Credit Union Policy Podcast

Welcome to the Credit Union Policy Podcast (CUPP) with host Ann Petros, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs.

Get notified when new episodes are released.

Be the first to know when new episodes of the CUPP is available. Subscribe today to stay up-to-date on the latest!

Subscribe to Receive Email Alerts

Ann will take you inside what’s going on in Washington D.C.—so you can hear where lawmakers and regulators stand on key issues and what they’re working on next. She’ll discuss what your credit union should be focused on in terms of risk areas, potential opportunities for innovation and the changing tech landscape.

Grab your coffee, or favorite beverage, and tune in with us as we explore these topics and much more!

Episode 28: The Best of Berger: A Fond Farewell to Dan Berger

Released December 20, 2023 | Join NAFCU President & CEO Dan Berger, ahead of the transformation to America’s Credit Unions, as he looks back on his time at NAFCU, the moments that shaped his experience, and lessons learned during his tenure.    

Episode 27: Navigating Field of Membership with NCUA Vice Chairman Kyle Hauptman

Released December 13, 2023 | Join NCUA Vice Chairman Kyle Hauptman for a deep dive into field of membership, including a recent proposed rule regarding survivorship, the federal charter versus state charters, digital banking and FOM, and how innovation may drive further changes to FOM.    

Episode 26: Unlocking Financial Innovation - NCUA's New Rule Explained

Released November 15, 2023 | Join Brian Lauer, partner with the law firm of Messick Lauer & Smith P.C. and General Counsel to the National Association of Credit Union Service Organizations (NACUSO), for a deep dive into the National Credit Union Administration’s (NCUA) recent final rule on financial innovation. This rule revised Parts 701 and 714 of the NCUA’s regulations regarding the purchase of loan participations and the purchase, sale, and pledge of eligible obligations and other loans. The final rule offered greater flexibility for federally insured credit unions to take advantage of new technology partnerships with fintechs. NAFCU has strongly supported more opportunities for credit unions to develop strategic partnerships to provide more and improved products and services to members.

Episode 25: Navigating Mortgage Tech Trends with Jason Cave

Released October 25, 2023 | Join Jason Cave, Deputy Director and Head of Fintech Strategy at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), for a discussion of the agency’s recent Velocity TechSprint, the focus of the Office of Financial Technology, and trends in the use of technology in the mortgage lending and servicing space.

Episode 24: Funding Frameworks: Analyzing the CFPB v. CFSA Oral Argument

Released October 6, 2023 | Join Jennifer Mascott, Assistant Professor of Law and Co-Director of The C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative State at the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School, to breakdown the oral argument before the Supreme Court in the case of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Community Financial Services Association of America. The Court heard arguments regarding the Constitutionality of the CFPB’s funding structure. Hear insights about the most relevant arguments and questions from both parties and the Justices.

 
Episode 23: Women Leading with Grace: CEO Charlotte Nemec's Trailblazing Journey

September 27, 2023 | Join Charlotte Nemec, President and CEO of Canopy Credit Union in Spokane, Washington, and recent winner of NAFCU’s CEO of the Year award, for a discussion about women in leadership. Learn about some of the challenges Nemec has encountered and how she’s found inspiration and balance in her leadership journey. 

 
Episode 22: Labor & Employment Law Issues Facing Your Credit Union with Victor Cardwell

September 8, 2023 | Join Victor Cardwell, Principal and Chairman at the law firm of Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC, as he discusses top labor and employment law issues your credit union should be aware of. Cardwell dives into unionization efforts, leave and flexible work policies, the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, and what you should know about affirmative action plan requirements from the Department of Labor.

 
Episode 21: Credit Score Competition with VantageScore’s Tony Hutchinson

August 16, 2023 | Join VantageScore’s Senior Vice President of Industry & Government Relations for a discussion about credit scores, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) initiative to validate and incorporate new credit score models and credit report requirements into the housing finance market, and what to expect from this shift.

