Our Executive and Senior Leadership Team

Carrie L. Birkhofer has served as President and CEO of Bay Federal Credit Union since 1995 and has more than four decades of experience in the credit union industry. She is passionate about strengthening local communities by expanding access to trusted, locally owned financial services and creating opportunities that improve members' financial well-being. Carrie works closely with Bay Federal's Senior Leadership Team and volunteer Board of Directors to shape and execute the organization's strategic vision while fostering an exceptional experience for both members and employees. Under her leadership, Bay Federal has earned numerous honors for its workplace culture and member service, including recognition as one of the Best Places to Work, Best Places to Bank, and Forbes Best Credit Unions in CA.

Carrie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is a Certified Public Accountant. She is an active leader within the credit union movement and her community, serving on the Boards of Directors for America's Credit Unions and California's Credit Unions, as Treasurer of the Salinas Valley Health Foundation, Past President and Scholarship Chair of the Rotary Club of Scotts Valley, and CAP Chair at Cabrillo College. Her contributions have been recognized with honors, including Woman of the Year by the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce (2018), induction into the Junior Achievement Monterey Bay Hall of Fame (2023), and selection as one of the Silicon Valley Business Journal's 50 Women of Influence (2026).

Outside of work, Carrie enjoys exercising, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Cameron Haste is Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at Bay Federal Credit Union. He works alongside the CEO to lead the Credit Union, providing strategic leadership and operational oversight in partnership with the Senior Leadership Team and Board of Directors. Cameron believes strong results start with a strong culture, and he focuses on building collaborative teams that make it easier for members to reach their financial goals. 

Cameron earned a bachelor's degree in international business from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and is a Certified Chief Executive (CCE). He is active in the community, serving as Board Chair of Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County, Vice Chair of Hope Services, and Vice Chair of Skills of Life (SOL) Cafe. He is also a member and past President of the San Lorenzo Valley Rotary Club. 

Outside of work, Cameron is an avid adventure traveler who has visited nearly every "Stan" country in Central Asia. 

Trisha Bennett is Vice President of Enterprise Application and Project Management Office at Bay Federal Credit Union, overseeing enterprise application support, CRM product management, and the development of project management strategies, governance, and operational standards. She joined Bay Federal in 2019 as Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Application and Project Management Office, bringing 20 years of combined experience in credit unions and IT. 

Trisha earned a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology from the University of California, Davis, and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). She serves on the Board of Directors for the Pescadero Arts and Fun Festival and as Treasurer of the Pescadero Community Foundation. 

In her free time, Trisha enjoys traveling with her family and exploring all that the Santa Cruz Mountains have to offer. 

Ryan Cash is Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer at Bay Federal Credit Union, where he is dedicated to ensuring members have a seamless, exceptional experience across every channel they use, including branches, investment services, the call center, and digital banking. He joined Bay Federal in 2015 and brings more than 22 years of experience in financial services, including leadership roles at Financial Partners Credit Union, Logix Federal Credit Union, and Santa Cruz Community Credit Union.

Ryan earned an MBA from Pepperdine University and a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is active in the community, serving as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Cruz County.

 

Mark Ely is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Bay Federal Credit Union, where he leads enterprise-wide marketing strategy to drive growth, strengthen brand recognition, and enhance member engagement. With over two decades of experience in the credit union industry, he has held leadership roles in marketing, digital engagement, business development, and branch operations. 
 
Mark extends his commitment to service beyond Bay Federal through active involvement in the community. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County, where he supports efforts to strengthen volunteerism, connect people with meaningful opportunities to serve, and help local organizations expand their impact. His community involvement reflects a broader interest in building stronger connections between businesses, nonprofits, and the people they serve. 

Mark holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing from Lebanon Valley College. 

Alicia Flores is Vice President of Member Services at Bay Federal Credit Union, bringing more than 40 years of experience in financial services. She began her career as a part-time teller at Bay Federal in 1981 and now oversees the Credit Union's eight branch locations, leading the branch management team and overseeing member experience, sales, and business development.

Alicia holds a bachelor's degree in business management and serves on the Board of Directors for the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz and as Treasurer for Watsonville Arts and Empowerment.

Chris Heck serves as Vice President, Business Services at Bay Federal Credit Union, bringing more than 30 years of experience in commercial banking with banks and credit unions. He is passionate about helping local businesses grow and thrive, and was drawn to Bay Federal by its financial stability, community focus, and commitment to making a real difference in members' lives. In his role, Chris leads Bay Federal's Business Services team, overseeing business lending, underwriting, and deposit services, with a focus on expanding loan and deposit products for local business owners and building the systems needed to support that growth over time. 

