Royce Ngiam has 25 years of experience in banking/credit unions and an MBA with an emphasis in Marketing (although a closer look at his transcript would suggest an emphasis in Finance) from the University of California, Riverside in 2001. Royce has a desire to combine his proven business track record along with his passion for learning by working with likeminded credit union professionals. His responsibilities include driving creative development and strategies that embrace multiple platforms across the credit union’s audience through innovative solutions that are quantifiable, repeatable, and sustainable across all channels, over a dynamic and evolving consumer landscape.  Additionally, Royce is responsible for curating and visualizing a robust data depository while articulating and translating key data insights into actionable and measurable activities.  His time within the credit union industry has reinforced his passion for marketing and his desire to be a thought leader while advancing his craft.

Mia Perez is the SVP of Culture + Employee Experience at North Carolina State Employees CU, the nation’s second largest credit union. She is the past Chair of the Credit Union National Association’s Marketing & Business Development Council Executive Committee. In 2016, Mia was named as a Woman to Watch by the Credit Union Times and as a Credit Union Rock Star by Credit Union Magazine. She received her bachelor’s degree in public relations from Tulane University, a master’s degree in Leadership and HR Development from LSU, and is a graduate of CUNA Marketing & Business Development Certification School where she earned her Credit Union Certified Marketing Executive (CUCME) designation, where she is currently an instructor.

Mia is host of the Leadership Experiment with Royce and Mia podcast. Listen on iTunes or anywhere else you get your podcasts or visit www.royceandmia.com. 

Komal Ahmed is a passionate advocate for the credit union movement and its core principle of "People Helping People”. He has over 21 years of experience in Financial Services, his career has spanned various financial services sectors, including Consumer Finance, Community and Business Banking, and Credit Union Lending. He ultimately discovered that his passion aligned best with the credit union industry and has been an essential member of the Kinecta Leadership team for the last 8 years. In his current role, he is responsible for overseeing Strategic Alliances, SEG’s, Business Development and Engagement as the Director of Strategic Alliances and Engagement at Kinecta FCU, the nation’s 35th largest credit union. Komal is an active member of the Credit Union National Association's Marketing & Business Development Council and serves on the conference committee. Komal attended California State University Fullerton, where he studied Business Administration and Management. He is currently pursuing a CCUE designation from CUNA Management School at the University of Wisconsin and is expected to graduate in 2024. Komal has also attained the Credit Union Certified Business Development Professional (CUBDP) designation from CUNA Marketing & Business Development Certification School.

As the Assistant Vice President of Marketing at Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Jenna Amato, is a result-focused, data-driven marketing professional specializing in new customer acquisition. She developed the digital marketing strategy for Digital Home Lending, assisting in Bethpage’s record-breaking year for Home Equity production in 2022. Jenna oversees all of Bethpage’s digital and offline strategy, development, and execution to prospects and members, driving qualified leads and ensuring a consistent brand voice. Previously, she worked at Bankrate.com gaining over ten years of experience in marketing, data analytics, and digital strategy within the financial services industry. Before that, Jenna spent seven-plus years as a professional musical theater actress in New York City. She is pursuing her MBA at Boston University with an anticipated graduation date of May 2024.

Sarah Bacehowski has nearly 25 years of experience in financial marketing, leadership, strategy, and communication. As a strong advocate for community banking, Sarah has spoken to thousands of bankers at all levels across the country and continues to lead the way in helping FIs grow, innovate, and exceed their goals.

Ben Bauer is the Executive Director at Exclamation Services, a Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) that is wholly owned by Simplicity Credit Union in Central Wisconsin. Ben and his team lead the marketing and public relations efforts at Simplicity CU as well as several external credit union and non-credit union clients. He is an active and passionate champion for credit unions. Ben has been immersed in many roles including as a member of 15th wave of the i3 program at the Filene Research Institute and is a Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE). He is a Credit Union Certified Marketing Executive (CUCME) and a member of the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Member Resources Committee. In 2020, Ben was recognized by Credit Union Magazine as a Credit Union Rockstar for his volunteer and service work to drive credit union innovation, advocacy, and purpose.

Yeosh Bendayan is a University of Florida alum and partner at Push Button Creative Audio – a quirky Florida-based audio production company that creates radio ads, custom music, and podcasts, for regional and national advertisers. Clients include the Centers for Disease Control, where they worked on the campaign for the vaccine rollout and drug overdose initiatives, Tito's Vodka, MasterSpas, Pyrex, Budget Blinds, First Watch, and over 40 credit unions including Whitefish, Fibre Federal, Abound, Radiant, and OU Financial, among many others. Learn more at PushButtonProductions.com

Yeosh is a Past Chairman of the American Advertising Federation's Council of Governors, a peer-elected position where he represented the organizations 50,000 members to government officials and the organization's board of directors. 

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.

Nick Chiamardas has been working with financial institutions since he was 16 (yes, it was legal!). After starting a career in CU marketing out of college, he developed a passion for helping credit unions achieve sustainable growth through invited disruption using marketing communications and strategy, process improvement, product development, digital platform management, and award-winning website design and development. Before starting his career, Nick earned a master’s degree in marketing communications and a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management from Florida State University. 

