2024 NCUMA Spring Speakers
Miranda V. Flurry
President
Hawkeye Strategies, Inc.
As the President of Hawkeye Strategies, Miranda lives out her purpose: Helping to turn light bulbs on. She works with Cooperative Boards and Executives across North America to support their governance and strategy needs and in turn, she helps their people and communities.
Her vast experience as a Professional Facilitator, International Speaker, and Expert Educator for Cooperatives enables her to provide a seamless and engaging experience that is tailored to each audience. Miranda has supported Boards, Executives, Regulators, Credit Union Peer Groups, Credit Union Centrals, Credit Union Service Organizations (CUSOs), and Credit Union Advocacy groups. She has spoken at conferences including the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), the BC Financial Services Authority Director’s Forum, and the Canadian Credit Union Association (CCUA). She offers her clients the knowledge gleaned from specialized expertise, tempered with the wisdom of wide-ranging experience from diverse industries.
Miranda completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Guelph, a Master’s level degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and an Executive MBA from the University of Fredericton. She has also earned a designation in Advanced Cooperative Governance. Miranda has held Board Director roles on Cooperative, Regulatory, and Private Boards and is currently a Director on one of the largest and most complicated Cooperatives in North America, Federated Cooperatives Limited. In her spare time, Miranda is a mentor with Futurpreneur where she helps new entrepreneurs successfully start their businesses. She is also a CrossFit enthusiast… but don’t get her started on this topic, she’ll have a hard time stopping! For more information, visit: www.hawkeyestrategies.com
Brain Lee
Chief Executive Officer for Landings Credit Union
Brian is the Chief Executive Officer for Landings Credit Union in Tempe, AZ. He had previously served as the credit union’s Chief Financial Officer. He graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Accounting and worked for a public accounting firm as an auditor. He then became involved with credit unions working for the National Credit Union Administration as a Principal Examiner.
He is a Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) and has served as a member of several boards and committees on the national and regional level, focusing on credit union leadership development and advocacy. Brian was recently recognized at the Arizona Advocate of the Year by the GoWest Credit Union Association. He has contributed at several events as a speaker, facilitator, and panelist covering diverse topics. Brian is active in his community as a graduate of both the Tempe Leadership and ASU Leadership programs and currently serves on local non-profit boards and committees.
Dr. Christopher Thornberg
Founding Partner
Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Christopher Thornberg has been called many things throughout his career, but his favorite thing to things throughout his career, but his favorite thing to
be called is correct. He founded Beacon Economics be called is correct. He founded Beacon Economics in 2006 and the firm quickly made a name for itself in 2006 and the firm quickly made a name for itself as the only major forecast on the West Coast to as the only major forecast on the West Coast to correctly predict the collapse of the sub-prime real correctly predict the collapse of the sub-prime real estate bubble and the global recession that followed. estate bubble and the global recession that followed.
More correct calls followed, including predicting the More correct calls followed, including predicting the rapid V shaped recovery from the pandemic and the rapid V shaped recovery from the pandemic and the subsequent surge in inflation. Under Dr. Thornberg’s subsequent surge in inflation. Under Dr. Thornberg’s leadership, Beacon Economics has become one leadership, Beacon Economics has become one of the most respected research organizations in of the most respected research organizations in California producing economic forecasts, impact California producing economic forecasts, impact analyses, policy studies, and regional economic analyses, policy studies, and regional economic analysis for private industry, public agencies, analysis for private industry, public agencies, and nonprofits. and nonprofits.
With a career rooted in academia, Dr. Thornberg With a career rooted in academia, Dr. Thornberg holds a Ph.D. in Business Economics from the holds a Ph.D. in Business Economics from the Anderson School at UCLA, where he later taught in Anderson School at UCLA, where he later taught in
the MBA program and served as a senior economist the MBA program and served as a senior economist with the Anderson Forecast. with the Anderson Forecast.
As a thought-leader and dynamic public speaker, As a thought-leader and dynamic public speaker, Dr. Thornberg speaks in front of tens of thousands Dr. Thornberg speaks in front of tens of thousands of people every year, urging audiences to ask the of people every year, urging audiences to ask the right economic questions before accepting pervasive right economic questions before accepting pervasive social and political narratives.
Ancin Cooley CIA CISA
Founder and Principal
Synergy Credit Union Consulting, Inc.
Synergy helps credit unions grow and thrive by helping them manage risk, increase profits, and help members. Synergy accomplishes this thru a suite of services that includes Director training, strategic planning, Enterprise Risk Management, Internal Audits, and Member Business Lending Audits . As principal, Ancin manages a growing portfolio of clients throughout the United States and the Caribbean. He brings more than 20 years of experience to the financial services industry. Ancin honed his skills while working as with US Treasury Dept. At the Treasury, he performed examinations for financial institutions ranging from $1 million to $11 billion in total assets, after leaving the Treasury Dept. Ancin worked for a regional accounting firm where he led internal audits and loan and pre-regulatory examination reviews. When not advising clients, training for triathlons, or spending time with his family, Ancin designs and conducts training for the Credit union industry. In addition, he is a well-sought-after expert contributor to a host of financial publications. He has recently been featured in Forbes Magazine and the Credit Union National Association. Ancin is originally from New Orleans, LA. but, currently lives in Chicago.
More Speakers coming soon