Description

The return of this budget-friendly event includes two days of immersive financial wellness and engaging community development discussion. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to exchange best practices and connect on financial wellness!

Hear from your peers about initiatives and programs, including taking FiCEP learning to the next level, student financial literacy, and financial wellness. Take a deeper dive into ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Well-Being Indicators and explore how this data can help credit unions better understand and serve their communities. We’ll also discuss Credit Union Development Issues and hear from Adult Protective Services about their role and the resources available to help protect members from elder fraud and financial exploitation.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from your peers, exchange best practices, and connect with colleagues who are committed to strengthening financial wellness and the communities they serve.

Agenda

Thursday, October 15

9:30am – 10:00am
Registration

10:00am – 10:30am
Welcome Session and Introductions | Josh Roberts

10:30 am – 11:15am
From Certification to Impact – Altra Federal Credit Union’s FiCEP & Financial Wellness Journey
Lori Horstman | VP, Member Experience & Advocacy, Altra Federal Credit Unions

Financial wellness is more than a program at Altra. It is part of how we serve, educate, and support members through every stage of their financial journey. In this session, Lori Horstman will share Altra Federal Credit Union’s FiCEP journey, including how the credit union built a network of certified financial coaches, supported their ongoing development, and connected financial education to real, meaningful member needs.

Attendees will hear how Altra approached coach selection, training, engagement, internal support, and continued professional development. Lori will also share lessons learned, practical ways to keep coaches connected, and how financial wellness tools, education, and coaching can work together to create a stronger member experience. This session is designed for credit unions looking to start, strengthen, or reenergize their own financial wellness and coaching efforts.

11:30 pm -12:15pm
DIY: Turning Needs into Outcomes
Lindsey Mueller | Director of Advocacy & Financial Education, CoVantage Credit Union

Stop searching for the perfect programs and start building the right ones. Join Lindsey Mueller as she shares CoVantage Credit Union’s journey of transforming identified needs into meaningful results through custom-built financial education initiatives shaped by the diverse needs of its charter area. Learn how to spot opportunities, make the most of available resources, develop audience-centered experiences, and assess effectiveness beyond participation numbers.

Complete with real-world examples, lessons learned, and actionable takeaways, this session will inspire attendees to think differently about programming and leave them with practical strategies for creating stronger engagement, deeper relevance, and measurable community impact.

12:15pm – 1:00pm
Lunch

1:00pm – 1:45pm
Finding HOME – Building Pathways to Housing Stability
Josh Lichty | Director of Financial Education, Marine Credit Union

Finding HOME, an innovative framework that matches members with the right level of support while addressing barriers to housing stability. In this session, participants will learn how to recognize the different tiers of support, identify which community partners and employees are best positioned within each tier, and explore how Finding HOME is working to help individuals with the most intensive needs achieve stable housing within 12 to 18 months. Attendees will leave with the framework, systems, resources, and vision behind Finding HOME and practical ideas for implementing similar approaches in their own communities.

2:00pm – 3:30pm
From Data to Impact: Serving ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Households
Josh Roberts |VP of System Collaboration & Development |The League

ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households are working, contributing to their communities, and often earning above the federal poverty level—but still struggling to afford the basics. For credit unions, understanding the ALICE population provides more than a snapshot of community need; it offers valuable insight into opportunities for member and organizational development.

In this interactive workshop, participants will explore ALICE data and examine how it connects to the challenges and opportunities facing credit unions today—including member growth and retention, product and service development, financial well-being, lending, community engagement, and reaching underserved or emerging member segments.

Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how to translate community data into actionable strategies that strengthen member relationships, support organizational growth, and create meaningful impact in the communities served.

3:30pm – 5:30pm
Community Service Project (optional)

5:30pm – 6:30pm
Casual Reception (optional)

Friday, October 16

8:00 am – 9:00am
Breakfast

9:00am – 9:30am
Recap of day 1 and set goals for

9:30am – 10:30am
Supporting Elder Members
Dinah Lacaze | Milwaukee County Protective Services

This session will highlight how credit unions can support older adults with common later-in-life financial needs, including home modifications, hearing aids, and other significant expenses. Participants will learn about opportunities to partner with community professionals and organizations to connect members with trusted resources.

10:30am – 11:45pm
Food Security 101 with UW-Madison Health and Wellbeing Institute
Kelly Hammond | Healthy Retail State Specialist, UW-Madison Division of Extension
Jill Sanders | Interim Health & Well-Being Program Manager, UW-Madison Division of Extension

Wisconsin has a robust local food system, yet 11% of families qualify for food assistance, and 1 in 8 households are food insecure. Learn about recent changes to Wisconsin 1.3-billion-dollar SNAP/Foodshare program and how these changes will impact families you work with. This discuss-based session will encourage you to think beyond canned food drives and identify root causes of hunger and food security. We hope by the end of this session, you and your team will feel more confident being able to identify and support low-income and food insecure families — and connect them to the resources in your communities.

11:45am – 12:45pm
Financial Success in Your Language
Tisha O’Dell | Community Financial Wellness Specialist, UnitedOne Credit Union
Heather Chantelois-Kashal | Program & Operations Director, Fox Valley Literacy

Financial capability and literacy are deeply connected, yet financial education programs do not always account for the language and literacy barriers many participants face. Join Heather and Tisha as they share the story behind Financial Success in Your Language. What began as a community partnership inquiry grew into a unique program designed to build confidence in money management and navigating the U.S. financial system. Learn how the program was developed to support participants at various stages of English language learning and from diverse linguistic backgrounds. They will discuss the process of developing the curriculum, how it has been delivered in partnership with community organizations, and the outcomes and impact observed among participants. This session will explore the importance of making financial education accessible and inclusive, while providing ideas and resources that credit union professionals can use to implement accessible financial education programs in their own communities.

12:45 pm – 2:30pm
Lunch and Roundtable Discussion

Adjourn

Speakers

Lori Horstman

VP Member Experience & Advocacy | Altra Federal Credit Union

Lori Horstman’s passion for service began early while working in her father’s small business, where she learned that people are the heart of every successful organization. With over 35 years in the credit union movement—and more than 20 years at Altra—she now leads strategic initiatives in Financial Wellness, Member Experience, Advocacy, and multicultural engagement.

Previously, Lori led Talent Development, where she championed employee growth and servant leadership. Her work has shaped Altra’s award-winning financial education programs and earned recognition at both state and national levels. She is known for reducing friction in processes, mentoring future leaders, and enhancing both member and employee experiences.

Lori also serves her community as the State of Wisconsin CULAC Trustee for America’s Credit Unions, a board member for Junior Achievement of the Coulee Region and Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, and Board President of her local school district’s athletic booster club. She holds certifications from DDI, America’s Credit Unions, COPC, and is a Credit Union Certified MX Professional.
Lindsey Mueller

Director of Advocacy & Financial Education | CoVantage Credit Union

Lindsey oversees CoVantage Credit Union’s financial education strategy, advocacy efforts, Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) programming and disaster recovery initiatives. Her drive to serve underserved communities began more than 13 years ago on the teller line and has continued through marketing, outreach, and leadership roles.

With deep roots in community development, Lindsey is known for designing innovative, locally focused solutions that reflect the realities of rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan communities. She is passionate about custom-tailoring programs, partnerships, and financial education efforts to meet specific needs and overcome barriers in each market. Her work has helped expand CoVantage’s financial education reach, strengthen its CDFI impact, and advance mission-driven strategies that create lasting community value.

In addition to her professional achievements and previous board positions, Lindsey currently serves on the League’s Government Affairs Committee and on the ACU’s Grassroots Advocacy Committee.
Josh Roberts

Vice President of System Collaboration & Development | The League

Josh is responsible for promoting credit union service and outreach and fostering opportunities for credit union growth. You can also find Josh helping Wisconsin’s small credit unions with operational consulting, provides strategy assistance by facilitating Strategic Planning Sessions, and providing various training for credit union leaders, staff, and boards. Additionally, Josh is the League Liaison for the Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation and oversees its operations.

Josh has over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, having served credit unions as a vice president, controller, and compliance officer. He is a graduate of CUNA Management School, where he served as Class President, and a 2016 graduate of the Credit Union Development Educators (CUDE) program.

Josh currently serves as the chair of the American Association of Credit Union League’s State Foundation Network. In addition, he is engaged in the community, serving as Board Chair for the Milwaukee Area Technical College Accounting Advisory Board, and as a member of the Milwaukee Area Technical College Banking and Finance Advisory Board. He also co-chairs the United for ALICE Credit Union Working Group and serves on Wisconsin’s Research Advisory Committee for United for ALICE.
Tisha O’Dell

Community Financial Wellness Specialist | UnitedOne Credit Union

As the Community Financial Wellness Specialist at UnitedOne Credit Union, Tisha partners with local schools, community organizations, and businesses to deliver accessible, relatable financial education. With over eight years of experience in the financial services industry in a variety of frontline roles, she is committed to helping empower individuals to make informed financial decisions.

Tisha has a passion for helping students prepare for financial independence and developing innovative educational programs that meet learners where they are. Her work also explores the connection between financial well-being and mental health, recognizing the role financial stress plays in overall wellness. Through collaborative partnerships and community-based initiatives, she strives to make financial education practical, inclusive, and impactful for people of all backgrounds.
Josh Lichty

Director of Financial Education | Marine Credit Union

bio coming soon!
Kelly Hammond

Healthy Retail State Specialist | Health and Wellbeing Institute at the University of Wisconsin Madison, Extension

Kelly Hammond is the Healthy Retail State Specialist with the Health and Wellbeing Institute at the University of Wisconsin Madison, Extension. Kelly’s work prioritizes local food systems, with a focus on supporting SNAP/FoodShare access and nutrition incentives at farmers markets and other retail settings. Kelly graduated from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a MS in Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems, and BA in Communication, Public Relations.
Jill Sanders

Interim Health & Well-Being Program Manager | University of Wisconsin Madison, Extension

Jill Sanders currently serves as the Interim Health & Well-Being Program Manager with UW-Madison Division of Extension. Jill has worked with UW-Extension for more than 25 years and most recently served as the Regional Program Manager for FoodWIse, a SNAP-Ed community nutrition education program that helps individuals and families build healthy eating habits, stretch food dollars, and improve overall well-being. She collaborates with educators, community organizations, healthcare partners, and local leaders across Wisconsin to advance health, nutrition, food security, and well-being initiatives. Jill is passionate about building partnerships that strengthen communities and expand access to evidence-based programs that help individuals and families thrive. Her professional interests include collaborative leadership, community engagement, coalition building, and advancing health equity through sustainable, community-centered solutions