Coby Cid is a graphic designer and photographer, born and raised on the island of O'ahu. Later in life, he traded sunshine for gray clouds and moved to Oregon, where he studied Visual Communication Design at Western Oregon University. After graduation, Coby honed his skills in graphic design, social media management, photography, animation, and cinematography to embark on my career in marketing with Maps Credit Union. 

Maps CU hired him in 2018 to wear many hats in their marketing department. So far, he has dedicated his career at Maps to crafting cohesive visual branding, growing our presence on all digital channels, keeping us on trend with the ever-growing digital world, and creating a bunch of dang good marketing campaigns!

Rick Claypoole is a former senior executive banker with over 25 years of experience in the industry. His diverse background includes work in credit policy, finance, strategic brand management, product development, pricing, marketing and FinTech. His professional experiences include stops at PNC Bank in Pittsburgh, National City Bank in Cleveland, BBVA Compass, and Cadence Bank in Birmingham, AL.  Rick is widely regarded as an innovator and was awarded Maverick Banker of the Year by BAI for his pioneering approaches. Today he drives strategy and performance-based marketing solutions for credit unions all over the country.

Rick holds an undergraduate degree in business from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from Robert Morris University, and is also a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking.

Kirsten Coenen joined the credit union movement in March of 2020 as the Community Development Manager at Kohler Credit Union. A veteran of the nonprofit world, she used the early days of the pandemic to absorb as much information about financial institutions as possible. She evaluated and designed a new online presence to ensure financial wellness resources were available to all. Kirsten's latest venture brought financial information to Gen Z through her entertaining yet informative TikToks, allowing Kohler Credit Union to become one of the top financial institutions on the platform.  She currently serves as the president of the Port Washington/Saukville Rotary club, board member of the Saukville Community Food Pantry, and as a committee member for several other nonprofit and chambers in Southeastern Wisconsin. 

Cynthia Colón, Assistant VP Multicultural Inclusion Strategy, has been an important member of GTE’s marketing and engagement team for eight years. Her efforts have played an essential role in introducing a lineup of services to GTE’s Spanish speaking membership and has expanded the credit union’s presence in the Hispanic community. Cynthia has also spearheaded the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative. In 2022, she won the 2022 Marketing Professional of the Year from the CUNA MBD Council. Prior to her role with GTE, Cynthia worked with the Lower East Side Peoples Federal Credit Union in New York, as Marketing Director.

Cynthia obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies from Hunter College (CUNY) in New York. She also holds Certifications in Linguistics and Puerto Rican Studies from the University of Puerto Rico, Diversity, and Inclusion from Cornell University and in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace from the USF.

Pablo DeFilippi is currently Executive VP at the Inclusiv Network, a CDFI intermediary, nonprofit organization, and national association of over 500 community development credit unions that represents supports and invests in credit unions serving predominantly low-income, financially underserved communities. The Inclusiv Network serves near 19 million consumers and manages over $250 billion in community-controlled assets.

Pablo has more than 25 years of experience in community finance and financial inclusion working with regulated financial institutions both in the domestic and international arena. Throughout his career, he has implemented, promoted, or scaled up several important initiatives aimed to expanding access to affordable, responsible, and sustainable solutions to the financial needs of low and moderate-income consumers, particularly communities of color. 

Brian Elkins is the Executive Director at Monigle, the country’s largest independent brand experience consultancy where he has worked with leading brands in technology, health care and consumer packaged goods and now oversees the firm’s financial services practice and the annual Humanizing Brand Experience (HBE) study, evaluating brand experience nationally for retail banks and credit unions. Recently published in the Journal of Digital Banking, Brian works directly with leading financial brands in Fintech, Payments, Retail Banking, Wealth Management, and Institutional Finance to develop and design transformational brand and customer experiences, navigate mergers, acquisitions, expanded fields of membership and deploy marketing and culture change management efforts.

Jessica Emert is the Director of Community & Public Relations at ORNL Federal Credit Union, where she oversees the organization’s communication, advocacy, and philanthropic efforts. She has over 20 years of PR and marketing experience and has been with ORNL FCU since 2005. Jessica is a member of the Credit Union National Association’s Marketing & Business Development Council and has earned the Credit Union Business Development Professional and Credit Union Certified Marketing Executive designations. She is a member of the Tennessee Credit Union League’s State-Wide Marketing Committee and Social Good Committee and serves on the Board of Directors for the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. Jessica graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism, with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Business.

Frank Espinoza is Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer for South Bay Credit Union. A key member of the credit union’s leadership team, he has more than two decades of financial services experience, with a strong focus on risk management, BSA and operations for credit unions. Frank is particularly well-known for his special expertise in the cannabis space, having worked with cannabis entrepreneurs since 2018, when he was recruited by SBCU to develop and grow an innovative program to meet the needs of this underserved sector of the business community. A graduate of Western CUNA Management School, he has earned the designations of Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and Certified Commercial Cannabis Expert (CCCE).

Chris Fraenza is the Senior Vice President of Sales and Partnerships at SavvyMoney and is responsible for leading the company’s growth while maximizing success across all customers and strategic partners. He has been with SavvyMoney since February 2015 and has been instrumental in developing a culture that prioritizes exceptional service, collaboration, and a focus on driving tangible results for financial institutions and partners. Throughout his career, Chris has been a champion of innovation and progress for financial institutions, previously holding various positions at Filene Research Institute, the leading think tank & incubator for credit unions before joining SavvyMoney.

