Our speakers bring valuable insights, experiences, and expertise to tackle the ever-changing landscape of credit union technology, risk management, and compliance challenges. Explore our lineup of thought-provoking sessions and peer-to-peer discussions, where these industry leaders provide actionable strategies and perspectives essential for shaping the future of credit union technology.
Dylan Braun is a senior commercial lending executive with more than a decade of commercial lending experience. As Senior Vice President and Director of Commercial Lending at TruStone Financial Credit Union, he leads commercial originations, underwriting, servicing, and portfolio management while serving as a voting member of the Commercial Credit Committee and ALCO. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from St. Cloud State University and is completing the CUES CEO Institute, with a focus on strategic leadership and organizational excellence.
Fred Campobasso serves as Chief Lending Officer of Great Lakes Credit Union, headquartered in Northern Illinois, where he is responsible for commercial, consumer and mortgage lending and collections. He has more than twenty years of experience in the credit union industry and serves on the Board of Member Student Lending and as an Advisory Board member of TruTreasury. Fred supports the Great Lakes Credit Union Foundation for Financial Empowerment and its programs, including food and toy drives, veterans services, and financial education and literacy initiatives. He advocates for helping low-and-moderate income households improve their financial well-being through financial literacy and access to credit at fair and reasonable terms, with a passion for building generational wealth through responsible lending. red earned a BA in Sociology from Eastern Illinois University and a Masters’ Certificate in Strategy and Execution from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.
Dave is an accomplished credit union executive with extensive leadership experience spanning strategic growth, business development, and organizational transformation. Prior to joining Credit Union 1, he served as CEO of a community-based credit union, providing him with firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities facing credit unions of all sizes. In his current role at Credit Union 1, Dave leads strategic partnerships, business development initiatives, and merger and acquisition opportunities that enhance member value, strengthen operational capabilities, and support sustainable long-term growth. Leveraging a deep understanding of credit union operations, industry dynamics, and cooperative principles, he collaborates closely with credit union leaders to identify innovative solutions that benefit members, employees, and the communities they serve. Dave is passionate about helping credit unions navigate change, capitalize on growth opportunities, and preserve the member-focused mission that defines the credit union movement.
Matt Fehrmann is the Chief Information Officer at Kohler Credit Union, where he leads technology, cybersecurity, business systems, and digital transformation. Over his career in financial services technology, Matt has been involved in core system transformations, digital banking, mergers, cybersecurity, and building technology strategies that improve the member experience.
Matt is passionate about the future of credit unions and, in particular, how technology can make credit unions better without losing the personal relationships that make them unique. He brings a practical perspective on technology, leadership, innovation, and navigating change in today’s rapidly evolving financial services landscape.
Brian Gruender serves as Senior Vice President of Technology for Fox Communities Credit Union, where he oversees enterprise technology strategy, infrastructure, data and software engineering, and the organization’s AI and transformation initiatives. An experienced technology executive, Brian focuses on aligning technology investments with business outcomes, fostering innovation, and preparing organizations for the future of work. A strong advocate for responsible AI adoption and innovation, his work includes advancing AI literacy, operational efficiency, and modern technology platforms within the financial services industry. A life-longer learner, Brian has a master’s in Organizational Change Leadership and recently completed the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer certificate through Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Cristina “Cris” Karekar is Vice President of Product Delivery at Texas Dow Employees Credit Union (TDECU), where she leads enterprise product strategy and delivery across digital banking, deposits, lending, payments, cards, member services, and other critical member experiences. With more than 20 years of experience spanning financial services, fintech, telecommunications, and technology, Cris is passionate about connecting technology, product innovation, and human-centered design to create simpler, more valuable experiences for members. Her leadership focuses on transforming strategy into measurable outcomes through product-led operating models, Agile delivery, automation, analytics, and emerging technologies. Prior to TDECU, Cris held product and technology leadership roles at A+ Federal Credit Union, WP Engine, Fiserv, and CSG International.
EJ Kritz is the Chief Experience Officer at DBSI and a global Customer Experience strategist based in Charleston, SC. With a passion for elevating the human experience, he’s helped some of the world’s most recognized brands across financial services, retail, and hospitality. Drawing on leadership roles with banks like TD and Santander, EJ drives next-generation experience design for banks and credit unions nationwide. He’s a top-rated guest on the #1 podcast in banking, Banking Transformed, a featured speaker at major industry events like The Financial Brand Forum, and was a Luminary Awards finalist as the 2026 Credit Union Consultant of the Year.
Laura (Lori) Moore is a technology executive and transformation leader serving as Senior Vice President of Technology Engineering at Global Credit Union. She leads enterprise engineering, architecture, AI adoption, and technology modernization strategies designed to accelerate innovation and business growth. Laura is recognized for her ability to bridge emerging technologies with practical business outcomes, helping organizations leverage artificial intelligence, intelligent automation, cloud platforms, and data-driven decision making to improve member experiences and operational performance. She is a strong advocate for responsible AI adoption and believes technology leaders have a unique opportunity to shape not only the future of their organizations, but the future of the industries they serve. Her work focuses on building adaptive organizations that can thrive amidst rapid technological change while maintaining a relentless focus on people, purpose, and measurable business value.
