CU Accelerate 2026 Presentations
Explore the keynote presentations from the 2026 CU Accelerate conference, held May 1–2 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Mark the calendar for CU Accelerate 2027—happening May 13–14 at Wentworth by the Sea in New Hampshire. Registration is now open at www.ccua.org/accelerate27.
Presentations
Opening Keynote Session: Go For Gold — Teamwork, Toughness, and Tenacity
Lindsay Tarpley, Two-Time Gold Medal Olympian, Leadership Expert, and High-Performance Mentor
Lindsay Tarpley's opening keynote session, Go For Gold: Teamwork, Toughness, and Tenacity, explored the mindset and performance principles behind sustained success in high-pressure environments. Drawing from experiences competing with the U.S. Women’s National Team in the Olympic Games and World Cup, the session highlighted the importance of preparation, resilience, adaptability, and teamwork. Attendees gained practical strategies to overcome challenges, strengthen collaboration across different working styles, and apply elite performance principles within their own roles and organizations.
Keynote Session: AARP is Stealing Your Age 50+ Members. Let’s Win Them Back.
Rhian Horgan, CEO at Silvur
Presented by Rhian Horgan, the session explored how AARP has built deep trust with more than 38 million members and leveraged that trust to grow significant financial relationships across products and services. Attendees also examined the opportunity for credit unions to strengthen their role as trusted advocates for retirement security, retain key member relationships, and grow their share of the retirement wallet through advocacy-driven engagement.
Keynote Session: The Future of Money: Strategic Implications of Digital Assets & Stablecoins
Karen McHenry, VP of Product at Metallicus
Presented by Karen McHenry, this session explored how digital assets and stablecoins are transforming the financial services landscape and what those changes could mean for credit unions. Attendees gained insight into emerging trends, regulatory considerations, and real-world applications, while examining both the opportunities and potential risks associated with the evolving digital asset ecosystem.
Keynote Session: U.S. Economic Outlook & its Impact on Credit Unions
Steven Rick, Chief Economist at TruStage
This presentation reviewed the ongoing economic volatility driven by historic demand and supply shocks, resulting in the highest inflation levels in four decades. It examined the Federal Reserve’s rapid interest rate hikes—also the fastest in 40 years—and analyzed their potential effects on the economy in 2026 and beyond. The discussion also addressed structural changes in the labor market, including persistent labor shortages and rising wage pressures. Attendees explored possible economic trajectories and how these factors could shape credit union balance sheets and income statements over the next two years.
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Keynote Session: Disputes to Delight
Shanthi Shanmugam, Co-founder & CEO at Casap
Shanthi Shanmugam, Co-founder & CEO of Casap, led an engaging session on transforming the dispute process from a point of frustration into an opportunity to strengthen member trust and loyalty. Highlighting the rising expectations of today’s consumers, she explored how fast, transparent, and empathetic dispute resolution experiences can positively shape brand reputation. Attendees also gained insight into strategies for balancing fraud prevention with fairness, along with best practices for reducing first-party fraud while maintaining an efficient and member-focused dispute process.
This keynote presentation is not available for publishing, please click the button above for more information about Casap and to reach out directly to Shanthi
Closing Keynote Session: Cooperative Power
Renée Sattiewhite, President & CEO at AACUC
Renée Sattiewhite, President & CEO of the AACUC, delivered a powerful closing keynote centered on the enduring impact of credit unions and the strength of the cooperative business model. Emphasizing the concept of “Cooperative Power,” she shared why credit unions remain uniquely positioned to improve lives and support communities through collaboration, shared purpose, and people-first values. Sattiewhite encouraged credit union leaders and support organizations to actively champion and expand the cooperative ecosystem, noting that the future success of the movement begins with a strong belief in the power of cooperation itself.
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Relive the Action in Boston
CU Accelerate 2027
Registration is open for CU Accelerate 2027 at Wentworth by the Sea in New Hampshire! We can't wait to see you in the Granite State Thursday, May 13 and Friday, May 14, 2027.
