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.

Philippe Asselin has a real sense for team and process and bringing the two together for powerful performance results. While he can connect with and support hundreds of FI's across the country, you’ll see him at his best when he consults one-on-one and educates on the tools that ensure his clients find success. He’s most energized by empowering HR leadership with the BalancedComp systems and consulting. Philippe’s background brings varied perspectives to the conversation and deconstructs client obstacles with a well-rounded approach. He has managed some of the world’s most profitable restaurants and was an executive at a billion-plus asset-sized financial institution.

Michell Azbell serves as Vice President of Human Resources & Business Consulting for TDECU, the largest credit union in Houston. Founded in 1955, TDECU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with more than 366,000 Members and over $4.7 billion in assets. As VP of HRBC, she is responsible for enterprise talent strategy, culture, engagement, and ER. Michell has more than 15 years of experience in human resources, business consulting and learning and development. Before assuming her current role, she served as Director, Business Intelligence & Strategy for TDECU Wealth Advisors where she applied HR concepts to drive results. Prior to joining TDECU Michell was an educator and corporate recruiter. She has served TDECU for more than ten years and thrives in situations where she can support leaders in implementing talent strategies to achieve organizational results, whether the role is inside or outside of HR.

Lisa Baron is the EVP/CHRO at BCU in Vernon Hills, Illinois. She is responsible for the strategic direction of the Human Resource and the Talent Management functions in addition to Member Experience. Lisa is responsible for driving high employee engagement, cultivating their unique culture and employee brand, staff development and increasing employee retention. She is very excited to be part of the Inclusion Network to further strengthen BCU’s culture as a great company where you can bring your whole self to work each day and do your best work.

Ryan Brogan is Senior Director and leads Cornerstone’s Strategy & Performance group. His practice focuses on strategic planning, performance optimization, technology advisory, and member experience design. Ryan is honored to count some of the very best midsize banks and credit unions as clients and brings to bear industry insights and lessons learned from over a decade of financial services and consulting experience. He is a contributing author for GonzoBanker, Cornerstone’s blog, and has been quoted in numerous industry publications including Independent Banker and CU Management. Ryan holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.

Sarena Cook is the Learning and Development Manager for OCCU and supports the employee engagement, career development, leadership development and DEI (diversity equity and inclusion) programs for the credit union. She is also the leadership sponsor for the OCCU Connect engagement and recognition committee. Sarena has a long career in financial services management and made the transition to supporting People/HR functions for credit unions in 2013. As a Strengthsfinder and Enneagram coach, she takes a personalized approach to development that focuses on the strengths of the organization and each individual within. What inspires her most is collaborating with individuals and teams to find innovative learning, development and engagement solutions that have a positive influence on employee experience, performance outcomes, and the community. 

Ellen Davis, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is the Vice-President of Human Resources at Gerber Federal Credit Union. For the past 20 years she has overseen all aspects of Human Resources at Gerber FCU including payroll, benefits administration, training and development facilitation/oversight, collective bargaining processes, recruiting, and onboarding. As a member of Executive Management, she participates in the strategic planning process and is responsible for the development and management of a $4 million dollar budget. Ellen has been an active member of the CUNA HR/OD Council since 2012 and has participated in various committees and is now a member of the HR/OD Council Executive Committee.

Lauren DeAngelis, chief learning officer for the Carolinas Credit Union League, serves on the executive management team where she plans and directs the delivery of innovative professional development services to member credit unions. Signature programs launched under her leadership include the League’s Leadership Development Institute, TalentGuided Professional Coaching Services, and LAUNCH Conference. Internally, she supervises the association’s HR function and helps to develop company culture, learning and development opportunities.

Lauren has more than 30 years of experience in financial services and extensive know-how in training, event and project management, customer service, and sales. Her experiences prior to the League include the development of more than 250 sales executives at Sallie Mae and leading large teams in several financial institutions in Boston, MA. With keen insight into staffing, operations, and development, Lauren is well positioned to help credit unions address challenges and find solutions to ensure success within today's competitive culture.

