Credit Union Career Profile: Mikee Gabriel, Steinbach Credit Union
Mikee Gabriel
Manager, Teller Services, Steinbach Credit Union
Career:
Start in the financial services industry: 2015
Start in the credit union system: 2016
Since high school, Mikee has aspired to become a lawyer. Drawn to understanding people, solving problems and standing up for what is right, she has always wanted to pursue a career that allows her to help others and make a difference.
Her professional journey began in retail, where she gained experience working directly with customers and building strong interpersonal skills. Those early experiences sparked her passion for working with and supporting people and helped lay the foundation for her move into financial services.
Mikee began her career in the credit union system at Assiniboine Credit Union as a Member Services Representative (MSR) before later moving to Steinbach Credit Union. Since then, she has continued to grow through a variety of roles, take on leadership responsibilities, and develop her ability to coach and make a positive impact on others.
Today, she continues to work toward her long-term goal by pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice on a part-time basis, with hopes of becoming a lawyer in the future. Outside of her career at Steinbach Credit Union, she also owns a coffee and matcha bar, an experience that has allowed her to build something from the ground up and develop valuable business skills.
A typical day:
Mikee’s workday is a mix of planning, problem-solving and connecting with people. She typically begins by checking in with her team to ensure everyone feels prepared, supported and ready for the day ahead. From there, her priorities can shift as challenges and opportunities arise. While some days are structured, others require quick thinking and adaptability. Through it all, a significant part of her role is coaching team members, answering questions and helping them build confidence in their abilities. She takes pride in creating an environment where people feel supported and encouraged to grow.
Continuous learning and improvement:
Mikee believes learning never really stops. There is always a new skill to develop, a different perspective to consider or an opportunity to improve. She stays focused on growth by being open to feedback, learning from colleagues and team members, and reflecting on what she could do differently in the future. Some of her most valuable learning moments have come from situations that did not go as planned – which, as a leader, happens more often that many would like to admit.
Keys to success:
For Mikee, success is rooted in the belief that there is always room to grow. She has never defined success as reaching a particular position or milestone. Instead, she sees it as the ongoing process of becoming a better version of herself.
She’s also grateful to have people around her who believe in her, support her and push her to reach her potential. In her view, success is rarely achieved alone – it is shaped by the lessons we learn, the challenges we overcome, and the people who walk alongside us.
Recommended reading (or other resources) for young leaders:
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown (book)
How Great Leaders Inspire Action by Simon Sinek (TED Talk)
Hidden Figures (film)
Guiding principles:
Mikee’s guiding principles are simple: be kind, be resilient, and keep growing. She believes people may not always remember exactly what you did, but they will remember how you made them feel. She strives to lead with compassion, stay committed when things become challenging, and continue learning from every experience and every person she encounters.