Credit Union Career Profile: Michelle Watson, Stride Credit Union

Michelle Watson

Controller, Stride Credit Union

Career:

Start in the credit union system: April 2019

In high school, Michelle wanted to pursue a career in athletic therapy, since sports have always been an important part of her life. She began her university studies in kinesiology before discovering a growing interest in business, which changed her academic focus.

After completing university, Michelle worked as a personal trainer, but when an opportunity to start a career in the credit union system came up, she took it.

Michelle joined Stride Credit Union in April 2019 as a Member Experience Associate (MEA), working on the front line and gaining valuable firsthand experience with members and operations. Not long after, she took on a new role as Deposit Administrator, and by January 2020, she moved into the finance department as a Financial Analyst. In February 2023, Michelle accepted her current role as Controller. With an educational background in accounting, her progression into finance was always a clear goal and a natural fit.

A typical day:

Michelle’s day typically begins with morning reporting and reviewing transactions from the previous day. From there, no two days look quite the same. Her role spans a wide range of responsibilities, including preparing financial statements, monitoring and balancing general ledgers to ensure accuracy, supporting departmental projects, completing regulatory reporting, and computing profitability to help inform decision-making.

Continuous learning and improvement:

Driven by a strong commitment to growth, Michelle seeks out new projects and opportunities – even when they fall outside of her usual scope. She embraces new challenges as learning experiences and continues to invest in her professional development by taking additional finance and accounting courses to expand her knowledge and capabilities.

Keys to success:

Throughout her career at Stride, Michelle has been fortunate to work alongside teams that believed in her and encouraged her to grow. With each role change, she was supported and challenged to take the next step, which helped her get where she is today. That support, combined with her willingness to say yes to new opportunities, has been a key driver of her success.

Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:

Some books Michelle has enjoyed reading include Atomic Habits by James Clear, Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek and The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz.

Guiding principles:

Shaped by her background in sports, Michelle draws inspiration from advice she once received from a former coach: “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” That message continues to guide how she approaches her career and life. She believes there is no substitute for hard work and consistently strives to give her best. She believes in leading through example and empowering others through her actions.

CUYLM participation:

Michelle’s service on the CUYLM Executive Committee from 2023 to 2025 was an important chapter in her leadership journey. Through this experience, she gained the confidence to lead, the opportunity to contribute to meaningful change, and a deeper appreciation for the credit union system as a whole. It broadened her perspective and reinforced her commitment to making a positive impact – both within her organization and beyond.