Charleston Hustlers

Amanda Garcia Merz, VP of Impact and Development for the CA/NV Credit Union League, is a seasoned community impact amplifier with a remarkable decade-long track record of championing vulnerable populations and driving impactful change within the credit union movement. Her extensive expertise in public and community relations, combined with adept program leadership and media relations, has been instrumental in advancing socially responsible and equitable programs.

One of her defining strengths lies in convening and leading diverse stakeholder groups, adept at finding common ground and skillfully applying program management acumen to propel critical initiatives forward. This approach has consistently transformed social challenges into opportunities, leaving a lasting impact on the community.

As Travis Credit Union's Director of Government Relations and Social Impact, while also serving as President of the Travis Credit Union Foundation, Damian Alarcon, is engaged daily in strategically serving TCU by aligning corporate responsibility to community-focused strategic wellness initiatives.

He is known to create effective relationships with external stakeholders, strategic partners, and cross-functional groups to build a more diverse pipeline and advance equity and inclusion at the Travis Credit Union.

Damian has devised and guided the development of an all-community outreach strategy, as well as strategic partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit organizations to expand the DEI strategy and plan to improve community relations. The outcomes of these efforts include financial education accessible to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or ethnic background.

Previously, Damian worked with Representative George Miller (Chairman of the House Education Committee) for more than 4 years where he specialized in immigration, LGBT, and environmental issues and was responsible for bi-lingual outreach.

Previous to his work with the Congressional representatives, Damian was a reading/language arts instructor for the Bambini Education Center in Seoul, Korea where he produced lesson plans for elementary school children and managed other instructors.

Damian earned his Bachelor’s in Sociology at University of California Santa Barbara.