Virginia Credit Union’s Sabrina Guerin Recognized by League of Credit Unions & Affiliates for Financial Education Work

Virginia Credit Union’s (VACU) Sabrina Guerin was recently recognized by the League of Credit Unions and Affiliates as its 2025 Emerging Professional of the Year for Virginia. The Emerging Professional of the Year award honors rising leaders who demonstrate exceptional promise, dedication, and commitment to credit unions’ “People Helping People” mission.

Guerin, a Senior Financial Education Specialist and a Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor, specializes in working with adults. She was honored for her work in teaching personal finance and money management skills to incarcerated individuals preparing for their return to society, as well as other underserved populations facing unique personal finance-related challenges. During 2024 and 2025, her programs reached almost 1,500 individuals at local, state, and federal correctional facilities.

“Rising leaders like Sabrina bring bold ideas, boundless energy, and a deep sense of purpose to everything they do,” said Samantha A.M. Beeler, President of the League of Credit Unions and Affiliates. “From grassroots advocacy and community outreach to financial inclusion and youth mentorship, their impact is already profound. The future of the credit union movement is brighter because of their vision and drive.”

Guerin teaches people the importance of managing money wisely, building savings, and protecting their financial futures. She is also one of the hosts of VACU’s Pay That Bill podcast, which has generated more than 44,000 episode plays. The podcast and its social media presence have reached 430,000 individuals since launching in September 2025.

“Many individuals in custody face significant financial challenges, such as overwhelming debt and poor financial histories,” said Guerin. “At VACU, we’re committed to providing financial education training and resources that help individuals no matter where they are on their financial journeys. We believe in the power of financial education to have a meaningful, life-changing impact by teaching people how to think about money management and personal finance in a positive way, a way that fosters careful consideration of how one spends, saves, borrows, and plans.”

VACU was recently named Organization of the Year by the Institute for Financial Literacy, receiving the prestigious 2026 Excellence in Financial Literacy Education Award in recognition of its exceptional innovation, dedication, and commitment to financial education. Through its comprehensive, data-driven, and inclusive approach to financial education, the credit union reached more than 130,000 children, youth, and adults in 2025 through workshops, seminars, one-on-one counseling, online resources, and community partnerships.

The credit union has also received national recognition from the Credit Union Financial Education Network (CUFEN) for its in-person presentations and live virtual meetings that reached 20,223 adults with lessons on personal finance topics between July 2024 and June 2025. CUFEN is the national organization that tracks and promotes credit union financial education initiatives, recognizing top-performing credit unions from across the nation at its annual conference.