Sara Freeman is the Vice President of Business Development at Truity Credit Union. For the last 16 years she has specialized in developing connections between corporate partners and the credit union. Most often this is done by bringing valuable resources for professional and personal growth to the employees of select employer groups. Sara is a born collaborator and enjoys creating partnerships, resource pools, coalitions, friendships, clubs, associations, and groups that will inevitably create a better community. She currently has her CUNA Credit Union Business Development Professional Certification and graduated from the National Credit Union Foundations CUDE program in September of 2022.

Solly Fulp currently serves as the executive vice president for LEARFIELD. He is responsible for name, image & likeness strategy, growth, and development with 180+ university partners. Previously, Solly led LEARFIELD's multi-media rights business for the East Region consisting of 50 universities as well as the NCAA, Naming Rights and Campus+ divisions.  At UC Berkeley, he served as the executive director of University Business Partnerships & Services. Solly originated the University Partnership Program providing UC Berkeley the infrastructure to develop campus wide corporate partnerships. Also, he led as the Deputy Director of Athletics & Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Solly was responsible for athletics department sport supervision, revenue generation, event management, facilities-operations, and capital projects. Prior to rejoining UC Berkeley, he was the Conference Vice President for IMG College, leading the multi-media rights business for seven PAC-12 universities and the Rose Bowl. Solly is a professional faculty member at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, teaching Sports Business & Management.

Erika Gunerman has spent her career in the sports and entertainment industry, working with professional teams and leagues, collegiate athletic departments, nonprofit organizations, agencies and more. In her role with Opendorse, Erika works closely with outside entities to incorporate NIL and athlete endorsements into their overall marketing and advertising offerings and strategy.  She serves as the conduit between those external entities and Opendorse's team of professionals to help seamlessly and compliantly execute athlete engagements.

The EmpowerFi™ brand was forged between two best-in class marketers in the financial industry: Kelly Hellickson (President), and Hilary Reed (CEO). Kelly began her career in the landscape as The National Sales Director with an industry-leading marketing firm for over a decade and having grown up under a teller window - is a "Credit Union Brat" (a term of endearment and a badge of honor that she wears proudly)! As a field expert and thought leader herself - Kelly knows what it takes to build a successful brand and alongside Hilary, their team, colleagues & clients - she has mastered the art of strategy-infused, data-driven marketing. Providing solutions that drive results to credit unions, CUSO's and financial institutions across the country, is her passion and she takes great pride in transforming and improving upon (their) use of data, strategy, and automation to improve marketing performance, increase engagement, and enhance efficiencies.

Janelle Herrera is a results-driven marketing executive with 20+ years of traditional, digital, social, omnichannel, and eCommerce experience. At On Tap, she creates marketing strategies that leverage data and digital expertise, ensuring personalized and impactful messages are communicated to members based on their needs. As a result, the credit union has experienced a 10X increase in relevant leads to the credit union. Before On Tap, Janelle led advertising for a range of Fortune 500 clients: Pampers, Kellogg’s, Duracell, IHOP, and Coca-Cola. When she isn’t working, breweries are where she plays, and even had her wedding at a brewery 10 years ago.

Nadine Hohnke has been in the credit union industry for almost 15 years working in marketing and member experience, with a focus on creating a seamless digital experience. She is a technology implementation specialist, a digital experience innovator, and marketing visionary who inspires and empowers teams to create mediums that members will love, adopt, and create real results for our business. Nadine thrives on how businesses can escape service mediocrity to achieve tangible results by utilizing technology tools.

Cania Infante is the Chief Marketing Officer at Municipal Credit Union (MCU), a New York-based credit union with 600,000 members and over $4.2 billion in assets. She leads all aspects of marketing and digital strategy, offline and digital marketing, social media, public relations, internal and external communications, community events, and sponsorships. Prior to this role, Cania served as Vice President of Brand Strategy at Bethpage Federal Credit Union, a financial institution in New York with $11.2 billion in assets and 33 locations. She managed a multi-million-dollar marketing budget with impact across organization-wide objectives.

Cania truly believes education to be the great equalizer. She serves on the boards of the State University of New York College at Old Westbury College Council and The De La Salle School, a tuition-free middle school for boys. Cania holds a B.S. in Business Management and MBA from New York Institute of Technology.

Vince Kadlubek is a Founder of Meow Wolf, an art collective that has transformed into an award-winning Art and Entertainment Production Company that specializes in immersive, open-world walk through experiences. Vince acted as leader and CEO for Meow Wolf though its formidable years, having created the business plan for Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return and leading the team towards the project's completion in March of 2016. In January 2017, Kadlubek formed Meow Wolf, Inc as a full-fledged arts production company and creative studio positioned to create the largest, most innovative and audacious monumental art exhibits in the world. After raising series A funding, he announced two new Meow Wolf exhibits in Las Vegas and Denver, which both opened in 2021. Kadlubek has been a force of vision in the realm of experiential art, and in 2020 launched a creative consulting agency called Spatial Activations as a platform to usher in a new era of experiential art in modern developments and everyday life. Vince is most passionate about co-creating fully-realized alternative realities that bring paradigm-shifting transformation and inspiration to the world.

