MADISON, Wis. — The National Credit Union Foundation has announced the launch of the inaugural Credit Union Development Education (DE) Alumni Advisory Group, a new initiative it said is designed to “strengthen engagement across the DE alumni community and elevate the program’s impact as alumni advocate for improved financial well-being within their organizations and communities.”
According to the foundation, the inaugural advisory group brings together ten DE graduates from across the credit union movement to support innovative alumni experiences, expand engagement opportunities, and help amplify the DE community’s collective impact on financial well-being.
Inaugural Members
Members of the inaugural advisory group include:
- Jen Burke, VP Outreach & Strategic Initiatives, Maine Credit Union League
- Ning Duong, President & CEO, Financial Center First CU in Indiana
- Justin Frazier, Community Outreach Coordinator, CSE FCU in Ohio
- Mindi Greenland, SVP Government Affairs & Member Impact, Georgia United CU
- Darla Kolbas, Lending Director, Peninsula Community FCU in West Virginia
- Ciara LaVelle, VP of Strategic Growth, Humanidei, Pennsylvania
- Emily Nail, VP Cooperative Strategies, Coastal CU in North Carolina
- Trish Shermot, Director, Government Affairs/Urban Development, Visions in New York
- Jessica Sharon, VP Impact & Advocacy, Pelican CU in Louisiana
- Blake Woods, SVP Strategic Transformation, orsa credit union in Michigan
‘More Than a Single Experience’
“The Development Education program has always been about more than a single experience,” Lauren Culp, executive director of the National Credit Union Foundation, said in a statement. “It our honor to facilitate this community of leaders committed to bringing the credit union mission to life in their communities.”
The Foundation said that since its launch in 1982, the Credit Union Development Education (also known as CUDE or DE) program has helped cultivate generations of leaders dedicated to the cooperative mission of credit unions.
“Through an immersive learning experience focused on cooperative principles, community development, and financial well-being, DE equips participants with a deeper understanding of how credit unions can expand opportunity and strengthen communities,” the foundation said.
More than 3,400 leaders from over 33 countries have completed the DE program, bringing the philosophy of people helping people back to their credit unions and communities, the organization added.
More than 100 DE graduates applied to be part of the initial DE Alumni Advisory Group.
Collective Voice
“This Advisory Group embodies the collective voice of our DE alumni,” Christopher Morris, DE program director, said in a statement. “These leaders are fiercely dedicated to carrying forward the ‘people helping people’ mission, and their insight will help ideate and elevate new opportunities that deepen connection, expand engagement, and amplify the impact of DEs across the credit union movement.”
