Emerging Leaders

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Developing Future Leaders

The continued success of our movement depends on preparing today’s young people to take on the challenges of tomorrow. That’s why we developed the CrossState Emerging Leaders program, and are thrilled to share it with you. This program features an integration of strengths from CrossState’s Emerging Leaders network.

As a free member benefit, the group is guided by a leadership council of Emerging Leaders, as selected by their peers. Its mission is to engage young professionals in the future of the credit union movement through career development training and education, networking, leadership development, community service and outreach, and political advocacy.

The Emerging Leaders program focuses primarily on those members under the age of 40, but enrollment is open to any interested members.

 

Who are the Emerging Leaders?

The current Emerging Leaders group consists of over 270 professionals aged 18-40, but there is always room for more.  We invite you to encourage Emerging Leaders from your credit union to join this valuable network where they can engage with other young professionals via in-person meetings and trainings, webinars, and where they can learn and grow from each other.

Enrollment

Existing members from both New Jersey and Pennsylvania will be automatically included in the new Emerging Leaders program. New members may simply complete the application.

If either you or your Emerging Leaders have any questions, please email Tyler Staley.

Proud Supporters of the Emerging Leaders

Upcoming Events

The Emerging Leaders group hosts monthly webinars and other events throughout the year. Visit the Events Calendar on our main webpage for a full list of events offered by CrossState.

 

Past Events & Webinars

The Emerging Leaders Group maintains video recordings of most of its webinars. If you would like access to any of the below webinar recordings, please contact Tyler Staley. These recordings are FREE to all Emerging Leaders and CrossState Members.

Emerging Leaders Webinar – “Scholarships and Awards Info Session”

Join your fellow Emerging Leaders on Tuesday, September 26th at 10am to learn more about all the scholarships, awards, and grants offered by CrossState. Personal development is key to advancing in your career, but sometimes it can be difficult to get budgetary approval to attend events. With a scholarship to any number of CrossState events, members don’t have to worry about covering the bill!

We will also discuss the amazing development opportunities offered by the Foundation’s Kathleen Fey Executive Leadership Program. Each year, two active Emerging Leaders will be selected as Credit Union Fellows to participate in the program. The Executive Leadership Program was created for the future leaders of the credit union industry and provides $20,000 of funding for each participant for a six-year curriculum of credit union leadership development.

Financial Lifeline for the Special Needs Community | August 22 | 10am 

This is a special presentation by Sarah Smith, the 2023 Credit Union Ambassador. Sarah is the mother of two children with special needs and recognized opportunities for her credit union, and other financial institutions, to better serve those members with special needs. Sarah’s project has huge potential to better people’s lives and promote financial security for everyone. Below is a small excerpt from Sarah’s project.

“The special needs community and banking. I am talking about people on the autism spectrum, those with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities and so many more. It’s the type of community that is overlooked unless you or a loved one are a part of it. I know that those two things do not usually go together but they should because they are a forgotten community that I know needs assistance…I know how hard it is to navigate this life and parents like me are left with so many questions about their child’s financial future. Such as, who is going to take care of my kids and help them with finances when I am gone? What do I do with my child’s SSI? Should I be investing money into anything in particular? What is a rep payee account and do I need one? These are all questions I want to answer and more. This information will give these parents and adults direction and guidance when there seems to be none.”

From Inflation to Recession | Wednesday, July 12 

After interest rates were raised to the degree that it has, the probability of a recession is high. In addition, 83% of global central banks are raising rates in order to quell inflation, exacerbating the growth slowdown. This is also an environment where inflation pressures often come down. In fact, it appears that inflation has peaked for the cycle. Commodity, rent, and home prices have fallen. Meanwhile, transportation costs are tumbling. Retail and wholesale inventories are up a huge 20% on a year-over-year basis. Sinking inflation and a likely change of policy stance by the Federal Reserve by mid-2023 bodes well for future returns in the bond market. In this session, we will discuss the prevailing economic trends, the outlook for Federal Reserve policy and interest rates.

Stop the Stage Fright & be a Better Leader  |  June 20, 2023 at 10am

Of all the fears and phobias in the world, one of the most prevalent is a fear of public speaking. The thought of standing in front of an audience with all eyes on you could make anyone feel anxious. Unfortunately, many people are confident as subject matter experts, but let their nerves get in the way of effectively sharing that knowledge with an audience.

Elevating your public speaking skills is an excellent way to set yourself apart from the crowd and advance your career. Many of the qualities sought in a leadership candidate can also be found in a confident speaker. This training will provide attendees with practical tools and tips to reduce speaking anxiety, improve presentations and help become better communicators.

Women’s Leadership Panel  |  March 21, 2023

Hosted by Council Members Ciara LaVelle, Mackenzie Dana, Bobbi Randall, and Tiffany Lawson 

March is Women’s History Month, what better way to celebrate than a panel dedicated to women in credit union leadership? Join this webinar as we ask the panelists questions submitted by the Emerging Leaders members and we take questions live from the audience. Panelists for this webinar include: 

Lisa Nacey – Director of Marketing, Pheple FCU

Kelly Botti – CEO, TruMark Financial Credit Union

Barb Bowker – Chief Member Experience Officer, PSECU

Jill McGlynn – Chief Member Experience Officer, Cross Valley FCU

Kathy Jumper – Chief Retail Officer, Members 1st FCU

Financial Education at Your Credit Union Panel  |  February 21, 2023

Financial education is the cornerstone of the Credit Union Movement. Credit Unions empower their members by providing a solid foundation and roadmap to financial success. Join the Emerging Leaders and a panel of CrossState members who will share their experiences with financial education tools – Certified Financial Counselors (FiCEP certification), Financial Reality Fairs and online engagement. We will also hear from members who won past Financial Literacy Awards from the CrossState Foundation.

Learn what other credit unions are doing to provide the best financial education for their members and community, maybe you will pick up a few ideas for your own credit union. We are joined by panelists: Bobbi Randall with Northeast Welch FCU, Randi Marmer with TruMark FCU, Sara Weiser with PSECU, Erica Wennell with UECU, and Foundation Executive Director Sue-Ward Diorio.