Certified Innovation Executive · Stanford Business School

Coretta J. Wallace

20+ years transforming financial institutions through bold strategy, operational excellence, and human-centered leadership. $448M+ in record-breaking loan volume. Impossibility is not in the vocabulary.

Coretta J. Wallace, CIE

"Impossible is just
the starting line."

$448M
Record-Breaking Loan
Volume Delivered
20+
Years Executive
Leadership
$1.2M
Cost Savings in Tech
Stack Negotiation
95%
Intentional Employee
Retention During Merger

Strategy.
Execution.
Transformation.

Some leaders manage the status quo. I transform it. With over 20 years of leadership in financial services and credentials as a Certified Strategic Innovation Executive from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, I offer the rare combination of technical fluency, architectural strategy, and a relentless commitment to actionable results.

I thrive in high-performance cultures where the pace is fast and the stakes are high. I am at my best given the autonomy to make data-driven decisions and the space to pilot innovative solutions. My track record isn't just about maintaining systems — it's about shattering benchmarks and achieving goals that others deem unreachable.

I recently managed nine cross-functional project teams (though 20+ concurrent projects is my usual) and two Merger & Acquisition (M&A) integrations, accelerating delivery progress by 30%, preceding scheduled deadlines.

I possess the growth mindset necessary to navigate highly regulated environments without sacrificing speed. My next role is where "impossible" is just the starting line and where results make a positive impact in the lives of others — at our organization, our clients, and our community. 😊

Strategy

Business Intelligence Strategic Planning Change Management M&A Integration Roadmap Ownership

Operations

Risk Assessment & Mitigation Policy Development Program Management Regulatory Compliance

Financials

Consumer & Commercial Lending Mortgage End-to-End P&L Ownership Budgeting & Forecasting

Leadership & Experience

Executive Coaching Team Building DEI Initiatives Board-Level Engagement Digital Experience Strategy VoC / NPS

Press & Recognition

Business View Magazine — February 2021 Feature, Zeal Credit Union with Chief Experience Officer Coretta Wallace Feb 2021

Featured Publication

Business View Magazine

Featured in the February 2021 issue of Business View Magazine — spotlighting Coretta's leadership in financial services innovation, organizational transformation, and her vision for a human-centered approach to enterprise strategy.

Read the Feature ↗
"Impossible is just
the starting line."
— Coretta J. Wallace, CIE  ·  Chief Experience Officer  ·  Stanford Certified Innovation Executive

Results Achieved

20+ years driving transformation across financial services organizations nationwide.

May 2025 – Present: Zeal
June 2024 – Present: Independent

Zeal Credit Union | Independent Strategic Business Performance Consulting

Strategic Consultant

  • Managed nine cross-functional project teams and two M&A integration teams; achieved 100% Phase I completion ahead of schedule, accelerating Phase II by 30% — reducing client timeline and investment significantly.
  • Negotiated vendor contracts reducing total cost by 50%+ plus an additional 15% discount, compressing delivery from 12 weeks to 2 weeks — saving clients $10K+ and accelerating time-to-value, as well as negotiated $1.2M cost savings on tech stack platform.
  • Coached C-suite executives on expanding into new operational domains, designing scalable systems that resulted in faster execution and improved accuracy.
  • Advising FinTech organizations on market entry strategies for B2B/B2C AI platforms to facilitate industry-wide adoption.
  • Formulated 5-year strategic business plans, KPIs, and financial frameworks aligned to long-term growth visions and annual budgets.

Oct 2021 – May 2024

Zeal Credit Union

Chief Experience Officer

  • Delivered a record-breaking $448.5M+ in loan volume — 20% YOY increase, surpassing peer growth rates; reached highest historical volume within the first year.
  • Reduced annual expenses by $200K+ through contract negotiations; secured $150K+ in earned dividends from third-party partners.
  • Secured $7.5M in combined capital and grant funding (ECIP) to design credit and savings programs for underserved markets.
  • Managed a $5M+ retail build-out, engaging CTO to streamline workflows that slashed construction timelines by 5 days and saved $10K per line item.
  • Achieved consistent NPS/Satisfaction ratings of 4.7–4.9/5.0 via a new sales and service coaching program.

Dec 2019 – Oct 2021

Excel Federal Credit Union

Executive Vice President

  • Engineered a 5-year strategic plan yielding 20% YOY revenue increase across retail, lending, and risk management.
  • Restructured leadership to break down silos — 75% improvement in operational efficiency within Year 1.
  • Managed a $100M+ diversified lending portfolio, surpassing growth targets by 20% and delinquent recovery targets by 15%.
  • Led workforce planning for 50+ employees, maintaining a 95% retention rate during a complex Merger-of-Equals.

Oct 2014 – Apr 2018

Alliance Catholic
Credit Union

VP, Talent Management & HR

  • Accelerated shift to a "change-driven" culture — meeting 5-year objectives in just 3 years.
  • Enhanced team performance by 20% through redesigned compensation, performance assessments, and strategic HR management.

Credentials

Certified Strategic Innovation Executive

Stanford University Graduate School of Business · Palo Alto, CA

CIE — Certified Innovation Executive

Professional Designation

BS, Integrated Leadership Studies

Central Michigan University · In Progress

BA, Arts Management & Advertising/Marketing

Eastern Michigan University · Ypsilanti, MI

Completed grad level course work towards major — transferred to CMU.

Honors & Boards

Award 2024

Top 50 Women Chief Experience Officers of 2024 — Women We Admire

Top 50 Women Chief Experience Officers of 2024 — Women We Admire award trophy
Advisory Board

TheoSym · AI Human Potential Platform

Advisory Board

Elevate Innovations · AI Learning & Development Platform

Advisory Board

Net-X Platform · AI Learning

Advisory Board

Tonic TV · Media & Technology Platform

Let's build
something
extraordinary.

Open to strategic leadership opportunities across the United States as well as opportunities to consult & transform your organization — wherever the challenge is bold enough. Let's DO this!

Start a Conversation →
Email cwallacecie@gmail.com Phone 734-358-4876 LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/corettajw
Location Lawrenceville, GA · Available Nationwide