NATIONAL CREDIT UNION FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES NEW DE ALUMNI ADVISORY GROUP

Lauren Culp

​The National Credit Union Foundation has announced the launch of the inaugural Credit Union Development Education (DE) Alumni Advisory Group, a new initiative 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.
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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.

Members of the inaugural advisory group include:

• Jen Burke, VP Outreach & Strategic Initiatives, Maine Credit Union League (ME)
• Ning Duong, President & CEO, Financial Center First CU (IN)
• Justin Frazier, Community Outreach Coordinator, CSE FCU (OH)
• Mindi Greenland, SVP Government Affairs & Member Impact, Georgia United CU (GA)
• Darla Kolbas, Lending Director, Peninsula Community FCU (WA)
• Ciara LaVelle, VP of Strategic Growth, Humanidei (PA)
• Emily Nail, VP Cooperative Strategies, Coastal CU (NC)
• Trish Shermot, Director, Government Affairs/Urban Development, Visions FCU (PA/NY/NJ)
• Jessica Sharon, VP Impact & Advocacy, Pelican CU (LA)
• Blake Woods, SVP Strategic Transformation, orsa credit union (MI)

“The Development Education program has always been about more than a single experience,” said Lauren Culp, Executive Director of the National Credit Union Foundation. “It our honor to facilitate this community of leaders committed to bringing the credit union mission to life in their communities.”

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.

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. More than 100 DE graduates applied to be part of the initial DE Alumni Advisory Group.

“This Advisory Group embodies the collective voice of our DE alumni,” said Christopher Morris, DE Program Director at the Foundation. “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.”

By bringing alumni voices directly into ongoing program developments, the Foundation activates the power of the DE Alumni network and ensures the program continues to improve financial well-being across the credit union movement.

“After completing DE in 2016 I truly understood what our movement could do, we could change people's lives in profound ways,” said Jessica Sharon, VP Impact and Advocacy, Pelican Credit Union, and a member of the new DE Alumni Advisory Group. “I'm incredibly passionate about DE and its role to ensure the longevity of our industry and our industry’s mission.”

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