Think of it as the credit union world’s hall of fame—except instead of retired jerseys and ceremonial plaques, you get recognition for actually making the financial world more inclusive and cooperative.
The Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU) just announced its 2026 graduating class of International Credit Union Development Educators (ICUDEs), and these 15 professionals are the real deal.
The ICUDE designation isn’t something you pick up at a weekend seminar. These folks have put in serious work demonstrating their commitment to cooperative values, crossing borders to share knowledge, and pushing forward financial inclusion on a global scale. Translation: They’re building bridges between communities and making sure more people have access to fair financial services.
What makes this year’s class particularly interesting is the geographic spread. We’ve got representatives from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and the United States—basically a snapshot of how far the credit union movement reaches across the planet.
“The ICUDE Class of 2026 represents the very best of what our global DE community has to offer,” said Kassandra Schroeder, who directs WYCUP and Global DE Programs at WFCU. “These individuals have gone above and beyond to grow as leaders, engage across borders and give back to their communities. We are proud to welcome them into this distinguished network.”
Meet the 2026 ICUDE Graduates
Africa
- Allan Tom Kitanda, Wazalendo SACCO, Uganda
- Cyprian Kankyie Ahmed Basing, Ghana Cooperative Credit Unions Association (CUA) Ltd, Ghana
- Mercy Tumukunde Gava, SteadFin Uganda SACCO Ltd, Uganda
- Simon Kiprotich Tanui, Kenya National Police DT SACCO, Kenya
Caribbean
- Bornette Donaldson, Community & Workers of Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union Ltd, Jamaica
- Fayola Jones, U.W.I. Credit Union Co-operative Society Limited, Trinidad & Tobago
- Keehon Roy Moore, Cayman Islands Civil Service Association Co-operative Credit Union, Cayman Islands
- Matonia Munroe, Grenada Authority for the Regulation of Financial Institutions (GARFIN), Grenada
- Shona Smartt, Guyana Public Service Co-operative Credit Union Ltd, Guyana
- Tessa Bartlette, St Lucia Teachers’ Credit Co-operative Ltd, Saint Lucia
Europe
- Stephen Morley, No1 CopperPot Credit Union, United Kingdom
United States
- Cathy Statz, International Centre for Co-operative Management, Saint Mary’s University
- Debbie Smith, Georgia United Credit Union Foundation
- Hazelmae Overturf, Harborstone Credit Union
- Ning Duong, Financial Center First Credit Union
What It Takes to Earn ICUDE Status
Getting that ICUDE designation isn’t automatic. Each graduate has to complete a national or regional Development Education (DE) program—that’s the classroom part. But here’s where it gets interesting: They also need to show meaningful international engagement that actually strengthens the cooperative movement worldwide. In other words, they’re not just learning theory. They’re out there doing the work and making connections that matter.
Celebrating in Sydney
The official recognition ceremony happens at the Global DE Social during the World Credit Union Conference (WCUC) in Sydney, Australia, from July 19-22, 2026. It’s basically where development educators from around the globe get together to celebrate connections, share values, and recognize the kind of purpose-driven leadership that makes a difference.
The Programs Behind the People
None of this happens in a vacuum. WFCU partners with Development Education programs across continents to nurture cooperative leadership through education. The lineup includes:
- Africa DE, run by the African Confederation of Co-operative Savings & Credit Associations (ACCOSCA)
- Asia DE, operated by the Association of Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU)
- CanadaDE, managed by the International Centre of Co-op Management (ICCM) at Saint Mary’s University
- Caribbean DE (CaribDE)
- European DE (DEEU)
- United States DE, operated by the National Credit Union Foundation
Want to learn more about the ICUDE designation or connect with the global DE community? Check out for all the details.