Our leadership structure reflects our ownership structure in that we are led by a board of directors comprised entirely of Verity members. This group provides strategic guidance to our executive team. Learn more about our leadership team below. We are currently seeking Board Leadership Volunteers. Fill out an application to be considered for the Supervisory Committee or Board Associate Program.
Board of Directors
The board of directors is composed of nine Verity members. They volunteer their time to meet regularly, discuss strategy and make decisions for the good of the credit union. Board members are elected each year at the Annual Meeting.

Nancy Woodland, Board Chair
Nancy Woodland currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors. Nancy serves as Executive Director for the Learning Communities Foundation, supporting early learning and racially just school systems. Nancy is a learner, lawyer and collaborator. She is not afraid to “do things differently” and is energized by Verity’s commitment and action to champion equity. Nancy has a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and a JD from Loyola University in Chicago. Most of what she’s learned in life is from simply showing up… willing.

Michelle Pham, Vice Chair
Michelle Pham has served as a Verity board member since 2020 and previously served as a board associate. She chairs the Experience Committee and serves on the Finance, Nominations, and DEI committees. Michelle earned a BA in psychology and art history from the University of Washington and a JD from Seattle University School of Law. She is a partner at Seattle-based firm Helsell Fetterman LLP, and practices intellectual property law and commercial litigation. In her spare time, she coaches UW Law’s national mock trial team, serves as Chair of the Washington State Bar Association's Litigation Section, and enjoys cooking and traveling.

Nick Etscheid, Secretary
Nick Etscheid currently serves as Board Secretary and sits on the Finance, Executive, and Technology/Experience committees. He is a senior real estate development manager for Amazon Web Services, directing billions of dollars in IT services spend. As a credit union member from a young age, he eagerly participates in the credit union movement and believes wholeheartedly in Verity’s unique impact. Nick has a bachelor’s degree in Business, with a concentration in Finance, from the University of Washington.

Vikash Chhagan
Vikash Chhagan currently serves as a Board Member. He has been a member of Verity since 1997 and a volunteer since 2019. Vikash has worked in various capacities at the Social Security Administration since 1994, and is currently in an Executive leadership position. As a life-long public servant, Vikash enjoys the satisfaction of being part of a larger organization that positively impacts the lives of others. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas - Dallas and a JD from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. In his free time, Vikash enjoys hiking and camping with his family in the beautiful PNW, and playing hockey on Seattle’s many sheets of ice. Go Kraken!

Chad Klemme
Chad has been a board volunteer since late 2020. During this time, he has served as both an associate and a director and sat on several different committees. He is a local product, graduating from the University of Washington in economics and political science. Chad spent the early part of his career in finance and banking, but currently works as an Agile and Product Management Consultant for Slalom.

Pelin Muharremoglu
Pelin serves as the Finance Committee Chair with the goal of contributing to the governance and strategic direction of Verity. Pelin has over 15 years of corporate strategy, financial management and engineering experience. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and an MS Degree in Electrical Engineering from Boston University. She is excited about Verity because of its contributions to the community and its environmentally conscious practices. During her free time, Pelin enjoys spending time with her family, reading, listening to podcasts and cooking.

Wesley Nguyen
Wesley Nguyen currently serves on the Board of Directors. He is an Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Lacey, supporting local business owners and commercial developers to meet the city's community development goals. Wesley also serves as Commissioner on the City of Olympia's Social Justice and Equity Commission. Wesley is a doer, a collaborator, and a learner. Wesley has a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a MBA from LaTrobe University in Australia. He enjoys a balanced lifestyle with family, work, volunteer, sports, and hobbies.

Will Collins
Will Collins has served as an Associate Board Member since September of 2021 and as an interim Supervisory Committee member. He graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering. He is a Senior Software Architect at West Monroe Partners with a specialty in Fintech.

