Jared Bahner
Hapax
Manager of FI Partnerships
Jared Bahner is a 20 year veteran of the financial services industry. After starting his career working for a community bank, Jared moved into technology and has been helping financial institutions with their technology initiatives ever since. With a specific focus on digital banking, and all of the ancillary products/services/technologies that go into it, Jared has dedicated much of his career to guiding institutions through the various challenges and opportunities that are presented with digital transformation. After seeing AI sweep across the industry just like digital banking did at the beginning of his career, in 2024 Jared joined Hapax as Manager of FI Partnerships. Hapax is the industry's very first purpose-built, banking-specific AI solution and Jared is excited to see all the ways in which it will help financial institutions as they transition into the AI Age of Banking.
AI in Banking: How Your Credit Union Is More Prepared Than You May Think
Hapax
Manager of FI Partnerships
Jared Bahner is a 20 year veteran of the financial services industry. After starting his career working for a community bank, Jared moved into technology and has been helping financial institutions with their technology initiatives ever since. With a specific focus on digital banking, and all of the ancillary products/services/technologies that go into it, Jared has dedicated much of his career to guiding institutions through the various challenges and opportunities that are presented with digital transformation. After seeing AI sweep across the industry just like digital banking did at the beginning of his career, in 2024 Jared joined Hapax as Manager of FI Partnerships. Hapax is the industry's very first purpose-built, banking-specific AI solution and Jared is excited to see all the ways in which it will help financial institutions as they transition into the AI Age of Banking.
AI in Banking: How Your Credit Union Is More Prepared Than You May Think
Brenda Barrett
Husch Blackwell
Brenda represents clients in the credit union industry, overseeing corporate transactions and providing general corporate counsel, and she co-leads HB’s Credit Union practice. Brenda brings 20 years of experience with credit unions and routinely represents these organizations in transactions and regulatory matters. She works especially often with her credit union and CUSO clients on strategic mergers with other credit unions, and she performs contract review, advises on corporate governance questions, and represents the credit union before both state and federal regulators. Brenda’s detail-oriented and goal-driven nature make her ideally suited to corporate and transactional work: she loves helping clients get to yes and helping both sides achieve a common goal. Brenda also served in the highly-respected position of Chair of the Credit Union Committee of the American Bar Association for three years.
Regulatory Updates: NCUA/CFPB and Beyond
Husch Blackwell
Brenda represents clients in the credit union industry, overseeing corporate transactions and providing general corporate counsel, and she co-leads HB’s Credit Union practice. Brenda brings 20 years of experience with credit unions and routinely represents these organizations in transactions and regulatory matters. She works especially often with her credit union and CUSO clients on strategic mergers with other credit unions, and she performs contract review, advises on corporate governance questions, and represents the credit union before both state and federal regulators. Brenda’s detail-oriented and goal-driven nature make her ideally suited to corporate and transactional work: she loves helping clients get to yes and helping both sides achieve a common goal. Brenda also served in the highly-respected position of Chair of the Credit Union Committee of the American Bar Association for three years.
Regulatory Updates: NCUA/CFPB and Beyond
Marci Kawski
Husch Blackwell
The leader of Husch Blackwell’s Consumer Financial Services practice and co-leader of the Credit Union practice, and with extensive industry knowledge, Marci guides credit unions across the country through the complexities of compliance and litigation. Marci develops practical, proactive compliance policies, procedures, and strategies; consults on complex compliance questions and helps clients consider risks; and negotiates before state and federal regulatory agencies. Marci’s national practice gives her tremendous insight into matters in specific states and positions her to advise on trends across the country. She has experience addressing the alphabet soup of federal consumer finance laws as well as the myriad state requirements impacting consumer and small business finance companies. As a result, Marci serves as a frequent speaker, author, and member of key financial services trade organizations and associations.
Regulatory Updates: NCUA/CFPB and Beyond
Husch Blackwell
The leader of Husch Blackwell’s Consumer Financial Services practice and co-leader of the Credit Union practice, and with extensive industry knowledge, Marci guides credit unions across the country through the complexities of compliance and litigation. Marci develops practical, proactive compliance policies, procedures, and strategies; consults on complex compliance questions and helps clients consider risks; and negotiates before state and federal regulatory agencies. Marci’s national practice gives her tremendous insight into matters in specific states and positions her to advise on trends across the country. She has experience addressing the alphabet soup of federal consumer finance laws as well as the myriad state requirements impacting consumer and small business finance companies. As a result, Marci serves as a frequent speaker, author, and member of key financial services trade organizations and associations.
Regulatory Updates: NCUA/CFPB and Beyond
Ken Otsuka
TruStage
35 years TruStageTM experience within risk management specializing in risks associated with payments, deposits, funds transfer/ACH, and fraud. Ken is a commonly featured author for our RISK Alerts and a speaker throughout the U.S. He was previously an insurance auditor.
Ken resides in Illinois and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Fraud Trends
TruStage
35 years TruStageTM experience within risk management specializing in risks associated with payments, deposits, funds transfer/ACH, and fraud. Ken is a commonly featured author for our RISK Alerts and a speaker throughout the U.S. He was previously an insurance auditor.
Ken resides in Illinois and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Fraud Trends
JaMonika Williams
America's Credit Unions
Federal Regulatory Compliance Counsel
JaMonika Williams joined America’s Credit Unions as Federal Regulatory Compliance Counsel in July 2022. In this role, JaMonika assists credit unions with a variety of compliance issues.
Prior to joining America’s Credit Unions, JaMonika worked as a Virginia prosecutor. JaMonika also has experience as in-house counsel for a federal credit union, where she worked with and advised her client on issues such as collections, repossessions, and bankruptcy. JaMonika is a graduate of the Elon University School of Law and has a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from The College of William & Mary.
Year in Review: Compliance Trends and Issues
America's Credit Unions
Federal Regulatory Compliance Counsel
JaMonika Williams joined America’s Credit Unions as Federal Regulatory Compliance Counsel in July 2022. In this role, JaMonika assists credit unions with a variety of compliance issues.
Prior to joining America’s Credit Unions, JaMonika worked as a Virginia prosecutor. JaMonika also has experience as in-house counsel for a federal credit union, where she worked with and advised her client on issues such as collections, repossessions, and bankruptcy. JaMonika is a graduate of the Elon University School of Law and has a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from The College of William & Mary.
Year in Review: Compliance Trends and Issues
