823 Advizers

Amanda

Vice President, Education & Social Impact

California Credit Union League, Nevada's Credit Unions And The Utah Credit Union Association

Sacramento State

Amanda Garcia Merz, has over 13 years of experience in education, corporate giving and community development in the credit union industry.
Sacramento State

Sacramento State

Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Education
English, Writing & Education
Worked 20+ Hours in School
Transfer Student

Q1Career path

Community Impact

Nonprofit

Volunteering

1:02

"I started my career as an adult with three children, meaning I'm a returning, uh, college student."

Q2Main responsibilities

Compliance Training

Education Management

Community Support

1:51

"Providing that topical information so credit unions can keep their doors open is very relevant to the job that I do."

Q3Day in the life

Social Impact

Community Development

Leadership

1:44

"It varies widely on a daily basis, which is what I love the most because it is so varied in the work that I get to do overall."

Q4Most important skills - role

Networking

Negotiation

Culture Building

1:45

"Being someone who enjoys being a connector, a a dot connector is really a valuable asset."

Q5Favorite parts - role

Social Impact

Community Engagement

Education

1:54

"That's so easy when you get to work day in and day out for doing good with purpose. How can I not love that opportunity every day?"

Q6Biggest challenge - role

Education

Training

Content Selection

1:18

"Ensuring that you're hitting all of the necessary components that they need to do their job."

Q7Favorite parts - industry

Financial Services

Social Impact

Community Development

2:25

"We say it's in our DNA, um, to do good people helping people."

Q8Who thrives in industry

Compliance

Versatility

Regulatory Knowledge

1:28

"The great thing about being in the credit union industry is there is typically a job for everyone's interests."

Q9Wish known before - industry

Financial Institutions

Communication Skills

Regulatory Compliance

1:12

"It's interesting how the same acronym can definitely mean different things, um, in different industries."

Q10Entry-level positions

Entry-Level Positions

Credit Unions

Financial Education

2:46

"Having a credit card is the best way to build up your credit score. And so using it responsibly is also critical."

Q11Significant lesson - career

Benefits

Education

Career Development

1:29

"Take advantage of all of the opportunities that you may have that you can receive from your employer."

Q12College ideas for success

Skill Development

Community Engagement

Volunteering

1:44

"Volunteering while you're in college is a definite way for you to engage in a different way that you likely are not doing in your own studies."

Q13How identity impacted career

Adult Learning

Resume Building

Career Transition

2:35

"I had to learn that what I had done was not a deficit, but definitely a plus because I came to the table with years of experience."

Q14Most impactful experience at W.P. Carey

Networking

Alumni Engagement

Higher Education Support

1:54

"I really helped, um, drive what the university looked like in the community, which helped me in turn, build my reputation, um, and my name."