MADISON, Wis. – Forty-five credit union professionals became Credit Union Development Educators (CUDEs) after completing the intensive Credit Union Development Education (DE) Training from the National Credit Union Foundation.
The DE training was held September 14-21, 2016 at the Lowell Center in Madison, Wis.
DE Training provides critical lessons in cooperative principles, credit union philosophy and international development issues while incorporating challenges credit unions face today. During the recent week-long program, participants were involved in group exercises, field trips, discussions with speakers from around the credit union system, and are required to complete team projects proposing solutions for credit unions to help alleviate or eliminate challenging situations in any given area. For this class’ final case studies, participants worked through and presented solutions to critical issues that included student loan debt, board development and recruiting including the debate over compensation, building microfinance programs in developing countries, credit union solutions to predatory lending, the increasing issue of homelessness in America, and rejuvenating a stagnant credit union, the Foundation reported.
The most recent DE graduating class included credit union movement representatives from across the U.S., and one representative from Kenya. They are: Joe Alicea, Guardians CU in Florida; Sharon Begarney, Catalyst Corporate FCU in Texas; Nadine Bote, Houston Highway CU in Texas; Derek Bumrungsiri, TwinStar CU in Washington; Venoka Daniels, Southwest Financial FCU in Texas; Katie Dressler, CU Association of the Dakotas in North Dakota; Stephanie Gould, Christian Financial Credit Union in Michigan; Kara Guse, Glacier Hills Credit Union in Wisconsin; Eric Hansing, CUNA Mutual Group in Madison; Ronaldo Hardy, Shell Geismar FCU in Louisiana; Kathy Heiderscheit, National Credit Union Foundation in Wisconsin; Patty Herdlicka, American Airlines FCU in Texas; Michelle Jinks, Access of Louisiana FCU in Louisiana; Evan Kelley, GEMC FCU in Georgia; Jill Kitchens, Louisiana Credit Union League in Louisiana; Kelly Korth, Simplicity Credit Union in Wisconsin; Anita Lynn, America’s First FCU in Alabama; Terry McCoy, Amplify FCU in Texas; Zan McKelway, Credit Union National Association in D.C.; Teresa Montoya, GECU in Texas; Maria Moore, Coastal Federal Credit Union in North Carolina; Regina Morgan, American Airlines FCU in Texas; Jessica Oliver, Pelican State CU in Louisiana; Kristen Patton, Peach State FCU in Georgia; Marcus Porter, Credit Union Association of New Mexico in New Mexico; Lori Ridgeway, Advancial FCU in Texas; Josh Roberts, Wisconsin Credit Union League in Wisconsin; Jacqueline Rodriguez, Suncoast CU in Florida; William Rol, Matanuska Valley FCU in Hawaii; Martha Rozen, OneAZ CU in Arizona; Angela Russel, CUNA Mutual Group in Wisconsin; Crystal Schmidt, Peach State FCU in Georgia; Cleo Segovia, Resource One CU in Texas; Mark Sekula, Randolph-Brooks FCU in Texas; Richard Sellwood, The Summit FCU in New York; Vijay Shah, WV Central Credit Union in West Virginia; Angela Shori, Canton School Employees FCU in Ohio; Jennifer Sims, Hawaii State FCU in Hawaii; Meg Smith, Ent CU in Colorado; Julia Sohn, SchoolsFirst FCU in California; Anna Tensmeyer, Gesa CU in Washington; Paul Wambua, Stima Sacco Society in Nairobi, Kenya; Brian Warner, CME Federal Credit Union in Ohio; Dawn Weglein, Educational Systems FCU in Maryland; and Katy Zaleski, Simplicity Credit Union in Wisconsin.
The foundation announced that due to increased demand, the Foundation added a fourth DE Training session this year to take place in November. This session is occurring November 1-8 in Madison, Wis., and is already sold out. Those interested in 2017 DE Trainings are being encouraged visit ncuf.coop to learn more or to email cude@ncuf.coop to be put on a notification list for when registration opens up.
After attending the September DE Training, Julia Sohn, vice president of human resources at SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union in Santa Ana, Calif., said, “The DE Program wasn’t a training – it was a life experience. I walked away with a heartfelt understanding of who we are as a movement, and profound respect for what it took to get us where we are today. I’m energized and ready to do all I can to help better the lives of others.”