Speakers
AJ Schalk
AVP, Audit Link - CU*Answers
AJ Schalk began working at CU*Answers in 2021 as a Client Service Representative. In this role, AJ developed fundamental knowledge of the functionality of the CU*BASE software suite, as well as a growing passion for assisting clients. These skills quickly moved AJ to serve as an Account Executive on the Cards & Payments team, where he managed intricate projects for bill pay and debit card data conversions. Along with project management and ongoing specialized client support, AJ honed his skills to gain a greater understanding of the risk assessment necessary within the world of EFT. In 2023, AJ became a NAFCU Certified Compliance Officer (NCCO) and joined the AuditLink Team as AVP. As the leader of AuditLink, AJ manages business operations and utilizes his regulatory skill set to assist credit unions in alleviating the regulatory mandates that they face daily, as well as preparing credit unions for auditor visits and requests. As an effective and dynamic communicator, AJ prides himself in his ability to train credit unions on BSA and high-risk management with the CU*BASE software suite to ensure that credit unions understand the dept of the software and remain in compliance.
Dave Brown
Account Executive - TruStage
As an Account Executive at TruStage, Dave partners with mid-sized credit unions to provide payment protection, direct marketing, business protection, and risk mitigation solutions. With over 14 years in the financial services industry including 10 years at TruStage, Dave has acquired a passion for helping credit unions succeed. Dave resides in DeForest, WI - north of the TruStage home office with his wife & two children. Dave holds bachelor’s degrees in finance & economics, from the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh.
JD Pisula
CEO - Accolade Advisory
As the President & CEO at Accolade, JD Pisula leads a team of professionals who provide institutional investment advice, interest rate risk management, and balance sheet strategies to credit unions across the country. Accolade’s team of consultants work with over 100 credit unions across the country and advise on nearly $2 billion as an outsourced Chief Investment Officer. Prior to Accolade, JD served as the Director of Investments for the State of Ohio and served in the administration of Ohio Governor John Kasich. He is a CFA charter holder and earned degrees from both Denison University and The Ohio State University.
Jeff Klump
Chief Marketing Officer President - K4 Architecture + Design
As the founding partner of K4, Jeff built the firm on a vision of the “Architect as Master Builder”—delivering integrated design, construction, and branding solutions under one roof. With over 35 years of architectural and program management experience, Jeff has led more than 3,000 projects, specializing in retail and financial markets. Before launching K4, he served as Director of Architecture & Construction at Fifth Third Bank, where he helped open over 800 branches across 13 states. Under his leadership, K4 celebrated 25 years in business in 2024. Jeff is affiliated with the AIA and NCARB and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati.
Logan Mallory
Keynote Speaker
Logan Mallory is a keynote speaker, tech executive, and adjunct professor who helps teams and leaders unlock resilience, connection, and performance. With a track record of leadership at fast-growing tech companies Logan brings both credibility and relatability to every stage he steps on.
Beyond the stage, Logan is a LinkedIn content creator and most importantly, a husband and father to four amazing kids. Whether in a keynote, workplace, or with his family, Logan’s goal is the same: to help others unlock the next version of themselves—at work and in life.
Nicole DeRogatis
Chief Marketing Officer - K4 Architecture + Design
With 13 years at K4 and more than two decades in the industry, Nicole brings deep experience in branding and marketing strategy. She’s led everything from full-scale rebrands to building in-house marketing teams and driving brand consistency across organizations. Her career has taken her from print advertising to CMO, with a knack for aligning marketing efforts with big-picture business goals. Nicole also teaches college-level marketing courses, a role she’s proudly held for 11 years.
Prashanta Pradhan
EVP, Chief Information Officer - Corporate One FCU
As an accomplished leader, Prashanta has been dedicated to creating robust technological solutions for more than 24 years. As CIO, Prashanta is responsible for the corporate’s long-term technology strategy. Prashanta plans and administers every facet of Corporate One’s information technology program and infrastructure.
Prashanta joined Corporate One in 2012 as part of the merger with Southeast Corporate Federal Credit Union, where he had worked since 2007. He previously worked for West Corporation, holding progressively advanced roles. He holds several certifications for both technical and leadership capabilities and has four patents in natural language speech recognition. He served on the Credit Union Financial eXchange (CUFX) Architect Committee from 2014 to 2019. He achieved the prestigious Certified Credit Union Executive (CCUE) designation through the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in 2022.
Originally from Kathmandu, Nepal, Prashanta moved to the United States in 1993 and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering. Outside of the office, he enjoys spending time with his family, gardening and working on home improvement projects.
Scott Runyan CPA
Partner, Financial Services- GBQ
Scott joined GBQ’s Assurance department in 1994 after beginning his public accounting career as an auditor at Coopers & Lybrand.
Scott spent the first 17 years of his career serving companies in several industries, including manufacturing, distribution and service. He specialized in technical accounting and financial reporting matters and consulted with clients on business acquisitions and extensive technical research on high-level accounting matters. Scott also led the maintenance of GBQ’s quality control standards for assurance services, which required him to have a vast knowledge of financial reporting issues. In addition to implementing new financial reporting standards for clients, he also engineered overall procedures to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
Over the past 13+ years and continuing today, Scott leads GBQ’s Financial Services practice. Recognized as a leading provider of services to credit unions and ranked in the top 5 nationally, his team specializes in providing financial institutions with several services, including audits, outsourcing internal audits, compliance, and merger consulting.
Scott regularly participates in speaking engagements related to technical accounting topics. He is also the recipient of several internal client service and managerial awards at GBQ.
Steve Lillie. CPA
Partner, Financial Services - GBQ
Steve joined GBQ in 2024 following the acquisition of Lillie & Co. and Lillie Resource Group, both of which he founded. As the driving force behind these firms, Steve has built a distinguished 30+ year career in public accounting, with a specialization in the credit union industry.
After starting his career at a Big 4 firm, he joined Condit and Associates LLC, where he honed his expertise in delivering tailored assurance and compliance services to credit unions. In 2003, Steve founded Lillie & Co., earning a strong reputation for providing top-tier services, including accounting guidance, fraud investigation, and regulatory compliance. In 2022, Steve transitioned Lillie & Co.’s compliance services into a new entity, Lillie Resource Group, further expanding the firm’s support for credit unions with specialized business solutions.
Recognized for his deep expertise, Steve has provided training and speaking engagements for prestigious organizations such as the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), Washington DFI, Iowa DFI, and Ohio DFI, as well as for numerous credit union leagues. His thought leadership and technical insights have made him a sought-after speaker at both national and regional credit union events across the country.