Nomination by Petition - 2025 Board of Directors Election

The NIHFCU Nominating Committee has nominated seven members to fill three vacancies for the 2025 Board of Directors (BOD). Per NIHFCU’s bylaws, additional nominations for the BOD may be made by petition. Nominations from the floor at the April 22, 2025 Annual Meeting will not be considered.

To become a nominee by petition, you must: 

• Be at least 18 years of age as of April 22, 2025

• Submit a valid petition as noted below by Saturday, February 1, 2025^1,2

Submitting your Petition / Statement of Understanding

Upload your completed petition to the BOD Petition Application/Statement of Understanding and submit by Saturday, February 1, 2025. If valid nominations are received by petition, the name(s) of the candidate(s) will be included on the 2025 ballot.^1,2

Click here for the official petition template form

1. A completed petition will contain the signatures of at least 457 current NIHFCU members of age 18 or more ^{1, 2}

2. Make copies of this form as needed

Click here for the BOD Petition Application/Statement of Understanding

1. All requested information is required including the completed petition, a hi-res photo and biographical statement

2. Please thoroughly review the statements of understanding to ensure your awareness of the role, time commitment and behaviors required of our volunteer Board of Directors

For questions or comments on the Nomination by Petition process, please email us at nominations@nihfcu.org. 

Duties and Responsibilities of the Board of Directors include but may not be limited to:

The Board of Directors is responsible for the general direction and control of the NIHFCU, including ensuring that the credit union operates with the highest ethical standards in conformance with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations. The Board may delegate operational functions to Senior Management.

1. Ensures the NIHFCU maintains its sound financial condition;

2. Reviews and supervises the President /Chief Executive Officer’s progress in achieving goals and objectives;

3. If necessary, participates in hiring a President/CEO and determines responsibilities and compensation;

4. Provides strategic leadership and sustains and supports the NIHFCU vision, mission, values, and strategic direction;

5. Approves the NIHFCU Strategic Plan and ensures that the annual business plan and budget are in line with the strategic plan;

6. Requests approval of the NIHFCU charter and non-standard bylaw amendments from the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA);

7. Appoints members to all Board of Director’s Committees;

8. Approves and oversees of operating policies and procedures to ensure they comply with legal and regulatory requirements and are consistent with the NIHFCU vision and strategic direction;

9. Meet at least monthly.

General Duties of Each Individual Director. Each Director must:

1. Carry out his/her duties in good faith, in a manner reasonably believed to be in the best interest of the membership, and with such care, including reasonable inquiry, as an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances;

2. Administer the affairs of the NIHFCU fairly and impartially, and without discrimination in favor of, or against, any particular member;

3. Within six months of appointment, demonstrate a working familiarity with basic finance and accounting practices, including the ability to read and understand the NIHFCU balance sheet and income statement, and the ability to ask, as appropriate, substantive questions of management and auditors;

4. Conduct the operations of the NIHFCU in conformity with the Federal Credit Union Act, NCUA’s Rules and Regulations, other applicable laws, and sound business practices;

5. Review and evaluate information/data prepared or presented by employees or consultants and make inquiries to ensure an understanding of the information/data. A Director may rely on information/data provided by employees or consultants in performing their stewardship and fiduciary responsibilities.

Primary Responsibilities of Each Individual Director. Each Director must:

1. Understand, support and promote the NIHFCU’s vision, mission, values and strategic direction, and its products and services;

2. Follow trends and important developments in the financial services industry and NIHFCU’s marketplace.  Be aware of local and national economic and social trends, and their possible effects on the NIHFCU;

3. Contribute proactively and constructively to the Board’s success in carrying out its governance responsibilities as described; hold self and the Board accountable for acting to ensure the long-term competitive success of the NIHFCU

4. Prepare for, and actively participate in Board and Committee meetings; meet the Board’s established attendance requirements;

5. Actively participate on at least one standing Board Committee;

6. Avoid, in fact and in perception, conflicts of interest that might embarrass or call into question the integrity of the Board or the NIHFCU, and disclose to the Board, in a timely manner, any possible conflicts;

7. Focus attention on long term and significant policy issues but be flexible to focus on short-term administrative matters if/when appropriate;

8. Respect the responsibility of the President/CEO to manage the staff and operations of the NIHFCU. Ensure that any communication with staff below the President/CEO level does not undermine the relationship between the President/CEO and the staff or Board;

9. Demonstrate a willingness to learn, fulfill the educational requirements established by the Board, and attend and participate in conferences and educational workshops;

10. Take advantage of opportunities to enhance the NIHFCU’s public image and market its services in the community and with sponsor officials;

11. Respect the confidentiality of members’ business with the NIHFCU;

12. Act at all times in the best interests of member-owners and customers.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities of a Director

