Ashley Niebur Sharp joined ICUL in 2013 and currently serves as Legislative Counsel and Senior Vice President of State Advocacy. Ashley’s primary responsibilities center around improving the operating environment for credit unions in Illinois through legislative advocacy. Ashley fosters 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 earned her Political Science degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and received her juris doctorate degree from SIU School of Law.

Prior to joining ICUL in 2004, Patrick worked for the Illinois Department of Financial Institutions for 17 years. Patrick oversees state and federal regulatory affairs and provides critical advocacy and consulting services to our member credit unions. He works closely with the IDFPR, NCUA, and ASI and is a member of CUNA's Examination and Supervision Subcommittee along with serving on AACUL's Regulatory Advocacy and Compliance Advisory Committee.

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.

Frank J. Diekmann is the Cooperator-in-Chief and co-founder of CUtoday.info, the #1 digital news and collaboration platform providing organic reporting, opinion, analysis, video, and resources to credit unions. Prior to CUToday, Frank founded Credit Union Journal, and co-founded Credit Union Times. He began his editorial career as a sports reporter with the Cincinnati Post; a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, author of four books, and a certified DE & International DE, Frank's passion for all things credit unions is unparalleled.

Jayni Sech kicked off Marketing Solutions Unlimited in 2001 with a bold mission: to shake up the credit union marketing landscape with a splash of creativity and a sprinkle of innovation. She waved goodbye to the old “one size fits all” mentality, crafting a unique business model that has won over more than 90 small credit unions across 11 states. Plus, she’s a pro at navigating the red tape, successfully submitting 10 Field of Membership (Community Charter) Expansion Applications for her clients.

Having delivered thousands of presentations over 2 decades, Jason Hewett is the only speaker in the world teaching leadership in a performance of uncanny musical and comedy impressions, utilizing legends of the stage. "The Promise" is a keynote speech that feels like a show, with proven processes and takeaways to transform your business and leadership skills. One of the youngest inductees into the Speaker Hall of Fame, his talks inspire leadership!

Reagan is an author and speaker focused on helping individuals and teams overcome their inner barriers so they can make meaningful contributions in their lives and work. He delivers keynote speeches and workshops globally, has designed and taught MBA level leadership courses, is a TEDx speaker, and author of Too Emotional: Overcome the Thunderstorm of Feelings, Shame and Self-Doubt.

Steve Bugg serves as President and CEO of Great Lakes Credit Union (GLCU) headquartered in Northern Illinois and was appointed to the role in 2018. GLCU is a $1.6 billion Illinois State Chartered Credit Union, Federally Insured by the NCUA serving over 90,000 members with 280 employees through 19 financial wellness centers and a robust digital channel.

32+ years of TruStage experience with risk management specializing in risks associated with payments, deposits, funds transfer/ACH, and fraud. Ken is a commonly featured author for TruStage RISK Alerts and a speaker throughout the US. He was previously an insurance auditor. Ken resides in Illinoisand holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University, He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Natasha serves as the NCUA credit union program manager within the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion. With over 17 years of experience with the Federal government, 13 of those as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategist and educator, she has developed innovative and creative solutions to systematically shift the diversity paradigm across enterprises through educating and building partnerships. Natasha received the Dept. of Justice Leadership Executive Certification, holds a degree in Business Management and Marketing, and Cornell University’s Diversity and Inclusion Certification.

Catie McDonald is a trusted strategic partner and leader who is passionate about the credit union movement. Known for her ability to ask thought-provoking questions and listen intently, Catie leverages her communication skills to drive successful outcomes in her work. Throughout her career, Catie has collaborated closely with CEOs, executive leadership teams, and various boards, bringing clarity to strategic vision and aligning stakeholders to produce remarkable results. Known for her facilitation skills, Catie consistently receives feedback for her ability to make strategy sessions engaging and enjoyable. Participants are often surprised by how much fun they have while discussing critical matters, a testament to Catie’s talent for creating a collaborative and energizing environment. This passion is reflected professionally in her leadership on the Financial Well-being for All program while at CUNA – helping boards and credit unions understand how to serve their members better and incorporate financial well-being and diversity, equity, and inclusion into their strategic plans. As a strategic partner and leader, Catie McDonald combines her expertise in the financial services and credit union industry, exceptional communication skills, and a genuine passion for making a difference. By working with Catie, you can unlock the full potential of your credit union or organization and create a lasting impact in the communities you serve.

