MADISON, Wis. – The Filene Research Institute said the newest cohort of emerging credit union leaders have been chosen for The Cooperative Trust’s Crash the GAC program at America’s Credit Unions 2026 Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington in early March.
“Now in its 17th year, Crash the GAC continues to be one of the movement’s most visible pipelines for rising talent offering standout emerging professionals a front-row seat to the largest credit union advocacy event in the nation,” Filene said in a statement. “Crashers gain access to key industry conversations, meetings with top credit union CEOs, and unique leadership development experiences designed to strengthen both their careers and the broader credit union system.”
Next Generation ‘Stepping Up’
“One of the things that gives me the most confidence in the future of this movement is the next generation stepping up,” America’s Credit Unions President and CEO Scott Simpson said in a statement. “The leaders selected to Crash the GAC represent the talent, passion, and purpose that will shape the future of cooperative finance, and I’m excited to see the impact they’ll have not just at GAC, but throughout their careers. Their presence strengthens our movement and ensures the credit union difference remains strong for years to come.”
Filene said the new cohort was selected from a highly competitive national applicant pool and represent diverse roles and credit unions of every asset size.
According to Filene, one of the 2026 Crashers, Tyler Lewallen, mortgage servicing specialist III at AmFirst Credit Union, said in a statement, “When I think of people helping people, I think about speaking up for others and advocating for those whose voices aren’t always heard. I’m genuinely excited for the opportunity to be surrounded by more than 60 like-minded emerging professionals as we take DC by storm, learn more about the credit union movement, and better understand how our voices matter, and how they can be used to create real, positive change. As a previous Filene Crasher, I know this is the kind of experience I’ll look back on long after the week has passed.”
Crash the GAC programming is made possible by The Cooperative Trust from Filene Research Institute and support from America’s Credit Unions. Crash the GAC’s annual Thunderpunch event is powered by SavvyMoney.
For info: filene.org/blog/crashgac26.
