OnBoarding for Impact: The Foundation of Growth
Who is training employees who are new to business and community development at your credit union? Often, a new team member steps into the role after
MEET JULIE
Julie Ferguson founded JRF Consulting in 2009, building upon her experience across multiple roles at First Tech Federal Credit Union. Julie is a business development strategist who partners with credit unions to strengthen their approach to growth, relationships, and community impact.
Through her consulting, she works side by side with teams to build strategies that are practical, usable, and rooted in what matters most to the people they serve. She helps teams see opportunities more clearly, ask better questions, and turn insight into action. She also helps credit unions move from talking about transactions and products to telling stories about impact.
Julie is the creator of the BD NOW Innovation Summit, host of The BD NOW Channel, and leads Onboarding for Impact, a virtual training program designed for new and emerging business and community development professionals.
She is also the co-creator of Backstage, where she brings her passion for connection and shared learning to a growing community of business development leaders across the country.
Julie is a Certified Credit Union Development Educator, a member of the Global Women’s Leadership Network, and serves on the advisory board of the Berenstain Bears Financial Literacy Program. She believes deeply in the role credit unions play in building stronger communities.
MEET DELIANA
Deliana Gamez is a seasoned business development leader, who joined JRF in 2025, with a decade-plus track record of helping credit unions grow through smart strategy, strong partnerships, and practical execution. She’s known for taking big-picture goals and turning them into actionable steps that move organizations forward and deepen community impact.
Deliana first crossed paths with Julie when she was building out BD teams and partnerships in the field and Julie was consulting on a strategic project. From that very first conversation, her analytical mind, passion for growth, and energy around meaningful BD work stood out — and she’s been a respected voice in the industry ever since.
Over the years, she’s led initiatives that attracted tens of thousands of new members annually, crafted frameworks for effective SEG and charter-driven growth, and shared her insight across national conferences and industry events. Her work blends a deep understanding of how credit unions grow with practical tools and strategies teams can use right away.
Deliana’s speaking and consulting spans topics like diversified growth strategies, data-driven outreach, team development, and building “dynasty” BD functions that deliver sustainable impact. She brings to Backstage a human-centered approach to business development that’s rooted in real results, real conversations, and real growth.
Outside of work, she’s as approachable and curious as she is strategic. always ready to explore new ideas, connect with peers, and lift up the next wave of credit union leaders.2025
JRF Consulting Introduces Backstage, a BD NOW Community
Previously published on CU Insight. A co-created platform, led by Julie Ferguson and Deliana Gamez JRF Consulting, founded by Julie Ferguson, CUDE, has introduced Backstage —
JRF Consulting grows its impact as Julie Ferguson welcomes industry leader Deliana Gamez
After 16 years of leading JRF Consulting and BD NOW as a solo venture, Julie Ferguson is thrilled to announce that Deliana Gamez has joined
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