Forty-six credit union professionals became Credit Union Development Educators (CUDEs) after being guided by dedicated program facilitators and mentors through the intensive Credit Union Development Education (DE) Training from the National Credit Union Foundation (the Foundation). The DE training was held April 18 – 24, 2018 at the Lowell Center in Madison, Wis.
“The DE Program refreshed me on the credit union principles and reminded me WHY credit unions exist,” said Crystal Kleinlein, Branch Manager at Trona Valley FCU after attending the April DE Training. “DE has provided me with many life changing experiences, and gave me the hope that we, as a credit union movement, can truly make a difference in the world.”
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.
Class Graduates
The most recent DE graduating class included credit union movement representatives from across the U.S, as well as representatives from Kenya and The Gambia. They are: Adrianne Adufutse, CO-OP Financial Services in Michigan; Mallory Albert, Homefield CU in Massachusetts; Meagan Barrett, Northern Colorado Credit Union in Colorado; Charlene Bauer, Metro Credit Union in Massachusetts; Chris Calvert, Guardians CU in Florida; Desiree Canto, CUNA Mutual Group in Waunakee; Lisa Chancellor, American Airlines FCU in Oklahoma; Jamie Chilewski, Simplicity Credit Union in Wisconsin; Sheila Cline, Suncoast Credit Union in Florida; Glenda Donley, Altra Federal CU in Wisconsin; Michael Dove, PSCU in Florida; Julie Ekstrom, Peoples Advantage FCU in Virginia; Derek Freis, Simplicity Credit Union in Wisconsin; Kelly Griego, Summit Credit Union in Wisconsin; James Gukeisen, CULIANCE in Florida; Amanda Hoover, Belco Community Credit Union in Pennsylvania; Skyler Jackson, Carolina Foothills FCU in South Carolina; Meghan Jamison, Tarrant County’s Credit Union in Texas; Steven Joffe, BECU in Washington; Lisa Kazee, Ent CU in Colorado; Chris Kirkley, Peninsula Community FCU in Washington; Crystal Kleinlein, Trona Valley Community FCU in Wyoming; Cameron Madill, PixelSpoke in Oregon; Daniel Marquez, LincOne FCU in Nebraska; Kristin Marschner, Advia Credit Union in Michigan; Meghan McGee Pelkey, UFirst FCU in New York; David Miller, CUInsight in Florida; Michael Monnich, National Credit Union Foundation in Wisconsin; Jasmine Murillo, SchoolsFirst FCU in California; Paul Narcisse, Coastal Federal Credit Union in North Carolina; Kay Neidlinger, Indiana Credit Union League in Indiana; Mama Sally Njie, NAWEC Credit Union in The Gambia; Maureen Njoroge, Africa Confederation of Coop Savings and Credit Association in Kenya; Fernando Ortega, GECU in Texas; Carol Prochaska, CUNA Mutual Group in Wisconsin; Sheri Riley, KEMBA Indianapolis CU in Indiana; Ty Robbins, People’s Trust FCU in Texas; Christina Salemi, Credit Union National Association in the District of Columbia; Elizabeth Seelbach, Resource One Credit Union in Texas; Jillian Smith, Wright Patman Congressional FCU in Virginia; Neil Smith, Credit Union National Association in Texas; Tim Verreault, Evergreen Credit Union in Maryland; Carmen Vigil, Northwest Credit Union Association in Washington; Allison Warner, Missouri Valley Federal Credit Union in Missouri; Alexis Wharton, Olympia CU in Washington; and Natalie Yanez, Ventura Country CU in California.
Training Staff
The program was facilitated by the Foundation’s Chad Helminak and Lois Kitsch, and event coordination was done by Jenni Speth. The class was mentored by a group of six credit union professionals including Jimese Harkley from Divercity Solutions in Alabama; Bert Hash from MECU of Baltimore in Maryland; Mark Lynch from CU Difference in Michigan; Angela Prestil from the Credit Union National Association in Wisconsin; Brent Rempe from WEOKIE Credit Union in Oklahoma; and Pamela Stelly from Maple Federal Credit Union in Louisiana.
2018 DE Trainings
The Foundation will be holding four DE Trainings this year all in Madison, Wis. The June training session is sold out, but registration for the September and November session will be opening up later this year. If you are interested in participating in one of the Fall 2018 DE Trainings, visit ncuf.coop to learn more or you can email cude@ncuf.coop to be put on a notification list for when registration opens up.
More April DE Training Testimonials
“DE is an informative and inspirational program,” said James Gukeisen, Assistant Director of Prepaid Development at CULIANCE. “If you have a spark for the credit union movement, it will become a flame; if you are already on fire, you will come to understand just how brightly one candle can burn.”
“DE Training was an amazing experience to have the opportunity to serve others and understand how we can change and affect lives by our actions,” said Skyler Jackson, Business Development Officer at Carolina Foothills FCU. “It was a great reminder that ‘people helping people’ is the most important thing to focus on, and if you come from a place of service, you’ll never go wrong.”
