DES MOINES, IOWA (May 31, 2023) — The Iowa Credit Union Foundation (ICUF), the philanthropic arm of the Iowa Credit Union League, is proud to announce the graduates of the 2023 ‘People Helping People’ Financial Coach Program. The program, which ran virtually in May, featured fifty attendees from seventeen different credit unions. The participants were immersed in learning and simulation to help them grow in understanding of how a person’s relationship with money can impact their financial decision-making and lead to potential hardship. Financial coaches are member advocates who can help credit union members navigate difficult financial situations.
“Iowa’s credit unions have a long history of commitment to helping members achieve their long-term financial goals. ICUF is proud to continue that legacy through our Financial Coach Training Program. It is our strong belief that financial coaches can play a pivotal role in the financial lives of their members and communities, setting them on a path to brighter financial futures,” said Ena Babic Barnes, Executive Director of ICUF.
The curriculum for the ‘People Helping People’ Financial Coach Program was developed in partnership with Adam Carroll, founder of National Financial Educators.
“What never ceases to amaze me is the level of care and concern Iowa credit union employees have for their members,” said Carroll. “The financial coaches all seem to be driven by the ‘people helping people’ philosophy, and I’m inspired by this class of new coaches.”
The graduates of the 2023 ICUF ‘People Helping People’ Financial Coach Program are:
- Bleys Simmonds, Affinity Credit Union
- Chantel Turley, Affinity Credit Union
- Courtney McDaniel, Affinity Credit Union
- Gage Smith, Affinity Credit Union
- Jeff Justyna, Affinity Credit Union
- Kalli Heimsness, Affinity Credit Union
- Karalin Dake, Affinity Credit Union
- Kevin Pope, Affinity Credit Union
- Megan Collins, Affinity Credit Union
- Tania De La Cruz, Affinity Credit Union
- Megan Hansel, AIM Credit Union
- Paula Vickers, AIM Credit Union
- Alexis Meade, Ascentra Credit Union
- Juan Izaguirre, Ascentra Credit Union
- Lindsey Willert, Ascentra Credit Union
- Jessica Horst, Capitol View Credit Union
- Casey Harris, CENT Credit Union
- Amy Michehl, Citizens Community Credit Union
- Cami Mayne, Citizens Community Credit Union
- Becky Thorson, Citizen Community Credit Union
- Amanda Matthews, Greater Iowa Credit Union
- Dulce Perez, Greater Iowa Credit Union
- Irais Alcantara Herrera, Greater Iowa Credit Union
- Jessica Luna, Greater Iowa Credit Union
- Jocelyn Rivas, Greater Iowa Credit Union
- Shay Wiegand, Greater Iowa Credit Union
- Jesse Blankenship, GreenState Credit Union
- Stephanie Carmichael, IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union
- Courtney Williams, Iowa Credit Union League
- Andrea Brommelkamp, Linn Area Credit Union,
- Andrea Neumann, Linn Area Credit Union
- Callie Gardeman, Linn Area Credit Union
- Chase Knapp, Linn Area Credit Union
- Danita Arrington, Linn Area Credit Union
- David Kepler, Linn Area Credit Union
- JoAnn Hepker, Linn Area Credit Union
- Krystle Rivera, Linn Area Credit Union
- Makenna Mann, Linn Area Credit Union
- Miranda Morris, Linn Area Credit Union
- Riley Bruns, Linn Area Credit Union
- Sandra Cleppe, Linn Area Credit Union
- Baylie Boyer, Midland Credit Union
- Lindsay Szymanski, Midland Credit Union
- Patty Orton, North Iowa Community Credit Union
- Brooke Waterbury, Peoples Credit Union
- Pamela Kruger, Peoples Credit Union
- Dan Haack, Premier Credit Union
- Danielle Vaughan, Sioux Valley Community Credit Union
- Maggie Christensen, Sioux Valley Community Credit Union
- Kyle Schwery, Town and Country Credit Union
Each graduate of the program received a coaching resource book, as well as access to an online educational portal to continue his or her growth as a financial coach. This is ICUF’s fifth year of hosting the Financial Coach Program.
Founded in 1995 as the philanthropic arm of the Iowa Credit Union League, the Iowa Credit Union Foundation's (ICUF) champions financial well-being for all guided by the credit union philosophy of people helping people. For more information, visit IowaCreditUnionFoundation.org.
