and national conferences on various ALM and risk management techniques, as well as current industry trends.

Cole Schulte leads the firm’s fair value business line, which includes mergers and acquisitions, goodwill impairment testing, and fair value advice related to footnote disclosures. In addition, he helps lead the company’s CECL product line and is responsible for model enhancements. In his role as Director, Cole manages a team working on these engagements. He joined Wilary Winn in 2016. Cole has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

Jay Scungio has been with Freedom Credit Union since November 1999. Prior to the credit union, he worked with a local CPA firm for 5 years specializing in credit union engagements. Jay is a graduate of Western New England University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA. he is also a CPA and a member of the AICPA and Massachusetts Society of CPA’s.

Kevin Shaner joined ALM First in 2018 and serves as Managing Director of our Loan Transaction Network, a comprehensive, turnkey solution for buyers and sellers of whole loans and participations. He is also responsible for the national banking channel. Kevin has over 20 years of commercial and corporate banking experience. He has originated, underwritten, and managed billions of dollars in the primary and secondary loan markets, across a wide variety of loan types including government contracting, C&I, CRE, SBA, construction, project finance, and residential mortgages. Kevin has been involved with notable public transactions including the $1.2B REIT conversion of Host Marriott, the Smithsonian Institutes’ $100mm+ acquisition of the Victor Building as well as co-managing the IPOs of SAIC and SRA.

Kevin has previously held Series 7 & 66 licenses and is currently a Registered Investment Advisor. Kevin earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of California, San Diego.

Lee Silber is the best-selling author of 25 books, an award-winning presenter, a working musician, and the founder of five companies, none of which would have happened without the help of his San Diego-based credit union—Silber is a lifelong member. He is best known for presentations, his high-energy and presentations that are both fun and filled with good ideas. To learn more go to: leesilber.com.

Brandon Smith served as CFO for 14 years before moving into the CEO role. After the operational merger with UniWyo Credit Union is complete on August 1, 2023, he will step into a strategy and data analytics role including leading advocacy efforts. Brandon is a CUDE and enjoys bringing financial leadership to the community development space. He is all about people and thrives in settings where collaboration strengthens the ability to improve financial well-being for all.

Brian Smith-Vandergriff joined OUCU Financial CU as CFO in 2019 after almost two decades of serving credit unions across the country. He was recently promoted to Chief Financial & Strategy Officer, expanding his responsibilities to include Marketing, Information Technology, and Business Intelligence. Brian has extensive experience in balance sheet management strategies, interest rate risk, investments, liquidity management, and other strategic efforts. He previously served as the Chairman of Catholic Family CU. Brian is an Advisor for the George Washington University Credit Union Initiative, an effort to secure a new federal charter for a startup student operated CU.

Brian holds a BS in Computer Science and an MBA in Information Systems & Knowledge Management from Rockhurst University. He also holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from the Grenoble Ecole de Management (Grenoble, France), with a research focus on the role of investments and capital markets on the performance of credit unions.

Kari Stansberry started her career in banking as a teller for iQ Credit Union in 2000. For almost six years, she worked for iQ holding various positions in the Retail and the Consumer Lending Department. While working full-time at iQ, Kari obtained her bachelor’s degree and master’s in business administration.

In 2006, Kari began working in human resources management in the heavy construction industry and then went to the health care industry. In 2012, she returned to iQ Credit Union as the Human Resources Manager and achieved her Senior Professional Human Resources Certification (SPHR). Kari has had the pleasure of serving on iQ’s Executive Team for nine years. In addition to Human Resources, Kari oversees Organizational Development, as well as Facilities – what a combination! She also serves as a board member for CU Benefits Alliance.

Over the last 15 years, Colin Taggart has been helping credit unions with cybersecurity audit services, including information security general control audits, regulatory reviews (such as GLBA), and application security assessments. He also assists with cybersecurity consulting services, including developing policies and procedures, providing security awareness training, and leading tabletop tests of incident response plans. Colin regularly presents on cybersecurity topics at regional and national conferences. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Brittni Terry has been in the credit union industry for nearly 11 years and is currently the AVP of Finance and Business Intelligence at OUCU Financial. She has previously been on panels for Pandemic Lessons and Budget. She was the 2022 recipient of the Rising Star Award. Brittni currently serves on the Member Resource Committee for the Finance Council as well as serves as the Finance Chair for GRID, Ohio's Young Professional group. Outside of the industry Brittni serves on Ohio University’s Copeland Scholars Advisory Board and the Marching 110 Network of Alumni and Friends as Secretary.

