Suzy Fonseca began her career at Lower Valley Credit Union (LVCU) as a teller in 1999. In the 24 years since, she has served as operations supervisor, chief operations officer and president and CEO of LVCU. With a remarkable focus on mission and expanding LVCU’s equity and inclusion programs, Suzy successfully guided LVCU through a merger with Self-Help Federal Credit Union in 2021. With the ideal mission alignment of Creating and protecting ownership and economic opportunity for all, especially people of color, women, rural resident and low-wealth families and communities; Suzy currently serves as WA Regional President with SHFCU.
Under Fonseca’s leadership, Lower Valley’s membership grew from 5,600 to roughly 18,000; its loan portfolio increased by $74 million; and its total assets increased from $50 million to $150 million. LVCU received its Low-Income Designation in 2013 and became a CDFI in 2014. Later in 2014, LVCU became the recipient of a Financial Assistance Grant from the CDFI Fund in the amount of 1.65 million to help offset risk associated with the development and implementation of programs targeted at the chronically underserved, low-income and Latino communities. LVCU was also the CU Times Trailblazer Award recipient for “Outstanding Service to the Underserved in 2014”. In January of 2016 LVCU was honored with becoming the first Juntos Avanzamos credit union in the Pacific Northwest. In March of 2016, the NCUA Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) certified LVCU as a Minority Depository Institution. In June of 2016 Suzy was presented with a Credit Union Hero Achievement Award by CUNA and CU Magazine. In August of 2016, LVCU became the recipient of the Wells Fargo “Next Seed Capital Award” for $100k for launching a program that brings financial services through medium of an Interactive Teller Machine (ITM) to rural agricultural communities. In October of 2016, CUNA honored LVCU with the 2016 Credit Union Excellence in Lending award recognizing Suzy and the LVCU team for inclusion and lending best practices. In late 2018, LVCU became the recipient of their second Financial Assistance Grant from the CDFI Fund in the amount of $600,000 to support deeper lending and development in chronically underserved and immigrant communities.
Fonseca served on Washington DFI’s Advisory Taskforce. She is a member of Inclusiv’s Juntos Avanzamos Selection Committee. Additionally, Suzy is a member of the Board of Trustees for Astria Hospital and an active board member to Nuestra Casa a local non-profit that focuses on serving a culturally diverse community providing opportunities in leadership, civic and social engagement, literacy development, and academic advancement. Suzy has served as a Rotary President in 2014 and has held various committee and board positions within the club. Suzy’s WA branches continue to be an active participant in a wide variety of community events and organizations, including hosting citizenship clinics, foster care projects and victim-relief outreach programs.
Fonseca earned her associate’s degrees in accounting and business management from Yakima Valley Community College and a bachelor’s degree in operational management from Washington State University. She is also a graduate of the Western CUNA Management School, Theta Class of 2010!
