What’s In A Name: Director Of Financial Inclusion And Community Engagement

Putting the credit union principles in practice at University of Wisconsin Credit Union ($5.1B, Madison, WI) is a natural fit for Steph Harrill Kyle, who has held the title of director of financial inclusion and community engagement since mid-2022.

Harrill Kyle joined the Badger State cooperative in late 2016 to lead its partnership and promotion efforts around financial literacy, bringing with her nearly a decade of related experience in New York City and around Madison.

She also holds a bachelor’s degree in social work, with an emphasis on multi-cultural settings, from UW-Madison, and she earned an MSW from Columbia University. There, her emphasis was on social enterprise administration and school-based services.

Harrill Kyle also has lectured at her alma mater in Madison, taught courses on financial capability and asset building in the School of Human Ecology, and advocated for organizations that cover a diverse range of missions and causes.

Here, she talks more about her role at UW Credit Union.

Why did UW Credit Union create this role?

Steph Harrill Kyle: The credit union realized that although every employee embraces the “people helping people” philosophy, we benefitted from having a central leader who was responsible for connecting the dots to maximize the impact of our community-facing initiatives. The original iteration of this role was created in 2008, and the title has evolved over the years to align with our organization’s growth, but “community” has always been a part of it. This version, which I like even if it is a little long, was new when I assumed the role in 2022.

How is this role an evolution from your previous positions of community partnerships coordinator and manager?

SHK: In my previous roles, I had hands-on involvement in most aspects of our community engagement initiatives, from developing financial education content and managing our free tax site to shaping our volunteer time off policies and philanthropic giving process. In my new role, I’ve transitioned to a strategic focus, leading the development of our community engagement vision.

How do financial inclusion and community engagement work together at UWCU?

SHK: Financial inclusion represents the convergence of UW Credit Union’s social mission and DEI strategies. Although our community engagement works have significant impact, we believe the most effective way to support our community is for people to become members.

It’s inspiring to see UWCU employees from every corner of our organization, regardless of job role or tenure, embody our commitment to “act in the members’ best interest,” from serving individual members to large business decisions. This commitment is woven into the fabric of UW Credit Union.

What challenges and opportunities does your role address? How do address them?

SHK: My biggest challenge is navigating the endless opportunities. Our communities are rich in programs and people seeking to make positive change, yet we cannot be everywhere. The way we address this challenge is to be clear about what we’re trying to accomplish and the types of initiatives we should prioritize to get there. This approach enables us to embrace “yes” opportunities wholeheartedly while bringing transparency in declining others.

We rarely say “no.” We right-size our efforts such as promoting partners’ volunteer opportunities or notifying them of in-kind donations. We also foster connections within our network that might be a better fit.

Job titles say as much about the organization as they do the person. The “What’s In A Name” series on CreditUnions.com dives into notable, important, interesting, or just plain fun roles to find out what’s happening at the ground level and across the industry. Browse the whole series only on CreditUnions.com.

What strategies and initiatives in place at UWCU specifically address financial inclusion?

SHK: Our team’s role is to create intentional bridges of access to our member-centric, low- and no-fee products for groups who have been historically excluded from financial services. It isn’t enough that we offer these services but that all community members feel welcomed and comfortable seeking help.

One recent example is that our team completed the process to receive Juntos Avanzamos status in 2023. Most of the activities documented in the application were in place for more than a decade but completing this process served as a signal to Spanish-bilingual and ITIN members that we are “here for every you.”

What strategies and initiatives in place at UWCU specifically address community engagement?

SHK: Our longstanding financial education efforts are central to our community outreach. However, we also engage in deep community partnerships to enable financial stability and economic mobility. This involves leveraging cross-organizational resources, including philanthropic grants, in-kind donations, and talent acquisition partnerships.

We also promote employee community engagement through opportunities like our paid volunteer time off benefit, workplace giving campaign, and our Employee Resource Groups as well as through serving as a financial mentor to deliver our financial education programs.

The director of financial inclusion and community engagement at UWCU has leadership responsibility for the organization’s financial inclusion, education, and community engagement initiatives. Download the full job description to learn more. Then, explore hundreds of documents across multiple topics available for download in the Callahan Policy Exchange.

How do you work across the enterprise to execute on those strategies and initiatives?

SHK: A strength of my team is that we have a propensity for collaboration, and we believe if we’re doing the work alone, then we’re not doing it right. With that in mind, the strategic vision of our financial inclusion and community engagement aligns with the goals and initiatives of the greater organization. That makes working with our colleagues from across the organization occur more naturally as it is clear we all have the same goals in mind.

How do you work with other credit unions and other organizations to execute on those strategies and initiatives?

SHK: At UWCU, collaboration is inherent in our approach to community engagement. For instance, we partner with Centro Hispano of Dane County to contribute to its workforce readiness programs.

As part of an employer advisory committee, multiple local credit unions, including ours, collaborate to create a bilingual teller training program. We actively engage in the nine-week training sessions and also hire program participants.

This approach benefits participants by providing family-sustaining job opportunities with a clear career path, while credit unions gain skilled employees with valuable language proficiency.

What makes you a great fit for the job? 

SHK: I balance a heart for the work with a strategic nature. I care deeply about people and my community, and I thrive in embracing strategy and implementing processes that enable a more thoughtful and effective approach to our partnerships.

How did your education and your prior career prepare you for this role?  

SHK: One of my favorite conversations is when people find out I’m a social worker. They often ask, “Why would a social worker work for a bank?” This opens the door to talk about the difference between a credit union and a bank. I explain financial inclusion is at the heart of social justice, so I believe there’s no better place for me to make social change than in my role with UW Credit Union.

Who do you report to and who reports to you?

SHK: I report to our vice president of DEI and community engagement under our people, strategies, and solutions umbrella. My team includes three incredibly talented people who deliver on financial education, employee community engagement, deep community partnerships, and broad financial inclusion.

What’s your daily routine at the credit union?

SHK: It might be a cliché but it’s true — no one day or week is the same. My days consist of community partner visits, events, and board/committee meetings, internal touch base and project meetings, dialogues and planning with my team, and connecting with others in the financial inclusion space.

How do you track success in your job?

SHK: We measure success through traditional output metrics such as financial education sessions and reach, volunteer hours, funds raised, funds donated, etc. Additionally, we assess the depth of key partnerships and how those help us work toward financial stability and economic mobility.

We’re currently working toward quantifying how our employee community engagement programs effect participant retention and upward mobility. And for me, my team’s engagement is also an important metric of success.

How do you stay current with topics that fall under your role?

SHK: In addition to traditional professional development efforts, like industry reading, webinar, and live conferences, active conversations with community partners and regular time in community spaces is invaluable.

This interview has been edited and condensed.