Kristin Llewelyn has over 17 years of experience in the credit union industry including 9 at BECU. As Senior Manager, Affinity Partnerships, she oversees a team of partnership managers that work with key strategic partners to create an overall partner strategy that encompasses financial education, marketing, sponsorships, on-site activations, and collaborate on opportunities to align both brands.  Kristin served two years as the Event Chair for BECU's Women's Leadership Group. She holds an MBA in Marketing from Grand Canyon University and was awarded Business Development Professional of the Year by the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council in 2021.

Andre Mello is the Director of Marketing and Growth at REGROUP, a woman-owned, independent, full-service brand marketing agency. A credit union member for over 20 years, he has worked supporting credit union brands for more than five years. Prior to working at REGROUP, Andre helped support the Michigan Credit Union League and CU Solutions Group as Manager of Sales in their Marketing Solutions division. He helped grow MemberXP, a credit union exclusive member experience platform and supported programs such as Save to Win and Love My Credit Union Rewards. 

Dave Mevoli is the Chief Operating Office for Fishers Island Lemonade, America’s Craft Lemonade Cocktail. He has held numerous positions in the alcoholic beverage industry in sales and marketing working and selling brands such as Duvel, Boulevard, Bell’s, and Mighty Swell seltzer. Dave is a graduate of Le Moyne College with a BS in Accounting and is also a certified Cicerone and beer expert. He is a former instructor and program creator with the University of Vermont teaching in their Business of Craft Beer certificate program and is also the founding partner of Beercentric Consulting, a firm specialized in assisting small to medium sized brewers and retailers focused on turning beer passion into beer profits. Since graduating from Le Moyne, Dave has been engaged in making the community a better place serving as a Jesuit volunteer in Kingston, Jamaica, and a supporter of many community organizations and events.

Tiffany Mutchler is the Marketing Manager for Voyage Federal Credit Union, a well-known financial institution in Sioux Falls, SD. With a track record of success in sales and advertising, Tiffany brings a results-driven approach to her role at Voyage FCU. She has been instrumental in one successful merger, with another in progress. These mergers have contributed to the credit union's growth and expansion, almost doubling in size since 2019. In April 2020, she was recognized as one of Sioux Falls' Up and Comers by the Sioux Falls Business Journal. Being a wife and mom of two, Tiffany faces challenges in balancing her career and personal life, she remains committed to setting goals and pursuing continued professional development. Her dedication and hard work have led to a successful career in marketing, and she enjoys helping others achieve their personal and professional goals.

Chester Pearce is a Team Lead on the Learning Experience Design team at HubSpot. He has been with the organization for almost 5 years where he has presented and facilitated to both internal and external customers. He is passionate about geek culture, technology, and customer service.

Hilary A. Reed is an industry thought leader, speaker, and expert in the fields of strategic marketing, branding, automation, and data analytics, and has been involved in the credit union movement for nearly two decades. Prior to co-founding EmpowerFi, she served as SVP of Marketing for a credit union in the Philadelphia area for over a decade, and in 2015 was honored for her commitment to the field of marketing and was named the CUNA Marketing Professional of the Year. Drawing on decades of industry experience, Hilary and her firm help make marketing and data more actionable, accessible, and understandable – and personally, she thrives on helping organizations and their leaders embrace change, think bigger, and achieve organic growth by way of innovative thinking.

Andy Rossmeissl leads Faraday in its mission to empower all brands with consumer predictions at scale. A designer by training and lifelong software engineer, he is responsible for Faraday’s product strategy, data science organization, and corporate matters. Before co-founding Faraday in 2012, Andy founded Brighter Planet, the celebrated enterprise sustainability platform, where he began his 18-year obsession with creating value from data.

Valerie Sampson is an accomplished Creative Director and CEO and has dedicated her career to helping businesses thrive by delivering innovative, data-driven, and effective marketing strategies. With over 15 years of experience in the creative industry, she has developed a reputation for pushing boundaries and delivering award-winning campaigns. As the founder of The Sampson House digital marketing agency, Valerie is deeply committed to providing exceptional client service and strategic solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of each client. Her expertise in branding, web design, and social media marketing has enabled her to create successful campaigns for a diverse range of clients. Valerie is a passionate advocate for social justice and equality. She is actively involved in various non-profit organizations that provide resources and support to underserved communities, particularly women and young children.

Jessica Sharon has led Pelican’s financial education and outreach efforts for the past 15 years. In her role as AVP of Financial Outreach, she orchestrates the implementation of Pelican’s adult and youth financial wellness programs including three school branches. As a nationally certified credit counselor, Jessica leads a team of nine other counselors offering financial literacy workshops, one-on-one counseling, youth education programs and community financial outreach. Their award-winning education programs have reached over 30,000 individuals since its inception in 2007. Jessica also serves as the grant coordinator for Pelican’s CDFI grant programs and leads Pelican’s advocacy efforts in Louisiana as chair of the Louisiana Credit Union League (LCUL) Baton Rouge Chapter Advocacy Committee, and nationally as a member of the LCUL CULAC Committee. Jessica received her BA in Marketing from Southeastern Louisiana University, MBA from Louisiana State University and is a certified Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE).

