Creating a better member experience requires coordination across many parts of a credit union, from digital banking and lending to payments, cards, and everyday member services. Cristina “Cris” Karekar works across these areas as Vice President of Product Delivery at Texas Dow Employees Credit Union (TDECU), where she leads enterprise product strategy and delivery.
Cris will bring her experience in product innovation, technology, and human-centered design to the 2027 CU Growth & Innovation Summit as a panelist discussing how credit unions can create member experiences that strengthen loyalty and support growth.
With more than 20 years of experience across financial services, fintech, telecommunications, and technology, Cris has built her career around connecting business strategy with practical execution. Her work focuses on simplifying experiences for members while ensuring that product and technology investments deliver measurable value.
At TDECU, Cris oversees product strategy and delivery across digital banking, deposits, lending, payments, cards, member services, and other essential member experiences. Her leadership emphasizes product-led operating models, Agile delivery, automation, analytics, and emerging technologies to translate organizational priorities into results.
Before joining TDECU, Cris held product and technology leadership roles at A+ Federal Credit Union, WP Engine, Fiserv, and CSG International. Her background across credit unions, financial technology, and other industries gives her experience with different approaches to product development and customer engagement.
We are pleased to welcome Cris to the CU Growth & Innovation Summit speaker lineup. Her work connecting product strategy, technology, and member needs will contribute a valuable perspective to a conversation focused on improving experiences across the credit union.
Cris will participate in the panel discussion, “Designing Member Experiences That Drive Growth and Loyalty.”
The session will examine how credit unions are approaching member experience as a driver of growth and retention. Panelists will share strategies that are working across digital channels, branch interactions, and personalized engagement, with a focus on connecting service improvements to measurable business outcomes.
The discussion will also explore how credit unions can prioritize experience improvements that make a meaningful difference for members. From simplifying digital interactions to creating more consistent experiences across service channels, institutions must consider both member expectations and the operational requirements of delivering those improvements.
Cris’s experience leading enterprise product delivery will bring a practical perspective on how credit unions can turn member experience strategies into implemented solutions. Her emphasis on human-centered design, Agile delivery, and measurable outcomes aligns closely with the session’s focus on connecting better experiences to stronger institutional performance.
We look forward to welcoming Cris Karekar to the 2027 CU Growth & Innovation Summit and hearing her insights alongside other credit union leaders.
Join us February 8 to 10, 2027, in Oak Brook, Illinois.
REGISTER TODAY to join credit union leaders from across the country for three days of strategic conversations, executive networking, and actionable insights at the 2027 CU Growth & Innovation Summit.
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