Heather DeNamur holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, has 10 years of experience of HR experience and experience, and is SHRM-CP certified. She has been with Royal Credit Union as their Organizational Recruiting and Relations Manager for 18 months. She is responsible to ensure all HR processes align to the credit union's purpose, values, and strategic focus of attracting and retaining high impact talent. Heather serves as a strategic business partner to organization leaders in all aspects of Talent Management, and champions a culture of effective performance management techniques, team member engagement, and successful talent identification and placement.

Silvia Dimma serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU). Prior to joining MSUFCU in 2007, Dimma was the Director of Human Resources for Albion College. With more than 20 years in human resource management experience, Dimma leads a team of human resources professionals focused on delivering a world-class employee experience that includes recruiting, learning and talent development, compensation, engagement and retention, succession planning, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, internal communications, and employee relations.

Silvia received a Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Education, Post Diploma in Human Resources, Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Business Administration. She also holds certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). She is involved with the CUNA Human Resources and Organizational Development Council and serves on the CUNA HR/OD Executive Council.

A New York Times best-selling author and innovation consultant, Diana Kander has spent her career challenging assumptions and asking big questions - what kind of culture needs to exist in an organization to ensure innovative ideas and practices? How has Snoop Dogg continued to innovate decade after decade to stay relevant to the next generation? What causes name brands to lose relevance with their customers and go out of business? A serial entrepreneur who entered the United States as a refugee at the age of 8, she has launched and sold millions of dollars’ worth of products and services. Her first book, All In Startup, has been used by over 100 universities in their innovation courses and countless large organizations to help their employees think more like entrepreneurs. Her second book, The Curiosity Muscle walks readers through a methodology to keep curiosity alive and thriving inside of an organization, ultimately, future-proofing the business.

Kris Hackbarth-Horn’s people-centric leadership philosophy is the driving force behind her approach to helping organizations steward their intentional culture, engage their team members, and achieve their goals. Starting from inside an organization, she fosters an inspiring and caring atmosphere where the needs of team members are considered first. When the most trustworthy and inclusive environment is created, Kris believes team members feel wholistically supported and can be inspired to achieve their dreams and fulfill their purpose. Through focusing on organizational culture and its impact on people and business, she challenges others to think differently. Her expertise includes organizational development, career coaching, conflict resolution, change management, vision setting, and strategic planning. Currently, Kris is the Chief People Officer at Fox Communities Credit Union. Prior to this role, she has led people-centered work at CLA, Schenck SC, Goodwill NCW, and several other organizations throughout her career.

With more than 30 years of human resources experience, Rhonda Hazlewood, SPHR, joined Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union (ACFCU) in September 2022. She has served on executive teams of companies in the nuclear, medical, and hospitality services industries. She holds a M.S. in Human Resources Management from Liberty University and a B.B.A in Accounting from East Tennessee State University. She is on the Kingsport United Way Council and serves as a Facilities Resource Director for Alpha Delta Pi International Sorority. Rhonda is committed to ACFCU being known as an "Employer of Choice" in the communities served. The Human Resources Mission Statement is "Serving Someone Who is Serving a Member". People are her passion.

Jan Johnson recently retired from $4.6B Royal Credit Union in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as their Executive Vice President of Organizational Agility. At the time of her retirement, she also served as Chair of the CUNA HR&OD Council Executive Committee and was a member of the CUNA Councils Executive Committee. While well-versed in all aspects of Human Resources and Organizational Development, Jan's passion lies in building strong values-driven organizational cultures and driving strategic talent development programs that result in high-performing individuals and teams. With over 25 years of strategic executive experience, she holds a Master of Science, Organizational Management and Human Resource Development, from Manhattanville College. Jan holds the designations of Senior Professional in Human Resources from the Human Resource Certification Institute and Senior Certified Professional from the Society of Human Resource Management.

Trish Kordas currently serves as the Chief Culture Officer for Tucson Federal Credit Union, approaching a billion dollars in assets and serving a significant geographic area in Arizona. She serves as the executive leader to the Growth and Development, Community Impact, and corporate Human Resource teams. Her experience lies in organizational design, talent acquisition, employee effectiveness and building or rebuilding sustainable cultures.

