Table of Contents
Girls run the world—and much of the credit union. Meet a few of the women whose vision, initiative, and dedication uplift their teams and Sunward members.
Steph Sherrodd – President & CEO
“Steph doesn’t lead with bravado, she leads with clarity. She knows this industry, she knows our members, and she knows what it takes to build something that lasts. Under her leadership, Sunward isn’t just growing, we’re becoming the institution we’ve always believed we could be. That kind of leadership is rare, and it shows in everything we do.”
-Alex de la Cruz, Executive Vice President
Steph has served in financial services for her entire career, reaching executive leadership through determination, expertise, and a deeply held conviction for credit union values.
Undaunted by industry challenges or economic shifts, Steph brings a steady hand to leadership, facing the future with tenacity and confidence. Her unique ability to promote a grander, long-term vision while also implementing the strategic tactics necessary to achieve it makes her a true inspiration to her employees and fellow leaders alike.
Jamie Aguilar – Chief of Lending
“Jamie leads with vision and a focus on execution. She doesn’t just set the strategy—she operationalizes it and builds a world-class team around it. Jamie makes things happen!”
-Whitney Anderson, Chief Growth Officer
Newly minted as Sunward’s Chief of Lending, Jamie’s years of serving members through the lending process have given her expert industry insight and an ability to manage with both empathy and high expectations. Jamie’s unyielding pursuit of better has also yielded incredible results. In 2025, Sunward’s lending team delivered historic growth and launched a host of new, innovative products, helping more members secure the dream of home ownership.
Janet Albért – Vice President, Internal Audit
“Janet brings deep knowledge and sharp insight to every project, but it’s her mentorship and steady guidance that make the biggest impact. She sets high expectations and trusts her team to rise to them, creating an environment that’s supportive and empowering. She has built a culture grounded in respect and collaboration, and her kindness and quick wit make tough days lighter. Janet leads with intelligence, understanding, and authenticity, and we’re all better for it.”
-Shay Gaffney, Internal Audit
Janet oversees a crucial function of the credit union, ensuring its tools balance efficiency, convenience, and risk, protecting value for members, and maintaining compliance with NCUA regulations. This is a tremendous responsibility, which Janet carries with grace. Her meticulous eye for detail, personal accountability, and emphasis on collaboration motivates her small but mighty team and acts as a daily bulwark for the credit union.
Whitney Anderson – Chief Growth Officer
“Whitney has a leader presence and personality that makes people smile. It’s an important leadership quality that helps keep everyone motivated when working through challenges. I’m always impressed with her broad experience across different credit union lines of business, and I know I can always count on her for a unique perspective that helps me think differently.”
-Christopher Danvers, Senior Vice President, Payments, Products & Partnerships
Whitney first joined Sunward to energize its growth with top-of-the-line marketing, member-centric products, and by increasing employee engagement. Check, check, and check. Whitney brings refreshing spirit and vitality every day, leading with incredible stamina and follow-through. Her belief in her team, receptiveness to new ideas, and emphasis on results has rallied the entire organization and made a significant impact on the credit union’s culture.
Ann Baur – Senior Vice President, Retail Experience
“Ann leads in a way that makes you want to be better. She’s always respectful and genuinely thoughtful about how her words and decisions affect others. She’s clear about expectations, and even when I miss the mark, she sees the growth and effort behind it. She pushes me, challenges how I think, and encourages me to look at things from different angles. Because of her leadership, I’m constantly growing.”
-John Granato, Vice President, Retail Branching
Ann is a leader who brings out the best in her people, inspiring respect that resonates across the credit union. Her passion, wisdom, and pursuit of excellence directly improves member experience, empowering every branch to raise the standard for service. Ann also believes in service to her team, ensuring their hard work is seen and appreciated. This level of personal investment uplifts employees to see the impact of their work and the possibilities for their careers.
Tanya Chavez – Vice President, Technology
“Tanya has this wonderful way of bringing teams together to solve impactful problems. She's the type of leader who rolls up her sleeves and guides those around her in a way that brings them along for the ride. She helps them to truly understand the problem at hand, then sets the bar high for what a solution should look like. During Women's History Month I'm proud to recognize her for her tenacity, mentorship, and leadership. All three are qualities she exemplifies for all of Sunward each and every day.”
-Zachary Hill, Senior Vice President, Technology
Tanya makes leadership look easy, bringing empathy, optimism, and confidence to Sunward’s technology department. Yet Tanya’s role is anything but simple. It’s a constant balancing act between strict deadlines, rigorous compliance standards, inputs from multiple departments, and more. Despite these demands, Tanya executes complex projects with patience, humility, and determination, inspiring her team and winning her recognition within Sunward and the industry at large.