John has played a key role in the success of Capstone, Strategic, Inc. (Capstone) since 1996. The firm focuses on helping organizations grow successfully through proactive strategic growth programs. Capstone has particular expertise in assisting in acquisitions of closely-held not-for-sale businesses and has completed over US$1billion in transactions. John leads Capstone’s client engagement teams and operations while advising clients on strategic external growth (acquisitions, investments, and partnerships). John’s background includes two decades of experience within the credit union and CUSO market.

Blesson Abraham, CEO of Aviary, brings over 15 years of experience in the credit union industry to his role as an innovator and entrepreneur. His journey began at Baxter Credit Union, where he gained hands-on experience across various departments. This experience, combined with his work in data analytics, led him to co-found SavvyIntel, a startup providing analytics services to credit unions. Undeterred by this achievement, Blesson launched Cambio, a Y-Combinator-backed startup aimed at helping consumers resolve collections debt and improve their credit scores through an AI-powered debt negotiation assistant. Aviary’s AI-driven voice agents make outbound calls, engage in intelligent conversations, and enhance member experiences, all while helping credit unions increase revenue and loyalty without escalating costs. Driven by a passion for service and relationships, Blesson is dedicated to empowering credit unions to strengthen member loyalty and satisfaction through cutting-edge AI technology.

Neda Arabshahi is Senior Vice President of the Inclusiv Center for Resiliency and Clean Energy. In this capacity, she is working to build a network of credit unions committed to designing and scaling solutions to climate change, with a goal of promoting affordable and sustainable energy for all people. Neda has over 17 years experience in the clean energy and sustainability space. Most recently she served as Chief Operating Officer at the energy startups Radiator Labs and BlocPower, where she helped to create financing and access to clean energy and energy efficiency retrofits for low- and moderate-income building owners. Prior to those roles, she led the energy program at the Clinton Global Initiative, partnering with public and private sector members to build commitments to low carbon energy solutions, including developing resilient electricity grids and solar workforce redevelopment. Neda holds dual MBA and Master of Environmental Science degrees from Yale University, where her research focused on the economic development benefits of renewable energy projects in low-income communities.

Bob Nealon is currently the vice president of business development at Origence. In this role, he oversees sales and product development activities for Origence Lending Services, including FI Connect. Prior to re-joining the Origence leadership team, Bob was the co-founder and president of First Atlantic Auto Credit, a regional financial services company that provided indirect lending and insurance products to automotive dealerships primarily in the subprime credit space. Bob brings 36 years of experience in automotive lending, having held a variety of leadership positions at Ford Motor Credit, First Atlantic Auto Credit, and Origence. He has spoken to various audiences including Credit Union League/Associations, NCUA Examiner Groups and Consumer Federation of America. His industry experience includes sales, lending operations, collections & servicing, credit unions, technology, and insurance products. Bob earned an MBA from Kent State University and is a graduate of the CUES Certified Chief Executive (CCE) program.

Jeff Ivey is President and CEO of River City Federal Credit Union, a CDFI, MDI and Juntos Avanzamos credit union located in San Antonio, Texas. Founded in 1936, the credit union serves members and businesses in Bexar County. Ivey has over 35 years in the financial industry, working at large regional and small community banks, as well as a large credit union prior to joining River City in 2018. He is a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace University and received his MBA from the University of Washington. Under Ivey’s leadership, River City has increased membership by 17.5% and has been successful with CDFI grants, totaling over $3 million between FA and RRP grants. In January 2023, River City closed on a $14 million ECIP transaction, furthering the commitment the credit union has made to reducing the number of financially underserved households and small businesses in San Antonio. He and wife Janice are also court appointed child advocates with CASA in San Antonio, working with children that are under Child Protective Services custody due to abuse and neglect. Jeff is President of the San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce and serves on the United Way’s Partners for Community Change and the YWCA’s Wage Equity panel.

