Recent Network Events

Engagement Program — Kenya, East Africa - October 30- November 6

Members of the Network and non-members joined WOCCU in Kenya to learn how WOCCU is using the latest technological innovations to reach the unbanked rural poor. By connecting the smallest credit unions to an application service provider (ASP), the program helps credit unions strengthen their operations and meet new regulatory requirements. After visiting project supported credit unions, rural communities as well as volunteering at Busia Compassionate Centre (orphanage), participants helped develop ways of strengthening the credit union connection between the orphanage and came up with suggestions to help the Kenya project's ASP effectively reach more members.

Global Women's Leadership Network California and Nevada Regional Forum - October 28, 2011

The California and Nevada Credit Union League hosted this Global Women's Leadership Network event in conjunction with their Annual Meeting and Convention. Dolores Rivera Ramírez, a Global Women's Leadership Network member and CEO of Caja Solidaria Zongolica in Mexico, shared her successful program to bring her credit union to remotely located rural farm workers in Mexico using a Palm PDA. Ventura County CU Board Chairman and Global Women's Leadership Network member Roxanne Ostrem (along with CEO Joe Schroeder) discussed how hearing of Ramírez' program at a Global Women's Leadership Network forum inspired them to use World Council of Credit Unions' technology and smartphones to take their credit union to local farm workers.

Global Women's Leadership Network Workshop at the 2011 Pacific Congress, Papua New Guinea

OCCUL's In Focus Article on the Leadership Development Workshop for Women

Photo Gallery of the Global Women's Leadership Network Workshop at the 2011 Pacific Congress

Global Women's Leadership Network Events at the World Credit Union Conference

Forum Presentations

Networking, Sue Mitchell
Women & Credit Union Board Leadership, Colleen Cabey
Each One Teach One, Patrice Pratt
Leading Edge Innovations Presentation, Ewa Beresniewicz-Kozlowska
Leading Edge Innovations Presentation, Sarah Canepa Bang

Photo Gallery for the Global Women's Leadership Network Reception

Photo Gallery for the Global Women's Leadership Network Forum

Photo Gallery for the Global Women's Leadership Network Golf Tournament

Member Breakfast at the GAC — March 1, 2011

Network members attended a special breakfast session during CUNA's 2011 Governmental Affairs Conference in Washtington, D.C. at the The National Museum of Women in the Arts. This event was by invitation only for network members, donors and special guests.

The featured speaker at this year's breakfast event was Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA). Rep. Speier introduced herself as an "unabashed supporter" of credit unions and challenged members to double the network's ranks by next year! To learn more about the "Speier" challenge read the full article.

Global Women's Leadership Network 2011 GAC Breakfast Photo Gallery

Visit to Busia Orphanage, Kenya

Members of the Global Women’s Leadership Network joined WOCCU staff in October to provide much-needed support to the Busia Compassionate Center in the western region of Kenya. The purpose of the trip was to assist in strategic planning activities as well as carry out on-site service projects, which included gutter installation, teaching sanitary food storage, improving early childhood education classrooms, providing beds and mosquito netting, clothing, school supplies and more. Pat Wesenberg, president and CEO of Central City Union and network member, was highlighted in a Steven’s Point Journal article about the trip.

WOCCU originally got involved with the orphanage through its credit union modernization project that was implemented in the area — an area adversely impacted by HIV/AIDS. Through the project, WOCCU recognized the positive impact it could have by partnering with and supporting the orphanage as part of the social mission for area credit unions. Since the area is not currently served by credit unions, WOCCU is piloting a new strategy of community integration so that local credit unions first understand the needs of the market/community before beginning operations. Credit unions throughout Africa cannot function effectively without addressing HIV/AIDS and looking out for those affected by it. For more information on WOCCU’s involvement with the Busia orphanage, visit: www.busiaorphanage.org

Global Women's Leadership Workshop, Papua New Guinea

Held in conjunction with the Pacific Credit Union Technical Congress in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, the GWLN offered the Leadership Development Workshop to credit union executives and board members interested in expanding their leadership capacity. Participants learned to establish, communicate and achieve shared goals through a series of team building exercises, group discussions and presentations that focused on strategic thinking, increasing self-confidence and improving public-speaking skills.

View Global Leadership Network members in action at the Pacific Congress (see below).

For more information about this event, please contact Nicole Bice at nbice@woccu.org

Global Women's Leadership Forum

The Global Women's Leadership Forum was held July 10-11, 2010, in conjunction with the 1 Credit Union Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. This invitation-only peer learning and networking session was for members of the Global Women's Leadership Network. It was professionally facilitated with a focus on educational presentations, confidential peer-to-peer exchange, and candid table discussions on business-driven topics.

View Global Women's Leadership Network Reception photos (Saturday, July 10):

View Global Women's Leadership Forum photos (Sunday, July 11):

Download the detailed forum agenda.

Download forum presentations and speaker bios:

Welcome & Introduction - Sue Mitchell, Mitchell, Stankovic & Associates
Leadership in Crisis Situations - Greta Greathouse, WOCCU Project Director in Haiti
Clawing Our Way out of the Great Recession - Lucy Ito, California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues
Growth Strategies - Dolores Rivera Ramirez, Caja Solidaria Zongolica in Mexico
Good to Great: The Brand of You - Teresa Freeborn, Xceed Federal Credit Union
Case Study on Gender and Boards - Jo-Anne Ferguson, Canadian Co-operative Association

For more information about this event, please contact Nicole Bice at nbice@woccu.org.

T-Up FORE WOCCU

The first Global Women's Leadership Network golf tournament was held at Bear's Best Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday July 10, 2010. All proceeds went to network forum scholarships and development programs that support the alleviation of poverty through the empowerment of women around the world.

View golf tournament photos (Saturday, July 10):

For more information about this event, please contact Valerie Breunig at vbreunig@woccu.org.