 
Episode 20: The Future of the Credit Union Movement with Jim Nussle

Special Edition Released August 10, 2023 | Join Jim Nussle, President & CEO of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) for this special edition episode diving into the proposed CUNA-NAFCU merger and Nussle’s vision for America’s Credit Unions under his leadership. Also hear Nussle’s perspective on key policy topics including legislative and regulatory threats to non-interest income, issues related to liquidity and interest rate risk, as well as how credit unions should be thinking about climate-change risk.

 
Episode 19: State Versus Federal Advocacy Priorities with Carrie Hunt

Released July 19, 2023 | Join Carrie Hunt, President and CEO of the Virginia Credit Union League, for a discussion about state versus federal advocacy and policy priorities from state regulators and lawmakers versus the federal level. Dive into specific issue areas including data privacy and data security, employment law concerns, and litigation trends.

 
Episode 18: Going Green — The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund w/ Cathie Mahon and Creighton Blackwell

Released June 28, 2023 | Join Cathie Mahon, President & CEO of Inclusiv, and Creighton Blackwell, Chief Community and Public Affairs Officer at Coastal Credit Union, for a discussion about the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction (GHGR) Fund, how credit unions can get involved in the program, and why it is important to be thinking about climate change and ways to expand green lending options for your members and communities. 

 
Episode 17: The Payments System – Fraud Risks and Emerging Opportunities

Released June 1, 2023 | Join José Resendiz, Chief Operating Officer at Early Warning Services (EWS), for a discussion about the history and growth of Zelle and its use among credit unions. Regarding reports of increased fraud on peer-to-peer payment (P2P) platforms, Resendiz outlines potential sources of this fraud and strategies to eliminate fraud in the payments system.

 
Episode 16: Top Advocacy Concerns and Industry Trends with NAFCU President & CEO Dan Berger

Released May 10, 2023 | Join NAFCU’s President and CEO, Dan Berger, for an in-depth discussion of the top issues and questions facing the credit union industry today. Learn how your participation and feedback to NAFCU’s advocacy teams can provide invaluable ammunition to engage with regulators and lawmakers to encourage helpful clarifications and ensure parity while fighting off burdensome and costly new requirements.

 
Episode 15: Compliance Risk Areas - Fraud in Focus

Released April 19, 2023 | Join Dustin DeVore, an attorney with Kaufman & Canoles and Chair of their Credit Union team, to discuss the industry's top compliance risk areas today. A recent rise in fraud, especially since the start of the pandemic, has put focus on old and new schemes by fraudsters. Learn how you can protect your credit union and your members.

 
Episode 14: How Did We Avoid a COVID Mortgage Meltdown?

Released March 29, 2023 | Join Dr. Mark Calabria as he discusses his new book, “Shelter from the Storm: How A COVID Mortgage Meltdown Was Averted.” Dr. Calabria explains the challenges that faced the mortgage markets at the beginning of the pandemic and the careful steps and difficult decisions he had to make while leading the agency. His leadership helped to ensure the safety and soundness of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) and maintain well-functioning markets for mortgage bankers and investors.

 
Episode 13: Focus Areas for CU Leaders with Former Navy FCU Vice Admiral Cutler Dawson

Released March 1, 2023 | Hear former President and CEO of Navy Federal Credit Union, Vice Admiral Cutler Dawson discuss top industry challenges, reflections on how credit unions are managing the current economic environment and working with regulators, and ways to engage employees to improve your recruitment and retention efforts.

 
Episode 12: Breaking Down Blockchain with Kathy Kraninger

Released February 8, 2023 | Join former Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and now Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Solidus Labs, Kathy Kraninger, for a discussion on blockchain, including questions such as: What is blockchain? How is blockchain currently being used? What should a regulatory framework look like? And how can blockchain be helpful for financial institutions in future use cases?