Paul Provenzano, Head of US Market Development for ebankIT, has long partnered with community financial institutions to navigate digital transformation and align technology with evolving consumer expectations. More recently, Paul is focused on leveraging AI and open APIs to deliver secure, human centered digital banking experiences that deepen consumer engagement and strengthen the performance of the digital channel.
Durai Rajamanickam is a Senior Leader in Enterprise AI Transformation, Causal AI & Risk Intelligence in Financial Services. He currently serves as Vice President – Artificial Intelligence at Hudson Valley Credit Union. Durai focuses on AI transformation in regulated industries, turning AI’s potential into operational reality rather than isolated pilots. His work sits at the intersection of innovation and enterprise discipline, designing the governance, execution, and measurement infrastructure that makes ambitious AI strategy trustworthy, compliant, scalable, and audit ready. Durai helps credit unions adopt AI with practical governance and measurable business value. As a AI Governance and Enterprise Risk Advisor, he assesses AI uses and vendors, establish controls and board reporting, and help risk and compliance teams apply AI to their work while protecting member information and preserving human accountability. At Hudson Valley Credit Union, Durai drive enterprise AI strategy, agentic AI deployment, and model risk governance. Previously, he led AI/ML transformation across enterprise high-value consulting companies and organizations in Finance, health , wealth management and life-science domains.
Josh Rodriguez is the Assistant Vice President of Fintech and Mission Integration at West Community Credit Union, where he leads fintech partnerships and mission‑driven storytelling initiatives. He previously served as President/CEO of Missouri Valley Federal Credit Union for 11 years, bringing more than two decades of experience across operations, technology, and executive leadership. Josh also hosts and produces The Banking on You Podcast, blending his passion for audio production with his commitment to highlighting real member stories and strengthening community connection.
Jeff Rothmeyer joined Credit Union 1 in June 2020 as Chief Lending Officer with more than a decade of lending experience. He was instrumental in launching CU1’s commercial real estate department, which has become a nationally recognized leader in 1031 tax exchange financing and has funded nearly $2.0 billion in its first six years. Promoted to Executive Vice President in February 2022, Jeff built CU1’s indirect lending program from the ground up. Today, it closes nearly $300 million annually in the Chicagoland market. Together, these initiatives have driven membership growth, stable loan production, and strong interest and fee income. Jeff also expanded CU1’s consumer, small business, and residential real estate offerings while creating a national loan participation sales team. The team sells participation opportunities across all lending sectors, including credit cards, generating approximately $500 million in annual loan sales and millions in premiums and servicing rights. In addition, Jeff oversees lending operations, underwriting, pricing, quality control, processing, and back-office functions across multiple business lines. His leadership has been a major contributor to CU1’s growth and its recognition as a Top Workplace by the Chicago Tribune and Las Vegas Review-Journal year after year.
Toni-Ann Sforza serves as Chief Operating Officer at Municipal Credit Union (MCU), leading People & Administration, Retail Channels, Operations & Digital Services, and Financial Crimes & Intelligence. Her portfolio includes human resources, learning & development, branches, contact center, ATM network, facilities, physical security, deposit, digital and card operations, fraud, and mail banking. She drives growth across member-facing channels while aligning people, process, and technology to improve member experience, operational efficiency, and collaboration. Her industry honors include City & State New York’s Forty Under Forty and Schneps Media’s Manhattan Power List. Prior to MCU, Toni-Ann held senior leadership roles at Apple Bank and Amalgamated Bank. She holds a B.S. in Organizational Management from Mercy University and completed executive education at Cornell University, University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and The Wharton School.
Jason Tilley is an accomplished technology executive with over 30 years of credit union IT experience and a strong record of strategic leadership in financial services. As CIO at 1st Advantage Federal Credit Union, he shapes the organization’s technology vision, drives digital transformation, and ensures operational excellence. His expertise spans IT governance, cybersecurity, strategic planning, and regulatory compliance. Jason also hosts The Knowledge Stack, a podcast exploring the intersection of finance and technology, where he shares insights on emerging trends and innovation strategies. Previously, he held IT leadership roles at ABNB and Picatinny Federal Credit Unions, leading modernization and infrastructure initiatives. Dedicated to continuous improvement, he mentors IT professionals and helps financial institutions leverage technology to deliver secure, efficient, and member-focused services.
Chris Turnley is a purpose-driven senior executive and keynote speaker with more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning credit unions, fintech, SaaS, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 companies. As Chief Operating Officer at CoastHills Credit Union, he focuses on expanding access to financial tools, education, and resources. Previously, as Executive Vice President at University Federal Credit Union, he led community investment and resource deployment, including housing, food, education, workforce development, and financial access. Chris co-founded Dosh and served in executive leadership roles at WP Engine, Iron Mountain, MacroFab, and Metacommunications. He founded Growth Fusion Advisors and is a sought-after speaker on fintech, purpose-driven leadership, member experience, digital transformation, AI governance, financial inclusion, and faith in marketplace leadership. He serves as Chairman of The Other Ones Foundation.
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