Samira Salem has been appointed Senior Policy Analyst for Credit Union National Association (CUNA), the national trade organization advocating on behalf of America's 110 million credit union members. Salem will work with the team of economists to further advance CUNA's advocacy priorities and create a clear understanding of the links between those priorities, the changing financial services marketplace and the broader economy.
"Samira’s work reflects a commitment to community and a clear desire to make a lasting difference in the world by helping people improve their lives – which aligns perfectly with credit union philosophy," said CUNA Vice President of Research & Policy Analysis, Mike Schenk. "We are confident she will quickly become known as an approachable, talented and valuable addition to our team."
Prior to joining CUNA, Salem worked for Forward Community Investments (FCI), a Madison-based Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) which serves communities throughout the state of Wisconsin. Samira holds a PhD in Political Economy & Public Policy from the University of Southern California and has a solid background in policy analysis having worked for several years as a Senior Trade Analyst for Labor at the U.S. International Trade Commission.
Salem has extensive experience in economic and community development, policy research, evaluation, and project management gained through her work with FCI and during her tenure at DAI, a private international development company based in Bethesda, Maryland.