news.cuna.org/articles/121332-cooperative-credit-union-association-welcomes-new-advocacy-chief

Cooperative Credit Union Association welcomes new advocacy chief

August 8, 2022

The Cooperative Credit Union Association (CCUA) welcomes Adrian Velazquez, Esq., to the team as its Chief Advocacy Officer. Responsible for overseeing the CCUA’s advocacy initiatives, Velazquez will work with lawmakers and regulators at both state and federal levels, as well as credit unions, other associations and strategic partners.

“We are excited to have Adrian join our team,” stated CCUA President/CEO Ron McLean. “Adrian is a dynamic leader, and his depth of experience will be immensely valuable as we advocate for credit unions and their members.”

“I’m thrilled to join the CCUA,” said Velazquez. “Part of my personal story with credit unions is the value of family. When I bought my first car, a credit union was there for me; when I bought my house, a credit union was there for me; and now, as I am growing my own family, credit unions are still there for me. I am thrilled to advocate on behalf of our credit union family.”

Velazquez served six years in the Massachusetts legislature with the Joint Committee on Financial Services, where he drafted and steered legislation impacting credit unions and banks. He has consulted and advised political campaigns for the past ten years at the municipal, state and federal levels. His past policy and legal work have fortified his role as a trusted advisor and communicator to public leaders. 

Prior to joining the CCUA, Velazquez served on the Committee on Public Counsel Services, where he provided legal counsel to CPCS and presented both oral and written testimony to legislative committees, coalition meetings and conferences.

Velazquez has a Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University Law School, Master’s in liberal arts in Government from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from the University of Sacred Heart in Puerto Rico, where he graduated magna cum laude.

A Puerto Rico native, Velazquez resides in Boston with his wife Dr. Christina Dimeglio. He speaks Spanish and German, as well as conversational French.