Advocacy Team 

Nancy Eiden
Founder, Board Member & Secretary

For the past several years, Nancy has been dedicated to developing

programs to improve access to financial services for formerly incarcerated individuals. She has over 30 years of senior leadership experience in global financial institutions, driving business growth, strategic change initiatives and product development. Nancy is passionate about empowering people through education. She is a Certified Mentor with SCORE, the nation's largest network of small business mentors, and a Board Member of the Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research. Nancy holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Kahle Mandarino
Board Member & VP 

Kahle is a Product Marketing Manager at Canidae, a pet food brand.  She has experience working in product marketing, brand management, and innovation for startups and leading consumer product goods companies. Kahle has always been dedicated to philanthropy and community engagement. For several years, Kahle served on the Advisory Board for the Chester County, Pennsylvania Fund for Women and Girls. She has also consulted for several other nonprofits in the Philadelphia area. Kahle holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Brandon Paroly
 Board Member

Brandon is the Chief Counsel of Paroly Law and General Counsel for the American Media Institute. He serves as “out-house” counsel for several serial entrepreneurs and young companies, crafting  contracts, representing companies in legal matters, and managing out-of-state and specialty counsel. Brandon also has experience working with multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a Doctor of Law (J.D.) from George Washington University Law School.  

Zachary Rubi 
 President & Treasurer 

Zac is a growth marketer focusing on startups and small cap companies. His experience includes digital marketing, SEO, business strategy, financial modeling and project management, for digital media, consumer products, and health care businesses.  Zac also worked with the Wharton/SEI Center for Marketing Innovation, a non-profit collaborative initiative whose mission is to bring awareness to global social impact projects. Zac holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Cynetra Freeman 

Cynetra is the Founder and Director of the Mississippi Center for Re-Entry, a non-profit organization. Cynetra founded the Center to help build safer communities and improve the quality of life for formerly incarcerated individuals. Prior to this, she worked at North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (NMRLS). Cynetra's passion is to offer second chances to those who have been involved in the justice system and help reduce the high recidivism rate in her community. Cynetra holds a Bachelor's degree in Criminology from the University of South Florida. 

Aaron Smith

Aaron is the Founder of Escaping the Odds, a media company featuring podcasts highlighting formerly incarcerated individuals turned entrepreneurs. As a justice-involved individual himself, Aaron understands the challenges people re-entering society face. Escaping the Odds is his platform to advocate for prison reform and demonstrate how people can achieve financial freedom by building wealth through ownership. Aaron is also actively involved with the Safety and Justice Challenge, a criminal justice reform initiative in Cook County, Illinois. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Management from Columbia College. 

Shawanna Vaughn

Shawanna is the Founder and Director of Silent Cry Inc., a non-profit organization focusing on mentoring and criminal justice reform, whose objectives are to interrupt violence and help bring a solution to the problem. Silent Cry is the product of the tears Shawanna shed while overcoming the pain and hardship of incarceration, the loss of a brother to gang initiation, and surviving cancer.  Shawanna holds an Associate of Science in Physical Therapy from Milan Institute-Visalia.   

Lewis Conway, Jr. 

Lewis has built a cachet of servant-leadership as an organizer and campaigner locally, regionally and nationally. In 2018, he challenged a state law to become one of the first formerly incarcerated people in Texas to have their name on an electoral ballot. Lewis has spent the last two years as a Strategist for the ACLU working to carry out large-scale advocacy, legislative, electoral and organizing campaigns. He is also a serial entrepreneur, filmmaker and digital content creator with almost two decades of experience, and has self-published three books. Lewis holds an Associate's degree in computer & information science from West Texas College. 

Spencer Watson

Spencer is the Founder and Director of the Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research, a non-profit organization  advocating for financial equality for the LGBTQ community. Spencer has worked at various non-profits, including as a counselor offering financial and credit education to clients. Previously, they interned at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of Fair Lending. Spencer holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado and is a graduate of Berkeley Law, where their studies emphasized consumer financial protection, prudential regulation, lending discrimination, and civil rights.