Jose Garcia is a Dynamic C level executive with a proven track record of high performance. Consistently leading strategic initiatives resulting in growth and profitability. Superior interpersonal skills, resolving multiple and complex issues and motivating staff to peak performance through a collaborative leadership style.

Libby Calderone is President/COO of Envisant. In her role, Libby is responsible for the growth and retention of Envisant’s business, as well as its future business strategy and enhancements, with the objective to help credit unions compete in a complex financial marketplace. Prior to joining the ICU System in 2018, she served as CEO/President of Earthmover Credit Union in Aurora, Illinois. Libby’s long-term industry experience, which began in 1987, has given her a great appreciation for the positive effect credit unions have, not only within the local communities they serve, but also the larger population. Libby is a former member of the Envisant Board of Directors, a former chair of the Supervisory Committee of Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union, and former board chair for American Share Insurance. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois and holds a CCUIE designation from CUNA.

Joe Began his credit union career in1997 at Souther Lakes Credit Union. In 2002, he joined the team at ALEC as the head of operations. He assumed the role of CEO in 2011. Joe serves on the advisory board of American Share Insurance and on the Board of ALEC. Joe earned his B.A. in Accounting and Economics from Carthage College and his M.B.A in Finance from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.

Jaime di Paulo was selected as President & CEO of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC), the leading Hispanic business networking, advocacy and development organization in the Midwest in January 2019. In his short tenure, Jaime has doubled its membership and secured a $2.5 million dollar grant from the State to find a home for the IHCC to create the first of its kind “Center for Hispanic Entrepreneurs.” As CEO of IHCC, he has established four priorities: Being a meeting point for the big Latino companies in the State of Illinois. Multiplying the ways to train Hispanics with small businesses. Ensuring that Hispanic companies can have all the information to access credit and Government contracts. Bringing together minorities in the State of Illinois to access better business opportunities. In association with “1871” – named as one of the best business incubator in the world–, it has sought to strengthen the LTNtech program, enabling young Hispanics to develop as innovators in technology and present their ideas to prominent capital funds. He promoted, from the Chamber, the first Roundtable of Women CEOs, bringing together influential Hispanics to connect, collaborate, and create a lot of new opportunities. Jaime has sought to multiply the networks with Latin American Chambers of Commerce, helping to bring new investments to Illinois. Recently, on January 21, 2020, he made an old dream come true: establish a critical alliance with the Black Chamber of Commerce of Illinois (BCCI) to bring together the Congressmen of our state in a conference and participate more actively as minorities in the 2020 political agenda. Previously, Jaime served as the Executive Director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce (LVCC) for five years, transforming the chamber into a true business development center and advocacy organization. During his tenure there,Jaime worked closely with local businesses, community leaders, corporations, government agencies, and elected officials to address the issues that affect the Latino business community. Jaime is a recognized expert in economic development and has helped open and grow hundreds of businesses in his community and grew the LVCC membership from 30 to 900 members. Jaime was invited to participate in the Advisory Council for Diversity and Inclusion for Sterling Bay as it relates to the Lincoln Yards Project. He was also appointed as a member of the Business Enterprise Council for Minorities, Females and Persons with Disabilities (BEP) commission in September 2018. In addition to Jaime’s success in Chicago he also served as Business Development Director for the Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and worked in his beloved Mexico as the Director of the Mexican & American Thinking Together Foundation, a bi-national Non-for Profit organization where he was in charge of finding quality employment for returning and deported immigrants. Jaime received a Bachelor’s in Public Administration & Political Science from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, Mexico. He is married and the proud father of four brilliant young men and daughter.