1. Maintain NIHFCU membership in good standing and meet all NCUA-established Director requirements as noted in Section 1761 of the Federal Credit Union Act. Adhere to requirements of the NIHFCU Bylaws, as enacted and modified;

2. Professional background in a discipline important to the NIHFCU’s success, e.g., finance, planning, marketing, customer service delivery, human resources, information systems, etc.;

3. Familiarity with the financial services industry, and an understanding of the basics of the business, and how a credit union achieves profitability, builds capital, develops and prices products, delivers service, and in general, mediates between savers and borrowers;

4. Willingness to commit time and actively participate, both in attendance and in meeting contributions;

5. Ability to balance the need for managing the NIHFCU as a business with the need to understand and be responsive to the short and long-term interests of the NIHFCU’s members and customers;

6. Commitment to the ideals and values of the credit union movement, and desire to contribute to the movement’s continued viability and growth.

Mr. Kevin Hippolyte holds two bachelor’s degrees in journalism and nursing. He has spent nine years as an RN, including five years in trauma ICU settings. Prior to entering healthcare, he worked for 11 years as a trusted traffic & weather reporter and producer for iHeartMedia in the Washington, DC area. Kevin founded The Hippolyte Group, a Long & Foster Real Estate Sales Group specializing in home sales across Howard and Montgomery Counties, and Washington, DC. He is an FAA-certified remote pilot and a current FINRA Series 7 candidate. Kevin combines innovation, leadership and a passion for service. A proud NIHFCU member since 2021, Kevin Hippolyte is eager to bring his distinguished expertise to the board.

Dr. Collins Odongo holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University and a Master of Arts in Global Development and Peace, University of Bridgeport, where he also earned a Bachelor of Science in Business. With over 25 years of experience in public policy and financial management, he has led initiatives in business development, technology integration, and capacity building. Dr. Odongo’s expertise also extends to strategic planning for federal government assignments. He currently serves on the NIHFCU Strategic Planning and Governance Committee and has been a member since 2018.

Dr. Kalpana Ramiah has over 20 years of experience in public health and healthcare strategy. She holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a Doctorate and Master’s in Public Health from GWU. She is the VP of Innovation at America’s Essential Hospitals. She advises on strategies to improve healthcare and access for underserved communities. She manages multimillion-dollar budgets and has served on several national advisory committees. She is a board member of the MTNA and leads the temple ensuring financial stability. Fluent in Hindi and Tamil, Dr. Ramiah aims to leverage her financial management and strategic planning expertise to support NIHFCU’s mission. Dr. Ramiah and her family have been a member of NIHFCU for 25 years.

Mr. Gadi Romem is a registered architect with over 30 years of experience in architectural project management, specializing in large-scale health care projects. Mr. Romem has been a dedicated NIHFCU member for 26 years. Mr. Romem’s management experience includes leading design teams of up to 150 people, overseeing all aspects of project delivery and budget. Some of Mr. Romem’s most notable projects include VA San Juan hospital and Fort Bliss Military Replacement Hospital in El Paso, Texas, with a budget of over one billion dollars. Mr. Romem is committed to contributing fresh perspectives to enhance business growth and performance by emphasizing teamwork, idea-sharing, and continuous learning.

Ms. Vijaya Subramaniam is a finance executive with 15+ years of experience, excels in strategic financial management, operational efficiency, and corporate governance. As Director of Strategic Marketing Finance at Choice Hotels, she oversees $400M+ budgets and advises the C-suite. Skilled in financial analysis, M&A, and process re-engineering, she drives organizational success. Passionate about diversity, she mentors leaders via Choice Hotels’ Diversity Council. With an MBA from Johns Hopkins, Vijaya seeks to bring her expertise to the NIH Federal Credit Union, supporting its mission to empower members with exceptional financial solutions. Vijaya has been a member of NIHFCU since 2000.

Mr. Timothy Tosten is an Associate Director for Program and Employee Services, NIH Office of Research Services. He was an NIH Presidential Management Intern and holds a Master of Public Administration, University of Baltimore. He has served on the NIHFCU Board as Chair of the Board Governance and Strategic Planning Committee and on the IT Steering Committee. He has led intramural, extramural and central service operations and was an Executive Officer for two NIH ICs. He is the business owner of NIH IT systems: NIH Enterprise Directory and Fellowship Payment System. He graduated from the NIH Executive Leadership Program and has been awarded multiple NIH Directors Awards. He has been an NIHFCU member since 1993.

Ms. Signe Yock has served on the NIHFCU Board of Directors since 2022 as an interim Board Member and a member of the Business Governance and Strategic Planning and Member Experience Committees. Most recently, she has served as principal advisor and operational specialist for Advance Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), DARPA, and several entrepreneurial ventures. Prior to her advisory work, Ms. Yock served as the Assistant Dean and Director of Graduate Marketing & Admissions at the University of Virginia. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia. Ms. Yock has been a member of the NIHFCU since 2023.