MADISON, Wis. – Forty-seven credit union professionals have been certified as Credit Union Development Educators (CUDEs) after completing the National Credit Union Foundation’s Credit Union Development Education (DE) Training here.
According to the Foundation, 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,” the Foundation said. “For this training’s final case studies, participants worked through and presented solutions to critical issues that included financial stability among young adults and families, credit union board development, building microfinance programs in the Philippines, credit union solutions to predatory lending, the increasing issue of homelessness in America, and rejuvenating a stagnant credit union.”
Class Graduates
The most recent DE graduating class included credit union movement representatives from across the U.S, as well as representatives from the United Kingdom, Malawi and Kenya.
The most recent graduates are: Sarah Arnoldy, Simplicity Credit Union in Wisconsin; Michael Bishop, Salal Credit Union in Washington; Sedric Brinson, Statewide FCU in Mississippi; Peter Bullard, Credit Union of the Rockies in Colorado; Luke Campbell, Southwest Financial FCU in Texas; Victor Corro, World Council of Credit Unions in Wisconsin; John Cote, Association of Vermont Credit Unions in Vermont; Chris Court, Service 1st FCU in Pennsylvania; Andrew Davey, The Co-Operative Credit Union in the UK; Ceci Davila, GECU in Texas; Cheryl DeBoer, Advia Credit Union in Michigan; Bree Dronen, Laramie Plains Community FCU in Wyoming; Linda Fales, Suncoast Credit Union in Florida; Richard Folse, Gesa CU in Washington; Josh Franzen, InTouch Credit Union in Texas; Karen Gilliam-Brown, Afena FCU in Indiana; Katie Greene, Millstream Area CU in Ohio; Joe Hankey, CUNA Mutual Group in Wisconsin; JoAnne Harper, Peach State FCU in South Carolina; Ali Heidenreich, CUNA Mutual Group in Wisconsin; Lori Higgins, Mobiloil FCU in Texas; Holly Jones, Black Hills Federal Credit Union in South Dakota; Prince Kapondamgaga, Farmers’ Union of Malawi in Malawi; Adam Lee, Filene Research Institute in Wisconsin; Joe Luedke, CUNA Mutual Group in Wisconsin; Traci McGlathery, Spokane Teachers CU in Washington; Mike Mohney, CULIANCE in Florida; Andrea Molnau, Minnesota Credit Union Network in Minnesota; John Nduru, New Fortis Sacco in Kenya; Christine Nice, Bayer Heritage FCU in West Virginia; James Ole Nkiti, Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives in Kenya; Jose Ortiz, Ohio Credit Union League in Ohio; Matthew Parrott, GCS Credit Union in Illinois; Merry Pateuk, PSCU in Florida; Marty Pell, Coastal Federal Credit Union in North Carolina; Aaron Persons, University Federal Credit Union in Texas; Tom Sakash, Credit Union National Association in Wisconsin; Renee Sattiewhite, African American Credit Union Coalition in Georgia; Russell Sawyer, Credit Union National Association in Washington; Kathleen Schilb, Horizon Credit union in Washington; Patsy Smith, Peoples Advantage FCU in Virginia; Randy Stolp, My Community CU in Texas; Troy Sturdevant, Vocal CU in Montana; Andrew Walker, Peoples Trust FCU in Texas; Tonya Wood, TwinStar CU in Washington; and Emily Woodbury, Changing Seasons FCU in Maine.
2018 DE Trainings
The Foundation is holding four DE Trainings next year, all taking place in Madison, Wis. For info: ncuf.coop, or email cude@ncuf.coop.