Andy Sheibar is the chief marketing officer at DFCU Financial, one of the largest credit unions in Michigan. He's been in that position since 2015 after a first career in brand advertising, working at agencies from eight to 1,800 people. Andy came to DFCU after they were a client of his; he helped them rebrand from Dearborn Federal Credit Union to DFCU Financial in 2002, and then again to build their first website in 2008. He's been the driving force behind DFCU's foray into digital marketing and martech.

Over the years, Andy's worked with startups all the way to brands like Ford, GM Alt Fuels, Carhartt, and Yahoo!, on everything from launching new divisions to introducing new products to helping manage brands through mergers. Andy is a graduate of the University of Michigan. 

Owen Shull founded sports and entertainment sales and consulting company, Intersect Partners, in 2016 which was acquired by ISE in 2019. In a few short years, he built Intersect Partners into a leading agency counting top professional sports teams, universities, premier events and governing bodies as clients. Owen’s unique and expansive background includes extensive sales and marketing leadership in college athletics both with schools directly and at ISP Sports and Learfield. He also previously served as the Chief Revenue Officer for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Throughout his career, Owen has sold and managed over $200M in corporate sponsorships for various sports properties. He has managed local, regional, and national sponsorship sales and management teams that consistently exceeded goals. Additionally, Owen has deep consumer marketing experience helping college athletic departments drive revenue through ticket sales, merchandise sales, media rights holder agreements, and at-venue opportunities.

Betsy Sibley has 20+ years in financial services. She started with Community Credit Union in 2012. As chief marketing officer, she leads the credit union’s growth and position through internal and external marketing efforts, community engagement, grant opportunities and financial wellbeing for all.

Betsy holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management from Thomas College (ME). She is a strong believer in giving back to her community. Betsy serves on the Healthy Neighborhoods Board, Maine Marketing Council, CUNA Marketing Council, LA Metro Chamber of Commerce Board and Turner Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club. She was recognized by the Maine Credit Union League with the Diane Oceretko People Helping People Award. In 2022, Betsy completed her Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) designation and became a Bridges Out of Poverty Facilitator. 

Seth Spiro is an accomplished entrepreneurial executive with 20+ years’ experience leading global marketing communications for mission driven companies. He is the SVP Chief Marketing Officer for Tyndall Federal Credit Union, a $2B credit union serving 115,000 members across the southeast United States. In this role, Seth is responsible for the complete marketing program, from brand to product to promotion. Prior to this he was the CMO for Finca Impact Finance, a Washington DC based global network of microfinance banks, serving 2.7M customers across 20 countries. Seth has held marketing leadership roles at the American Red Cross National Headquarters and at the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House. He also served for two years as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand. Seth earned his Bachelor of Arts from New York University and his Master’s in Management from the University of Maryland.

If there is an opportunity to bolster Community Financial Credit Union and the industry at large, Tansley Stearns will jump on board as a champion regardless of other demands on her plate. To Tansley, an opportunity to connect with others and add impact is always worth the time. She puts people first. She fosters an environment to celebrate team successes and challenge one another to always reach for more in the name of taking the financial challenges that Michiganders face and improving upon them every day. Impossible is a word Tansley loves. She knows that when we dream big, we can turn those dreams into reality, transforming financial services in unimaginable ways.

Samantha “Sam” Strickland knows credit unions. After leading marketing for 13 years at First Commerce CU, Sam started The Pod, a creative services firm with expertise in the credit union industry. Sam’s Emmy-Award-winning team provides services like branding, website development, video production and more for credit unions of all sizes. 
 
Before starting her professional career, Sam earned master’s and bachelor’s Degrees in Communications from Florida State University. 

Susie Taylor has been in the marketing industry since the late 90's with a background in broadcast television, digital and for the past seven years has been focused on sports marketing. Creating customized marketing strategies for brands is her forte and passion. Susie has used the incredible power of college athletics to engage fans with partners from all industries and has recently launched a strategic partnership with Summit Credit Union in Wisconsin. 

Opal Tomashevska is the Director of Multicultural Business Strategy at CUNA Mutual Group. She is responsible for leading the development, direction, and execution of the company’s Multicultural Business Strategy (MCBS). The MCBS team exists to help CUNA Mutual Group and credit union partners understand multicultural consumers, identify business opportunities, develop action plans, and execute those plans to better serve more customers and generate substantial business growth. 

Opal holds a Master of Science in Organizational Development from Edgewood College and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. She serves on the Board of Directors for Urban Community Arts Network (UCAN), on the Advisory Council for The Melanin Project, and as the Communications Director for the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) Midwest Chapter Board.

Mike Akers is currently the President/CEO of Bay Credit Union, including FLAG Credit Union, a division of Bay Credit Union. Mike has spent over 20 years in financial services. His experience includes branch operations, call center management, creating and fostering successful sales behaviors (don't call it a 'sales culture'), corporate training, facilities management, consumer lending, accounting, debit, and credit card portfolio management, and running award winning marketing campaigns.

Whitney Anderson joined Elements Financial as President/CEO in February 2022. She previously served as Chief Community Development Officer at Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU), one of the top five Michigan credit unions according to Forbes. She also served as President of the Desk Drawer Fund and President of Ever Green 3C. Prior to her time at MSUFCU, she worked for Kraft Foods for 13 years. Whitney is known as a highly skilled and effective leader with experience leading a broad range of teams, projects, and responsibilities – among them community and business development; diversity, equity, and inclusion; financial education; and strategy.

