Women of Banking (formerly Women of Community Banking)

Welcome back to a brand-new episode of the Women of Banking Podcast ! In this episode, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with an absolute icon in the industry, Linda Fischer , Chief Commercial and Operating Officer at CSI. With nearly 40 years of groundbreaking experience spanning computer programming, fintech, operations, and executive leadership, Linda shares her incredible journey from entering c...

Welcome to another inspiring episode of Women of Banking Podcast! In this conversation, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Maria Allen, Vice President of Market Growth and Expansion at Golden West Credit Union, to discuss her remarkable career journey, leadership strategies, and the evolving landscape of credit unions and banking. Starting as a teller to help fund her undergraduate degree in cre...

Welcome to a brand-new, power-packed episode of the Women of Banking Podcast ! In this episode, your host Anurag Mukherjee sits down for an inspiring, candid conversation with Jasmin Gammel, Chief Operations Officer of Coast Central Credit Union. Jasmin reflects on her incredible two-and-a-half-decade career journey across the credit union and financial services sector, sharing invaluable lessons...

Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Women of Banking podcast! In this episode, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with a true veteran in the financial services sector, Kelli Wisner-Frank, CFO of Community Choice Credit Union . With an impressive career spanning over two and a half decades—including more than 20 years with Community Choice—Kelli shares her inspiring journey from starting as an accou...

Welcome to another inspiring episode of the Women of Banking Podcast! In this episode, host Anurag Mukherjee engages in a deep, insightful conversation with Celeste Fehely, Chief Member Experience Officer at San Francisco Federal Credit Union. From Part-Time Teller to C-Suite LeaderCeleste’s journey in financial services is a masterclass in organic career growth, self-advocacy, and continuous lear...

In this episode of the Women of Banking Podcast , host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Katy Pritsos , Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) at Global Credit Union , to explore the intersection of human-centric leadership, organizational growth, and operational excellence. With over two decades in financial services—starting as a bank teller and rising to executive leadership—Katy brings a comprehensi...

In this episode of the Women of Banking Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Rossana Creo, Chief Strategy Officer at the United Nations Federal Credit Union (UNFCU).Starting her journey at UNFCU over 25 years ago as a bilingual Member Service Representative (MSR) in the contact center, Rossana built a remarkable career path that led her to the C-suite. Today, she leads UNFCU's Office...

In this episode of the Women of Banking Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Susan Peyret, Chief Financial Officer at Keesler Federal Credit Union. Susan shares her unique career trajectory—transitioning from wealth management and financial advisory roles at major wire houses like Merrill Lynch into credit union executive leadership. She offers an insider look at leading full-scale financ...

In this episode of the Women of Banking podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Youssi Farag , Chief Financial Officer at WEOKIE Federal Credit Union, to explore her inspiring journey from starting as a bank teller after moving from Egypt to becoming an executive leader in financial services. Youssi breaks down the unique mission-driven model of credit unions, how modern technology and autom...

In this episode of the Women of Banking Podcast , host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Jamie Harrison , Chief Growth Officer at Meritrust Credit Union. With over two decades of dedicated service at Meritrust, Jamie shares her inspiring career evolution from marketing and retail into leading end-to-end growth strategy across the organization. Jamie breaks down what it truly takes to drive scalable...

How do credit unions scale modern digital banking while retaining the high-touch, human connection that members trust? In this episode of the Women of Community Banking podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Adi, Senior Vice President of Digital Delivery at Fairwinds Credit Union in Orlando, Florida. With over 23 years of dedicated service at Fairwinds, Adi shares her inspiring career trans...

In this episode of the Women of Banking Podcast , host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Eleni Giakoumopoulos , Director of the Global Women’s Leadership Network (GWLN) , representing the World Council of Credit Unions and the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions . With a cross-cultural career spanning over 30 countries across Europe and North America, Eleni brings a global perspective on how fina...

What does it truly take to step into the CEO seat and shape the next generation of leadership in credit unions? In this powerful episode of the Women of Banking podcast, host Anurag sits down with two phenomenal female executives making waves in the financial ecosystem: Deena Otto, CEO of Southland Credit Union, and Steph Sherrodd, CEO of Sunward. Whether you are an aspiring executive, a mid-level...

Welcome to a brand new episode of the Women of Banking podcast. In this episode, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Jennifer Kimmell, the Chief Experience Officer (CXO) of TruWest Credit Union, to discuss how credit unions successfully differentiate themselves in an increasingly digital financial landscape. Jennifer shares her incredible professional journey—spanning three decades in financial s...

How do you fast-track your career from a part-time teller to Chief Operations Officer (COO) in just 16 years? In this episode of the Women of Community Banking podcast, we sit down with Nicole El-Chami, COO of Credit Union of America (CUA), to unpack her incredible journey of career velocity, operational excellence, and leadership in the credit union and fintech space. Nicole shares her exact fram...

How do progressive financial institutions turn complex, back-end data architectures into seamless, frontline member experiences? In this episode of the Women of Banking podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Holly Reustle, Vice President of Business Intelligence and Member Experience at SECU Credit Union (Maryland’s largest credit union).With a distinguished 14-year career spanning marketin...

How does a financial institution completely eliminate standard bank fees and survive—let alone thrive? In this episode of the Women of Banking Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Stacy Armijo, the Chief Experience Officer (CXO) of Amplify Credit Union based in Austin, Texas. Bringing an unconventional, external perspective from her 17-year career in the public relations and agency world...

How do you fast-track your career from a 30-day temporary contract to Chief Impact Officer (CIO) at a leading credit union? In this episode of the Women of Banking Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Megan Snyder, Chief Impact Officer at Unitus Credit Union, to discuss leadership, career velocity, fintech partnerships, and AI innovation in financial services. Megan shares her inspiring &...

In this episode of the Women of Banking Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Jill Sammons, Senior Vice President of Strategic Growth and Engagement at BCU (Baxter Credit Union), who has spent more than 35 years in the credit union movement. Jill shares what kept her at one organization for three decades, how she navigated career barriers as a working mother, and why BCU deliberately chose...

How does a kindergarten teacher become a financial education leader at one of Virginia's largest credit unions? In this episode of the Women of Community Banking podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee talks with Cherry Dale, Financial Education Director at Virginia Credit Union (VACU) in Richmond, Virginia, about her unconventional career path, the mentors who shaped her, and the community programs tr...

In this episode of the Women of Community Banking Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Katie Quilligan, Principal at BankTech Ventures, to unpack how community banks are adopting modern technology, what venture capital is doing to back them, and why women leaders in fintech and banking are reshaping the industry from the inside out. This is one of the most candid, insight-packed conversat...

What does it really take to rise from staff accountant to Chief Financial Officer of one of Houston's leading credit unions? In this episode of the Women of Community Banking Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Angela Chan, CFO of Smart Financial Credit Union, for a candid conversation on leadership, career evolution, fintech disruption, and the mindset shifts that define a true exec...

In this episode of the Women of Community Banking (WCB) Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Janis, Vice President of Member Contact Center and Branch Operations at Empower Federal Credit Union in Upstate New York. With over two decades of credit union experience, Janis shares how she accidentally found her calling in the credit union movement, why AI is reshaping member service, and the...

What does it take to walk into a boardroom seven months pregnant, interview for the CEO position, and walk out with the job offer that same evening? That's exactly what Kim Sponem did — and 24 years later, she has grown Summit Credit Union from a 200 million dollar institution into an 8 billion dollar powerhouse, making her one of the most accomplished credit union leaders in the United States...

What does it take to lead 82 credit unions across an entire state — and why does advocacy sit at the top of the pyramid? In this episode of the Women of Community Banking Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Mara Humphrey, President and CEO of the Minnesota Credit Union Network, for a candid conversation about advocacy, leadership, and the credit union difference. Mara shares how her care...