Joan M. Brodhead joined Community First Fund in 2004. Over the last 19 years, in a number of roles and currently serves as Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer. One of her most significant roles has been to oversee the development, opening, and operation of Community First Fund’s credit union. In addition to these responsibilities for the credit union, Joan oversees fundraising & development, communications and marketing, and impact evaluation of lending and loan operations.

Joan has more than 40 years of experience in finance and community development lending. Her previous experience includes seventeen years in commercial banking where she was vice president for a regional bank, focusing on small business and community development lending, credit underwriting and loan administration. In addition, she has more than seven years’ experience as a business owner, providing consulting services for the community development industry. Her background includes consumer and commercial lending, as well as management of community reinvestment activities for a multi-state market.

Joan is currently a board member of the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania. She served as a board member for EDC Finance Corporation of Lancaster County for 15 years supporting funding decisions and strategy for economic development in Lancaster County. Joan previously served on the board of directors of Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), a national network of community development financial institutions (CDFIs).

Joan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cedar Crest College, Pennsylvania.