Chris holds a Commercial Lending Certification and has completed the Western CUNA Management School program. He began his career as a Commercial Loan Assistant at Venture Bank, advancing to VP, Commercial Banker. He later served as VP, Commercial Banker, at First Citizens Bank and, most recently, as VP, Business Services, at Peak Credit Union before joining Bay Federal. 

Outside of work, Chris enjoys spending time with his wife, Crystal, and their three children. He can often be found playing golf, barbecuing, or cheering on his youngest daughter at her athletic events. For Chris, whether he is supporting a business owner, mentoring a colleague, or spending time with family, building lasting relationships remains at the heart of what he does. 

Brooke Morley is Senior Vice President, Chief Lending and Product Officer at Bay Federal Credit Union, where she is focused on building lending and product solutions that genuinely serve members' financial lives. She leads strategic vision and execution for the Credit Union's lending and product functions, overseeing deposit and loan portfolios, payments, and fraud prevention, while ensuring exceptional member experiences, regulatory compliance, and sound risk management. Brooke first joined Bay Federal in 2008 as Assistant Vice President of Lending, led lending teams at other credit unions, and rejoined in 2021. 

Brooke earned bachelor's degrees in economics and finance from Santa Clara University and is a graduate of Leadership Santa Cruz County. 

Richard Roark is Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Bay Federal Credit Union, where he has led the Technology, Information Security, Business Intelligence, and Project Management Office teams since joining in 2016. He brings extensive knowledge of the financial services industry and a strong commitment to team building and best-of-breed technology. 

Prior to Bay Federal, Richard spent more than 20 years at Travis Credit Union, including as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. He is an alumnus of the Credit Union Executives Society, holds the Certified Chief Executive designation, earned a bachelor's degree in management information systems from Barrington University, and serves as a board member for several security organizations. 

Michael Smith is the Vice President of Mortgage Lending. He joined Bay Federal Credit Union in 2022, bringing nearly two decades of experience in mortgage lending, operations, risk management, and customer service. Prior to Bay Federal, he served as Assistant Vice President of Real Estate Lending at SAFE Credit Union, where he oversaw a growing mortgage team.

Michael holds a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in government, both from California State University, Sacramento. He also serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay.

Outside of work, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

Allyson Stengl is Vice President of Consumer and Business Lending at Bay Federal Credit Union, where she oversees the Credit Union's consumer lending functions and business lending initiatives. She joined Bay Federal in 2011 and has held a variety of lending roles throughout her career with the Credit Union, steadily taking on greater responsibility. 

Allyson holds a bachelor's degree in business management and small business entrepreneurship from Sonoma State University and is a graduate of Western CUNA Management School, Leadership Santa Cruz County, and the inaugural class of BayFed University. She also serves as Treasurer for Monarch Services and is a member of its Finance Committee. 

A resident of Aptos, Allyson lives with her husband and two children. 

Rita Toston is Vice President, Risk Management at Bay Federal Credit Union, where she is committed to protecting the Credit Union and its members by directing the Enterprise Risk Management program and monitoring the organization's overall risk profile. She joined Bay Federal with 20 years of banking experience, including consulting through her own LLC for small community banks and fintech firms, and prior compliance, audit, and operations roles at Citibank, where she served as Senior Vice President, Compliance Testing.

Rita earned a bachelor's degree in management and finance from Park University and a master's degree in business administration from Ottawa University, and is a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) and Certified Bank Secrecy Act Professional (CBSAP), and holds her Credit Union Enterprise Risk Certification (CUERC).

Outside of work, Rita enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her spouse, her two sons, and their Rottweiler, Cody.

Rick Weiss is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Bay Federal Credit Union. He joined the organization in 2013 and brings over 34 years of financial leadership experience within the credit union industry. He oversees all aspects of accounting and finance for the Credit Union.

Prior to joining Bay Federal, Rick served as Vice President of Finance for First Tech Federal Credit Union. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from San Jose State University.

Rick is actively involved in the community, serving as treasurer on the Santa Cruz County Chamber Board of Directors and the Santa Cruz County Business Council. He is a past member and treasurer of the Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County Board of Trustees. 
 

Patty Winters is Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Bay Federal Credit Union, where she believes that a strong, well-supported team ultimately delivers a great member experience. She aligns HR strategy, including talent acquisition, employee engagement, and leadership development, with the Credit Union's organizational goals, and oversees the Facilities Department to ensure a safe and dynamic environment for staff and members.

Patty earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Purdue University and is a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR). She joined Bay Federal in 2012, bringing nearly 30 years of HR experience to the role, and serves as Chair for Women in Philanthropy and as a board member of United Way of Santa Cruz County.