Deborah A. Wege

Debbie leads change and connection through her unique and innovative role as the Cooperative Community Advocate for BECU, a strong community-based Credit Union in Washington State. She develops and implements robust programs that ignite passion and commitment to principles and purpose-based decision making. She also cultivates and deepens relationship and partnerships within the credit union system and explores opportunities for cross-sector collaboration or connection among local cooperatives. She actively advocates for credit unions both locally and nationally. She has been dedicated to efforts that deepen stronger equity and inclusion at BECU through serving on the inaugural BILD (Belonging, Inclusion and Leveraging Differences) Council at BECU which helped to formalize and expand Employee Resource Groups (ERG) at the Credit Union. She is currently serving as the Community Chair for the Women’s Leadership ERG, and member of the Pride Advocacy Collection ERG, and an active ally of the Young Professional ERG.

Debbie is a certified National Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) through the National Credit Union Foundation since 1993, and an International-CUDE (I-CUDE) since 2010. She currently serves as chair of the Northwest CUDE Network, where she brings northwest CUDEs together to continue learning, growing, and producing events that help spread the uniqueness and potential deeper impact of credit unions and cooperatives. She has experience in leading and mentoring at several CUDE Training programs and workshops both nationally and internationally. As well as spearheaded the development and implementation of the Leveraging the CU Difference Workshops for over 100 northwest credit union professionals. In addition, she has a deep understanding and passion a robust inclusive and fair economy, through her current role as a board member of the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International and the Chair of the Northwest Cooperative Development Center. She also serves on the Executive Committee of Seattle Good Business Network Board. She is dedicated to serving in capacities that help advance a fair and equitable economy for all people to flourish.