You’ve run a department for years. Your results are solid, and your team trusts you. Yet every time an executive seat or board spot opens up, you wonder whether anyone sees you as the person for it.
That question brought 55 credit union leaders to the Dominican Republic this October.
The Global Women’s Leadership Network (GWLN), a program of the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU), held its Executive Readiness Summit (ERS) in Punta Cana on October 13-15, 2026. It was the first time the summit has gone international. GWLN teamed up with Asociación de Instituciones Rurales de Ahorro y Crédito, Inc. (AIRAC) to host participants from seven countries and 27 organizations.
Why this work still matters
The theme was “Global Women United! Uplift Self. Uplift Others.” The goal was practical: prepare women for executive and board roles, where they are still underrepresented. WOCCU’s 2025 Statistical Report shows the gap across the national and regional associations affiliated with the World Council of Credit Unions:
- Women hold 28% of board seats.
- Women hold 27% of board chair roles.
- Women hold 22% of CEO positions.
“Our first international edition of the Executive Readiness Summit showed us once again how important this work is,” said GWLN Director Eleni Giakoumopoulos.
What the sessions covered
The program focused on the skills that move people into senior and governance roles. Sandra McDowell, CEO of eLeadership Academy, opened each day with a two-part session on getting out of reactive mode and putting time and attention back on meaningful work. Miriam De Dios Woodward, President and CEO of De Dios Consulting, talked about developing the mindset and business acumen senior roles require, and about building the visibility and influence that open new doors.
Samira Salem, Interim Executive Director at the Native American Credit Union Coalition, led a workshop on leading with confidence in the age of AI. She used the 5 C’s of Leadership framework to help participants gauge their influence and widen their voice. Oricel Caminero, co-founder and CEO of Achieve Consulting Group, explored how leaders go from strong execution to enterprise-level, governance-ready leadership.
Irma Grullón, general manager of Coop Maimón, shared her path from teller to general manager, along with lessons credit unions can take from the Dominican Republic’s cooperative movement. Attendees also heard the story of MudLOVE and its work empowering women across borders.
What attendees took home
Syeda Lee, Fraud Strategy Manager at Patelco Credit Union in the United States, had advice for first-timers: “For those who have never attended the Summit before, be prepared to find a great sisterhood and an amazing community of people to connect with and see what credit union people can do. As someone newer to the credit union system, I was enlightened to learn how much credit unions have the capacity to be at the heart of the community.”
TruStage’s commitment to community development, equal opportunities and collective well-being made the summit a leadership experience for its Dominican Republic team. Therly Portes, Technical Insurance & Compliance Manager; Yessica Hernandez, Account Relationship & Marketing Manager; and Marlenny Rodriguez, Account Relationship Manager for the Northern Region, described it as a chance to realize their leadership potential through “empowerment, knowledge, and connection.”
The GWLN team closed the summit with a session in which each participant wrote a personal leadership commitment for the year ahead.
GWLN thanks Velera, GWLN Annual Network Sponsor; TruStage, the ERS Event Partner; and eLeadership Academy, GWLN Learning Partner, for supporting women’s leadership in the credit union movement.
What comes next is worth watching. Those written commitments will be tested over the coming year, and with the summit now proven outside its usual setting, more international editions look like a natural next step. The real measure will be whether the 28%, 27% and 22% figures start to climb in WOCCU’s future statistical reports.