Trish has a passion for community which has included serving nonprofit partners and a variety of boards such as President (2015) of the Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Tucson, Vice President of Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation and Secretary for Elements/Refuge Center of Tucson. Her passion is People & Culture, and she possesses over 25 years of progressive human resource and culture experience.

Cheryl Kubas is the Chief People Officer at Consumers Credit Union in Illinois. She joined CCU in June of 2017 and was new to the credit union industry at that time. Prior to CCU Cheryl had spent over 20 years in various HR leadership roles with Fortune 500 organizations.

Jasiel Legon joined GTE Financial as SVP, Chief Talent (HR) Officer in August 2016. He has more than 28 years of experience in financial services and began his career as a teller in 1995 with Barnett Bank in Tampa, Florida. GTE Financial has been named a Tampa Bay Times “Top Workplaces” and Tampa Bay Business Journal “Best Places to Work” for 9 consecutive years. He holds the following professional HR certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR-HRCI) and Senior Certified Professional (SCP-SHRM). Mr. Legon received an M.A. in Human Performance Improvement/ Organization Development from Roosevelt University, a B.A. in Communication and Business from Columbia College Chicago. He serves on the Advisory Board of Directors of LifeLink of Florida and is also active in several other charitable organizations. 

Since joining c. myers in 2004, Charlene Leland has become one of the most diverse facilitators within the industry, especially with regard to helping financial institutions of all sizes address three necessary business objectives: relevancy, differentiation, and sustainability. Charlene is a certified Harrison Assessment coach. She uses her insight to support individuals in leadership development, both internally and externally. Within c. myers, Charlene has mentored more than 20 employees in her many areas of expertise. She also manages major projects, including both the development of new services and the revamping of existing services.

Andrea McCullough is the Human Resources Generalist at Heritage South Community Credit Union in Shelbyville, TN. She has worked at the credit union for almost 20 years, initially as a mortgage specialist before transitioning to her Human Resources role. In her position, she manages the pay and benefits for the credit union employees, assisted in the hiring and onboarding during two different expansions, helped lead long-term strategic planning for the credit union, and leads the employee engagement and events committee. Andrea has an associate degree in business administration and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in leadership and management, Human Resources Management, and Business. 

As one of five owners of c. myers corporation, Brian McHenry works daily with CEOs and C-Suite teams to help them identify and prioritize necessary changes to continuously adjust their business models and remain highly competitive. As a certified Harrison Assessment and Strozzi Institute Somatic Coach, Brian is continuously innovating the way he helps current and aspiring CEOs and CFOs accelerate their growth in key competencies through our Strategic Leadership Development and Immersion programs. He works with leadership teams to advance their abilities to perform as a cohesive and strategic team. CEOs often say that Brian is adept at taking a group of individuals and helping them develop into a high-functioning team.

Mark Millwood is currently serving as the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Eastman Credit Union headquartered in Kingsport, TN. Prior to joining ECU in 2012, he has led the HR function in several different industries. Mark has also served two terms as a member of the CUNA HR/OD Executive Committee.

Anamita Mukherjee is UFCU's Director of Organizational Development and is experienced in developing and leading a team in organizational effectiveness, learning and development, and internal communications to equip leaders and employees with best practices and tools that keep employees informed and engaged. Anamita fulfills the credit union's mission by being a change agent and building organizational capabilities. Shepherding large-scale change initiatives as well as employee engagement ensures employee hearts and heads are fully engaged on each journey. This has been demonstrated through receiving Gallup’s Workplace Excellence Awards for three years in a row.

Anamita shares her passion for the credit union movement via active board participation of the local Austin Chapter of Credit Unions. Anamita is involved in her local community as a Board Member of the Metro YMCA as well as a Girl Scout leader for two troops for the past 13 years.