Darius Chehrzad
Darius Chehrzad is currently an interim member of the Board of Directors at Verity, having joined in 2023. He is the Chief Commercial Officer and member of the Board of Directors at Paytient, a venture backed fintech working to improve access and affordability of healthcare for Americans. He was previously an Associate Partner in McKinsey & Company’s New York Office, where he served clients in Healthcare and Financial Services.
Darius is passionate about Verity’s mission and commitment to socially responsible banking, and is excited to bring his time and energy to helping the institution create a stronger, healthier and more sustainable community in and around Seattle.
Darius holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, and a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering from McGill University. In his free time, he enjoys playing guitar (poorly), backcountry skiing, and making overly complicated meals.
Board Associates
We also have a board associates program, which is a great introduction for future board members. Associates are able to participate on committees and sit in on board meetings without voting power. Contact Nancy Woodland, Nominations Committee Chair, to learn more.

Sam Cho
Sam Cho serves as the Commissioner of the Port of Seattle. He was first elected to the Port Commission in 2019 at the age of 29 and became Commission President in 2023. He is the youngest person elected to the Port Commission and the first person of color to serve as President since the founding of the Port in 1911.As Commissioner, he leads the 4th largest container gateway in the United States, the 8th busiest airport by passenger volume, and the largest cruise operation on the West Coast. His work has focused on sustainability in maritime and aviation, strengthening ties between the United States and the Asia-Pacific region through commerce, and ending human trafficking. Immediately prior to his election to the Port, Cho was the Founder and CEO of Seven Seas Export, an international trading company that exported American poultry products to Asia. Earlier in his career, Cho held positions at the US Department of State as an analyst, in Congress as an aide, and was a political appointee under President Barack Obama.
Cho currently serves on the Advisory Council for the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), the Asia Society Seattle, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Seattle Symphony, Greater Seattle Partners, and the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Cho earned his Bachelor’s degree from American University and a Master’s of Science from The London School of Economics.

Leona Edegbe
Leona is a dynamic professional currently embarking on her Doctorate in Business Administration. With over 11 years of valuable experience in the Information Technology industry, Leona has had experiences in Big Tech and Fortune 500 banks and local commercial banks where she worked on Relationship management to understand the customer’s pain point and optimize user experiences. Leona's expertise lies in Product Management within the realm of Mixed Reality (MR). She is passionate about building accessibility features and optimizing the growth of customer journey funnels. As a natural leader, she has taken on the responsibility of guiding research teams towards success in her past roles. Additionally, Leona has proven her versatility as a Site Reliability Engineer, showcasing her ability to efficiently manage ETL pipelines and releases.
Leona's diverse skill set has contributed to her well-rounded approach to problem-solving and project execution is one of the backgrounds that can be a major contribution to Verity Credit Unions to delights is members experienced .Leona's academic background is equally commendable. She holds an MSc in Computer Information Systems and a BSc in Statistics, both earned from Kaduna Polytechnic in Nigeria.
Beyond her professional achievements, Leona is an active member of the Grace Hopper women in the computing community, where she contributes her expertise as a scholarship reviewer. Moreover, she dedicates her time to fostering awareness of Extended Reality (XR) among young people in STEM fields, aiming to inspire the next generation of tech innovators. With her determination, expertise, and passion for making a positive impact, Leona enjoys staying up to date on industry trends and providing new and innovative financial products and services.

Fernando Turrent
Fernando Turrent currently works as the Strategic Audience and PaaS Lead for Azure at Microsoft, where he focused on new product launches and business development. With a history of successful strategic roles, including impactful positions at Amazon, Santander Bank, and the National Bank of Public Works and Services in Mexico, Fernando's international expertise, coupled with his multicultural background underpin his commitment to innovation and growth. He has a Master of Business Administration with a finance concentration at the University of Notre Dame, serving as the President of the Hispanic MBA Society. His academic accomplishments also include a Bachelor of Arts with a specialization in Economics from the University of Western Ontario.

