Woke Ass People
By Madam Nymphadora
Woke Ass PeopleOct 23, 2020
Meghan Jamison
Meghan Jamison brings energy and heart to her focus on credit union issues. As an engaged young professional, she seeks opportunities to connect with peers and expand her perspectives. Jamison has been in the industry since 2007, having worked for a few different credit unions, she has been on the front line and the back office, all with a focus on the member experience and providing empathetic solutions for consumers.
Jamison has served on committees and has taken leadership roles wherever possible. One of her proudest accomplishments is her CUDE designation, earned in April of 2018 among the best class ever.
Dawn Lepore
Dawn Lepore (she/her) is a young credit union professional with over 10 years of experience in the financial industry. A “reformed bank employee,” Dawn now works for Vantage West Credit Union in Tucson, AZ, as the head of Consumer Banking Operations. She is passionate about the credit union movement and enjoys exploring the ways in which credit unions can serve and support their members. Dawn has benefited greatly from the Crasher program through the Cooperative Trust – she Crashed the AACUC’s Commitment to Change conference in 2020 and then Crashed the GAC in 2021. She serves on the Steering Committee for the AZ Young Credit Union Professionals and leads A Seat at the Table, the women’s leadership group at Vantage West. She is also a 2021 Global Women’s Leadership Network scholarship recipient and was selected for MWCUA’s Hike the Hill Legislative Learning Experience. One of Dawn’s proudest achievements is becoming a Credit Union Development Educator, and in her personal life she’s most proud to be Mama to her toddler.
Juan E. Fernández Ceballos
Juan (he/him) serves as the Credit Union Association of New Mexico's President & CEO. His work in credit unions began at an early age working as a credit union teller while pursuing his college degree. Prior to his work in New Mexico, Juan held positions leading the credit unions’ community development efforts in New York and Washington state. Through his work, he has worked with credit unions to help them seize opportunities to serve unmet needs in their communities, help their members, and achieve sustainable growth.
In New Mexico, Juan’s team drafted and successfully passed legislative initiatives that have enabled credit unions to better reach and provide services to the underserved, and improve consumer data privacy. He built coalitions, forged relationships needed to drive effective change, and brought people together to achieve consensus across political lines and ideologies.
Juan’s career has also involved work to help lift up the underserved communities in the states he has lived. He developed partnerships within communities and new programs & services to better reach emerging markets. His experience across segments of the cooperative movement, in particular with economic development initiatives, has led Juan to pursue a stronger and more vibrant cooperative collaboration across the movement.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, he is very passionate about helping credit unions reach their potential and provide excellent member service. Juan received his BA in Economics from Binghamton University and his MBA from Western Governors University.
Cortney Angeley
Cortney (she/hers) aims to prepare credit unions for the next generation. She thrives on making human connections to understand what drives people, and then helps guide them to act using research-based solutions. These connections, insights, and passion are the pillars that guide Cortney’s approach leading Filene’s communities.
A proud millennial, Cortney has more than 13 years of experience in financial services. Her career started at a savings and loan in a contact center, but she made her way to credit unions by way of SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. In her life before Filene, she was a supervisor over the remote service channels. Her experience working with members and team members for eight years gives her key insights into ease-of-use and how credit unions can create a winning omni-channel experience that makes things easy but also embraces the human connection.
Cortney earned a BA in Communication Studies from California State University, Long Beach and an MBA in Organizational Leadership from University of Massachusetts. Not only does Cortney value education, but also life lessons—and what better way to connect with people than through travel. She has traveled to Europe through a study abroad program and spent time in India volunteering with a women’s group. Cortney was selected as a GAC Crasher in 2016, which helped cement her commitment to the credit union movement.
When Cortney isn’t working or traveling, she enjoys camping, hiking, coffee, and watching Futurama, Fringe, or Bob’s Burgers with her two cats.
Mark Volz
Mark is a reformed commercial loan banker and at his last CU was responsible for managing the business services department. He is a past WI CU League YP advisory board member, a WILD participant (Wisconsin Innovation Local Development program), and the Cream City Chapter of CU's current president. He became a credit union development educator in 2018 and had the honor to mentor the program in 2019. He is also a current participant in Filene's i3 program. He has also crashed the CUNA GAC (twice), CUNA Lending Council Conference, the AACUC Annual conference, and the Wisconsin Credit Union League Conference.