Greg Tomaszewicz is a VP of Financial Strategies with the Baker Group where he helps to bring the firms client centric approach to credit unions nationwide. He takes a strategic and consultative approach with credit union executives where his areas of focus include balance sheet management, liquidity management, loan strategies, investment portfolio management, as well as education on all aspects of the balance sheet. Prior to joining the Baker Group in 2018, Greg spent 12 years working for a fixed income broker/dealer in New York where he helped credit union clients across the country in evaluating their balance sheet risks and opportunities.

John Toohig is a Managing Director at Raymond James, a Board Member and President of Raymond James Mortgage Company, Inc., and Head of the Whole Loan Group. John joined Raymond James (formerly Morgan Keegan) in September of 2006. As Head of the Whole Loan Group, John’s primary responsibilities include day-to-day trading of whole loan packages, portfolio analysis, transaction management and the structuring of whole loan, participation, and various structured products. His product focus encompasses both seasoned and new production: residential mortgages (both QM and Non-QM), commercial mortgages, consumer lending, fintech lending, scratch and dent loans, and non-performing assets. Prior to joining the Whole Loan group at Raymond James, John was a part of the firm’s Taxable Banking platform where he was responsible for corporate debt transactions, trust preferred securities, sale leaseback transactions and ABS transactions.

Ashley Vandermause has been part of the credit union industry for more than 20 years, beginning as a teller while still in high school. She found her calling in the accounting area, working as an Accounting Manager, Financial Analyst and becoming CFO of UnitedOne Credit Union in Manitowoc, WI in 2017. A self-proclaimed “numbers geek,” Ashley enjoys the oversight of her credit union’s balance sheet with a vision of maximizing return to members while managing overall risk. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh and became a CPA in 2009.

Jeff Welch has worked in the credit union industry for 38 years. He started at a small credit union in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, while he was finishing his accounting degree. For the past 25 years, Jeff has been at FORUM Credit Union and has been the CFO since 2011. He oversees FORUM's Accounting, Finance, and Collections teams. Jeff attends all board and ALCO meetings. He is also a member of FORUM's Foundation Board and CUSO Board.

Jeff shares a great passion for FORUM with his teammates. They have developed a culture based upon caring, trust, and transparency for their two stakeholders: members and staff. The best part of Jeff's job is finding ways to fulfill FORUM's primary mission: Helping Members Live Their Financial Dreams.

Glenn Wheeler oversees Catalyst Corporate’s payments strategy and product innovation team. He is actively involved in the payments industry, currently serving on multiple work groups for the Faster Payments Council and chairs the Payment Solutions Provider subgroup. He also serves as Catalyst's primary contact for the FedNow pilot program and for RTP. His background includes more than 35 years’ experience in financial services, including serving as President/CEO of PaymentsNation, President of Viewpointe Clearing, Settlement, and Association Services LLC. He also has served as Vice President, Float Management, for Bank One and Engagement Manager for Pacific Premier Bank.

Glenn served on the board at Viewpointe CSAS LLC, the Routing and Transit Number Board and the Central Oklahoma Clearing House Association. He has participated in industry work groups, including the Electronic Check Clearing House Organization Operations Committee, the National Automated Clearing House Association, Faster Payments Playbook, and the American National Standards Institute.

Douglas Winn has nearly 40 years of executive level financial experience. He is a nationally recognized expert regarding accounting and regulatory reporting for financial institutions. Doug is regularly invited to speak at conferences, and has led seminars sponsored by the AICPA, CUNA, the FDIC, the FFIEC, the FHLBanks, the NCUA, and many of the country’s largest accounting firms. Many Wilary Winn white papers, which he has authored or co-authored, are considered standards for the industry.

Doug co-founded Wilary Winn and is responsible for the firm’s strategic direction. From just an idea in 2003, Wilary Winn has grown into a national presence with financial institution clients located across the United States. Wilary Winn’s clients include nearly 300 community banks, 73 of which are publicly traded, and nearly 300 credit unions, including 41 of the top 100.

With over 20 years of experience in the credit union industry, Jeremy Zager combines an auditing background with career experience in several industries including banking, finance, and retail in his role as Chief Financial Officer of Dort Financial Credit Union. A proud alumnus of Michigan State University, Jeremy earned his MBA from Oakland University and has obtained both the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) designations. He is passionate about helping Dort Financial implement its strategic priorities and teaching employees to avoid distractions and improve efficiency so they can reach their goals.