Whitney holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Marketing from Michigan State University and a Master of Business Administration from Wake Forest University.  She has significant community involvement on boards such as the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC), MLK Commission of Mid-Michigan, Peckham, Inc. and IndyChamber.

Ariel Bilskey has been in the industry since 2001 – first as a credit union marketer and now as the Sr. director of learning strategy at CUNA. She’s a past president of a WI credit union chapter, as well as a recipient of multiple industry awards including a CUNA Diamond award, two Dora Maxwell awards, and numerous League Marketer’s Choice awards. She earned the CUDE designation in 2019. Ariel was honored with the President’s Award from the Stateline Boys & Girls Club for her dedication to giving back to her community. She’s also a two-time Tough Mudder finisher.  
 
Ariel holds a BA in Mass Communications with an emphasis in PR from Winona State University. She also earned her EMT-B certification from Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville, WI and was a volunteer EMT. 

Michele Bolkovatz is currently the Vice President of Public Relations and Membership (Business Development) at Wyoming’s largest credit union headquartered in the state with over $1.8 Billion in assets and serving over 115,000 members worldwide. While working at Blue FCU for 30 years, she has earned Credit Union Executive Society (CUES) Certified Senior Executive and Certified Marketing Executive status. In addition, Michele recently earned her Credit Union Business Development Professional designation with the Credit Union National Association (CUNA). She is a graduate from Montana State University. 

Paris Chevalier was named President and CEO of South Bay Credit Union in 2021. A proven leader, brand-builder, and strategist with a strong track record of generating growth and building high-performing teams, Paris previously served as Chief Experience Officer for USE Credit Union in San Diego and Chief Marketing Officer for Xceed Financial Credit Union.  A Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE), she’s passionate about credit unions’ “people helping people” ethos and the movement’s member-first philosophy. An inductee to the Rising 100 by the Credit Union Executives Society, in 2011 Paris was named “Tomorrow’s Star” by the California Credit Union Leagues. Among other activities, she currently serves on the Executive Committee of CUNA’s Marketing & Business Development Council, the Board of the CUES Southern California/Nevada Council, the CCUL’s Shapiro Advisory Committee, the Lomita Chamber of Commerce, as well as on the role of Player Agent for her son’s Little League Board.

Lyndsey Delatte is a digital marketing specialist at Louisiana Federal Credit Union. With 14 years of experience in the credit union industry, she has developed a deep proficiency in credit union marketing. Lyndsey is responsible for driving the credit union's digital marketing initiatives and leading the development of effective strategies to engage members.  She began her career at the credit union as a teller. With her strong work ethic and enthusiasm for the industry, Lyndsey soon moved into a marketing role. Over the years, she has developed a thorough understanding of the credit union industry and how to best serve the needs of members. 

Lyndsey holds a Bachelor of Marketing from The University of New Orleans. She received the Credit Union Certified Marketing Executive designation in 2021. 

Mike Dinneen is Senior Vice President at $4.5 billion Philadelphia-based American Heritage Credit Union, overseeing Marketing and Business Development. The credit union serves 280,000 members across 825 sponsor companies and 25 branches. The American Heritage team has been awarded for marketing and business development excellence by CUNA, CrossStates Association, Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association, and Public Relations Society of America, as well as by Financial Brand as a Power 100 Credit Union Using Social Media. Previously, Mike was SVP of Marketing, Product and Investor Relations at Sun National Bank, a $3 billion institution that operated in New Jersey and New York. He holds an MBA from DeSales University, a BSJ from West Virginia University, and Certificate in Strategy and Digital Marketing from Cornell University. Mike is a member of the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council and serves on the Diamond Awards Committee.

Dan Dorsch has been a resident of Cheyenne, WY for 10 years. He has a business degree from Texas Tech University and was a financial representative at Thrivent Financial for seven years, before joining Habitat in May of 2020 as special projects coordinator. He became the executive director in January 2023. He had been a volunteer and supporter of Habitat since 2015, before joining the affiliate as an employee.

Dan is involved in his community beyond his role at Habitat. He has served as a board member of the Friday Food Bag Foundation for four years, serving as president of the board for two years, served as a board member of the Sierra Club Wyoming Chapter for three years, and currently serves on the Mayor of Cheyenne's Affordable Housing Task Force, and the Governor's Workforce Housing Working Group, looking for housing solutions for the state of Wyoming and local community.

Jason Duplant is the Chief Marketing Officer for Neches Federal Credit Union in Port Neches, Texas. With over 20 years’ experience in the credit union industry, his knowledge covers marketing, business development, and leadership. Jason has won numerous awards including Texas Credit Union Marketer of the Year and he was voted best credit union marketer in the universe by his mom.

Chandler Elmore is a communication and public relations professional who has extensive background in digital marketing and traditional media practices. He works at Blue Federal Credit Union, based in Cheyenne Wyoming. Chandler’s role seeks to act as a community connector between the CU and the roughly 150 organizations that seek partnership throughout Colorado and Wyoming. He enjoys the ethos of the credit union movement and the people that he meets every day. Chandler has a BS in public relations as well as an MBA. 