Kimberley Craft – Director, Internal Communications
“Kim exemplifies the leadership, collaboration, and dedication that makes Sunward stronger. Through her work in internal communications, she ensures employees stay connected, informed, and engaged. Her commitment to transparency, storytelling, and teamwork reflects the spirit we celebrate during Women’s History Month.”
-Molly Lehrsch, Vice President, Communications
At her core, Kim is a builder—turning the smallest of ideas into larger-than-life realities. In just a few short years, Kim has transformed a two-person team into a full-fledged Communications department and launched Unity Hub, an internal platform that’s become the go-to resource for everything Sunward. She’s also the architect of annual all-hands meetings that rally employees and rival world-class industry conferences. Kim’s leadership, initiative, and guidance anchors the entire credit union, bringing unity, cohesion, and empowerment to a diverse and ever-evolving organization.
Katja Fitz – Manager, Business Lending
“Katja Fitz excels at managing complex loan relationships and tailoring solutions to meet her members' unique needs. Combining a meticulous, thoughtful approach with a natural ability to inspire confidence, she ensures her members feel secure and supported by a seasoned expert.”
-Casey Bresnahan, Senior Vice President, Business Services
In a sector of banking that demands high technical proficiency, business acumen, and people skills, Katja checks every box. Her leadership has helped close some of the largest commercial loans in Sunward history, increasing housing opportunities for more New Mexicans, and furthering the credit union’s goal of becoming the economic engine of the Southwest. Katja’s work not only benefits the organization—it also has far-reaching, future-defining impacts for communities across the region.
Kate Gonzales – Branch Manager, Edgewood
“Kate is an exceptional and highly knowledgeable leader. She consistently embraces challenges, offers her support without hesitation, and remains deeply committed to her team’s success. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work closely with her and to learn from her leadership.”
-Dani G., Branch Supervisor, Edgewood
Sunward’s Edgewood branch is known for its team unity and professionalism, and every employee there will tell you it’s because of Kate. As branch manager, Kate sets—and personally upholds—a high standard for service and product knowledge, inspiring others to bring their best every day. Kate’s focus on building relationships as the key to member experience has helped the credit union plant lasting roots in Edgewood.
Tracy Gudmundson – Vice President, Remote Service Delivery
“Tracy Gudmundson is a leader who consistently rises to higher expectations, demonstrating both authenticity and empathy, with strong execution of results. She leads with confidence, modeling our core values through her actions every day. Her ability to balance people leadership with operational excellence, adapt quickly, and remove roadblocks makes her an exceptional leader and a trusted partner across the organization.”
-Ann Baur, Senior Vice President, Retail Experience
In her time at Sunward, Tracy has set the contact center team up for success. With an emphasis on collaboration and accountability, Tracy’s leadership has seen wait times reduced by 57%, with 83% of surveyed members saying their issue was resolved in a single interaction. Tracy also partnered with Talent Acquisition to reduce vacancy rates down to 3%. By implementing new tools, improving processes, and running toward problems, Tracy has proven to be an invaluable asset to her department and the entire credit union.
Carol Manzanares – Vice President, Human Resources
“Carol leads with a kind of courage that is quiet but unmistakable. What I appreciate most about her is that she doesn’t separate performance from humanity; she believes we can hold high standards and still hold space for each other. That combination of grit, integrity, and heart is rare, and it makes her the kind of leader you trust not just with the work, but with the culture we’re building together at Sunward.”
-Andy Simescu, Chief People Officer
Carol is the kind of leader others want to emulate, from her encouraging demeanor to her people-first management style. She sees the strengths of her team and challenges them to grow, creating a veritable engine for sourcing top talent for the credit union. With Carol at the helm, Sunward’s frontline teams have seen a drastically reduced vacancy rate while executive roles have been filled with true industry experts. That means stronger leadership, a more knowledgeable workforce, and better service for our members.
Karla Moreno – Accounting Manager
“Accounting is about more than just numbers; it’s about trust, accountability, and sound decision-making. Karla demonstrates all of these qualities. She is a thoughtful and compassionate leader who has earned the respect of her team and peers. Her daily attention to detail ensures our organization remains strong and respected.”
-Matt Helge, Senior Vice President & Controller
Karla brings a human-first approach to management, balancing accuracy and efficiency with a focus on her people. Karla’s friendly, down-to-earth demeanor makes her a trusted resource, empowering her team to reach new heights while celebrating their wins. She’s built a strong team culture based on technical excellence and mutual respect, which sets the example for every department.