When Mark is not involved in credit union movement activities, he enjoys volunteering for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Feeding America, and the Salvation Army. Mark also sits on a few committees for his local Habitat for Humanity.
Nanci Wilson
Nanci Wilson, CUDE
pronouns: she/her
Nanci started her credit union journey due to lack of kindness.
That fact is what led her to close her bank account and open at a credit union.
Ultimately it led her to want to work at a credit union. The rest is history.
After graduating from Credit Union Development Education at the National Credit Union Foundation and going back as a mentor and graduation speaker, she knew that her heart belonged to the movement.
As a self-proclaimed human connection junkie, you can find Nanci speaking all around about the power of being imperfectly perfect and flexing your "flawsome" (being awesome with flaws) to create authentic relationships in both life and career.
Cela Castillo
Maricela Castillo
Pronouns: She/Her
Cela is a Research Specialist, Multicultural Business Strategy at CUNA Mutual Group. She was born and raised in Milwaukee WI and graduated with a BBA in Marketing from UW-Whitewater in December 2019. She has been involved with the credit union movement since 2017 as an intern with CUNA Mutual Group and started her full-time career in January 2020. As a young professional in the credit union movement she is focusing on multicultural communities and how to best serve this growing population. In her free time, she volunteers in her community, plays tennis, bakes and is looking forward to traveling in a post-Covid world.
Michael Murdoch
Michael Murdoch
Pronouns: he/him
Michael’s passion for financial education, young-professional-engagement, and credit union advocacy can be found in most everything he does.
He has primarily held marketing and communication roles within credit unions (he is currently the Communications Specialist at Wauna Credit Union), but his award-winning, hands-on approach extends him well into nearly every aspect of the industry.
A fifth-generation Oregonian, Michael thrives on creativity and the outdoors. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2005 with Theatre and History degrees and also serves as a CUNA Diamond Awards Judge and Committee member, author at CUInsight, as Co-Chair of the Northwest Credit Union Association's Awards Committee, and member of the Advocacy Sub-Committee.
He additionally holds numerous certifications, including Credit Union Development Educator and Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor.
Opal Ellyse Tomashevska
Pronouns: she/her
Opal joined CUNA Mutual Financial Group in 2014 and is the Director, Multicultural Business Strategy . She brings more than 18 years of professional experience in training, optimization, organizational development and business leadership in roles at SITEL, Dean Health, and American Family Insurance. Her current role as Director of Multicultural Business Strategy is dedicated to advancing the efforts of the Multicultural Center of Expertise, which includes gaining a deeper understanding of underserved consumers and communities.
Opal is also a published poet and spoken word artist. Her themes touch on all subjects from her own life and from the lives she has been blessed to observe. Her most touched on topic is social injustice of any form. The realities of American racial discrimination and the detriment of poverty world-wide are often explored and explained in ways that have double and triple meanings in her poems. In 2019 she released a full-length studio spoken word album titled, “My Name is Opal” the album is available on iTunes, Spotify, Tidal and everywhere music is streamed.
Opal received her bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and her Master of Science in Organizational Development from Edgewood College.
Opal currently holds a board position as the Director of Communications for the African American Credit Union Coalition’s Midwest chapter, and in 2020 she was named as one of Wisconsin’s 51 most influential Black Leaders by Madison365 Media.
Chris Morris
Pronouns: he/him
Christopher Morris has worked in the credit union industry for over fifteen years in a variety of roles, always working to help credit unions improve their member’s financial lives. Outside of work, you can find him with his family or busy volunteering, painting, buying and listening to records, working on his house and missing karaoke.
Jimese Harkley
Hi there! I am Jimese Harkley, VP of Membership at CUES. I've promoted membership and engagement at a large credit union and previously with the Filene Research Institute. I bring over 15 years of credit union experience from the teller line to the leadership team. In 2015, I was named the winner of the CUES Next Top Credit Union Exec, received my Juris Doctorate, crashed the GAC, and became a Credit Union Development Educator. While not busy building my career, I am a wife to Alfred and mother to Zion, a freshman at the University of Alabama, and Sunni, a competitive dancer. You can also find me on the Peloton leaderboard!