Adele Gardner is the Chief Retail Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union in Wyoming. She attended the University of Northern Colorado where she received her BA in Psychology with a minor in Biological Sciences and Chemistry. Adele earned her CUDE designation as part of the Mountain West Credit Union Foundation Executive Leadership Program and is a graduate of Western CUNA Management School. As a big believer of sharing time, treasure, and talent, she serves on various nonprofit boards in her community.

Sarah Haertl leads the marketing department at Colorado Credit Union as Vice President of Marketing, Business Development and Sales. Prior to joining the credit union movement, she spent several years in the agency world working with a wide range of clients on marketing, advertising, and public relations campaigns. Sarah’s marketing background in other industries allows her to bring a creative approach and outside-the-box thinking to CCU's marketing efforts.

Gigi Hyland serves as the Executive Director for the National Credit Union Foundation (The Foundation), the philanthropic and social responsibility leader of America's credit union movement. The Foundation’s three pillars of work are: Ignite credit unions to place employee, member, and community financial well-being at the center of their strategy; Inspire credit unions to leverage their cooperative values to reinforce an organizational culture that empowers and motivates employees; and respond when disaster strikes and help credit unions increase their business resiliency through the cooperative value of "people helping people." In her role, Gigi ignites and inspires credit union professionals to collaborate and incorporate consumer financial health and cooperative principles into their business strategy. She works to help credit unions make themselves part of the strategic architecture of their community's financial well-being, integrating business and benevolence so credit unions serve as a trusted partner to their members and their community in advancing financial well-being for all.  

Gigi is a graduate of the College of William and Mary with a B.A. in comparative literature, Gigi also earned her J.D. from the Antonin Scalia Law School of George Mason University and an Advanced Diploma in International Law from McGeorge School of Law. She is a Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) and a Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor (CCUFC). Gigi serves on the America Saves® Advisory Board, is a board member of the National Cooperative Bank (NCB) and chairs NCB’s Board Risk Committee. In September 2022, Gigi was inducted into the America’s Credit Union Museum Herstory exhibit which highlights a range of credit union women and their achievements in the credit union industry.  

Alana Kelly is the Director of Marketing for On Tap Credit Union. As Director of Marketing, Alana oversees all aspects related to the production and implementation of marketing campaigns in addition to strategizing, analyzing, and leading the marketing team. In 2021, she won the CUNA Rising Star Award for her work driving engagement through social media campaigns that supported local businesses during a time when most were closing their doors due to the pandemic.

Prior to On Tap, Alana received her master’s degree from Colorado State University Global Campus and has over 15 years of marketing experience. She has extensive experience providing the leadership and direction needed to drive the achievement of key organizational marketing objectives. She quickly understands an organization's value proposition while working to maximize brand awareness and sales. In addition, she brings proven strength in building and maintaining professional relationships with strategic business partners and marketing stakeholders. 

Chris Lorence is executive director of CU Awareness, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA). Lorence raises consumer consideration and membership opportunities for credit unions through the nation’s only digital consumer engagement program. In 2021, over 6 million consumers visited the programs Your Money Further website, seeking information and connection with participating credit unions.

Lorence brings more than twenty-five years of leadership, marketing, engagement, and innovation strategy to Credit Union Awareness. He spent two decades in the financial services association sector, most recently serving as Group Executive Vice President of Engagement & Strategy/Chief Marketing Officer. In his most recent role, he developed and deployed digital and social media marketing programs that significantly increased website traffic, marketshare and digital advertising revenues.

Chris began his career in the credit union movement, serving in several capacities at Spectrum Federal Credit Union and FDIC Employees Federal Credit Union.

In 2014, Chris was named to the FORBES 50 Influential CMO's in Social Media list and the Top 100 CMO's on Twitter by Social Media Marketing  Magazine.

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.

Nader Moghaddam, CEO of Financial Partners CU since January 2005 (CDFI designated organization, 88,000 Members, $2.3 Billion Assets). Prior to his 40-year experience in financial services, Nader earned his B.S. and Master of Planning degrees from USC. A strong industry advocate, he serves on the following Boards, CUNA, CUNA National CU Foundation, CU Awareness, LLC , CU Direct (past Chair), founding member of CUNA CEO Council (past Chair), California Credit Union League (past Chair), Columbia Memorial Space Science Learning Center Foundation (Chair), National CU Roundtable Advisory Council (past Chair), and Council Forum (past Chair) among others. Previously, Nader served as EVP at Kinecta FCU and spent 10 years at Great Western Bank serving as First VP territory manager, VP corporate planning and business planning. He has a first-hand experience in facilitating culture change and strategic planning.

Toni Nichols is the Public Relations Manager at Texas Trust Credit Union, with over 10 years of marketing experience. She oversees telling the story of the credit union, driving brand awareness, and expanding key relationship. A New Jersey native, Toni is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington and a published author. During her time at Texas Trust, she has been able to secure numerous industry awards for her work in marketing and social media. Toni believes that the best leaders are the ones who respects and listens to their team, a philosophy she works to live up to daily. 

