Advocacy is a Discipline: Key Takeaways from the DCUC 2025 Annual Conference

I was thrilled to be in beautiful Palm Desert, CA last week for the DCUC 2025 Annual Conference, where I not only benfeitted from an outstanding lineup of speakers and reconnected with colleagues from across the credit union system, but where I also took my first turn in CUbroadcast’s Studio Lounge to discuss "The Future of Credit Union Advocacy."

I enjoyed sharing my insights into working with local, regional, and federal agencies to ensure credit unions remain top-of-mind for policymakers. Together, Mike and I explored:

• The evolution of industry influence post "Don't Tax My Credit Union"

• The critical importance of ongoing advocacy for credit unions across all levels of government

• Upcoming challenges for credit union lobbying, including ongoing tax debates, the urgent need for regulatory reform and the rising importance of AI in banking

• Strategic ways to engage influential stakeholders and drive broader awareness

The future of our industry hinges on how we modernize our approach to advocacy and how we prepare for the next generation of financial infrastructure. Credit unions have always stood for trust and community. But those values need to evolve in how we influence, educate, and strategize.

What I'm focused on next:

• Ensuring we are equipped with the tools and narratives that connect policy to member impact

• Building broad coalitions on issues with member relevance

• Monitoring federal and state digital asset regulatory frameworks for strategic alignment opportunities

• Exploring how we continue to amplify credit union voices

Thank you to the team at CUbroadcast for hosting, and to my friends and partners at DCUC for creating a platform where voices like ours can elevate the conversation.

Looking forward to continuing the dialogue and collaborating on initiatives that advance credit union priorities.

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