Deedee Myers is a thought and practice leader in transformative change and organizational evolution for people and organizations. She is a catalyst for updating organizational structures that leverage people’s values. Deedee’s extensive work with boards, executive teams, and staff results in progressive yet pragmatic communication and behavioral practices that add sustainable and intrinsic value. She applies appreciative inquiry to strategic planning, succession planning from the emerging leader through the board level, generative board practices, and advancing leadership presence and execution so that individuals, teams, and organizations can organize in a shared vision for the future. Deedee contributes to advancing thought leadership through frequent speaking engagements, articles, and webinars.

Deedee has a master’s degree in organizational development, a Ph.D. in human development, a master’s level in somatic coaching, and a PCC in coaching from the International Coaching Federation.

Crystal Palomino is UFCU's Internal Communications & Events Specialist and is experienced in developing and managing the internal communications best practices and tools that keep employees informed and engaged. She also leads an engaged committee of employee volunteers who create memorable experiences that celebrate our employees, their impact, and their achievements. Crystal has been the recipient of many awards and accolades over the years for her leadership skills and commitment to the employee experience. Most recently, Crystal was recognized as an “Unsung Hero” for her behind-the-scenes work in managing UFCU'S internal communications, all-hands meetings, and other organizational events. Her passion for servant leadership is rooted in the Holy Cross traditions she found at St. Edward’s University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Crystal uses that same passion and care for community to champion the vital role credit unions play in achieving prosperity in their local communities.

Spencer Park has worked at Deseret First Credit Union for 12 years. He currently holds the title of Chief People & Administrative Officer. He has responsibility for Human Resources, Learning & Development, Projects, and Facilities. He received a master's in human resources degree from Utah State University and holds the SPHR Certification. Spencer currently serves on the Executive Committee of the CUNA HR & OD Council. This past year, he has worked on the Conference Committee and the Sponsorship Committee. He considers himself extremely blessed to work in such a great industry. He enjoys working with credit union HR and OD professionals across the country and appreciates the friendships he has made while doing so.

Mike Patrick is a Senior Director in WTW's Work & Rewards Practice. He has nearly 20 years of experience in compensation consulting with an emphasis on executive compensation and total rewards. Mike’s background includes work such as designing competitive pay programs, aligning pay with performance, articulating compensation strategies and evaluating annual and long-term incentive plans. Mike has extensive experience consulting across a wide range of credit union and financial services organizations. Mike has been a guest speaker on compensation matters to professional organizations and events including Alabama Compensation Association, Human Capital Institute, Nashville Area Total Rewards Association and Tennessee Compensation Symposium and has been published in Bloomberg Human Resources Report.

Mike earned a Master of Business Administration degree, as well as a Master of Labor Relations and Human Resources degree from Cleveland State University. He has also earned the Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation from WorldatWork.

Alf Rhea is currently the President of Business Innovations out of Atlanta, Georgia. He began his career working for Arthur Andersen in public accounting and is a CPA. He left public accounting to join BCD Travel in the corporate travel industry. As President and Chief Operating Officer of BCD Travel, Alf was a part of a leadership team which saw the company grow over a nine-year period from $45 million to over $500 million. Business Innovations is a full-service firm that develops logo branding and marketing gift items for almost any industry in the world. In addition to serving over 50 credit unions, they get to do creative work for such clients as the Smithsonian Museum, NASA, The Villages, and the FBI. Alf is a graduate of Samford University with a BA in Accounting and MBA in management. 

Lecia Roundtree has over 20 years of executive level experience managing Human Resources and Staff Development. As a certified recruiter, trainer, and public speaker, she has presented information on a variety of topics both locally and internationally related to the disciplines of staff development, Human Resources, as well as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Lecia has created several programs designed to develop the organization’s next level of leaders. A recent program received the Excellence Award by the CUNA HR & Organizational Development Council.

Lecia holds a master’s degree in Human Resource Management and is a certified recruiter and public speaker. She is a GWLN Bay Area Society coordinator and recent AACUC Mentorship program participant.

Mike Schenk has over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. In 1992 he joined the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) – the largest and most influential national trade association advocating for America's credit unions. There are over 5,000 credit unions nationwide, with a total of more than 130 million memberships and over $2 trillion in assets.