Katie Rammer is the Marketing Coordinator at Kohler Credit Union in southeastern Wisconsin and has nine years’ experience in credit union marketing. She coordinates her credit union’s overall marketing campaign strategies and leads its social media efforts including content creation, managing feedback, and tracking the success of advertising. Katie holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with an emphasis on strategic communication. 

The “Veterans Build” program is a national program of Habitat for Humanity to provide housing solutions and volunteer and employment opportunities to veterans. In Laramie County, Wyoming, the inaugural Veterans Build home was also the House that Credit Unions Built. Thomas Redding, a disabled U.S. Navy veteran, was the recipient of this home.

As Transportation Coordinator and Driver for D.A.V. (Disabled American Veterans), a non-profit organization offering transportation and other services to veterans free of charge, Thomas spends his days driving veterans to medical appointments. He loves paying it forward to the vets and strives to be a friendly face to those who've served our nation and may face homelessness, disability, transportation issues, and often, isolation. He also volunteers at his church; he’s a fixture in the kitchen, organizing cooking for events, fundraisers, and the Church's partnership with the local homeless shelter.

Thomas contributed hundreds of hours of sweat equity to the home and then purchased it with an affordable mortgage. The payments he'll make on the house will be reinvested in affordable homes for more local families.

Ericka Reder uses social media to educate, entertain, and emotionally connect with members. Her strategy focuses on sharing people over products.

Andy Reed is an 18 year veteran of the industry and is the CEO of $452M Security First Credit Union in Edinburg Texas. He previously served as the CEO for Baylor Healthcare Systems Credit Union in Dallas, and Texas People Federal Credit Union in Fort Worth. Andy holds both Bachelor and Master of Business Administration degrees from LeTourneau University and is a Southwest CUNA Management School graduate. He was a member of the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Executive Committee for six years and served as the chairman from 2015-2017. Andy was named Business Development Professional of the Year by the CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council in 2013. In his spare time Andy loves to unwind at his weekend home on South Padre Island and is especially fond of traveling. Andy is beyond excited to be back with his CMBDC family!

Valerie Renk’s career has focused on helping people through homeownership, credit, and science. She’s CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Dane County, which builds homes, communities, and hope. Their team of 42 staff and 3,000 volunteers’ partner with families to build 15-20 homes a year, run two retail home supply ReStores, and serve as a financial institution financing the 370+ homes they’ve built. Previously Valerie was Worldwide Foundation Executive Director for World Council of Credit Unions, and she started her career in CUNA’s marketing department.  
 
Valerie’s professional affiliations have included serving on the community investment board of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, Board Chair of the Wis 4-H Foundation, and President-Elect of the Madison Rotary Foundation. She’s spoken to numerous groups including, a cooperative microfinance panel at the United Nations.

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.   

If there is an opportunity to bolster Community Financial Credit Union and the industry at large, Tansley Stearns will jump on board as a champion regardless of other demands on her plate. To Tansley, an opportunity to connect with others and add impact is always worth the time. She puts people first. She fosters an environment to celebrate team successes and challenge one another to always reach for more in the name of taking the financial challenges that Michiganders face and improving upon them every day. Impossible is a word Tansley loves. She knows that when we dream big, we can turn those dreams into reality, transforming financial services in unimaginable ways.

Evan Strandberg is originally from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He moved to the PNW and started his credit union career in 2010. Like many, Evan started as a teller and fell in love with the credit union movement. He currently serves as iQ Credit Unions Community Impact Manager. Evan has a passion for supporting young folks in our industry and has served on the Young Credit Union Professionals of Portland Board. He graduated from WCMS in 2018 #DoOrDieWeArePi. 

Kellie Swiger is the Creative Director at Michigan based credit union LAFCU. She has worked in the credit union industry for the past 14 years as a Graphic Designer and Creative Director helping to grow the marketing and brand development. Her passion to be creative, innovative, and cutting-edge has resulted in multiple team-driven and award-winning campaigns, programs, and initiatives including the CUNA Diamond and Dora Maxwell Awards. Kellie is inspired by the credit union philosophy of people helping people and the amazing ways in which we support, grow, and give back to our communities every day.

Whitney Thomas grew up as a competitive figure skater and earned a professional status at the age of 18. She traveled with the world skating and performing for Disney on Ice for 10 years. After moving back home, Whitney began an internship at a credit union and quickly realized that is where she was supposed to be. After the internship, she applied to work at Colorado Credit Union where she has been working four years. Whitney started working at CCU as a Member Service Representative and a few months later, moved into the marketing department.

In 2021, Whitney was named an Outstanding Young Professional by MWCUA (now GoWest). She was the first Leadership Institute graduating class at GoWest in 2022. Whitney has a BA in Communications (2019) and an MBA with a Specialization in Leadership and Management (2022) from CU Denver. 

Lorrell Walter subscribes to three leadership mantras: Give credit where credit is due; Praise in public, criticize in private; Don’t ask someone to do something if you won’t do it yourself. With 20+ years in marketing/communications and 16 years in senior management, Lorrell has been instrumental in elevating the reputation of her credit union. She is active in her community and in the CUNA M&BD Council. Lorrell is a proud Diamond Award winner and received the council’s 2021 Volunteer of the Year award. She is a Kiwanis member and Girl Scout leader and serves on the board of directors for the Wyoming Breast Cancer Initiative, Air Force Association, and Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee.