“A lot of people are not well-served by the financial sector, and that’s what we have to change.” - Elissa McCarter-LaBorde

Thank you for tuning in to episode 131 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. This episode is brought to you by Humanidei. Humanidei helps credit unions build inclusive cultures that attract, develop, and retain talent.

My guest on today's show is Elissa McCarter-LaBorde, President & CEO of the World Council of Credit Unions. She is new to the credit union industry, but spent over twenty years working in financial inclusion on a global scale. Most of her prior work was spent designing financial services for low-income populations; now, Elissa is bringing her skills and experience to credit unions across the globe. Elissa shares that she has loved to see the commitment, passion, and synergy with financial inclusion initiatives that are core to the credit union movement.

After graduate school, Elissa got her first role with a microcredit program as a debt collector in Armenia. This position deeply impacted her understanding of the relationship between people and finances. She expresses that gender distinctions, age, life cycle, financial access, and community support all factor into understanding the consumer. Elissa explains that for her, credit unison are a counterweight to banks and fintechs that have gone astray from supporting people. She shares that a business model prioritizing community reinvestment, such as the one credit unions employ, is really powerful, especially as there are many people who are both underserved or simply not well-served by the financial sector.

Elissa and I discuss financial health and inclusion, the power of people and networks, and the importance of diversity of thought in leadership. Elissa also brings up ways she approaches the art of feedback, both giving and receiving. Listen as Elissa talks about a very important early investment in her career, the “secret sauce” she thinks makes good leader, and the big footprint of credit unions across the world that has her most excited.

As we wrap up the show, Elissa shares interesting memories of a Yo-Yo Ma concert and the reasons she associates Michelle Obama with “success.” Enjoy my conversation with Elissa McCarter-LaBorde!

Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.

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Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List 

How to find Elissa:
Elissa McCarter-LaBorde, President & CEO of the World Council of Credit Unions
[email protected]
https://www.woccu.org/   
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