Leadership Team

Tom Kane has been President/CEO of the Illinois Credit Union System since 2015. Since joining the Illinois Credit Union League and LSC in 2003, Tom has held several key leadership roles including Chief Administrative Officer, Executive Vice President of Operations, and Chief Security Officer. Tom previously held executive positions with Aon Corporation and Focal Communications and worked at Quaker Oats and the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom serves as a Director of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), Vice Chair of League InfoSight, and is a member of the FIS Credit Union Advisory Board. He earned a Master’s Degree in Government and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a BA from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, majoring in Business, Political Science, and History. Tom and his wife Beth reside in Glen Ellyn, Illinois where they raised their four now-adult children and are now slowly renovating their home..

As Senior Vice President of Member Solutions for the Illinois Credit Union League, Joni Senkpeil is involved in member service, education and compliance impacting Illinois credit unions. She also serves as a member of the Small Credit Union Advisory Group whose mission is to study small credit union challenges and offer resourceful solutions.

Prior to joining the League in 2006, Joni served as President of the Midwest Association of Credit Unions for four years. There, she worked on a variety of member programs and services, as well as regulatory and legislative matters.

Joni graduated summa cum laude from Benedictine University with a BA in Organizational Leadership. She also holds the Credit Union Development Educator, Credit Union Compliance Expert and Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Specialist designations. In addition, Joni is the 2014 recipient of CUNA’s CU Hero award.

Keith Sias is Senior Vice President of Governmental Affairs at the Illinois Credit Union League and oversees ICUL’s Federal and State Legislative Advocacy programs. Keith also directs the activities of the Credit Union Political Action Council (CUPAC), is the liaison for ICUL’s Legislative Committee and serves on CUNA’s State Issues Advocacy Committee. Keith holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Ashley Niebur Sharp has been employed at ICUL since 2013 and currently serves as Legislative Counsel and Vice President of State Advocacy. In those roles, Ashley places a focus on building positive relationships with members of the Illinois General Assembly, the Governor’s Office and statewide officials in order to educate them on the role of credit unions in Illinois. Ashley's primary responsibilities include: analyzing legislation proposed by the General Assembly, developing and advocating for the passage of legislation favorable to the credit union industry, and working to ensure that measures which would have a negative impact on credit union operations are not advanced. In addition, Ashley works with credit unions to ensure compliance with state laws and regulations. Ashley earned her Political Science degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and received her juris doctorate degree from SIU School of Law.

Melanie Murphy is Executive Director of the Illinois Credit Union Foundation. In keeping with the “People Helping People” philosophy of credit unions, she is responsible for bringing the Foundation’s programs to life. From financial health to small credit union assistance to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, the Foundation’s activities cover a wide range of topics which express the heart and soul of the movement. Melanie earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Illinois and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development from Benedictine University. She is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE). 

Pat Huffman is Director of Political Action for the Illinois Credit Union League. She is responsible for the coordination of grassroots activities, candidate interviews, Illinois credit union’s participation in the CUNA GAC, and Hike the Hill. In her position as Director of Political Action, she also serves as the Liaison to the CUPAC Board and the Chapter Legislative Forum Representatives. Pat is responsible for the activities of CUPAC and coordination of related advocacy and fundraising events.

Staci has been serving credit unions with the Illinois Credit Union League since 2010. Staci heads the Illinois Young Professionals Advisory Committee, acts as League Liaison to the Young Professional Representatives across all Illinois Chapters, spearheads the Illinois Credit Union League’s community outreach initiative- CU Kind Day and led the Illinois team in the design and launch of the global awareness campaign- #ILoveMyCreditUnion Social Media Blitz. Additionally, she serves on the CUNA Young Professional Advisory Committee and World Council of Credit Unions’ WYCUP Affiliates Council and Task Force. Staci holds a Bachelors of Arts and Secondary Education Teaching Certificate from Trinity Christian College, and is an MBTI Certified Practitioner and Facilitator through the Myers & Briggs Foundation.

Shannon Basile joined the ICUL as a Compliance Analyst in 2017. Shannon assists ICUL member credit unions with compliance guidance, credit union staff training, and compliance related presentations at chapter meetings. Shannon has over twenty years of experience working in the financial industry. Her main focus has been in operations and leadership. Shannon spent the last ten years of her career managing the main office for Abri Credit Union, where she also served as the commercial banking specialist and a loan officer. Shannon earned both her Associates of Arts in Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Benedictine University. She has also earned a Credit Union Compliance Expert (CUCE) and Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Specialist (BSACS) designation from CUNA.

In her role as Compliance Specialist, Kari researches laws and regulations in a wide range of topical areas to assist credit unions with compliance and regulatory related questions. Kari is responsible for writing Legal & Technical Bulletin articles addressing relevant statutory and/or regulatory issues, and also contributes blog posts for the ICUS website. She also tracks proposed regulations impacting credit unions, and contributes comment letters that impact the lending area.

Kari assists credit unions with training on various issues, speaks at chapter events, conducts website/e-banking reviews, and reviews advertising disclosures. She also shares in facilitating the Compliance Peer Networking Group meetings with her compliance colleagues. Kari holds an associate’s degree in paralegal studies and has earned the CUNA Certified Credit Union Compliance Expert and Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Specialist designations.