Sam Jensen
Pronouns: They/Them
Sam Jensen is a make people laugh, drink craft beer and go rock climbing with friends kind of person driven by community and a deep desire to bring people together. They currently live in Cheyenne, Wyoming with their partner Jess and their Goldendoodle Clementine. When they aren't outside or hosting game nights (virtual nowadays), they can be found working as a Training Consultant, running their own photography business and advocating for the underserved and underheard.
Angela Prestil
Special Guest: Angela Prestil, CUDE
Pronouns: she/her Senior Consultant CU Difference
As Senior Consultant for CU Difference, Angela brings a distinct specialty set in the critical areas of employee engagement, leadership development, and member loyalty strategies. She has helped hundreds of business leaders and young professionals through her coaching, mentoring, and professional development efforts. Angela delivers a highly valued perspective on how to help business drive growth and optimize their future success, having spent 20 years as a leader at Credit Union National Association (CUNA) as well as the past year fostering credit union growth through CU Difference. She is an active Credit Union Development Educator, building on the credit union industry’s “people helping people” philosophy.
Joey Batts & Meghan Jamison
LaTika Webster
LaTika Webster has spent over 20 years engaging the community and managing events through roles in higher education and nonprofit organizations. She has served as an event business development manager, community partnership manager and student affairs professional at multiple universities. LaTika has worked closely with a variety of constituencies looking to support and uplift underrepresented student leaders, strategic engagement with organizations that have a vested interest in the community, and advising and mentoring young professionals and former students.
LaTika currently serves as the Meeting Planner for the Indiana Credit Union League. The ICUL is the statewide trade association for Credit Unions in Indiana. LaTika has a demonstrated history of managing internal and external business and program coordination, leading the way for substantial change in representation in multiple industries, and partnerships through dedicated community involvement. Her personal philosophy on community involvement is utilizing her experiences to support growth in young professionals and impacting positive change and development within her professional experiences.
LaTika is a native Hoosier from Indianapolis, IN. She has has a Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Administration and a Master of Arts degree in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education from Ball State University.
She is a chapter committee co-chair and award winner as a member of the Iota Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Zeta Phi Beta is an international, historically African American Greek-lettered sorority that supports communities through action-oriented and community conscious programming. She also serves as a Board Member of The Glow Up Projects, a local minority founded nonprofit organization whose mission is to change the face of networking and bridge building through programs.
Jason Shonerd
Pronouns: He/Him
Jason joined the credit union movement two years ago, and is a recent University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate with a bachelor's degree in history. He is passionate about the history of labor and work in the United States in particular. When Jason isn't researching or writing, you can find him kayaking or out on walks with his beagle, Bailey.
Craig Birchfield
Pronouns: (He/Him).
Craig is a creative and strategist with eight years of experience leading creative teams across agencies and nonprofits. He is now working as a digital and brand strategist at Publix Employees Federal Credit Union in Tampa, Fl, where he lives with his wife, Alyssa. When Craig is not working, you can find him with a good book and a gin martini.
Chad Helminak
Ari Farrell
Special Guest: Ari Farrell (they/Ari/Them)
Pronouns: They/ Them/ Theirs/ Ari
Ari works at Northwest Community Credit Union in Eugene, Oregon, as an Industrial Hemp Program Analyst with their BSACS. Farrell is serving on the Board of Directors for the Willamette Chapter of Credit Unions and is a credit union advocate and was a NWCUA 2019 YP Lead & 2020 Emerging Leader Program Scholarship Recipient. Was a contributor with YCUP Pride fundraising event benefitting LGBQT centers in Portland, OR, and has contributed to the NWCUA’s Anthem newsletter responding to the Supreme court ruling on discrimination. Farrell is from Minneapolis, MN. They were involved in the queer community as drag king and performer. Farrell was involved in Pride events and performed as a special guest for a LGBTQ+ youth center. Farrell also Marched for Social Change and Gay Marriage in Minnesota in 2013 and participates as an advocate for equality in their community.