WASHINGTON – Winners, hopefuls and supporters of Credit Union Times' Women to Watch program celebrated outstanding women in the credit union industry Sunday at a reception during CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference. 

Credit Union Times Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Sarah Snell Cooke said the profile of women in finance was recently elevated to a new highwhen Janet Yellen took over as chair of the Federal Reserve Board.

Women to Watch honors women in the credit union industry who are challenging the status quo and promoting creative solutions. Honorees can be nominated online.

Click through to see who attended the reception.

Gina Bleedorn, executive director of Adrenaline, addresses the crowd. Adrenaline is the marketing arm of strategy firm NewGround, which sponsored the event.

Pictured, from left to right: CU Times Publisher Sarah Snell Cooke, Credit Union Strategic Planning Founder Jamie Chase, Tallahassee-Leon FCU CEO Lisa Brown, Opportunity Finance Network Vice President Seth Julyan and Corporate America Credit Union Vice President of ALM Shirley Senn.

Women to Watch honoree Lynda Milton, CEO of Team Financial Federal Credit Union.

Women to Watch honoree Theresa Mann, president/CEO of FDIC Federal Credit Union. Brandi Stankovic, partner at Mitchell, Stankovic & Associates, and Samantha Paxson, CO-OP Financial Services vice president of marketing, a previous Woman to Watch.

The Members Group CEO Shazia Manus, was honored as a Woman to Watch in 2012.