Alex Johnson
Alex currently serves in the capacity of a Board Associate. He works professionally as an engineer/construction manager with a consulting firm that supports local agencies with their public works projects, currently focused on work with King County Parks. Alex has spent the last decade volunteering in and serving the Seattle Chinatown/International District (SCID) community through his involvement with a variety of non-profit organizations. Whether serving as board chair and program facilitator for a leadership development org or helping to plan fundraisers for a local museum, Alex has a "people-first" approach to serving his community, especially those who find themselves underrepresented and marginalized. Within Verity, Alex is most focused on supporting the board's diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) work with our consultant and spearheading a special project to revamp onboarding. He most aligns with Verity's efforts to put people first and to set them up for success through this work. Alex graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Civil Engineering and in his spare time enjoys tennis, disc golf, board games, and discovering new favorite bars and restaurants.
Supervisory Committee
The supervisory committee is an independent governing entity that shares responsibility with the board of directors. It monitors Verity leadership to ensure the credit union is safeguarding financial assets and reporting financials as required. Supervisory Committee members are elected at the Annual Meeting. We are currently seeking Board Leadership Volunteers. Fill out an application to be considered for the Supervisory Committee or Board Associate Program.
You can contact the supervisory committee by email at supervisorycommittee@veritycu.com or by mail:
Supervisory Committee
P.O. Box 75974
Seattle, WA 98175

Aldo Pineda
Aldo J. Pineda, Supervisory Committee Chair. Board associate. Finance Committee member.
- Supervisory Committee Chair. Ensure appropriate internal controls and accurate financial reporting.
- Loan Operations at a Community Bank, Credit Union Regulatory Experience, and currently a Credit Analyst at Boeing
- Joined the credit union as a volunteer as I wanted to be a part of an organization dedicated to providing financial services to historically marginalized communities
- Bachelor’s from the University of Washington. Starting MBA program in the Fall at University of Washington Fosters School of Business
- Volunteer for the Woodland Park Zoo Amphibian Monitoring Program, kayaking, and cooking.

Tom Holz
Tom serves on Verity’s Board of Directors as well as the Supervisory Committee, and on the board of the Rhode-Island based Marley Bridges Theater Company, which specializes in interactive, historical, and educational theatrical programming. Tom is also a member of the strategy team at Keyfactor, a cybersecurity company specializing in digital identity management. Tom combines analytical and soft skills with an understanding of technology and technology governance. He holds a master’s in business administration from the University of Virginia and a master’s in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Florida. He is an (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Eagle Scout, and 9-time veteran of Burning Man.
Lawrence Lerner
Lawrence is currently a member of the Supervisory Committee. He is the Managing Director of Lead Forward and is known for taking big ideas and creating everyday technology products that box out the competition. He has launched LEVL – the consumer fat measuring product, has six awards for leading Software Testing, Application Modernization businesses, and most recently won the NAMA People’s Choice Award for SimpliGet, the leading software/hardware locker platform. He brings to Verity 25 years of experience as a pioneer in digital payments, including credit cards, embedded payment solutions, and back-office systems. He attended the University of Chicago with studies in Math and Computer Science. He proudly serves as a leader in his faith community counseling, volunteering, and running non-profits. He is an avid nature hiker, loves cooking, writing, and listening to live music.
Executive Team
Our executive team leads the daily operations of the credit union and follows strategic guidance passed down from the board of directors. Members of the executive team can be contacted directly using the link beneath each bio.

Tonita Webb, CEO
Tonita is Verity’s first Black female CEO and one of few Black female executives in the industry. She harnesses the power of tools, data, and technology to drive decision-making, ensuring financial prosperity for all, especially underserved community members.
Before joining Verity, Tonita spent 15 years at Seattle Credit Union (SCU), where she served as Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer, Senior Vice President, and Chief Administrative Officer. Tonita leads by example, championing financial inclusion for all and applying education to diminish the wealth gap. She serves on various boards, including Southeast Effective Development (SEED), 21 Progress, and Pioneer Human Services.
Tonita is a Puget Sound Business Journal Woman of Influence, American Heart Association Woman of Impact nominee, and sought-after speaker. She has been featured on numerous podcasts, including Unlikely, discussing “Generational Wealth in Leadership,” See It to Be It on “Changing the System from Within,” and Leading with Empathy & Allyship on “Strategies for Supporting Black Leadership in the Workplace.” She has a doctorate of Business Administration from City University.

Jason Hirl, Chief Technology Officer
Jason leads the technology operations at Verity, overseeing the team responsible for providing secure, accessible and efficient tools that meet the unique needs of Verity’s members and staff. He brings over 30 years of experience in the industry, joining Verity in 2014 after serving as the Vice President of IT at a Minneapolis credit union. He enjoys the challenges that the pace of evolving technology brings.
Jason received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa, majoring in finance and minoring in mathematics. He is also a graduate of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Management School in Madison, WI. Jason is currently completing his master’s degree in Business Administration online at the University of Iowa.
In his spare time, he volunteers in his community, coaching youth baseball and leading the local Scout troop. In addition, he enjoys rooting on the Iowa Hawkeyes and the WSU Cougars, golfing, boating, hiking, and camping with his wife and two boys.

