The Kansas Credit Union Association announced Tuesday its formation of CUnext: Young Leaders of Kansas, a statewide educational and networking group for 18- to 30-year-old credit union employees.
Members of the newly formed group met twice in April – first, in Topeka to talk to state legislators and learn about credit union advocacy, and second, at the KCUA annual meeting, where they took part in networking and educational sessions with other credit union professionals, KCUA said.
KCUA said the Crash Network, a national program for young credit union professionals, inspired the association to launch the initiative. KCUA will continue organizing programs for CUnext members with the goal of teaching them about the credit union system, providing them with networking opportunities in the field and encouraging them to make a difference in the industry.
“It’s important that the future leaders of Kansas’ credit unions have access to information and contacts at the state and national levels, as well as opportunities to get involved,” CUnext Coordinator and KCUA Vice President of Governmental and Public Affairs Haley DaVee said in a press release.
“Not all our meet-ups will be legislative in nature though. We are planning a variety of programs to help young professionals expand their understanding and involvement in all aspects of the credit union movement,” DaVee said.
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Natasha Chilingerian
Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.