 
Episode 11: Interchange Legislation and Market Competition with Professor Todd Zywicki

Released January 18, 2023 | Join Professor Todd Zywicki for a discussion of the history of the Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act, which established the interchange price caps, the recent Credit Card Competition Act, and an overview of the market for credit cards and consumer payments.

 
Episode 10: Exploring NCUA Examinations with Former Executive Director Mark Treichel

Released December 28, 2022 | Mark Treichel, former NCUA Executive Director and Examiner offers a detailed discussion of the NCUA’s examination process, priorities, modernizations, and recent guidance related to examinations. Plus, he covers what to expect from the agency’s supervisory priorities in 2023. 

 
Episode 9: Fintech Frenzy—A Discussion with NCUA Board Member Rodney Hood

Released November 30, 2022 | Join NCUA Board Member Rodney Hood in a discussion about the importance of building strategic partnerships with fintech companies to provide products and services to your members. Explore how the NCUA is thinking about fintech and working to help your credit union incorporate new solutions to grow and remain competitive in today’s rapidly evolving marketplace.


Episode 8: Funding Fiasco: The Future of the CFPB

Released November 8, 2022 | Join John Coleman, Partner at Buckley, LLP and former Deputy General Counsel at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for a discussion on the decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that the CFPB is unconstitutionally funded. John delves into what this decision means for your institution and what to expect next from the CFPB.


Episode 7: Exploring the Risks and Benefits of BNPL Products for Your Credit Union

Released October 20, 2022 | Join Paul Davis, Director of Market Intelligence at Strategic Resource Management (SRM) in a discussion about Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) products and why exploring options to provide a BNPL product may be right for you and your members.

Episode 6: Climate Change Fears - Assessing Risk in the Housing Marketing

Released September 30, 2022 | Join this sit down with Dan Coates, Deputy Director for the Division of Research and Statistics at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the regulator for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks. Dan discusses climate change risk, what it means for the housing finance market, and how the FHFA is managing this evolving issue.

 
Episode 5: Discussing A Sticky Issue - Marijuana Banking and the SAFE Banking Act with Representative Perlmutter

Released September 8, 2022 | Special guest Representative Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) discusses his work on the SAFE Banking Act and the importance of federal clarity for marijuana banking. Rep. Perlmutter also reflects on the role of grassroots advocacy and his time in Congress as his retirement approaches at the end of this year.

 Episode 4: All Things Appraisals with Freddie Mac’s Scott Reuter

Released September 1, 2022 | Explore Freddie Mac’s initiatives related to appraisal modernization and eliminating appraisal bias during this in-depth discussion with Scott Reuter, Chief Appraiser and Director of Valuation, Single Family, Mortgage Credit Risk Management, at Freddie Mac.

 
Episode 3: A Deep Dive into Digital Assets with NCUA Vice Chairman Kyle Hauptman

Released August 10, 2022 | Join this sit down with NCUA Vice Chairman Kyle Hauptman for an exploration of his thoughts surrounding digital assets and the underlying blockchain technology, the current regulatory and legislative landscape, and what your credit union needs to know about incorporating emerging technologies and offering members access to buy, sell, and hold digital assets.

 
Episode 2: Discussing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging with NCUA Chairman Todd Harper

Released July 20, 2022 | Explore with NCUA Chairman Todd Harper what diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) means, how the NCUA is adopting initiatives to promote DEIB and why it’s critical to your institution and the credit union community.


Episode 1: Lobbying 101 with NAFCU's Greg Mesack

Released July 6, 2022 | Learn more about lobbying and what exactly NAFCU does when we’re advocating to level the playing field on behalf of credit unions.

About the Host

Ann Kossachev, Director of Regulatory Affairs Ann Petros was named Vice President of Regulatory Affairs in October 2021. In her role, Petros oversees NAFCU’s advocacy to federal agencies, including the National Credit Union Administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Petros joined NAFCU in June 2016 as a regulatory affairs counsel and was promoted to senior regulatory affairs counsel in June 2018.