Michael Glicksman

For over 30 years, Mike owned and operated Viziflex Seels, Inc., a manufacturer of computer accessories and acrylic displays. Since selling the business in 2014, Mike has devoted his time as a non-profit volunteer. He is currently Vice Chair and a Certified Mentor for SCORE, Northern New Jersey, and was a Workforce Development Program volunteer with a local halfway house. He is also Advisory Board Chair for the Bergen County Salvation Army and actively involved in several other community organizations. Mike holds a Bachelor of Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Rabbi Rubashkin

Rabbi Rubashkin serves as the Rabbi of Chabad of West Kendall, Florida. During the past several years he has been involved with the Aleph Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting incarcerated people and their families with financial, spiritual and legal needs. Rabbi Rubashkin is intimately aware of the challenges families face when a loved one is incarcerated. He is devoted to assisting others during these difficult times, and providing guidance to enable them to attain financial security.

Scott Pollack 

Scott is a seasoned financial advisor and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®), with over 30 years of industry experience. He is the founder of an advisory firm that has served his local community since 2005. Prior to this, he worked as a retirement counselor with education professionals at TIAA-CREF. Scott has served in various leadership roles for charitable organizations dedicated to the arts, health and children’s services. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Connecticut College.

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Linda Bodie

Linda has over 22 years of credit union experience and has served as the CEO of Element Federal Credit since 1998. She is passionate about developing solutions through technology and innovation to better serve her members and underserved communities. Linda is a Board member of CU*Answers, a large credit union cooperative providing services to several hundred credit unions. She is also a Research Council Member on the Filene Research Council and a Select Council Member for CUNA Mutual. Linda holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Glenville State College and a Master of Science in Technology Management from Marshall University.

Thomas O'Shea

Tom has held credit union leadership roles since 1982, most recently as the CEO of Aspire FCU. He is a founder and board member of a commercial loan servicing company and a collaborative shared-services company serving the credit union community. Tom is also a past-Chair of CU Student Lending, LLC, a private student loan company that focuses on participating loans throughout the credit union community. Previous service includes – member of the CFPB’s Credit Union Advisory Council,  
Board Member of the New Jersey Credit Union League, and Trustee of Churches Improving Communities in NJ. He is also Vice-Chair of Arts4ACause, a 501(c)3 non-profit that helps fund medical research for children. Tom holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Guy Messick

Guy is the former General Counsel for the National Association of Credit Union Service Organizations.  He served as NACUSO's liaison with the National Credit Union Administration and other regulatory agencies, and is honored in America's Credit Union Museum as a CUSO Pioneer.  During his 35 year legal career, Guy represented hundreds of credit unions and CUSOs. He currently serves on several CUSO Boards, including AKUVO, Ministry Partners, and United Solutions Company.and is an advisor to the CUSO QCar, LLC and Bankable Fintech. Guy is the author of Credit Union Collaborations - Lessons Learned.  Guy holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bucknell University and a Doctor of Law (J.D.) from the University of Miami School of Law.  

Rocco Sabino 

Rocco is a consultant to credit unions and an Adjunct Instructor at SUNY Stony Brook University, where he teaches accounting and facilitates financial training seminars for the University’s Center for Corporate Education. He is a former Chief Financial Officer to several credit unions, with over 25 years of financial, operations and strategic experience. Rocco holds a Bachelor of Arts from Stony Brook University and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Hofstra University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Theresa Williams-Barrett

Theresa is a seasoned lending professional with over 25 years providing leadership and driving sustainable results in the mortgage and consumer lending fields for large credit unions. Her career experience includes growing lending portfolios, mitigating risk, and uncovering new lending opportunities. Theresa currently serves on the Board of two credit union associations – CU REALM and CUES NJ/Metro NY. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Montclair State University.

Lorrie Fox

Lorrie is a senior level multi-channel contact center leader with over 30 years in the credit union industry. Her expertise includes contact center management and operations, retail branch management, customer service, sales and project management. Lorrie has a passion for people and serving as the customer's advocate. She attended Rutgers, Raritan Valley Community College and the National Association of Federal Credit Union's Management Development Institute.

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