Mike Schenk is Deputy Chief Advocacy Officer for Policy Analysis and Chief Economist for CUNA and conducts economic research and supports CUNA’s public relations and advocacy efforts.  His analyses regularly appear in trade publications such as Credit Union Magazine.  Mike is a frequent contributor to the financial media. He serves on the board of the Filene Research Institute, an independent, non-profit consumer and cooperative finance think tank.  Mike also serves on the board of Summit Credit Union in Madison, Wisconsin – a $5 billion financial cooperative with over 220,000 members.  In his nearly 20 years on the Summit board Mike has served as Board Chair and has Chaired the credit union’s Asset-Liability Management and Risk Management/Internal Audit Committees.   

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.

As Oregon Community Credit Union’s Senior Vice President People Development Kirsten Simmons is a leader in organizational development, change management, process improvement and human resources. With over 20 years of experience shen has developed many highly engaged and resilient teams of people practitioners. She is excited to share her expertise and experiences, providing us tools to build our own personal resilience.

Tim Strandquist is a trusted consultant within credit unions and has spent more than 14 years serving the industry while specializing in executive retention and recruitment. He currently focuses on improving executive retention and retirement utilizing Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERP’s) to keep high performing teams together. Tim applies years of experience as a leading executive recruiter for credit unions, which helps in creating long term success and win-win situations for organizations and executives. He has had success placing and transitioning hundreds of executives during his work in recruiting and has also led numerous CEO searches consulting directly with credit union boards. Tim’s financial industry knowledge, experience negotiating executive offers and contracts combined with proven retention strategies, have earned him an impressive track record.

Jennifer Storey is a seasoned HR professional with over 20 years' experience who currently serves as Associate EVP of Human Resources with State Employees' Credit Union. She is a graduate of NC State University, holds various professional designations and is currently pursuing an MBA through the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Her entire career has been with SECU, and she is passionate about helping others both personally and professionally.

Vibhas Ratanjee is a senior practice expert based in Gallup's Irvine, California office. He specializes in organizational development, culture change and executive-level engagement strategies, including strengths-based leadership and succession management. Vibhas is also an executive coach and leadership consultant to senior executives and CEOs. He works extensively in the healthcare, retail and financial services sectors.

A major focus of Vibhas’s work involves using large group change management techniques in organizational development, business processes, brand and customer engagement, employee engagement, and vision, mission and values consulting for private and government organizations. Vibhas also developed Gallup’s collaborative visioning approach to large-scale change management.

Vibhas is a well-known speaker and author and has contributed several articles on leadership and organizational development as well as how new technology will alter the future of work and the customer experience. His writing has been featured in several global publications, including the Gallup Business Journal and the Harvard Business Review. He is also a contributor to the American Journal of Managed Care.

Kris Walters has worked for Members First Credit Union for 17 years and is currently the Human Resources Director. She leads a team that cultivates purpose, belonging and joy; watching amazing things happen when employees find this in their work and the people they work with. Kris received a bachelor’s degree, with a concentration in Human Resources Management, from Oakland University, and holds CCUE, CUHRCP, and PHR/SHRM-CP certifications. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the CUNA HR/OD Council. This past year, Kris has worked on the Forum Committee and the Membership Committee and is truly blessed to be working alongside such passionate fellow HR professionals. She found her HR best friends at a CUNA HR &OD conference in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in 2014 and it all started with a blind invite for dinner, so she encourages you take advantage of networking opportunities too.

Debbie Wayland started her career in the financial services industry, working in the dark side…banking. After several years in banking, she transitioned to the higher education industry and has over two decades of human resources leadership working in both public and private institutions. In April of 2021, Debbie joined OUCU Financial Credit Union as the Vice President of Human Resources and Organizational Development and has found a true passion in the credit union movement. While primarily a human resource generalist, she specializes in organizational culture transformation, talent management, and compensation administration.

Debbie received a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication with a minor in human resources from Ohio University and holds a master’s degree in business psychology from Franklin University.