Tina Narron, Chief Lending Officer
Tina joins Verity with 21 years of supporting small businesses, particularly women in business. She leads the development of loan products and services, overseeing $750M+ in lending and ensuring loan programs are sustainable and financially viable for the credit union. Tina is committed to getting capital into the hands of underserved communities and undoing generations of systematic exclusion in our communities, equipping her team with the tools needed to be successful.
Tina started her career as a teller, working in various positions. She’s managed billion-dollar loan portfolios and helped lead organizational and cultural transformations at credit unions to improve member service. She frequently speaks about the unique needs of women and underserved business owners. Tina is proud of her volunteer work as a mentor with the WA Women’s Business Center, coaching women and seeing them grow and gain confidence.
In her spare time, Tina enjoys charity work, cooking, spending time with friends and family, and traveling to new destinations every year.

Brad Tanberg, Chief Financial Officer
Brad joined Verity in 2018, bringing decades of experience in the financial industry. He loves being part of the credit union movement because he believes in the philosophy of people helping people.
Before joining Verity, Brad was the CFO at TruWest Credit Union in Phoenix, Arizona <insert responsibilities and successes.>
A lifelong learner, Brad believes in the power of education. He holds a post-baccalaureate degree in accounting from Arizona State University and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Western Washington University. He is also a graduate of Western CUNA Management School.
In his free time, Brad enjoys spending time with family and watching his daughter play volleyball. He also enjoys flying, boating and golfing.

Josh Sidell, Chief Experience Officer
Josh joined Verity’s executive team in 2022 with over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. He leads the sales and member experience efforts, opening new branches, expanding online and mobile access, and integrating branches into the communities Verity serves.
Josh was drawn to Verity because his life’s work is to improve the lives of others, especially those who have been historically excluded. He’s committed to making systemic change by creating connections to affordable financial services and increasing access to wealth-building programs to help close the wealth gap.
Josh has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Western Governors University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Western Washington University. He’s a member of Filene’s i3 program and a board member of the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association, where he sits on the finance, property development, and strategic planning committees.
Outside work, Josh enjoys spending time with his kids, cooking and listening to music

Ziquora Banks, Chief Impact Strategy Officer
Ziquora oversees the Community Impact Team at Verity, providing community fund grants, community impact projects, financial well-being, and related initiatives to accomplish Verity’s Community Impact agenda. She’s committed to helping communities heal their relationship with money, moving from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance to create measurably improved lives and stronger communities. Linking donors, volunteers and advocates’ aspirations to need, Ziquora cultivates relationships to mobilize resources for meaningful engagement.
Before Verity, Ziquora served as the Assistant Vice President of DEI & Strategic Partnerships at Seattle Credit Union, creating strategic partnerships in BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, and LGBTQIA+ communities to further opportunities to access inclusive financial products and programs.
Ziquora was named a CUES Exceptional Leader in 2023. She graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Business Administration. She also received a Diversity & Inclusion Certificate for Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies from Cornell University.
Ziquora enjoys spending time with her son, traveling to new places and immersing herself in the stories and cultures around the world.

Alma Granic, Chief Risk Officer
Alma brings over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, specifically in Risk Management, IT, and Project Management. She oversees risk, compliance and internal audit, creating an aware culture that identifies and assesses risks and opportunities in pursuit of the credit union’s strategic objectives. Alma is passionate about this area because she impacts every aspect of the organization and helps keep members’ financial well-being safe.
Most of Alma’s professional career has been with credit unions because she is drawn to the underlying mission of people helping people. Her key accomplishments include successfully implementing an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program that enhanced organizational resiliency against present and emerging risks and improved organizational decision-making.
Alma has an MBA in finance from Western International University and a bachelor’s degree in global business finance from Arizona State University. She also holds several certifications in Risk Management and Information Technology.
In her free time, Alma enjoys hanging out with her family, traveling, and hiking.
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